PoW collision August 1941

25-Oct-1941 the battleship Prince of Wales departed UK waters for Singapore.

ITTL, PoW collides with her escorting destroyer suffering the below damage. IOTL, KGV was out of action for two months while this repair was made right.

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So, PoW is brought back for repairs, entering dry dock 28-Oct-1941. She emerges repaired on 28-Dec-1941.

Without PoW, what is sent for Force Z? There's debate if Indomitable was ever supposed to join Force Z, since the carrier was near Jamaica well into November, and would not have arrived in time to protect Phillips. Would Churchill have pushed his Admirals to send KGV and Indomitable?
 
Send KGV and Victorious, Indomitable replaces Victorious in Home Fleet when done workups.
Send Formidable or Illustrious to Halifax to load Hurricanes for far east, after US refit/repairs are done therefore avoiding there historic collision.
 
Send KGV and Victorious, Indomitable replaces Victorious in Home Fleet when done workups.
Send Formidable or Illustrious to Halifax to load Hurricanes for far east, after US refit/repairs are done therefore avoiding there historic collision.
But that leaves on modern battleship to counter Tirpitz, albeit only until PoW is repaired in 60 days.
 
A force of fast cruisers might have been a better option anyway, their range (speed) would have been superior and a bit more expendable. Sending submarines would also have been a good call in my view.
 
Send KGV and Victorious, Indomitable replaces Victorious in Home Fleet when done workups.
Send Formidable or Illustrious to Halifax to load Hurricanes for far east, after US refit/repairs are done therefore avoiding there historic collision.
If a carrier is present in Force Z, it's still getting sunk-the Japanese will send fighters this time, and RN fighter aircraft at this time were generally inferior to the A6M.
 
If a carrier is present in Force Z, it's still getting sunk-the Japanese will send fighters this time, and RN fighter aircraft at this time were generally inferior to the A6M.

Certainly around Malaya I would think the carriers were not that useful, there were quite a few airfields that could do the job (that is assuming the RAF and Navy were able to work together).
 
If a carrier is present in Force Z, it's still getting sunk-the Japanese will send fighters this time, and RN fighter aircraft at this time were generally inferior to the A6M.
I don't think anyone is suggesting that substituting Victorious for Indomitable will make any difference to the risk and likely fate of sending a carrier.
 
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