Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 8:09-9:40

How more carriers change Britain's 1939 choices

A Tillman-treaty counterfactual asks how twice as many British carriers would change the risks accepted with Courageous, Glorious, Ark Royal, and Taranto.

Alternate HistoryAnti-Submarine WarfareBattle Of TarantoFleet CarriersForce StructureHMS Ark RoyalHMS CourageousHMS GloriousNaval AviationNaval StrategyNorwegian CampaignWashington Naval TreatyWorld War II
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Question

How would World War II have developed differently if Britain began 1939 with twice as many aircraft carriers?

Short answer

Britain would probably distribute carrier risk differently: Courageous and Ark Royal need not share the same anti-submarine mission, Glorious is less isolated, and Taranto can become a multi-carrier strike.

Notes

A larger carrier fleet changes which risks Britain has to accept in 1939. Courageous and Ark Royal would not need to operate in the same anti-submarine pattern, and Glorious would be less likely to deploy alone. More 15,000-ton cruiser carriers would free larger fleet carriers for other duties. Taranto might then use several carriers instead of one. These counterfactual possibilities show how extra hulls change assignments and risk across several operations.