At half past two in the morning on May 30, 1943, Chen Dao was anxious.

Through the telegram forwarded by the German 1st Aircraft Carrier Formation, he had already learned about the movements of the Black Sea Fleet, as well as the next operational plan of the Italian transport fleet and the German 1st Aircraft Carrier Formation.

At this time, I really don't know whether to thank the Italians or curse the Italians.

The Italians, perceiving the movements of the Black Sea Fleet and summoning up the courage to lure the Black Sea Fleet into the bait with their own fleet as bait, must be thanked for this act of wisdom and courage as comrades-in-arms and soldiers.

However, it was precisely because of the drag of the transport ships in the Italian transport fleet that the transport fleet, as well as the German 1st aircraft carrier formation, could not conduct high-speed maneuverable operations.

Without the implication of those slow-moving transport fleets, the best way to deal with the Black Sea Fleet is to stall for time and wait for dawn.

After two days of rainy weather, the sky at this time is only thin clouds, and in some places the stars can be seen blinking through the thin clouds.

In this weather, naval aviation could quite have struck and first inflicted a wave of air strikes on the Black Sea Fleet, and then let the battleship units of the Italians catch up with them for the finishing touches, so that the maximum results could be collected at the minimum cost.

But now the situation has become a duel between the cannons of the giant ships, and the Black Sea Fleet has one battleship and at least two heavy cruisers, as well as many torpedo target enthusiasts such as light cruisers and destroyers, who like to risk their lives to launch "lightning strikes".

If the battleships "Bismarck" and "Tirpitz" were torpedoed by one or two torpedoes, and the light cruisers and destroyers were sunk by the Russians, I would still be very heartbroken.

Hoping that the battle could break out after dawn, and hoping that the loss would not be too great, Chen Dao silently looked forward to it in his heart.

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Almost at the same time, on the battleship "Paris Commune", the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the commander of the fleet, Vice Admiral Okgabrisky, had just gotten up.

After getting up, the lieutenant general first washed his face, then took out a razor and calmly shaved in front of the mirror.

Every time the razor shaves the stubble, the stubble is scraped off along with the white foam on the face, and when the lieutenant general washes off the foam on the face with water, a face that was originally full of stubble has been shaved clean.

Touching the hairline that was seriously receding and the head was smooth and shiny, the vice admiral buttoned his military hat to his head, reluctantly glanced at the neat and tidy captain's room, and resolutely walked out of the room.

The gate slammed shut behind the lieutenant general, and this time, Lieutenant General Okgabriski did not lock the door.

In the dining room, bread, hot coffee and steak make up the lieutenant general's last breakfast.

May 30, 1943, most likely, was the last day for the Black Sea Fleet and itself to remain in this world.

After eating this breakfast, many people in this fleet will have to go to another world to enjoy the next breakfast, and they must cherish it.

After eating breakfast earnestly, both food and coffee were wiped clean, the lieutenant general wiped his mouth clean with a napkin, got up and left the dining room, and went straight to the bridge accompanied by the adjutant.

Walking into the bridge and seeing that it was still pitch black outside the window, Vice Admiral Okgabriski silently raised his left hand to look at his watch.

At 3:10 a.m., according to the information provided by the submarines, if the course and speed of the other side did not change and the pursuit went smoothly, the time of the encounter between the Black Sea Fleet and the Italian transport fleet was expected to be between 3:30 and 4 o'clock.

Once the fire is connected, it will not take half an hour for his own fleet to wipe out all those Italians.

The second hand of the watch ticked and turned, turning happily one circle after another, but the lieutenant general still felt that "seconds are like years".

The anticipation and waiting before the war is really exciting!

Minute by minute passed in anxious waiting, and the crew of the bridge remained silent for most of the time, until a phone call from the lookout post.

"The light is found at a fifteen-degree angle on the starboard side, and the light is found at a fifteen-degree angle on the starboard side, and it is the fleet, it is the fleet."

After receiving the report from the lookout post, the anxious Lieutenant General Okgabriski perked up and first subconsciously looked at his watch.

At 3:24, the information provided by the submarine was accurate, but only six minutes earlier than the earliest time expected to engage the enemy.

"Catch them, let's go and kill the Italians."

Vice Admiral Okgabriski then issued a series of combat orders, and the Black Sea Fleet, galloping at high speed, collectively turned and rushed to their prey, the "Italian" people!

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While Vice Admiral Okgabriski was eating breakfast, Rear Admiral Ohm, commander of the German 1st Aircraft Carrier Formation, was anxious.

Seeing that it was almost three o'clock, neither the radar room nor the lookout post found any trace of the Black Sea Fleet.

The fleet could only move in a parallel direction to the convoy at a speed of 8 knots ten nautical miles east of the Italian convoy.

I hope that those battleships of the Russians will arrive on the battlefield quickly, and it will not be good to drag them until dawn.

The main force of the German-Italian combined fleet led by "Your Excellency Brother-in-law" is pursuing the Black Sea Fleet, and if it waits until dawn, those planes on the aircraft carrier will be able to be dispatched, and by that time, the results will be snatched away by the second aircraft carrier formation.

Although Rear Admiral Ohm was the commander of the 1st Aircraft Carrier Formation, after joining the Navy, he first received an education in the naval academy in the naval artillery bombardment of giant ships.

Even when he became the commander of an aircraft carrier formation, Rear Admiral Ohm had a hidden preference for "giant ship cannons" in his heart.

With the light of the Italians, he was able to live the addiction of a battleship against bombardment.

Speaking of which, when the battle is over, I really have to thank the commander of the Italian escort fleet.

Well, be sure to thank him well!

Major General Ohm had just made a decision with 120,000 sincerity when suddenly the voice of a staff officer answering the phone was heard in his ears.

"This is the bridge, what? There's a signal on the radar, okay····· Good... I know. ”

The battleships "Bismarck" and "Tirpitz" were equipped with FUMO 25 radars, which could detect ships from 15 to 20 kilometers above the sea with an accuracy of 70 meters.

As for the specific detection range, it also depends on the size of the opponent's ship.

Light cruisers and destroyers, due to their smaller size, were equipped with a simplified version of the FUMO 21 radar.

The radar room reported that a fleet was moving northwest in the southeast of the fleet, within about fifteen to eighteen kilometers.

The specific parameters can only be obtained by further observation and calculation in the radar room.

Soon, reports from other warships of the fleet were sent to the battleship "Bismarck", the flagship of the fleet, and after compiling various information parameters, Rear Admiral Ohm immediately made a decision.

The fleet turned to the left and plunged diagonally into the course of the Black Sea Fleet at a speed of 25 knots, giving priority to seizing a favorable position.

After the issuance of the combat order, Major General Ohm added.

"Immediately send a telegram to the friendly army, the prey takes the bait, and the battle begins."