Speculate this, what would have happened if the Vichy fleet and air resources were ready and prepared for the British visit to Oran and Mers-el-kebir. Would they join the Axis? would they fight? who would win? and what consequences for the British at this crucial period of time Operation Sealion and North African campaign

Does anyone have the numbers of planes and ships that were located in the different ports of the Vichy fleet.

And also about the forces that attacked the Vichy fleet.

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The British Fleet would have still had superiority but the French (not yet Vichy) would have not been caught by surprise and would have given a fight, inflicting casualties to the Brits and teaching them not to stab in the back your former allies... [img]graemlins/no.gif[/img]

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

There was hardly "surprise" originally. The British in most cases actually sent in a small boat with emmissaries to negotiate with the French command prior to attacking. In most of the cases the French fleet had steam up and were prepared to fight.
As one example, the Strasborug with eight destroyers got underway immediately upon the British attacking and made for open ocean out of Mers el Kebir. She successfully evaded the British along with three of the destroyers and made Toulon Harbor in Vichy France several days later.
The French ships fought back and in most cases to the full extent of their capacity. But, the British had torpedo and dive bombers and the French lacked effective shipboard AA systems and air support from their air forces ashore. The first problem was recognized and would have been corrected in time. The second was a matter of lack of command and control systems among the various commands that prevented successful defense. This problem was the same endemic one that had caused, in large degree, France's fall to begin with.
As far as the Germans went, even when they occupied Vichy territory the French made sure none of their major combatant ships were allowed to fall into German hands intact. The Strasbourg was scuttled for example.
So, in the end, the French fleet was either going to not be available to the British until the reoccupation of North Africa and metropolitian France or, wasn't going to be available at all. The Germans certainly were not going to get their hands on any of the major fleet units intact.