How many aircraft could converted liners such as Europa, Bremen, or Vaterland carry?
Short answerA practical estimate is roughly 24 to 36 aircraft each, depending on hangar and funnel arrangements, perhaps fewer given German inexperience.
NotesA converted liner's air group depends on hangar arrangement and how funnel trunks pass through the aviation spaces. Europa's quoted dimensions of about 283.5 metres long and 31 metres wide leave less freedom across the beam than her length suggests. A second hangar deck risks excessive topweight, so a single hangar provides the basis for an estimate of 24 to 36 aircraft per ship. German aircraft-handling arrangements of the Graf Zeppelin type could reduce useful capacity further. Fleet of Oceans regards that estimate as generous given the difficulty of a first carrier conversion and expected institutional interference.