pablo668

Hmmm, if you had aircraft patrolling for subs you might be ok, remembering that WWII subs had to surface from time to time to replenish air/batteries. More often than modern subs at least.

diddyriddick

Actually, many were very lightly armored. There were two design philosophies in CV design in WWII. The RN had armored flight decks. The Japanese, and to a greater extent the Americans, did not have armored flight decks but had extended range (critical for operations in the Pacific) and embarked more aircraft for more striking capability. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

pablo668

Off topic a little, as ships changed over time the ideas on armour became different.
You could only put so much armour on a ship due to displacement.
The final concept as far as 20th century battleships was concerned was the all or nothing principle.
Basically put armour where you need it, around machinery, magazines etc, don't have any/much where it's not so critical....ie, the very front of the focsle.....or around the rudder...Doh!

Lawnmowerman

Try reading WW 2.0 in which a modern fleet transports back to 1941, it is quite good.

diddyriddick

Absolutely.

To be clear, I would think that a Nimitz-class carrier group could withstand assaults by any 4-5 WWII era CVs. Even the smaller and less well-equipped Invincible-class could hold off significantly larger numerical WWII era air attacks. But eventually sheer numbers could score.

On the sub threat, I'm not saying that a WWII diesel/electric boat WOULD score against a modern fleet carrier. Rather, I see that as the greatest threat-particularly with the CVN's escorts removed from the equation.

pablo668

I am in complete agreeance with you.

skizzerflake

The modern carrier would have radar and could see incoming planes and ships way before the scout planes of WW II would have found the new ship. Launching a few modern jets that could fly too high and too fast to be attacked, the new carrier could take down the old one before it could counter-attack or even know where the new carrier was. The new carrier, with its nuke engine and unlimited range, could run down anything in the ocean or run away if it chose. Even if the time transport kept the new ship from using satellites or GPS, the advantage in weapons and range would be decisive. The Japanese fleet of Dec 1941 would literally never know what had hit them.

Belgarion

World War 2.0 by John Birmingham is a great alternate history/science fiction series. The modern weapons of the multinational task force are effective, but changing history has its downside.

A modern CVN operating without its battle group would be extremely vulnerable to a WWII submarine attack, even with the advantage of modern ASW aircraft.