Chapter 852 The British Empire (Supplement, 6600 Votes Plus Additional Update)
PS: The addition of monthly tickets for February has been completed, and I am going to add the outstanding debt for March...
The decision-making efficiency of democratic countries is indeed not very good at ordinary times, and it is delayed as long as possible, but when it comes to a critical moment, the enthusiasm that bursts out is amazing. After hearing the news that Germany used "long-range" rockets (as opposed to rocket launchers) to hit London from the European continent, not only killing thousands of people but also being unable to defend themselves, Washington was in a state of excitement, and they took emergency action that night - this is really It is a matter of life and death. Back then, the Germans developed the Paris Cannon, and now they have developed the London Rockets. What if the Germans go crazy and launch transatlantic rockets in the future? Then don’t the American people always live in endless fear?
According to Goddard's reasoning, if Germany now has a rocket with a range of 400-500 kilometers, it will be very easy to increase it to a range of 6,000-8,000 kilometers within 10 years. You must know the range when he was developing rockets 13 years ago. It is only 20 kilometers away, and it is simply unimaginable that it has developed to this level.
At this rate, the rocket's range will be just around the corner, not to mention 6,000-8,000 kilometers, but even more than 10,000 kilometers. The senior officials of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who are familiar with global geography know very well that if there are really rockets with a range of 6,000-8,000 kilometers, then deploying them for launch in Portugal, Spain and northwest Africa can directly cover the best areas of the east coast of the United States. If the Germans are crazy, If the rocket is deployed to the Azores, most of the United States will be there. By then the Germans won’t be able to fight wherever they want? No wonder the Germans have not been interested in developing heavy long-range bombers. It turns out that their attack path is this. This is much better than the United States' B-17\B-29, and it can't intercept without killing people.
No one is a fairy, and American high-level officials will also misjudge Germany's actions, and even overestimate the opponent's strength because of the current unfavorable war situation. The reason why Germany does not develop heavy bombers cannot be explained by saying that it is not interested. It is simply because the cost is too high and it cannot afford it. The United States itself has good aircraft manufacturing capabilities, but now it feels that the Germans have Things are better and more powerful - the ultra-high speed of Mach 4, the inability to intercept, the unpredictable landing point, and the safety of immortality are simply the greatest magic weapons for great powers to dominate the world. No wonder the Germans are so tough and aggressive. It turns out they have a real guy! Thinking back to the achievements of the Germans in the jet field, not only jet fighters but also jet bombers have come out. Are they going to let people live?
Goddard predicted: Now Germany dares to take out a 400-kilometer rocket. According to usual practice and research and development progress, they have at least 1,000-1,500 kilometers of rockets on hand for testing. This guess was well-founded, but he never expected that the Germans would go further than he thought. After the successful tandem test of the two-stage V2 rocket in early 1944, the Germans directly crossed the line based on Braun's suggestion. The V4 rocket with a range of about 1,500 kilometers has been replaced by the V6 with a range of 2,500-3,000 kilometers. In the Peenemünde design studio, a V8 with a range of 5,000 kilometers has been taken shape on the drawings. The five-in-one launch force directed by Hoffman is also advancing intensively. The super large submarine (I-400) on the slipway, the super truck (40 meters long, mobile launch platform) in the research institute, and underground launch silos are all in this column.
The first thing to be completed is the rocket launch train. Based on the train gun, it can become a rocket launch platform after slight modifications. This time, two rocket companies in the Netherlands used the train platform to conduct V2 rocket mobile launch attempts. The effect was very good, more than waiting. Pulling a cannon is much easier. Within 120 minutes, the launch site selection, camouflage, rocket fuel filling, target determination, erection, launch, stowage and retreat were completed in one go. Practice has proved that mobile launch is completely feasible. In the next stage, we are going to try road launch. After all, the V2 rocket The volume is not too large, and existing large-load trucks can handle it.
Goddard also guessed about the multiple-in-one launch power. However, since his current main job is to research ship-borne rockets (hoping to provide short-range air defense firepower), he did not consider the direction of submarines. Instead, he proposed "ship-borne rockets". "Concept," he said: "Even if they cannot build rockets with a range of 6,000-8,000 kilometers for the time being, the Germans may not be able to defeat us. They can completely produce rockets with a range of 1,000-1,500 kilometers and install them on large warships for mobile launch. A warship as large as the Essex can carry a lot, maybe 200. 100 can be assembled, and then launched in groups of 4-5. I think the combat effect will be better than that of bombers, and the cost will be lower in the long run. It is lower and safer. There is no need to build something as expensive as an aircraft carrier. Just modify it with a Victory Ship and it will be a good launch platform. One ship can carry dozens of them, and a fleet can carry thousands of them..."
Everyone in the Joint Chiefs of Staff was stunned. They knew how difficult it is to train a high-tech carrier-based aircraft pilot. If based on this inference, the Germans only need to drive the warship far away from the coastline to avoid their own radar. And aircraft monitoring, which can automatically launch at the touch of a button, wouldn't it mean that as long as you have money, you can open up an unlimited supply? Is that okay? By then, the eastern region will have to worry all the time that there will be overwhelming rockets flying overhead, making it difficult to even eat or sleep! Will the United States, which has always used the two-ocean shield as a natural security barrier, have a stable place in the future?
It must be said that Goddard is worthy of being the founder of American rockets. He has a rich imagination. The outline of the heavy missile cruiser (battleship) and the idea of saturation attack took shape instantly - although this is an evil path in later generations!
Early in the morning of April 4, a stream of orders were issued. The Joint Chiefs of Staff established the Rocket Bureau and attached it to Admiral Arnold of the Army Aviation (both belong to aviation), which was actually directly under the management of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Goddard and Professor von Karman, whom he recommended, were directly awarded the rank of Army Major General and served as the director and deputy director of the Rocket Bureau after verification by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. According to the list drawn up by the two, the three giants of the Joint Chiefs of Staff convened all professors in the fields of rockets, fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, aviation, etc. in major universities and major scientific research institutions in the United States to hold a meeting, mobilizing them to temporarily put aside the current theoretical research at hand and concentrate on participating in this project.
Scholars willing to join were awarded military ranks ranging from lieutenant colonel to colonel according to their academic status and importance in the industry. Young people like Qian Xuesen who already had a certain status in the academic world were also offered the rank of captain to win over, regardless of whether they were Americans or not, as long as they were willing to serve the United States. Even the doctoral students of various professors, whether they graduated or not, were mobilized to participate in this project and enjoy special military subsidies.
The project funds were more like checks being handed out for free. In the past, it was very difficult for scholars to get research funds, most of which were only tens of thousands. If they could get more than 300,000, it was considered particularly important. Not only did they have to go through a cumbersome application process, but they also had to report the completion of the project, which was very troublesome. Now the starting price is 2 million and there is no upper limit. As long as Goddard and Karman think it is important, they can sign and get the money. The only requirement is confidentiality, and all results cannot be published. When the congressmen heard the news, they all gave the green light. Roosevelt originally planned to embezzle 2 billion from the special national debt, but in the afternoon, Congress unanimously voted to include the 2 billion in the special budget and not occupy other funds - the congressmen are also afraid of rockets.
The first plenary meeting of the Rocket Bureau was held that evening and a consensus was reached:
1. The British side was required to retain some of the rocket attack sites and wreckage. It would be better if unexploded objects could be collected. Experts will visit London in the near future to evaluate the power and performance of the rockets on the spot;
2. It is hoped that the government can send agents to steal relevant German technical information or destroy relevant facilities;
3. It is recommended that the government find the German rocket research base and production factory and bomb them to delay Germany's pace.
The relevant consensus was quickly accepted and deployed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In addition to rockets, jets are also a headache. The heavy bombing of southern Britain has entered the second day. The German attack momentum has not diminished. All the targets of some value in the south have been bombed to pieces. The high-flying style of the German jet bombers made the Royal Air Force pilots desperate. They tried their best but had no way to deal with it. Finally, they had to take the risk of attacking the German departure airport on the other side of the Channel, but they were intercepted by more numerous and more powerful German aircraft, suffering heavy losses. The British side strongly requested that the United States quickly put the Meteor jet into service, but the problem was that the United States itself did not have much inventory, so the Joint Chiefs of Staff once again ordered several military industrial enterprises to temporarily reduce the production of other aircraft and fully guarantee the production and supply of Meteors.
While Britain and the United States were still considering the production and mass service of Meteors, the German side had already basically finalized the verification aircraft of the second-generation jet Ta-183, and the core technical indicators had also been locked, waiting to complete the final test to form a pre-production model. According to Hoffman's schedule, the model should be put into mass production and put into service as soon as possible in early 1945. In addition, the development of a carrier-based model was also considered - the Me-262 was difficult to shipboard, but the Ta-183 was much lighter, with a shorter take-off and landing distance, and it was relatively easier to board the ship. Moreover, the oblique aircraft carriers have also appeared one after another, and the prerequisites are in place.
That afternoon, Spruance made a last attempt, sending out reconnaissance planes to search the surrounding waters, but nothing was found. He decided to return to South Africa for supplies as required by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and prepare to fight in the Indian Ocean. But fate played a joke on him. Crank began to return after completing the Brazilian harassment war.
Now, the German fleet returned from north to south, and the American fleet returned from northwest to southeast. An unexpected battle will soon begin...