Would German preparation for improved British torpedo bombers make Bismarck much safer from air attack?
Short answerThe defenses would improve, but more carriers and mixed fighter, dive-bomber, and torpedo-bomber attacks would divide the ship's anti-aircraft effort.
NotesGerman planners could adapt their shipboard weapons to the expected British torpedo threat. The delayed war also gives the Royal Navy more carriers and a broader set of aircraft. Fighters, dive bombers, and torpedo bombers approach with different profiles, forcing the defenses to split attention among them. Better guns therefore do not remove the problem created by a larger and more varied air attack.