Why a 1915 German carrier would not solve World War II naval aviation

Would building a German aircraft carrier in 1915 make the Fw 190 or Bf 109 more suitable for carrier use in World War II?

Probably not; Versailles would end the carrier continuity, and later German aircraft priorities would remain land-based even if the Fw 190 could theoretically be navalized.

The speakers distinguish the Fw 190, which might be navalized with enough alteration, from the less suitable Bf 109 airframe. A carrier built in 1915 would still have to survive the war and the Treaty of Versailles, and the Allies would be unlikely to let Germany retain it or build replacement flattops. Without an enduring carrier force, there is little reason for an interwar naval fighter programme to continue. Luftwaffe emphasis on land warfare would further weaken the connection between a First World War experiment and World War II aircraft design.