What if Germany had built 7 Carriers before the war?

The record of high altitude bombers against ships is attrocious. However, B-26, B-25, and A-20 aircraft could do some damage, especially some of the crews that were trained in low level precision bombing. It still remains that the most effective weapon would have been submarines. For all their experience with subs, the Germans did not have the ability or training to be effective against them.

 

Looking back at the scenario if the Germans had, let's say, just three carriers with 50 - 60 aircraft aboard in 1939 and put these to sea supported by appropriate surface ships in support of their U-boat / guerre de course against British shipping. The British would have been in deep trouble. Their own carriers with small air wings composed of Sea Gladiators, Skua, and Swordfish would have been at a very distinct disadvantage (let's assume the Germans find a useful carrier fighter like a modified He 112 or something if the 109 proves unsuitable).
The RN would have had a real delimma on their hands. Convoys with minimal escorts while reasonably effective against U-boats are concentrated nearly undefended targets against a carrier group. Spreading the ships out to avoid getting found and sunk by the carriers makes them vulnerable to U-boats. The main fleet portion of the RN lacks sufficent means to certainly overcome the German carrier force and risks the possiblity of defeat which they, unlike the Germans, cannot afford.

 

Maybe while they are at they can get some V-1s, V-2s a bunch of explosives and ammunition, to attach to that carrier and ship it into London's harbor. And dress the carrier up to look friendly than BOOM. Halifax all over xP

Im just kidding, It just appears that if Germany did have Carriers, I really don't think they wouldn't be doing a whole lot.

 

No, they wouldn't !!!!!
If the Germans could have all that, its only fair that the British get a death ray to sink any ship within sixty miles.


After all, its just as likely

 

Um okay.. I suppose that you can say that an industrialized nation lacks the ability to build three or more aircraft carriers if they had wanted to. But a death ray... sounds like a great idea for a NEW thread.

I question if GB would have brought more of its carriers back from CIB theater if this German threat was back home, while weakening their colonial holdings perhaps the carries would have been more useful in the Atlantic.

 

and a greater potential target for U-boote. This could have meant more destroyers to protect these and less to protect the Liberty Ships

 

The real question inside this one was what if the German Navy had been allowed to finish the Z-Plan? Of course this meant no war until 1945. If that was the case would there have been a war at all?

 

Did somebody say "ray guns"?? hehe
http://video.aol.com/video/jonny-quest-mystery-of-the-lizardmen/1878038

 

Why not till 45?

 

Because the Z-Plan was to be completed by some projection by 1944 Generaladmiral Erich Raeder expressed to Adolf Hitler in late 1938 or early 1939 that the Kriegsmarine would not be ready for general war until 1944 and the he was confident in taking on the Royal Navy, which was the Kriegsmarines biggest threat.

 

If Hitler had been a sailor in WW1 then Raeder might have gotten his plan through, otherwise no chance almost whatsoever....

 

Hardly. If Germany had started this sort of plan France and Britain would also have built more. Germany in the mean time could hardly have financed both this fleet and the army it had at the start of the war. As it was the Reich was deep in debt before it started the war and used the conquests to balance a few debts. In the mean time Germany would have needed years to figure out how to use the carriers which they wouldn't have gotten if they started the war in 39. Which they probably wouldn't as I doubt the army they had in this alternative would be capable of taking out the Poles at least not without a very long drawn out fight.

 

But what if the Carrier Fairy had come by one night and given the Germans the carriers, and the knowledge of how to use them along with the fuel to put in them? WHAT IF?