How might HMS Tiger have affected World War II if retained and modernized?
Short answerShe could have hunted German raiders and perhaps joined Force Z, especially if rebuilt with six 14-inch guns and modern dual-purpose weapons.
NotesA rebuilt Tiger would serve in the Indian Ocean and other distant stations rather than the Mediterranean or North Atlantic. There she could hunt Deutschland-class raiders and confront disguised merchant raiders from a safer range than a light cruiser. Sydney may have closed with Kormoran because her crew intended a boarding action, surrendering the protection that armour offered at range. Tiger might also become a third heavy unit in Force Z. A plausible mid-1930s modernization trades weight for six 14-inch guns in three twin turrets and a stronger 4.5-inch secondary battery, creating an unusually powerful distant-station raider hunter.