You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
alternatehistory.com
The Norwegian Campaign
POD - April 8, 14.00 hours
A British Sunderland flying boat is on a recon mission in the North Sea in conditions of heavy rain. With the crew distracted by a joke told by the navigator, they fail to spot the German fleet heading for Trondheim and Narvik through the narrow opening in the clouds.
Admiral Forbes does not conclude that the Germans are trying to break out and over the following hours, both Gruppe 1 (Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, 10 destroyers) and Gruppe 2 (admiral Hipper, 4 destroyers) are intercepted. Gneisenau, the damaged Admiral Hipper and 6 destroyers are sunk, with the Scharnhorst heavily damaged and in urgent need of repairs.
April 9
Luftwaffe fails to spot the RN, now in a different position
Blucher sunk by the Oscarsborg Fortress, with heavy loss of life.
At the last moment Hitler cancels the invasion fearing a disaster that would shatter morale, should whatever Wehrmacht units that do land in Norway be trapped and destroyed
------------------------
So basically the British, who where between the Germans and their objectives or very close to their position wrongly concluded that the Germans were trying to break out into the Atlantic and thus headed west to intercept, leaving a clear opening for the Kriegsmarine. Here that doesn't happen, and the Germans get severely mauled and Hitler cancels the whole invasion at the last moment.
Wanted to check out the plausibility of this before going any further with the short time line I have in mind. If this is in any way impossible, I would gladly accept any other minor POD that delivers roughly the same outcome.