Foreword- Admitting mistakes and learning from them is critical to growth... I was
aggressively 
shown some of the serious plot holes from my first attempt at this timeline. I do concede the necessity to push the POD back considerably which perhaps doesn't make the challenge so hard, but at the same time, will try to the use the
modest approach where its still a relatively shoe string plan, as opposed to something that has been a prime focus for many years before the outbreak of war. I have and will continue to take advise and criticism to heart... enjoy-BW749
Shown the door (Chapter 1)-Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success
Henry Ford
The great general staff headquarters, Zossen, Germany November 1936
The Ascension of Adolf Hitler to supreme leader of Germany had brought many changes, and none more so than to the army. Since 1933 Erich Von Manstein had been serving on the general staff, but the rapid expansion of the army had seen promotions handed out very quickly (as opposed to the Weimar system where time in rank could be measured in decades)... A relative of the late President Hindenberg, Manstein had from Major to Generalmajor in 5 years. When his long time mentor Ludwig Beck became army chief of staff, Manstein was advanced as his deputy to the power position of Oberquertermaister I or 1st quartermaster general of the army.
Ludwig Beck's promotion brough Manstein along for the ride
As quartermaster Manstein played a critical role in selecting new equipment for the rapidly expanding German army. One of his greatest influences on the second world war actually revolved around a weapons system he rejected.
Just a month into his job, Baron Hanns von Schertel was shown into Manstein's office. He was a dynamic and thrusting young man who was an up and comer in the ship building industry. He was a pioneer in the expanding science of hydro foil boats. Just several months before Schertel had demonstrated the success of his designs by sending one of his prototypes surging through the fast flowing Rhine River from Mainz to Colonge. This success had earned him a production contract with the Koln-Dusseldorfer shipline. Prior to production commencing, he had been solicited by a member of Manstein's staff to demonstrate his prototype VS-6, a 17 tonne craft capable of 46 knots.
Schertel pitched the craft to Manstein as useful for supply deliveries, river crossings, lake crossings and insertion of special operation forces. Manstein reviewed the device very carefully, but its cost, and what he considered the still relatively unproven nature of the technology steered him into not placing an order. However Schertel made an impression on him, and Manstein did pick up on what he was absolutely sure would be a good role for the machine
Manstein, not being blinded by the needs of his own service pulled strings that got Schertel in front of the Kriegsmarine procurement department. This was actually the second time that Schertel had displayed this prototype to the KM; (the first resulting in the KM ordering one unit to serve as a fast medical ship and for evaluations)... Manstein's presence and connections brought more brass that usual to the second sales meeting; and his vision for the role of the ship piqued more interest than before. The KM procurement officer told Manstein that their staff to date didn't think there could be any other role for the fast moving ships than evacuating wounded from warships. Schertel than represented the ship (as Manstein suggested) as being well qualified for use in pilot recovery.
In any future conflict with England or any power separated from Germany by sea, we will inevitably have valuable pilots who have to land or parachute into the sea, the VS-6 will allow them to be picked up very quickly and my ship can outrun even the fastest destroyer or other enemy ship which might want to pluck them out first
This idea had not been considered too heavily by the Kriegsmarine staff to date, however new experiences where being gained now that Germany had committed to support the nationalist forces in Spain, and Von Schertel's craft could be potentially valuable if the Luftwaffe lost aircraft during port strikes. Won over by Schertel's proposal the Kriegsmarine issued him a pre production contract to produce three VS-6's tasked for pilot recovery. They would roll off the slips within 15 months, and would be christened Rhine, Weser and Elbe
to be continued..
One of the commercial hydrofoils that the young engineer was first contracted for
The VS-6 was Schertel's first military contract