What If: Leningrad falls in 1941

[History Learner]

Using it to make false claims showing fighter aircraft could not reach Norway.

Oh look! Lots of RAF airfields north of Hadrian's wall: -
https://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/page.php?PgID=632446&ClubID=460

You may note that those in Aberdeenshire & Banffshire in particular are suprisingly closer to Norway than those clustered around Newmarket. Strange that. Something called geography.

Are you saying the USAAF was incapable of moving & basing squadrons in the north of the British Isles? How do you think those airfields in East Anglia came into existence? Magic beans or did the Americans build them? They managed to build them in the fastness of China, the remoteness of Alaska, on Pacific Islands 100s of miles from major bases. If they had to I'm sure they could manage in Scotland. The British might even help them.

Or are they all based at Hogwarts in your world?

And none of those proposed air bases feature aircraft that could reached Norway, as the Spitfires lacked the range. Likewise, as I've pointed out before, you can't just magically move the 8th Air Force to them, as airfields, like ports and railways, have capacity limits and logistical needs which take time to arrange for. Could the U.S. eventually do it? Sure, but it will take time and resources which, as I've now pointed out repeatedly, every single Allied military leader said was not worth/capable of being done. Unless you're prepared to argue every single member of the JCS and Imperial war chiefs were incompetents, that should make it clear.

Finally, even with the P-51s based in Scotland, you can't reach the proposed landing sites Churchill envisioned.

 

[BlackDragon98]

Or are they all based at Hogwarts in your world?

RAF Hogwarts is the UK version of Area 51.
I've heard rumors about the Nimbus 3000 being mass produced in secret at RAF Hogwarts.
Not sure if there true or not.
Guess that means one thing.

STORM RAF HOGWARTS!

 

[TDM]

And none of those proposed air bases feature aircraft that could reached Norway, as the Spitfires lacked the range. Likewise, as I've pointed out before, you can't just magically move the 8th Air Force to them, as airfields, like ports and railways, have capacity limits and logistical needs which take time to arrange for. Could the U.S. eventually do it? Sure, but it will take time and resources which, as I've now pointed out repeatedly, every single Allied military leader said was not worth/capable of being done. Unless you're prepared to argue every single member of the JCS and Imperial war chiefs were incompetents, that should make it clear.

Finally, even with the P-51s based in Scotland, you can't reach the proposed landing sites Churchill envisioned.

Shifting what planes are where isn't free (but nothing is), but it's really not that hard, Especially when you are setting the timetable for the overall campaign

 

[Coulsdon Eagle]

And none of those proposed air bases feature aircraft that could reached Norway, as the Spitfires lacked the range. Likewise, as I've pointed out before, you can't just magically move the 8th Air Force to them, as airfields, like ports and railways, have capacity limits and logistical needs which take time to arrange for. Could the U.S. eventually do it? Sure, but it will take time and resources which, as I've now pointed out repeatedly, every single Allied military leader said was not worth/capable of being done. Unless you're prepared to argue every single member of the JCS and Imperial war chiefs were incompetents, that should make it clear.

Finally, even with the P-51s based in Scotland, you can't reach the proposed landing sites Churchill envisioned.

Nothing stopping them basing aircraft with the range in Scotland. Absolutely nothing. That is the point. The bases were there - and more could be built.

As for logistics, the Royal Navy managed quite well in Scapa Flow, despite being further away, hosting the largest battefleet ever seen in European waters - in both World Wars - with the shells & coal coming up by rail 1914-1918.

Do you think the Americans, managing to run an assault on Japan from the other side of the Pacific, would quail at the logistic abyss between Glasgow & Aberdeen?

I agree with your comments that it was not worthwhile, but here we are considering ATL with perhaps the need to launch an invasion of Norway to somehow (???) help the collapsing Soviet Union. If it was seen as necessary, then the USAAF would have been re-based - with fighters in Scotland and perhaps more bombers in Yorkshire & Lincolnshire, expanding Bomber Command's existing bases. The USA didn't shrink away from throwing manpower & dollars at problems - no reason to think they would shrink back from the move to Scotland, after all, hardly the Aleutians.

Personally I would still prefer an invasion of France (Roundup or Sledgehammer) instead of a Norwegian assault to release pressure on Russia, if "something must be done," almost on grounds of the terrain alone. But any choice would be sub-optimal, bloody and not a guaranteed success.

 

[LordVorKon]

For one, almost all of the U.S. air bases are in East Anglia:

Seriously, mate? That map has a date on it: 6 June 1944. Of course most of the airfields are in East Anglia! 8th AF was operating over France and Germany. Had been for two years. If the decision had been made in 41-42 to attempt an invasion of Norway instead, many of those airfields would've been built further north... y'know, in order to be closer to their expected area of operations?