WI: Italian Aquila?

What if the Italians build there only aircraft carrier? What happens to it and how would they use it?
The Italians actually had another aircraft carrier underway as well. Anyways they'd need to realize the need for an aircraft carrier much sooner than OTL's late 1941 realization, because Italy doesn't have much industry to spare durring a total war and 1943 is just around the corner. Though with a pre-war realization you'd probably get a purpose built aircraft carrier or at least a more suitable conversion (last of the Littorio's converted?) rather than OTL's two hastily drawn up conversions. The result would be a much more contested (at least for a while) Italian navy as IIRC the Italian Navy opted for being a fleet in being after realizing that they couldn't rely on land based aircraft for air support.
 
Italy didn't need an aircraft carrier in 1941/1942 (plus the air wing workup would have taken another year of training). They needed ships that could break the British block aid that was strangling their forces in Africa. Aircraft carriers working in the Med really were at a disadvantage due to the threat of land-based bombing aircraft to range them (& outperform the fighter aircraft of the time (1941-1942)).
 

Driftless

Donor
They put some limited work into planes for the carrier(s); mostly evaluating conversions of land-based aircraft. That work doesn't seem to have proceeded very far.
 
Now if the Italians could develop an air cushioned landing craft (e.g., LCAC type) then they could supply their forces across the Med and not worry about UK submarines or warships (but alas that is about 30 years too early).
 
Italy also lack sufficient fleet bunker fuel since they have to get them from Germany n Romania whom just barely produce enough to run what the kreigsmarine has to use while competing with the Heer and the Luftwaffe likewise since now that Great Britain has blockade all trade to the axis side...
 

Driftless

Donor
IF the Italians remain neutral in 1940 - at least as far as direct combat with the French and British, that might change the situation in regards to the Italian carriers. If the French were still knocked out of the war against the Germans, that probably changes how the French fleet gets used in the Med. A neutral Italy certainly changes things from the British perspective, especially for the Med and North Africa. The British would certainly want to keep both the French and Italian fleets on the sidelines - or even as once and future allies. Might the British undertake actions to separate the Italians from German influence and dependency? Some Middle East oil instead of being on the very constricted German/Romanian oil tap?
 
Why do they need one, Italy was already one giant carrier.
Wasn't that the reason why they didn't build any aircraft carriers between the wars in the first place?

The Washington Naval Treaty gave the Italians an aircraft carrier quota of 60,000 tons. That would have been enough for three 20,000 ton or four 15,000 ton ships.
 
Wasn't that the reason why they didn't build any aircraft carriers between the wars in the first place?

The Washington Naval Treaty gave the Italians an aircraft carrier quota of 60,000 tons. That would have been enough for three 20,000 ton or four 15,000 ton ships.
And could those carrier be used to good effect in the war.
 
And could those carrier be used to good effect in the war.

I would say the smart play would be to build 60000 tons of landing craft and then as soon as the war starts, seize Malta and have a stationary and unsinkable aircraft carrier in the Central Mediterranean and a secure sea based supply line to Libya.
 

Driftless

Donor
I would say the smart play would be to build 60000 tons of landing craft and then as soon as the war starts, seize Malta and have a stationary and unsinkable aircraft carrier in the Central Mediterranean and a secure sea based supply line to Libya.

As a knock on, those craft could have been useful in re-supplying forces in North Africa
 
Wasn't that the reason why they didn't build any aircraft carriers between the wars in the first place?

Yep, unfortunely the necessary coordination between Navy and Air Force to make this work never happened, Benny greatly exacerbate inter service rivalry as a mean to remain in power; plus the air force doesn't want to give up his exclusive domain of fixed wing
 
Yep, unfortunely the necessary coordination between Navy and Air Force to make this work never happened, ...

Getting to some sort of unified air/naval command would be more productive. The AF would have to accept they would be giving up operating control of specific air groups for operations at sea. Of course the Navy would've to modify its methods to use the airdrops effectively, there would have to be a useful level of joint training, and communications equipment changed to make this work.
 
What if the Italians build there only aircraft carrier? What happens to it and how would they use it?

If any of you have been over to the BC board, you might recognize the name Stefano Sappino; he posts as StefSapp.

He passed away earlier this year, but, for full disclosure, I had helped in translate his book on the Impero:

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/aircr...jabes/18876780/#isbn=1781556776&idiq=28806940

They had an English translator, but she was unfamiliar with military terms, so Stefano asked for my help. But I digress....

In the book, Stefano documents the RMs history of trying to get a carrier. They had asked several times, and but were constantly being blocked by the Regia Aeronautica and finances.

I think the main advantage of Aquila for the RM would be indigenous reconnaissance, if, and I stress, IF the pilots could communicate with the carrier. Of course RM pilots would be best, but given the fascist government, more likely they would have been RA.

Inadequate reconnaissance cost the RM several opportunities, including intercepting Operation Hats. But my understanding is a land-based Regia Aeronuatica aircraft scouting for the Regia Marina could not communicate directly with the ships it was scouting for. Information had to be communicated to local RA command, from local command to Super Aero in Rome, from Super Aero to Super Marina, from Super Marina to local RM command, and from there to the ships at sea. Instead of seaplanes requiring a fleet unit to stop for recovery, or when Re2000s were deployed, the asset by being forced back to land after a flight, Aquila could have provided consistent recon for the fleet as it moved.

My thoughts,
 
Now if the Italians could develop an air cushioned landing craft (e.g., LCAC type) then they could supply their forces across the Med and not worry about UK submarines or warships (but alas that is about 30 years too early).
The first air cushion craft date to 1915. with skirts coming along in 1931. Levkov had a few ACVs in Soviet service before WW2.
 
If any of you have been over to the BC board, you might recognize the name Stefano Sappino; he posts as StefSapp.

He passed away earlier this year, but, for full disclosure, I had helped in translate his book on the Impero:

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/aircr...jabes/18876780/#isbn=1781556776&idiq=28806940

They had an English translator, but she was unfamiliar with military terms, so Stefano asked for my help. But I digress....

In the book, Stefano documents the RMs history of trying to get a carrier. They had asked several times, and but were constantly being blocked by the Regia Aeronautica and finances.

I think the main advantage of Aquila for the RM would be indigenous reconnaissance, if, and I stress, IF the pilots could communicate with the carrier. Of course RM pilots would be best, but given the fascist government, more likely they would have been RA.

Inadequate reconnaissance cost the RM several opportunities, including intercepting Operation Hats. But my understanding is a land-based Regia Aeronuatica aircraft scouting for the Regia Marina could not communicate directly with the ships it was scouting for. Information had to be communicated to local RA command, from local command to Super Aero in Rome, from Super Aero to Super Marina, from Super Marina to local RM command, and from there to the ships at sea. Instead of seaplanes requiring a fleet unit to stop for recovery, or when Re2000s were deployed, the asset by being forced back to land after a flight, Aquila could have provided consistent recon for the fleet as it moved.

My thoughts,

Wouldn't it just be easier and cheaper to have better communication and coordination between land based reconnaissance assets and ships?
 
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