A carrier supporting German commerce raiders or Baltic operations had a coherent strategic purpose. Aviation could extend a raiding group's scouting and striking reach even if Germany could not match an enemy fleet ship for ship. The design problem was institutional: committees and competing requirements pursued engineering perfection instead of a timely, adequate capability. Germany also lacked the accumulated carrier experience that could have separated essential requirements from attractive additions. Complexity, cost, and delay could therefore defeat a sensible operational idea.
Chapter · 22:38-24:15
Graf Zeppelin and the cost of engineering perfection
A German carrier could multiply raiding power, but an unwillingness to accept a good-enough design burdened Graf Zeppelin with delay and complexity.