DBWI What if Hms Sheffield hadnt been sunk by friendly fire during hunt for Bismarck

What difference if any would HMS Sheffield' s survival have made either damaged or perhaps if the gods of fortune had been smiling unscathed due to skilful ship handling.
 
It proved to the Royal Navy that their aircraft could sink ships at sea (or cripple them in the case of Bismarck) and that a carrier air group was fast becoming, if not already become, the principle strike arm of the Navy.

After that despite the 'own goal' nature of the strike there was a massive increase in funding across the board for the Fleet Air arm and carriers in general

The US and Japan certainly took notice as did Italy and Germany who despite virtually zero experience threw vast resources (which were probably best used else where) at their fledgling naval aviation efforts.
 
Would the rumored battleship HMS Vanguard be built? IOTL, that name ended up being attached to the third Audacious-class carrier.
 
Would the rumored battleship HMS Vanguard be built? IOTL, that name ended up being attached to the third Audacious-class carrier.

I'd hope not - such a ship would have been obsolete before she would have been launched and I doubt that would be before the Surrender of Japan and of limited use post war.
 
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