"Boom, boom, boom......"

The roar of the 380mm cannon passed through the sea for tens of kilometers and reached the bridge of the "Hood", which had become a little dull, as if thunder was rolling in the sky. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

At this time Lancelot. Vice Admiral Holland walked to the side of the bridge and frowned as he watched the orange-red firelight that kept shining in the dark night in the distance. He whispered to his first mate, Lieutenant Colonel Thomasson, "The position of the German fleet should be southeast of Meenland, because their radar may not be able to detect us due to the obscuration of the Shetland Islands. So we should go around to the north-east of Shetland and let them discover us. ”

"Lieutenant General, do you want to adjust the formation?" Lieutenant Commander Thomas asked, "We are likely to engage in an exchange of fire with the enemy fleet, and the well-armoured Prince of Wales should be placed in front to clear the way." ”

HMS Prince of Wales was the second ship of the King George V class and was only completed in March 1941. Battleships of this class attached great importance to defense, with the main armor belt on the side running through 60% of the length of the waterline, with carburized steel armor up to 15 inches thick, covering the front and rear ammunition depots, boiler rooms, and engine room areas, and could withstand German 380mm armor-piercing shells and the British Royal Navy's own 15-inch armor-piercing shells at normal engagement distances (2-30,000 meters).

But the "King George V" class was a "treaty battleship" with limited tonnage, and while it had strong and heavy armor, it had to reduce its firepower and power system in order to save valuable tonnage. It was designed for a maximum speed of 29 knots, which was in line with the overhauled Hood, which had increased a lot of tonnage, and slower than all German battleships. However, the most helpless thing for the commanders of the Royal Navy was the main gun system of the "King George V" class, a super battleship with a standard displacement of more than 35,000 tons, and only 10 14-inch main guns.

"No, you don't." Lancelot. Vice Admiral Holland thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, "Let's let the Hood be in front." The Firepower of the 'Prince of Wales' was too weak to deal with the armor of the 'Bismarck' class. ”

The formation of the "Hood" in front and the "Prince of Wales" in the back was considered to be the main cause of the disaster in the post-war summary. However, for Lieutenant General Holland at this time, there is really no good choice. The "Hood" was not strong enough, and the "Prince of Wales" lacked firepower, and it was not appropriate for anyone to take the lead.

However, the real cause of the tragedy of the "Hood" in this time and space was unknown to the British until the end of the war. The real reason for the crushing defeat of the "Hood" and the B Fleet was the "Vienna"-class fast cruiser "Riga" anchored close to the island of Antes at the northern tip of the Shetland Islands. This is a light cruiser with a standard displacement of 5700 tons, which has two roles in the German Navy, one is as the lead ship of the destroyer formation; The second is to act as a reconnaissance cruiser, acting as the eyes and ears of the main fleet.

In order to better serve as a reconnaissance mission, the "Vienna" class fast cruiser is equipped with a Fumo22-H radar, the average distance of sea detection is 25-30 nautical miles (according to the light cruiser is not so far, about 22-23 nautical miles), at 25,000 meters the positioning accuracy error is about 300 meters. This radar is the most advanced air-to-sea search radar in Germany at present, and it is the latest model of radar developed on the basis of the Fumo22 radar in the late Mediterranean campaign with reference to the captured British radar system and resonant magnetron.

A resonant magnetron is essentially a tube system that emits high-energy radio waves, which greatly increases the power of radar. This thing was of course the top secret of Britain, and the Central Security Directorate in Canaris racked its brains and did not steal it from the British. But the British lost too many radar systems in the Mediterranean campaign (some on warships and planes, some on ground-based radar stations, and some simply in warehouses), among which there were many intact resonant magnetrons. With these resonant magnetrons reverse-engineered, the German company Lorentz quickly created a knock-off, which was not as easy to use as the original, but it was enough to greatly improve the performance of the Fumo22 radar.

At 11 p.m. on June 10, when the Royal Navy Fleet B appeared 20 nautical miles northeast of Antes Island, the fast cruiser Riga was lurking near Antes Island (the lighthouse had been occupied by German marines) and detected them with radar.

"Admiral, the 'Riga' has spotted a British fleet, numbering more than 10 ships, located 20 nautical miles northeast of the island of Antes."

Gunther, who was directing the fleet in the shelling of British positions and airfields on the island of Meenland. Admiral Lütjans immediately withdrew his gaze from the island where the fireball was constantly rising, and glanced at Colonel Lindemann, captain of the Bismarck and chief of staff of the First High Seas Fleet.

"Admiral, it's likely to be the main force of the British Home Fleet!" Colonel Lindemann said.

Lindemann didn't pay much attention to the data of "10 ships", because the error of searching for radars in this era is very large, and it can only be referred to.

"Possibly!" Gunther. Admiral Lütjens nodded, frowned, and said, "But we can't just run away like this...... If the Nelson is not there, we can still fight the enemy. ”

"Nelson" was not only heavily armoured, but also had 16-inch guns, which posed a great threat to the "Bismarck" and "Tirpitz".

"Admiral, are we going to fight the enemy?"

"It's not right away." Gunther. Admiral Lütjens said, "We need to test it...... Rear Admiral Ben (Captain Gneisenau) was given electricity, and the first guerrilla formations consisting of Gneisenau, Prinz Eugen, Lützov, Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Prague, T13, T14, T15, T16, T17, T18, T19 and T20 remained here to exchange fire with the British and test their reality. ”

Admiral Lütjans decided to divide his forces, with the "Gneisenau" with a maximum speed of 33 knots and two heavy cruisers with a top speed of 32.5 knots, the Prinz Eugen and the Lützov, plus four equally fast M-class and SP-class cruisers, and eight destroyers to form a "First Guerrilla Formation" to engage the British.

If the incoming enemy was really the main force of the British Home Fleet, then the "First Guerrilla Formation" would have fled with high speed. If the enemy was not the main force of the British Home Fleet, then the "First Guerrilla Formation" managed to lure the opponent under the guns of the main force of the First High Seas Fleet.

"Admiral, where are we going?" Lindemann asked again.

"We bypassed the Shetland Islands and went to ambush near the island of Antes." Admiral Lütjans said, "During the day today, the destroyer and eight minelayers have already searched there, and no British minefields have been found, and we can pass through." ”

The detour from the west of Shetland was, of course, to avoid detection by the radars of the British fleet - there were islands and hills on the islands, which of course were "invisible" to the British radars. Moreover, the current British radar, although slightly better than the German radar, also has no way to distinguish a battleship from a heavy cruiser in the dark.

If it was really the main force of the British Home Fleet that came up tonight, the Gneisenau and the two heavy cruisers would have to take some risks, although it was very likely that they would have escaped at high speed. It would be bad if you were hit in the middle of a firefight. However, tonight's German "First Guerrilla Formation," which was in charge of the probing, encountered the British B Fleet, which was responsible for luring the enemy.

At around 0:45 a.m. on June 11, the radars of the two British and German fleets, which were a little weak, discovered each other's positions.

"Detection of the enemy fleet, number 15 ships, ...... at a distance of 30,000 meters"

On board the "Hood", radar officers loudly reported the latest findings.

"Fifteen?" Lancelot. Vice Admiral Holland and Lieutenant Commander Thomas looked at each other.

"Radar is inaccurate." Lieutenant Colonel Thomas said.

"Maybe not all enemy ships!" Vice Admiral Holland frowned.

Previously the planes of the RAF Coastal Air Force had already bombed the German fleet, when 30-40 warships were discovered, and now only half of them have appeared.

"So...... Where is the rest? ”

Vice Admiral Holland shook his head, "No matter...... 15 is 15. When we get close to 23,000 meters, we turn to the left, then open fire, keeping a distance of more than 13,000 meters, and after 5 minutes of firefighting, we turn around and head north. He paused and said, "Send power to the Nelson, and let the A-fleet go south to meet us as soon as possible." ”

"Sir, it looks like there are only 10 enemy ships."

At the same moment, on board the "Gneisenau", Erich. Major General Bey was also reported by the radar officer.

"Only 10?" Major General Bei exhaled lightly, "Great! Send a telegram to the Bismarck and tell the commander that we are not encountering the main force of the British Home Fleet. ”

"Major General, should we test the reality of the other party?" The first mate of the Gneisenor asked.

"Of course!" Major General Bei smiled, "Our Gneisenor now has 6 380mm main guns, even if it encounters the Hood, it can fight!" And we had 2 heavy cruisers, 4 light cruisers and 8 destroyers. If the opponent's strength is not strong, then there is no need for the main fleet to come out. If the enemy is strong enough, then we will hold them back, and in just 30 minutes, the main fleet will come from the north. (To be continued.) )