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And what does Britain do in reply?Instead of (or in advance of) building the Scharnhorst and Bismarck classes, Germany goes all in on CVs. Both Graf Zeppelin-class units begin construction in 1936. The five Admiral Hipper-class CAs are designed with CV protection in mind, with heavy AA.
I agree. The entire German surface fleet beyond CAs and below is a waste. Take the weight of Graf Zeppelin, 2xBismarck, 2xScharnhorst and 3xDeutschlands and put that steel, copper, money, time and manpower into an equal weight of 6x6 drive trucks for moving fuel, supplies and troops and Barbarossa may have a different outcome. Everything Germany does should always be focused on defeating Russia as soon as possible. Everything else is a distraction.I was thinking about how the Germans could make use of CV's, and to be honest I can't really come up with anything sensible.
Trouble is with Britain still in the game, the Germans have to find a way to distract Britain from supplying the Russians.Everything Germany does should always be focused on defeating Russia as soon as possible. Everything else is a distraction.
I agree. I don't think Task Force 58 could have taken Gibraltar let alone the Graf and some escorts.I was thinking about how the Germans could make use of CV's, and to be honest I can't really come up with anything sensible. Germany didn't have the resources to project force across the oceans, and closer to land airbases and land-based aircraft are a lot more cost-effective. The Baltic and North Sea are both within easy range of land-based aircraft, so no point operating a CV task force there. Or maybe CV's operating in the North Sea could be used for quick strikes against lightly defended targets in northern and eastern British Isles. But the UK counter for that is relatively easy, just build out radar coverage, more patrol aircraft operating, and place a few land-based squadrons there; a lot cheaper than CV's.
For attacking convoys in the North Atlantic, the Allies had a distinct geographical advantage. In principle a German CV task force parked in the North Atlantic out of reach of Allied land based aircraft could wreak havoc, but while u-boats could sneak past the UK to get into the North Atlantic, that's unlikely for a CV task force. It would just be a giant magnet for all Allied warships, and would likely quickly be tracked down and destroyed.
For attacking convoys going to the USSR, again, use land-based aircraft based in northern Norway. For the Med, the Axis had Italy, Sicily, Tunisia, and Crete, so no need for CV's. Well, to help Axis ship past Gibraltar, maybe a CV task force could be useful? Or maybe even a Pearl Harbor style strike against Gibraltar? But is that enough of a usecase to be worth the investment?
Presumably the RN would modify their own interwar BB program. The British may instead focus on the now likely larger German undersea and air strike threat and build more destroyers and fast track the Implacables.Also if the RN is not 'distracted' in the North Atlantic (and other places) Does the RN take the Italian navy out of the game in late 1940 or 41 before the Japanese get involved?
How many more battleships (KGV,PoW) battlecruisers (Hood?) and heavy cruisers go into the Med and pretty much stop Italian supplies getting to North Africa?
May not take Italy out of the war but things are certainly not going to go Italy's way.
Logistics.2x or 3x Graf Zeppelin in the Indian Ocean, maybe based on Madagascar? Operating in concert with Luftwaffe aircraft from Madagascar bases providing umbrella air cover, along with a number of escorts and U-boats. That could be an extremely significant problem for supply of the Soviet Union during the critical period of 1942 and early-1943. Plus have potential serous effects on other UK operations and interests in the Indian Ocean and PTO.
Presumably the Hippers would be designed to serve alongside the carriers. So, longer range and better AA for starters. As for Norway; two CVs (presuming both are in service), three Deutschlands, three (or five) Hippers, six CLs and two dozen destroyers will have to suffice, or die trying.The German 8in cruisers did not have particular long legs.