WI High Seas Fleet not scuttled at Scapa Flow?

The british BC's blew up mainly due to piss poor ammo control procedures, including the removal of safety doors between the magazine and turret and the storing of extra cordite charges in the turrets. Also the British propellant exploded, the german one burned.

A contributing factor was the RN's emphasis on rate of fire as it believed the best way to fight an opponent was to shower it with as many shells as possible. In order to keep up the rate of fire gunnery crews left the flashlight doors open with disastrous consequences.
 
BOOMS!

There were other contributing factors. British cordite was less stable. But--the actual reason isn't important here: what is important is the understanding of what the reasons might be. Even if the British knew, that doesn't mean they told anyone else--and the German ships were remarkably explosion resistant--look at Seydlitz--and look at Vanguard.
 

NothingNow

Banned
The South American propositions sounds pretty good, though. I don't know if there's any more impetus for Brazil, Chile, and the others to keep up their naval arms race, but if their respective governments had the money to spend, why not?

Maybe trade them as replacements for seized/purchased vessels, so the RN keeps the Canada and Eagle, swapping them out for a pair of Bayern-class or similar?

The french would probably want to take as many ships as possible for themselves, and on a related note the IJN would probably love to have a trio of U-151 or the U-139s in addition to the Submarines gained in OTL. The Americans and RN might also be interested in such vessels as well.

Really though, I doubt there would be much interest in the BBs outside of France and Italy (the RN already has enough, the IJN wants vessels with longer legs, and they just aren't up to USN requirements and there's no way to fix that,) although ex-HSF cruisers and BCs would be a hot commodity on the international market. Especially Seydlitz, Derflinger and Lutzow.
 
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sharlin

Banned
If the HSF was dolled out I can imagine the Sydlitz being scrapped. Her configuration does not lend itself to excessive moderinsation and altering due to being cluttered with turrets. That and she would have been worn out due to a mix of age and a VERY active war.

The Derrflinger and Hindenburg could go to France whilst the Italians could get some of the Koenigs to compensate. The RN would probably nab the Baden and Bayern, test them and then sink them. The USN and RN would not see much use for the German ships apart from as scrap metal and artillery testing.
 
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