Plan Z

[tameraire01]

If plan Z was followed would we have seen a decisive battle in the atlantic like the one in the coral sea?

Would we see Bismarck and Tirpitz along with Prince eugan and the twins with carrier support and escorts verses the four Illustrious class carriers all five KGV and hood along with escorts.

[Dave Saxton]

I reccomend that you get yourself a copy of this book for more information:

http://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-Naval-War ... B000T49EWW

page 372 has a chart of the Z-plan and pages 24 through 35 has an analysis of the Z-plan and its potential implications as well as the alternatives presented by KzS Heye.

The Z-plan was not to be completed before 1944 and required that no war come along to upset things. Z stood for Ziel or target plan. The H-class battleships were to be the back bone of the fleet. Long term operations in the Atlantic with carriers or not would have been better facilitated by the H-class's diesel power plants as opposed to the Bismarck' and Scharnhorst class's thirsty turbine power plants.The creation of Pacific style carrier task forces as the primary striking arm of fleet is in my opinion post ergo thinking. In 1939 they were still thinking in terms of a Jutland style battle fleet. Carriers would have been there for defensive roles rather than offensive roles.

[RF]

Would we see Bismarck and Tirpitz along with Prince eugan and the twins with carrier support and escorts verses the four Illustrious class carriers all five KGV and hood along with escorts.

According to the German plans it would have involved the H Class battleships as well.

[tameraire01]

Forget the battle of the pacific, this would be a battle for supremacy.