The Ships of Battlegroup: Germany Graf Zeppelin (CV)

Displacement	28,090 tons	Belt Armor	4 inches
Overall Length	861 feet	Deck Armor	3 inches
Beam	103 feet	Main Turret Armor	42
Speed	34 knots	Main Guns	16 × 5.9″

Laid down on December 28, 1936 and launched on December 8, 1938, Graf Zeppelin never made it to a commissioned state. The ship was named after Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838–1919) who invented the rigid airships or dirigibles that took his name and proved to be important though ineffectual weapons during World War One. The initial concept for her air group would have seen her with navalized Messerschmitt Bf 109Bs as her fighter arm, Junkers Ju-87A "Stukas" as dive bombers and Fieseler Fi 167s as torpedo bombers. After launching and during her fitting out, the proposed air group was altered to Bf 109Ts (‘T’ for "Träger", German for carrier) and Ju 87Cs. The former merely added folding wings and an arrester hook to a strengthened Bf 109E airframe. The latter involved the same sort of strengthening to a Ju 87B airframe with folding wings, but also included a provision for jettisoning the landing gear for emergency water landings. Work was stopped in mid-1940 in order to allocate resources to the submarine program. Little progress was made during a later brief resumption of effort and she remained unfinished until being scuttled in Stettin.

The final disposition of the Graf Zeppelin remained a mystery until after the end of the Cold War.  But with the opening of the Soviet Archives, the mystery was brought to light.  In April, 1947, the Soviets took over the hulk and towed it to Leningrad.  When they realized is was beyond their skill to complete the carrier, it was towed out to Baltic, and used for target practice.  In August, 1947, the Graf Zeppelin sank after taking over 20 bomb, shell, and torpedo hits.  In 2006, his* hull was discovered by a Polish Oil Exploration Vessel.

For another incomplete Axis aircraft carrier, see: Aquila .

Where did we get all these fascinating historical tidbits and factoids? We think that you’ll agree that a ship that was never launched is not found in every reference work but we desperately needed a German flattop for the BATTLEGROUP game. See the Bibliography for the sources for this mystery ship.

* In the German Navy, all ships are masculine.