Q&A · 2:11:55-2:12:39

Could Graf Zeppelin field a workable carrier air group?

Germany could assemble something it believed workable, but untested design choices and limited carrier experience would make real efficiency doubtful.

Question

If Germany completed Graf Zeppelin, could it develop the aircraft and experience needed to operate her effectively?

Short answer

Germany could produce a nominal air group, but whether the combined carrier system worked efficiently in practice is much less certain.

Notes

Germany could produce an aircraft package it believed would work, but efficient operation remains doubtful in this assessment. Graf Zeppelin had already reached the water, so launching the ship alone was not the obstacle. The concern is the accumulation of theoretically attractive design features whose practical performance remained uncertain. If one failed, the whole carrier system could be in trouble. Reliance on French carrier-design ideas is another concern in this assessment.