Q&A · 1:23:33-1:25:28

What 1935 Britain could learn from a modern carrier group

A modern Queen Elizabeth group would reveal systems Britain could study, but reproducing even simplified derivatives would take years.

Question

What happens if a modern Queen Elizabeth carrier group reaches Britain in 1935?

Short answer

Britain studies everything and can adapt selected ideas, but period industry needs several years before simplified systems reach service.

Notes

Britain would immediately study the carrier, escorts, submarine, aircraft and support ships while reconsidering treaty commitments. Modern Type 45 and Type 23 hulls might even be called cruisers by 1930s standards. Semiconductor-era radar could not be copied directly, but simpler lessons such as a radar-directed rapid-fire close-in gun might inspire a period equivalent. Roughly two years of analysis plus design and production time make 1940 rather than 1935 the point when useful derivatives might appear.