[managusta]

They never used it in action.

[Seydlitz]

Luckily for us, Hitler started the war six years before the Kriegsmarine building plan (the 'Z-Plan') was completed. When the war began, Adm. Raeder's comment was, "There is nothing left for us to to but die with honor."

As US Gen. Carl Spaatz so eloquently put it, "I'd hate to see how it would have gone if Hitler hadn't been on our side."

[Names Ash Housewares]

[wideawake]

Others say the Soviet navy used the ship for target practice and sank it as part of a training exercise in 1947.

I find that hard to believe.

Stalin was not stupid, nor were his admirals.

They would not have sunk such a valuable piece of hardware on a lark. Unless I am sorely mistaken, the Soviet Navy had a grand total of zero aircraft carriers in 1948.

More likely the US sank it before the Soviets could use it.

[xpertskir]

FINNALLY!!!
Concrete evidence that big oil are all NAZI'S

[JRios1968]

The Polish navy says it is almost certain that it has located the wreck of Nazi Germany's only aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin.

Was it found by their paratroopers?

[johnny7]

From what I've read... it stopped being 'worked on' in 1942... partially stripped for parts in 1943... and scuttled in 1945. It was raised by the Russians to haul loot back home... then struck a mine and sank in 1947.

[fogofbobegabay]

The theory I have always thought to be the most likely was that it sank because overloaded with loot that shifted.

After the Soviet's occupied Germany and Eastern Europe, they spent the next few years systematically shipping home whole factories, railroad stock, power plants, ext. Real heavy stuff. Perfect cargo for the flight and hanger decks of an aircraft carrier
I am sure more than a few heads were lost a a result of the loss of so much loot.

[caver]

Already posted: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1673700/posts

[NY Attitude]

I remember my mother talking about this carrier many years ago. As the story goes, a attack on the east coast was supposed to be a birthday present for Hitler.

[RS]

"Others say the Soviet navy used the ship for target practice and sank it as part of a training exercise in 1947.
"

I heard that the Soviets loaded it up with looted heavy industry machinery, and it sank as they were towing it back to Russia.

I hope someone decides to dive on it.

[Always Independent]

I thought Spencer Tracy sank it by ramming a B-25 into it in "A Guy Named Joe".

[finnigan2]

I read some time ago that a now forgotten British genius proposed that the Brits build special aircraft carriers for the North Atlantic to combat the U Boat menace. They would be constructed quickly out of huge blocks of ice mixed with wood chips. A series of these monster slabs would be anchored in the mid Atlantic convoy sea lanes at points where air cover could not be provided at that time (1939 - 1943). They could be used to launch and recover anti submarine patrol aircraft, they would be impervious to torpedo attack and, being a water and wood mixture, would take years to melt.
The idea was rejected and I think the scientist eventually committed suicide (being a little batty to start with).

[Fiddlstix]

Ping

[SunkenCiv]

alas...

Lost Nazi ship likely found off Poland
Associated Press | 1 hour, 6 minutes ago | VANESSA GERA,
Posted on 07/27/2006 4:00:38 PM EDT by BenLurkin
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1673339/posts