What if after the battle of france Hitler orders a massive air raid by 2 luftlotte on scapa flow or the base at portsmouth or both?
WI: Hitler Pearl Harbours Britain
- Thread starter idontlikesand
- Start date
For an over 500 post member you don't seem to have read why this would be a really really bad idea.
Lateknight
Banned
Thats not you pearl harbor somebody it needs to be a sneak attack before you declare war otherwise you get ripped to shreds.
Looks like Scapa Flow was part of the first Chain Home network, protected from 1939 onward.
Though I am not sure if it even matters, Scapa Flow is very, very far away from any German air base. The Bombers would be very liable to being spotted, and they'd be flying without any fighter cover, obviously.
Best option would be attacking from Norway, but I am not sure the infrastructure is there.
sharlin
Banned
Might have to ask the Norwegians if you can use their country as an airbase first. Something tells me they would object seeing as they've not been invaded yet.
And of course..
Its gotta be mentioned..
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=234421&highlight=Scapa+Flow
BEHOLD ITS GLORY!
That made my eyes bleed - but Oldironside's killed it off with this work of brilliance
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=6570857&postcount=251
At the beginning of September 1939 Scapa Flow was virtually unprotected, but the Luftwaffe didn't have the capability of doing much damage, or the experience in bombing ships. If they did more training for such a scenario then in principle there is a window of opportunity for doing some damage as there were only (I believe) a few Buffaloes, antiquated AAA and no anti-torpedo nets at Scapa in September. But a Pearl Harbour-type attack is outside the realms of possibility without a large change in German planning some time before WWII. And this all assumes the British don't respond accordingly to beef up defences, which is unlikely.
The time for a massive raid on Scapa is... there isn't one.
The LW is busy with Poland at the start of the war, and then the small attack in October 1939 which lightly damages a target ship (Iron Duke) confirms the need for substantial air defences.
After that, unescorted medium bombers will have the same survival rate as Blenheims over Wilhelmshaven.
The LW is busy with Poland at the start of the war, and then the small attack in October 1939 which lightly damages a target ship (Iron Duke) confirms the need for substantial air defences.
After that, unescorted medium bombers will have the same survival rate as Blenheims over Wilhelmshaven.
Saphroneth
Banned
Then it's not a Pearl Harbor. Pearl was a strike at the very onset of hostilities.
OP probably means a Taranto, except that that would expose the problem - the RN invented the port strike in 1917 (planned Wilhelmshafen strike) and showed the rest of the world it could in 1940 (Taranto)
Tyr Anazasi
Banned
The Luftwaffe conducted several strikes on Scapa Flow. During these strikes the old battleship HMS Iron Duke was damaged beyond repair. Although new theories believe, she was damaged by U-47 as well, being the second mysterious battleship Prien and his crew spotted.
I did try to start a thread with a mass midget sub attack on Scapa but there were no takers. I think it needed the Ovaron touch.
Maybe if you get the Judean People's Front Suicide Squad flying a one way trip and crashing into ships at Scalpa Flow, they can do it on September 1st and Pearl Harbor the British:
What, the touch of damn-the-facts-I-hate-the-British-so-I'll-make-stuff-up-and-ignore-reality???
Where was the fleet in late August 39?
Did the Nazi airfleet have the range to hit Scapa Flow from Germany?
Did the Nazi airfleet have the range to hit Scapa Flow from Germany?