Chapter 296: A Great Victory at Sea
First, although the relatively bulky F-190 is not good at low speed, it is not so qualified as a torpedo attack aircraft that values the ability to launch at low speed. But compared with the British fighters in the same period, the F-190 is still a whole generation ahead of the level of technology. In Reinhardt's hands, this is already the most handy treasure.
And Lu Teyans, who uses these treasures, obviously trusts these guys in his hands very much.
"It's dawn....... After 15 minutes, the first wave of attack aircraft was immediately taken off to deploy air defense. "The British do not have aircraft carriers, they have at most single-digit water fighters, and they are by no means an opponent of our first wave of attack aircraft," Lütjans instructed loudly. So the second wave of bombers did not have to wait long, and immediately took off after 30 minutes. ”
"With the exception of the first fleet of F-190s, the rest of the aircraft were loaded with torpedoes and explosives, reducing the amount of ammunition used for self-defense fire. In addition, 10 Stuka from the USS Sickett were added to the second wave of bombers. Striving for an initial advantage, Rütjans almost as soon as he began to take out 80 percent of the aircraft on the two aircraft carriers of the First Fleet, including the "inferior" maritime attack aircraft used part-time from the Army, the dive bomber Stuka.
"Sending reconnaissance planes, we can't pin all the work of vigilance on Dönitz's submarine forces." The cautious Lütjans ordered the attack without forgetting to guard against a possible second enemy army.
Although the secrecy has been done, the radio silence has been maintained all the way. But after all, it is a long-range attack, and it is difficult to guarantee that the Royal Navy will not get any news 100%. Therefore, guarding against possible ambushes by the Royal Navy is also a key point that cannot be ignored in this battle.
Soon, the good news came back. Neither Dönitz's submarine nor Lütjens's own reconnaissance planes scattered in the air found any trace of the second British fleet in the vicinity.
"Break the radio silence," Rutjens was visibly relieved from what he had been an hour ago, "Contact Marshal Raeder to report on our actions and ask where they are." ”
"Yes!" A major in charge of contact immediately raised his hand and said, "I'll go and inform you." ”
Immediately, the Major turned and left Lutjuns with a crisp and brisk step, to finish what he had almost been unable to do two hours earlier.
At this time, there is no need to hide the traces. Lütjans was confident that even if the Royal Navy had a fleet outside of his and Dönitz's search range, it would not be able to catch up with the fleet that rescued Narvik Height.
The scales of war have unconsciously tilted to their side. If the British could not find God's help, they would not be able to rebalance the angle that had been tilted.
The Imperial Navy and the Royal Navy, the Third Reich and the Empire on which the sun never sets, as the two shining poles of the four poles of Europe, finally launched the first confrontation that began to take shape in the waters off the coast of Norway, a third country.
"If you were to be judged by the journalists who like propaganda," said the cheerful Ruetjens, "they should probably say that this battle ........ It will be the beginning of the climax of the naval battle of World War II. ”
No wonder Ruetjens was in such a happy mood. With the carrier-based aircraft of two large aircraft carriers as a fist, it is almost ideal to use surprise means against a fleet that does not even have aircraft carriers.
Sure enough, the two waves of attack aircraft commanded by Lütjans used lightning speed to complete a lightning sneak attack on the British fleet in Narvik Heights at the beginning. When their planes appeared, many of the British sailors, who had just experienced the great victory in Norway and had not even left the rest room. Their anti-aircraft firepower also did not play its due role because of the lack of a large number of personnel.
The F-190 and Stuka who arrived one after another gloated and dropped torpedoes, explosives, and rockets at the first time, which dealt a devastating blow to the British warships in the harbor.
The Royal Navy took advantage of the Norwegians' slack over the weekend and launched a sneak attack. Now, it was the turn of the Imperial Navy to take advantage of their early morning sleepiness and launch a surprise attack.
The four destroyers of the British army, even under the dense explosive projection of the first wave of F-190s, were deliberately targeted by the F-190s that hit the ammunition depot and turned into a cloud of fireworks.
The second batch of professional bombardment brigades, which arrived immediately after, focused on taking care of 3 British battleships and sank them with raindrops of bombardment.
The commander of the three destroyers, scarred but at least not yet in tune, after witnessing this hellish scene, chose to send a signal of surrender in order not to produce unnecessary sacrifices........
It is hard to imagine what kind of shock Lütjans would have in the near future when he completely annihilated the British Empire's small and medium-sized fleet with 3 cruisers and 7 destroyers. The Third Reich not only won, but also won in the naval battles that the sun never sets on the proudest of the empire. In addition to the 6 crashed F-190s and the wounded 1 Stuka 4 F-190s, not a single battleship was lost, but 3 destroyers of the British Empire were captured, and about 4,000 British prisoners of war who could be used as free labor were captured at one time.
In World War II, the first sword of the German surface fleet was fought, and a classic surprise battle was fought enough to be included in the textbooks of the Naval Academy. Lütjans will also become the idol of the naval sailors of contemporary countries by virtue of this battle.
A famous admiral who belongs to Germany!
In the British World War I, such as Betty's famous admirals have withered. In the Third Reich, which was always considered to have only a "navy", it was the first to give birth to the first dazzling star of the new era.
In Operation Rainbow, Germany lost almost an entire generation of naval forces. But now, the country's navy has been resurrected. They came out of a desperate situation of withering and defeat, and returned to their position in Europe.
Although today's battle can only be regarded as a partial battle, the Imperial Navy is far from the step of completely defeating the Royal Navy. However, it was still a glorious victory.
What the Spanish Armada did not do, the heights that the French Napoleonic fleet did not reach, and the regrets left by the German High Seas Fleet 20 years ago, today, with the generation of Lütjens, have done it!
The sun never sets on the Royal Navy, that myth of invincibility, ends today, at the feet of the Third Reich.
Looking at the two British battleships in the distance that were received and driven back by the sailors of the First Squadron (and one was too badly injured to be taken away, and was left in Narvik Hill after the Germans unloaded important parts and guns), Lütjans's first feeling was that it was not the kind of ecstasy he had originally thought would appear.
Lütjans turned on the communications on the flagship Tirpitz, and his somewhat hoarse voice echoed through the seas.
"It's been 20 years........ After 20 years of forbearance and humiliation, it is finally ......... today We'll do it ourselves! ”
Everyone was engrossed, listening carefully to every word Raeder was saying now. This time, instead of bragging, it was a morale-encouraging brag, but a victory speech that was relieved after a big victory.
"Today, I once again saw the indomitable fighting spirit of Scapa Bay and regained the proud soul of Tehran. In the dark, it seems that there are countless pairs of eyes watching us all the time, and they have never left.........."
"That's the heroic soul of our ancestors!"
Except for the sound of Lütjans's announcement, no one made a noise. People clenched their fists in silence and trembled slightly.
This day, they have been waiting too long. So long that they almost forgot their original blood, how boiling and blazing!
"With the encouragement they left behind, with the anticipation they give........ We fight! With a slight tremor in his voice, Lütjans shouted excitedly: "This time, we fight!" And it will be fought until the last moment, the moment of victory! ”
"We fight!" Countless officers and soldiers who stood up straight shouted with all their strength.
In 20 years, they have never held their backs so upright as they do today.
The somewhat shriveled chest finally stood up again today!