1212 Battle of the Atlantic

To be honest, if one of the military branches of Germany lacks the most innovation, it must be the naval aviation. The army's tanks have been updated from the Leopard to the improved Tiger King; the Air Force has also used the ME from the FW-190D -239 jet fighter; but the navy's carrier-based aircraft is still the navy type of FW-190, and the dive bomber is still the Stuka instead of the Stuka 2.

There are many reasons for this result. For example, the navy is relatively ignored, and the design of the carrier-based aircraft is more complicated, so that there is no way to complete the update in a short time-but it is actually simpler to sum it up. To put it bluntly, there is no Time has no money.

The first-generation carrier-based aircraft used by the German Navy was actually modified from the FW-190 and Stuka used by the Air Force. There is no way to meet the needs of the all-in-one design. The performance of the Ta-152 fighter jet on the ship was disappointing, not to mention the advanced jet fighter.

So this battle for air supremacy in the Icelandic naval battle may be said to be a confrontation with the smallest power gap between the Allied forces and the German forces. The P-40 Rolls-Royce improved version with enhanced power performance, against the naval version of the FW-190, although the German naval aircraft is slightly ahead in performance, but it is far from the difference.

When the fleets of both sides approached the distance to spot the opponent's reconnaissance plane, both Dudley Pound and Raedel actually knew that this naval battle was inevitable. The difference is that Dudley Pound desperately confirmed the fact that the contact code of the Allied forces had been successfully deciphered by the Germans.

"Top Hat No. 2 calls the brain! Top Hat No. 2 calls the brain! Please answer!" In the noisy cockpit, a German reconnaissance plane pilot was avoiding the entanglement of a P-40 combat reconnaissance plane in the sky. Rolling and chasing in the clouds, and being shot down by the opponent at any time became the first record of this naval battle.

"Here is the brain! Please answer if you hear it!" The voice of the operator of the aircraft carrier fleet contact center came from the headset. The German pilot shook the joystick again and got into the clouds: "I was shot by an American aircraft. The fighter jets are entangled! Single-engine fighters! It should come from the opponent's aircraft carrier fleet!"

Hearing this news, the German naval duty officer standing next to the radio checked the chart in his hand, and then grabbed the liaison officer's microphone: "Hold the other party! I will send someone to support you!"

Then he pressed his finger on the place where the air battle took place on the sea chart, and walked to another radio station: "Let the two newly-taken reconnaissance planes rush to this coordinate...follow this American plane, and try to find the exact location of the opponent's fleet !"

In the command room next door, one radio was next to the other. An officer was anxiously waiting for the latest news in his position. From time to time, he asked his subordinates if there was any relevant news: No reply? Not a single submarine has sent back news about the location of the enemy fleet?"

"Long live the head of state! Your Excellency the Marshal! So far, the exact location of the opponent's fleet has not been found! Do you want to adjust the course,

Continue west? Standing behind Raeder and Lütjens, the naval officer with the rank of major general on his shoulders stood at attention and saluted and reported the news just confirmed.

Raeder heard his subordinate's question and looked at Lütjens. He knew that in terms of aircraft carrier combat experience, it was impossible for him to have as much experience as Lütjens, so he was more willing to listen to Lütjens' opinion. After all, the other party had commanded the Battle of the English Channel: "What do you think?"

"Your Excellency Marshal! We have to sail against the wind, and rashly changing our course will put us at a disadvantage when taking off fighter jets..." Lütjens thought for a while and then replied: "I suggest that we keep our course until after noon. Make changes."

After hearing Lütjens's suggestion, Raeder nodded and did not say anything else. The major general officer who came to ask the question also understood the next task, and he loudly issued the combat order to keep on course: "Keep Heading! Pay attention to anti-submarine reconnaissance!"

Compared with the United States and the British Navy, the German army has an absolute advantage in radar technology, so German commanders are also happy to rely on this advantage. If Germany can be regarded as looking for people with a flashlight in the dark, then the United States and the United Kingdom can definitely only be regarded as two night-blind patients who smear and walk at night.

Even so, Lütjens was still wary of these two powerful opponents. He told Raeder that maintaining the course before noon was actually telling Raeder his attitude in disguise: once noon passed, the fleet should find a way In order to avoid night battles, we maneuvered in advance.

Although the German Navy has achieved initial results in using fixed-angle lights to achieve night-time aircraft take-off and landing, the German Navy is still unwilling to fight at night. After all, Germany, as an upstart, still has a big gap to catch up with a powerful country like Britain in traditional subjects such as night battles and artillery battles.

...

Compared with the German navy, which is a bit self-deprecating, the Allied fleet commanded by Dudley Pound is actually not as good as the fleet commanded by Lütjens on the opposite side in terms of overall strength. The British veteran is using skillful steering to lure the German fleet into the combat radius of shore-based fighters as much as possible.

"I have already encountered the carrier-based planes of the German Navy... Yes! General! One of our planes has been shot down, and another one is circling!" The head of the naval aviation stood behind Dudley Pound, saying to The old general reported on the battle that just happened: "The destroyer Monto seems to have spotted a German submarine...Whether it is accurate or not needs further confirmation."

"Gentlemen! The Germans have deciphered our communication code, there is no doubt about it, so this time we may have to face the opponent's 7 aircraft carriers, we must proceed with caution!" Dudley Pound said to the bridge The commanders on board encouraged: "Show out your Nelson spirit and fight to the end for His Majesty the King!"

He laughed contemptuously as he spoke: "Look, we actually have good news too! As long as we wipe out the German fleet here, we'll turn the tide of the war around, won't we?"

His words made all the officers and sailors on the bridge laugh, the original dignified atmosphere was broken, and everyone was full of confidence in winning again. As the damage control commander, George stood at his post and took a look at Dudley Pound. He felt that this battle might really create a new miracle belonging to the Royal Navy under the leadership of this general.

"Let the attack plane mount torpedoes! The battleships on the periphery of the fleet are ready for air defense!" Dudley put on the life jacket handed to him by his assistant, and issued an order to prepare for the battle: "Give Ramirez and Elizabeth The Queen's battleship sends out a light signal! Let them prepare for the battle, if we entangle the enemy until the evening, maybe they will be the key to the victory!"

At 9 o'clock in the morning, the battle alarm sounded in the cabins of every battleship in the British fleet, and all sailors began to get busy. The cannons were ready with the sound of orders, and the anti-aircraft guns were already pointed at the clear sky. The sea breeze blows on everyone's face, carrying intoxicating moisture and astringent fragrance.

"The fighter jets with auxiliary fuel tanks are starting to take off! Formation over the fleet!" On the deck, a commander with a notepad between his hands shouted loudly, the pilots began to rush to their own planes, and the ground crew was checking each plane for the last time the state of the aircraft. These improved American fighters fought fiercely with Japanese Zero fighters on the Pacific battlefield, but at this moment they have to face a more powerful enemy.

"Eagle 1, ready! Take off!" The pilot sitting in the cockpit confirmed to the control tower by radio, seeing that the ground crew helped to start the propeller of the plane, and the vibration and sound of the engine were very normal.

"Eagle 1! Approved to take off!" From the earphones came the sound of approval for takeoff, followed by his own wingman, Eagle 2's application for takeoff, which was approved immediately without any accident. One after another, fighter jets flew into the sky, and soon formed a neat flying formation over the Allied fleet.

"General Dudley Pound! The air defense fighter formation has already taken off! The radar shows that the first wave of German attack aircraft seems to be on its way!" The naval aviation commander, who was ready for everything, stood Beside General Delepond, stood at attention and saluted and reported: "We have made all preparations, and the outcome depends on the next few hours!"

Dudley Pound nodded, and then turned his gaze to the sea in the distance. There was a destroyer of the British Royal Navy, and the light signal was flashing on the mast: "No German submarine was found!"

...

On the bridge of the Reich aircraft carrier of the German Navy, Lütjens took over the report of the take-off attack fleet from his aviation commander. After a cursory glance, he nodded and signed his name: "Immediately let The second batch of attack planes mounted torpedoes and bombs, and after 25 minutes, they took off immediately without asking for instructions, and attacked the Allied fleet!"

"Have you not confirmed how many aircraft carriers there are in the Allied Fleet?" Raedel looked at his subordinates worriedly, and asked the question he was most concerned about. He knew that the difference in the strength of the aircraft carriers between the two sides would determine the final outcome of this naval battle, so he had to ask this question, he had to be responsible for his own navy.