Graf Zeppelin-The carrier that almost was

[MAGNA]

A 1/250 model would be a fairly big piece wouldn't it ?

[Wolster]

Originally Posted by MAGNA

A 1/250 model would be a fairly big piece wouldn't it ?

Typo, I meant 1/350 but i'm still lying, I believe it is 1/700???

[MAGNA]

It will still be something unusual though, I haven't ever seen a model of that.

[Kiwiguy]

The Italians had another carrier at Genoa based on the liner SS Roma.

Germany failed to deploy surface units in meaningful strengths and frittered them away in ones and twos.

For example had Bismark, Turpitz, Graff Zepplin, Sharnhorst Gneisnau and Prinz Eugen sallied forth together in a fleet action the British would not have coped.

Obviously the Bismark was already sunk when Graf Zepplin was anywhere near ready, but that's the point really.

The Stukas with folding wings became part of an Abwher plan to ship two aircraft to an island in the Carribean to attack the Gatun Locks in the Panama canal. Germany also develope an Me-109 for carrier operations. There was also a catapault launcher developed for take offs.

[PanzerBob]

Originally Posted by Aussie Dave

Here is a interesting (But small) picture of the KMS Graf Zeppelin on the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Cheers,
Dave

Must be the sailor part of me, but those kinds of shots give me the creeps. But it's interesting never the less. I understand she sunk because the Russians overloaded her with War Booty they were trying to sail to Russia. IIRC the catapults were captured by the Allies, they were trialed on land not sure if any made on board.

Bob out

[Aussie Dave]

Originally Posted by PanzerBob

Must be the sailor part of me, but those kinds of shots give me the creeps. But it's interesting never the less. I understand she sunk because the Russians overloaded her with War Booty they were trying to sail to Russia. IIRC the catapults were captured by the Allies, they were trialed on land not sure if any made on board.

Bob out

The Graf Zeppelin was actually scuttled by the Germans themselves as the Russians approached to stop it falling into russian hands.

The Russians re-floated it in 1947 but it was too damaged to actually salvage, so they used it for torpedo practice and it went to the bottom again.

Thankfully the ship was unmanned both times she sank.
(No lives were lost.)


Cheers,
Dave