Comments on: The Only Nazi Aircraft Carrier

By: jarvisloop

jarvisloop — Sat, 25 Jun 2022 02:51:01 +0000

Considering Germany’s incredible technological prowess (they were light years ahead of us in nearly every area), I am astounded that they could not build even one carrier.

By: BattleshipBoy

BattleshipBoy — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 00:42:52 +0000

If the Graf Zeppelin had completed sea trials by the time of the Bismark and Prinz Eugen sortie in May 1941,and had sortied with them, it would have rolled the dice/shuffled the deck as far as the ensuing sea campaign. There would have been immediate repercussions for convoy routing, and Royal Navy capital ship movement in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and even the Indian Ocean. The Brits would have moved Heaven and Hell to track and try to sink them. One knowable, though, was that there was NO WAY Hitler was going to authorize any kind of strike at the U.S. With Barbarossa in the planning, Germany did not need America as a fully active member of the Allies. Thus, the German naval strike force would probably have stayed in the eastern or mid-Atlantic Ocean (to avoid being detected by North American air patrols). Hunting down Allied convoys may even entailed cruising into the South Atlantic. Incursion into the Med wouldn’t have made any sense because the Italians already had battleships and airfields in the area. Taking the ships into the Indian ocean probably would have caused panic and havoc in the area, but then the Germans would have had to fight their way back through a fully aroused Home Fleet, Gibraltar force, and any and all small Royal Navy detachments locally-based. If any of the German ships had mechanical breakdowns (which were not unknown in the Kreigsmarine), or even moderate battle damage, the whole mission would have been at considerable risk, with the ships being so far from friendly repair and re-supply facilities. Net result – most probably a black eye for the Royal Navy, but not an Earth-shattering defeat. Afterwards, they would have put into motion even further plans to hound the German fleet at port and on the high seas. Immediate historical effects, for sure, but the farther down the timeline, the less the overall effect.

By: Scoman

Scoman — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 08:56:33 +0000

I have seen the only existing model of the Graf Zepplin in a private nautical museum in Hamburg Germany. If properly equipped and used the battle for the Atlantic could have been very different.

By: Car23

Car23 — Thu, 12 May 2016 20:30:48 +0000

I believe i Hitler really wanted world dominance he would have needed aircraft carriers. He would have needed them to first support his main fleet so they do not get destroyed by the Brits aircraft carriers to break through the British blockade. Then he would have to do a major amphibious landing on Great Britain (keep in mind he would have had to defeat Russia First). After gaining control of Great Britain he would of had to launch a massive invasion of America. Another thing is if the Japanese had not dragged the US into the war and just moved their troops into Russia and knock them out of the war. All in all if Hitler was really going to dominate the world he would have needed aircraft carriers and better aircraft for them.

By: Viper191

Viper191 — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 15:13:51 +0000

In response to the comment by radiatidon which was many many years ago but i felt compelled to write. Your comment about prinz eugen not hitting a single enemy warship is very wrong. If you were to read the investigation by the british navy into the battle between hood prince of wales and bismarck and prinz eugen you will find that prinz eugen hit hood at least once and prince of wales 3 times. The report includes photos of the damage to prince of wales caused by the 7 hits 4 from bismarck and 3 from prinz eugen.

By: Captain Catfish

Captain Catfish — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 20:43:29 +0000

Hitler was not brilliant on land. His tactics were simple and borderline retarded. He was such an ego-idiot refusing skilled advice and so on. He was such a poor tactician that assassination attempts were halted because the longer he remained in power, the easier it would be to end the war. He was so incompetent they thought it would be better to watch him fumble around rather than let the numerous skilled staff and still very potent army drag it out, gain concessions, etc. Not brilliant.said: "Hitler was a bright tactician on land (although you wouldn't guess it from his "invasion" of russia) and a real ass at sea. If he had a little more confidence in his navy, londoners would be eating fish'n'pretzels today. Can anyone spell lederhosen? No? Thank god!"

By: Tony Alvarez

Tony Alvarez — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 01:31:37 +0000

Had Germany completed five carriers, she merely would have been diverting valuable resources from somewhere else so even had the carriers been successful there would have been greater Allied opportunity elsewhere.

Additionally, I find it extremely hard to believe that the Kriegsmarine could have mastered the art/science of carrier warfare and logistics to the same degree that the UK, Japan and USA had.

Not to mention that by 1944-45, the USN had plenty of carriers, planes and pilots to spare. They could have easily transferred overwhelming force from the Pacific to the Atlantic…and even then only if the Brits actually needed help to deal with what probably would have been a haphazard and comically inept use of carrier power by the Germans.

Also, only Japan and the USA had any true carrier vs carrier battle experience. Any US carrier task force comprising of at least 2 fleet carriers and the proper escorts and support ships would have made short work of even all five KSM carriers. The quantity of aircraft would be roughly equal and the quality of aircraft and pilot experience would have been off the chart in favor of the US.

Oh…and in the last couple of years of the war, the USN had a large excess of submarines in the Pacific with no targets to hit that also could have transferred to the Atlantic. U-boats get all the ink but the US subs were successful in prosecuting their warplan to the finish. A claim that cannot be made by the German underwater service.

By: viking62

viking62 — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:05:05 +0000

[quote]viking62 said: “There was a paln to convert the cruiser Seydlitz into a light carrier, so that would make 5…”[/quote]

Should be “plan”

By: viking62

viking62 — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:03:13 +0000

There was a paln to convert the cruiser Seydlitz into a light carrier, so that would make 5…

By: JAMES FASSINGER

JAMES FASSINGER — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 05:40:02 +0000

[quote]1c3d0g said: “AntEconomist: well fucking said. That’s how it is.”[/quote]

What does this have to do with AIRCRAFT CARRIERS! Stick to the subject or go to your room ANTIECONOMIST who don’t know what he is talking about . He probably sat in sat in back of the class and listened to SHIT MUSIC.