A few thoughts about the Luftwaffe in the Mediterranean ITTL.
Just remember my starting position for most things is that OTL events will pretty much be as they were, unless the changes in British tanks makes a difference. So Luftwaffe operations in the Mediterranean will pretty much be the same as they were.
If the British retain control of Benghazi, this will bring major advantages for the British. They can now provide air cover for their convoys to Malta, without having to organise a major fleet campaign including their precious Aircraft Carriers. They can also provide reenforcement aircraft without having to risk their Aircraft Carriers, as even fighters can manage the hop from Benghazi to Malta. Bomber Aircraft flying from forward bases in Benghazi, can carry out a program of attacks on the principle supply port for the Germans Tripoli. Including the dropping of mines in the approaches to the harbour, causing the week Italian navy to carry out mine sweeping, and delaying any convoy.
The build up of the RAF, RAAF and SAAF all will take time, the same amount of time as they did OTL. Having land based fighters and bombers around the Benghazi area will help, if they can be logistically supported. On top of all the increased British and Australian forces in the area too.
All in all, if the British retain control of Benghazi and Crete, the Luftwaffe is in for a world of hurt, and events ITTL, are going to take a major division from those IOTL.
RR.
Again, hopefully. But in fact the Luftwaffe's attempts to mine the Suez canal was actually pretty successful. They also used acoustic and magnetic mines, and the British had no solution to the acoustic mine. Stringing nets over the canal to see where the mines broke through, having men posted all along the length of the canal to watch for mines dropping to mark them. Increasing the numbers of searchlights and AA guns. It caused quite a headache.
Congrats on the Turtledove
@allanpcameron - a well-deserved award for a fine writer.
Much appreciate, thank you.
As an ole COMINT guy, it does my heart good to read a post like yours...
Thanks for your service, and, please point out any defects you see here.
That means that North Africa and supporting the Afrika Korps is relegated to at best 3rd place.
Again, hopefully, but we've got a way to go. The British Empire also has a lot on their plate.
Speaking of Malta, is Keith Park AOC on the island ITTL? Have Leigh Mallory and co managed to get Dowding and Park sidelined? As he literally refought the Battle of Britain there ITL.
Whatever happened OTL happens TTL unless better British tanks makes a difference.
Congratulations for the victory! Well-deserved, that.
Cheers. I wish I had time to read more of the other threads. I've never even gone into pre-1900 to see what's there. Shamed to admit it.
This is only too true. Still, things going better in the Mediterranean might mean that instead of the Dieppe raid, the first British landings as the landing craft get designed and tested are carried out against major islands in the Mediterranean, instead of against occupied France.
The arrival of the Glens, the first converted LSI is due in March for a spot of work in the Dodecanese. Obviously that didn't happen so much because of circumstances. But it might be nice to see what could have/should have happened. Now, DD Valiants....
Might you be thinking too small? There ought to be a Victor variant with hextuple or octuple Pom-Poms, surely.
I just want some ZSU-23-4 action.
Sending the A13s to Greece as the first armoured units to be deployed there makes a fair deal of sense. A 15 ton cruiser tank is likely to go more places in the low-infrastructure mountainous terrain which makes up the bulk of Greece, particularly without Royal Engineers´building and reinforcig bridges. Also, I'd take it the A13 is the much cheaper alternative to write off.
Writing off was on my mind!
This is a major key to future success in my mind. The British soldiers are not afraid of the Germans, not moreso at least than they feel any fear facing any potentially deadly battle. However, the senior officers are far from overconfindent and even without German forces present, thet.
If we can avoid a Benghazi Derby it should help morale. Certainly at the end of Compass here the XIII Corps aren't as completely shot as they were OTL. More betta tanks...
Actually, Rhodes being Italian, the Germans don't have to build any airfields there. ... Over the next few weeks other mines from that sortie sank 2 more ships, fortunately not totally blocking the Canal.
If you wanted pods there are plenty there. If they'd been successful enough, what would that have meant for the RN, the replacement carrier for Illustrious, Formidable hadn't been able to come through the canal?
Surely you would save Vesuvius for the flamethrower version?
Also assuming the British stick with religious names for Self-propelled guns then there may well be a Victor based model would be called the Vicar?
Flamethrower tank we'll come back to. Some Italian versions were captured at Mechili TTL.
The Bishop got its name from the turret, looked a bit like a Bishop's Mitre. The Priest was because of the pulpit like MG position. So the SPGs in this TL probably won't have those names. Birch, oak etc are interesting names, as others have mentioned.
Thanks again everybody.
Allan.
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