Could the Luftwaffe do SEELÖWE in July 1940

[hucks216]

Originally Posted by DB605!!

Decimating the RN:
The concept rests on the assumption, that the RN could not ignore a invasion fleet of about 50 larger freighters coming out of the Kattegatt (which ist an information given by an intelligence deception operation to the english).
Then, give them a treatment of horizontal bombardments to disperse the ships and make them spend ammo

What do you mean by horizontal bombardments? Do you mean from warships, in which case what warships as most of the heavies and escorts were sunk or damaged in the invasion of Norway? And something that is always overlooked is that the Captain's of Royal Navy ships had a long traditional streak of taking the fight to the enemy, something that German Naval captains tended to not have in the same quantity - just think of HMS's Jervis Bay and Glowworm, or HMS's Acasta and Ardent to name just 4 from 1939/40.
And not forgetting that those German ships would have to get through a screen of Allied submarines before even getting close to the operational area. From the beginning of April to the end of June 1940 Allied submarines hit over 50 ships - all in the North Sea area - so were a potent force.

A force that large would have to exit through the German minefields and the size of those exits wouldn't allow a force of that size to transit in formation and not forgetting trying to get through the British laid minefields.

Originally Posted by DB605!!

give them a treatment of torpedo bombers supported by Me 110 for flak reduction, then again horizintal bombers, plus stukas etc., all of that in nice Me 109 range and cover, and then some U Boats in deep water on the return trip to scapa. Nice plot!

At night?
And not forgetting that in daylight warships when not tied to escort work and in plenty of sea room are hard to hit when allowed to alter course and speed. And not forgetting that the RAF weren't the only British force with aircraft. They might of been outdated but a force of Fleet Air Arm aircraft from Aircraft Carriers would of been able to put the bombers off their aim as well as strike against the German decoy fleet. That is assuming that the RAF wouldn't of been able to put up a squadron or two but the chances are that they would of done.