Quote:
The war started too early for Raeder's tastes.
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Hitler had indicated that he would go to war in 1944, therefore, the german Navy produced Plan Z and initially stuck to it. The result was that they were not in a good position when war broke out in 1939.
The Original plan was for:-
A) 6 battleships of 50,000 tons (in addition to Bismarck and The Tirpitz)
8 (Later 12) cruisers of 20,000
C) 4 aircraft carriers of of 20, 000
D) a large number of light cruisers
E) 233 U-boats
source memoirs Adm Karl Doenitz PP37-8
In addittion, had Germany managed to build aircraft carriers then there was still the problem of crewing the ships, especially with seaman officers who had handled large aircraft carriers both at sea and in harbour. Also, supply purpose built aircraft of the right type for naval operations.
the latter, i beleive would be nigh on impossible give the chaotic state of aircraft production