Germany wasn’t simply ‘stupid’ not to develop the aircraft carrier concept (any more than Russia wasn’t) it was, as ever much more complex than that. However the primary reason was that it just didn’t suit their type of warfare.
The big carrier nations of W.W.II were big in carriers before the war; and in each case for good (and specific) reason; Britain had a global empire, connected and protected by the Royal Navy; Carriers (of global capability, cold and hot) were vital. The USA had interests to protect and an advanced maritime frontier in the Pacific and the Atlantic, and Japan had to expand via the marine sphere if the weren’t content with ‘just’ China.
It would’ve consumed too many resources for Germany to try and play consequences with the RN, and a carrier was a nice to have rather than an essential. Their maritime was was essentially a blockade and raiding process; neither core to their prosecution of the war.
Hitler didn’t understand the sea, and was uncomfortable about it – one of the reasons Sealion was half-baked. Also while the Nazis came up with the land-air Blitzkrieg combined operation which was highly effective, the Krigsmarine was not so good at co-operation with the other forces (see Norway) and of course Goring hated the potential loss of any aviation control to anyone else. So there was also a large element of military incompetence too, as stated above.
The Graf Zeppelin‘s relatively well documented, and the air group would’ve been Bf109T and Ju87C; there’s good details on them. The Fi167 spec was dropped by the outbreak of war. However I didn’t realise they actually built a second carrier; the Seydlitz was stripped of superstructure in 1942 with a view to becoming a flush-decked carrier, but the order was rescinded. Liners Potsdam, Europa and Gneisenau were considered for carrier conversion, but it didn’t happen.
Incidentally the Italians also played about with a carrier – the Aquila (Eagle… heard that before, somewhere) which paralleled the Graf Zeppelin‘s experience. It would’ve had Re 2001 fighters and Re 2001G Torpedo Bombers, and had it entered service, I suspect it would’ve had a torrid time in the Med. Much better to capture and operate from shore bases.
Ref: Aircraft Carriers of the World, Roger Chesneau, as you may guess, my evening reading recently!
Evening reading? I shall never call myself an aviation anorak again. 🙂
There is a book about the Graf Zeppelin which details, as you say, the conflict between Goring and the Navy about relinquishing any air power.
Didn’t know about the second one either.
Ali
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