The same scenario is extended back to Taranto in November 1940. Without German heavy surface ships, Glorious might avoid its historical loss, while Courageous could still be lost to a submarine. Formidable is judged too late for this proposal because its commissioning date is given as 24 November 1940. A surviving Glorious could join Illustrious, and a larger carrier force could allow Eagle to be maintained and made available. The result imagined is a three-carrier attack at Taranto. Together with a later Matapan involving five British battleships, this could change the resources available for the Far East. German large surface combatants are therefore presented as imposing demands that mattered to the wider Axis war effort.
Notable Point · 1:24:04-1:25:42
Taranto with Glorious and a larger Mediterranean carrier force
Removing German heavy surface ships could preserve Glorious and make more British carriers available for Taranto.