How ready was Wilhelmshaven for a carrier raid?

How well positioned were German fighters and air defences to stop the raid?

They were poorly positioned because Germany did not expect a carrier attack, while British intelligence and signals access made surprise more likely if the new carriers struck quickly.

Britain knew more about German dispositions than Germany knew about the emerging British carrier force. British human intelligence and access to German communications made surprise more likely if the carriers attacked soon after commissioning. A two-wave strike could arrive and depart before an effective fighter response was organized. The Royal Navy's problem was sometimes excess intelligence and interpretation, rather than an absence of information.