What if this happened?

[Chomper98]

As we all know, the Battleship Bismarck of the german navy was the most promising part of the german navy. Or was it? Germany had been building an air craft carrier in 1938, and she could have been ready by 1941. What if she, the Graf Zeppelin, was completed and was sent along with the Bismarck and Prinz Eugen on operation rhine. The Bismarck could crush any escorts, including a battleship to a convoy, and the Zeppelin could provide air cover and again crush a battleship, and the Prinz Eugen could attack the merchant ships with impunity.

If the Hood and Prince of Wales found them, then it is more then likely they would receive little, if any damage, as the aircraft from Zeppelin could destroy them before they even got in range. They could then wipe out as many convoys as they chose, and eventually head either to occupied france or norway to get repairs. They could then go out and join Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and then when Tirpitz is ready, they could all join in one great fleet. Such a fleet, with the Bismarck, Tirpitz, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Graf Zeppelin, and Prinz Eugen could simply attack any convoy they chose, and the British might need all of its carriers and Battleships to attack them, and if they survived into december, with the pacific war beginning, then the British would have to divide their navy for the pacific and atlantic wars.

I personally think that the US would have come in, then we are looking at a battle on the scale of Jutland or Leyte, as Iowa was sent to counter Tirpitz in 1943, then they would probably have to send another 2 battleships and a carrier to counter that force. If they met, then it would be one hell of a battle.

[Nick22]

while the 'what if?' scenarios are interesting chomper, history is fascinating enough as it is. pretty much all your posts are ' what if?' why not do a thread on something that actually haoppened, say, the louisiana Purchase.

[f-22 "raptor" ace]

You are forgetting that the aircraft for the German carriers were not ready and even if they were you'd need a very skilled pilot to land an a pitching rolling deck safely. As for the Prince of Whales and Hood being sunk, possible as demonstrated by the destruction of force Z. But here's the problem with that the Graf Zeppelin had too few aircraft. plus the AA for the Graf Zeppelin was pretty much the same it was for the Bismarck. and they'd have to attack British carriers. And since the carrier would be in visual range of the Hood and PoW they would have to get running pretty quick so they could launch in safety Carrier may have taken battleships's place but place a carrier in range of big guns the big guns will win.

[Malte279]

Most of the history threads seem to come down to "who would have won" kind of questions with a focus on arms technology. Sometimes I wonder if WW2 German propaganda about "Wunderwaffen" is still having a long term effect on the way history is perceived.
Anyway, if we assume for the Graf Zepellin, a carrier that was to carry between 40 and 50 planes, had been completed in 1940, here are some reasons why she would not have been likely to tip the ballance as much as some may expect:
HMS Eagle (25-30 planes)
HMS Hermes (about 20 planes)
HMS Ark Royal (50 to 60 planes)
HMS Argus (15 to 18 planes)
HMS Furious (36 planes)
HMS Illustrious (30 to 40 planes)
HMS Formidable (30 to 40 planes)
HMS Victorious (30 to 40 planes)
HMS Illustrious (30 to 40 planes)
HMS Indomitable (30 to 40 planes)
This list is probably incomplete and I deliberately left out those carriers already sunk by the time the Bismarck set out (HMS Glorious and HMS Courageous). The above sea level navy of Germany never had any chance whatsoever against the huge Royal Navy at the time. Britania ruled the waves (at least as far as the European nations are concerned) and a single German aircraft carrier would not have changed that. The German navy of WW2 was not comparable to the large fleet which Kaiser Wilhem II. had ordered to be build prior to WW1. The main threat came from the German submarines until ways had been found to limit this thread (in which the mass production of small escort carriers after the US played a large role).

[Malte279]

What do you think would have happened if in 1919 president Woodrow Wilson could have convinced the republican majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives that it would be a good idea to join the league of nations which he had been propagating so much? Would it have become more influential with the addition of the US or would the rules for decision making requiring a unanimous vote on most decisions would have permanently impeded the League of Nations? Do you think that there was ever any chance for the League of Nations to really make WW1 the "War to end wars" as which it has sometimes been described?

[Nick22]

adding the US would have lent more credibility to the league as the US was the worlds preeminent power exiting ww1
 perhaps some of the festering issues, like isreal and plestine are addressed back then, whos to say.