A question for all the WWII buffs out there:
My understanding is that the only dry-dock capable of handling the Turpitz outside the immediate range of the RAF, and on the Atlantic coast was in St. Nazaire. There was a real fear that if she was able to get there, and attack shipping in the Atlantic... well, that would be a problem. As such, Operation Chariot was launched to destroy the facility, and hence: render the Tirpitz as "The Lonely Queen of the North": basically useless. The raid was extremely daring, and a number of things went just right for them to accomplish it. As an example, I understand the destroyer with the bomb was original headed in the wrong direction, but it was only a chance sighting of the correct light house, that they were able to change direction at the last moment and hit the gates.
Let's say, one of a hundred things that could have gone wrong did, and the raid failed. As a consequence, the Tirpitz is indeed moved there, and is able to get into the anti-convoy action. Would it have made much of a difference, or could the RAF really have just knocked it out, and things continue as OTL?
My understanding is that the only dry-dock capable of handling the Turpitz outside the immediate range of the RAF, and on the Atlantic coast was in St. Nazaire. There was a real fear that if she was able to get there, and attack shipping in the Atlantic... well, that would be a problem. As such, Operation Chariot was launched to destroy the facility, and hence: render the Tirpitz as "The Lonely Queen of the North": basically useless. The raid was extremely daring, and a number of things went just right for them to accomplish it. As an example, I understand the destroyer with the bomb was original headed in the wrong direction, but it was only a chance sighting of the correct light house, that they were able to change direction at the last moment and hit the gates.
Let's say, one of a hundred things that could have gone wrong did, and the raid failed. As a consequence, the Tirpitz is indeed moved there, and is able to get into the anti-convoy action. Would it have made much of a difference, or could the RAF really have just knocked it out, and things continue as OTL?