Flugzeugträger KMS Graf Zeppelin
Graf Zeppelin was a German aircraft carrier of the Kriegsmarine, named like the famous airship in honour of Graf (Count) Ferdinand von Zeppelin. The Graf Zeppelin was the first and only German aircraft carrier, however it was never completed or used. As the sole German vessel in this class it deserves special consideration. The Graf Zeppelin had a nominal displacement of 19,500 tons, to comply with arms control restrictions, suggesting a small vessel not much larger than the diminuitive American CV-4 Ranger. In reality, with a full loaded displacement of 38,000 tons, the Graf Zeppelin was only slightly smaller than the massive American CV-2 Lexington, which was the larger carrier in the world at the outset of the War.
Although Grossadmiral Raeder was a "battleship admiral," he believed the development of a carrier force was necessary to compete on the open seas with the British Fleet. The purpose of the aircraft carrier was to provide commerce-raiding capital ships and cruisers with mobile air cover during operations. In 1935, Adolph Hitler announced that his country would construct aircraft carriers [Flugzeugträger is German for aircraft carrier, Flugzeug = aircraft; träger= carrier] to strengthen the Kriegsmarine, the German Navy.
Nazi Germany's first and only carriers were proposed as part of the Z plan for the buildup of the fleet. The carriers were conventional in appearance, and were intended to be supported by squadrons of Me109's and Ju87 aircraft adapted for carrier duty. The operating plan was the German carrier would be part of a commerce raiding fleet, providing many needed tasks that were otherwise lacking in the Kriegsmarine Naval arrangement. Tirpitz and Bismarck were built to attack and disrupt commerce shipping, and the carrier's air groups could find enemy commerce ships and defend the battle cruiser from air attack and allied warships if needed.
Design
Under the terms of the 1935 Anglo-German Naval agreement, the German navy was allowed about 42,672 tons / 42,000 tons for carrier tonnage and two ships with a maximum of 20,000 tons being authorized. The tonnage allowed under the 1935 agreement was increased by 50 per cent during the course of construction but was not challenged. The Graf Zeppelin's construction displacement was 27,650 tons, with an estimated maximum displacement of 33,550 tons. It was to by crewed by a company of 1720.
By one account, had the carrier been completed, she would have displaced 23,000 tons, had a length of 920 feet [most accounts report length overall of more like 860 feet] and a beam of 88 feet [other accounts report bean overall of more than 100 feet]. Powered by geared turbines, she was to have a speed of 33.8 knots. Her aircraft complement was to have been 42, consisting of ME 109T fighters and JU 87C dive bombers (new designations for the redesigned aircraft). She was to have four screws - unusual for the triple-screw-minded Germany.
German designers were not experienced in carrier design, and flaws were evident as the need for high speed, good protection and heavy armament was lacking. Good handling at sea in high speeds was required and the design developed a long hull with adequate freeboard. Large hanger space with three elevators and two catapults were also standard. The flight deck was heavy so additional hull bulges were needed for strength, the flight deck also stopped short of the bow as in some Japanese designs.
The flight deck was reported to measure 790 x 88.5 feet. The sides appeared to be for two-thirds of length amidships, and to a lesser extent as bow, which was of bulbous form. The island superstructure is on the starboard side. The initial design did not include bulges. But when construction was revised in 1942, Graf Zeppelin was equipped with bulges at Kiel during winter 1942-43. The bulges proved their effectiveness when Graf Zeppelin received her first torpedo hit during the 1947 tests by the Soviets. The bulges were completely destroyed, but the armor belt remained intact.
Having no experience building such ships, the Kriegsmarine had difficulty implementing advanced technologies such as steam-driven catapults into the Graf Zeppelin. German designers were able to study Japanese designs, but were constrained by the realities of creating a North Sea carrier vs. a "Blue Water" design. Design problems continued especially with the catapults and the aircraft. The aircraft problems were exacerbated by the Luftwaffe high command who demanded the air groups would be under their control not the Kriegsmarine. This rivalry slowed the new aircraft designs needed for carrier duty and the timing for being commissioned.
Aircraft Complement
In the continuing saga of control of aviation assets, the air wing of the carrier would have been manned by Luftwaffe crews. Prior to launch, the carrier air group emphasis had been reconnaissance similar to contemporary Royal Navy concepts. The original air complement was to be 20 Fieseler Fi 167 biplanes for scouting and torpedo attack, ten Messerschmitt Bf 109T fighters, and thirteen Junkers Ju 87G dive bombers. Emphasis changed to offensive capabilities following observation of Japanese aircraft carrier operations against China in 1937. Poor performance of the Fi 167 changed the planned airgroup to thirty Messerschmitt fighters and twelve Junkers dive bombers.
Prodded by Raeder, Hitler ordered Göring to produce aircraft for the carrier and under this pressure, the Air Marshal offered redesigned versions of the Junkers Ju 87B Stuka and the Messerschmitt Bf 109E, which were at that time being phased out of the Luftwaffe first-line squadrons. Raeder was unhappy, but he had to accept them or none at all (including Göring's insistence that the flying personnel would remain under Luftwaffe command). All this forced another delay in the construction of the carrier: the flight deck installations had to be changed. By one account it would have carried 42 planes (30 Ju-87D divebombers and 12 Me-109T fighters).
Later in 1942 projects for naval aircraft included the Me 155 V2 and Ju 87E (navalized D version). None of the Ju 87E were ever completed. Three aircraft types were developed for use aboard the aircraft carrier force. Two proven designs were adapted for sea service, the Me 109 and the Ju-87.
- The Me 109T (for Trager / Carrier) was based on the proven Me 109E-1 version, with provision for catapult launches and an arrestor hook. The Me 109T would provide local air defense for the task force and fighter cover for the dive bombers. Development work ceased in 1943 and all 70 were converted to land-based fighters and designated Me 109T-2s.
- The Ju-87C was a Ju-87B-1 with provision for catapult launches, an arrestor hook and folding wings. Naturally,the Ju-87C was the offensive weapon for the task force and would have been used in its natural dive-bomber role.
- Finally, the true "step-child" of the carrier aircraft was the Me-155. The Me-155 was based on the Me 109 airframe and originally designed as a carrier-based fighter. The usual interference by the senior Luftwaffe leadership led to the Me-155 transitioning to a level-bomber and finally a high-altitude interceptor.
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