"The Germans fled?" In the bridge of the Nanhai aircraft carrier, the flagship of the Atlantic Fleet of the Ming Navy, Admiral Zhang Qi, the commander of the Atlantic Fleet of the Daming Navy, who had just received a commendation telegram from Zhang Cheng and was awarded a Baoding Medal, looked at the communication staff officer on the side with some surprise, "How did they escape?" ”

"The forward attack group reported that the Germans had run far and had reached the limit radius of the attack group. Although the www.biquge.info can fly over, if you force an attack and dogfight, the attack aircraft group will quickly consume a lot of fuel and will not be able to return. The words of the communications staff officer made Zhang Qi frown, "What is the distance between us now?" ”

"Three hundred and fifty nautical miles." The combat staff officer, who was lying on the chart table, straightened up and replied loudly: "Based on the course and speed of the enemy and our fleets at this time, this distance is still expanding. ”

At this time, the Ming naval fleet was actually attacking the European Combined Fleet in the north from a relatively south-west direction. Originally, in Zhang Qi's plan, when the attack was launched, the entire combined fleet of European navies was within the attack radius of the Ming army. No one thought that the Germans did not think of taking the initiative to resist and counterattack, but ran away with their lives. More importantly, the German fleet was in the northernmost part of the Combined Fleet, and the Ming army's attack formation was entangled by the warships of other countries and could not pursue the Germans.

Because it took a lot of time to attack the fleets of other countries before, and by the time the two sides continued to move, the German fleet was out of the Ming army's attack radius. If you want to attack them, you have to attack without regard for casualties.

In fact, the so-called combat radius is a conservative number. Relying on the fuel capacity alone is enough for the fighters to fly back and forth, and there is plenty of fuel. However, this is because the fighter will consume a lot of fuel when attacking the battleship, including fierce confrontation with the enemy fighter, dodging anti-aircraft fire and attacking the battleship, and dodging after the attack on the battleship.

These intense tactical maneuvers consume a lot of fuel, making it impossible for the aircraft to return to the carrier on surplus fuel. After accurate calculations, the fuel left out to launch an attack is the origin of the attack radius after the remaining fuel supports the back and forth flight distance.

"Calculate the route and time required if you force an attack." After a moment of silence, Gao Qi was still unwilling to let go of the German fleet, the size of that fleet was very large after all, and if he let them go like this, that flag would not be willing to say anything. Moreover, the release of the German High Seas Fleet, which can be called the main force of the European Combined Fleet, means that this interception operation has not been able to draw a perfect end.

Zhang Qi tried to launch a forcible attack, and even if the pilots were forced to parachute because they ran out of fuel, he could arrange for a seaplane to come to the rescue. That is to say, nothing can be spared those German battleships to go to the United States safely. However, there was one very important thing that Zhang Qi had not done before that, which made it difficult for him to actually launch an attack on the Germans.

"What time is it? Why hasn't it arrived yet? Seeing the time pass minute by minute, Zhang Qi, who looked ugly, stared at the navigation clock not far away, anxiously waiting for the latest news, "Hasn't anyone found their traces?!" ”

What Zhang Qi said was that they were the huge fleet of more than 300 fighters that set off from the aircraft carriers of the European Combined Fleet. Originally, in terms of time and speed, this large group of attack aircraft should have arrived near the Ming naval fleet long ago. However, the second wave of attack planes of Daming Naval Airlines has already completed the attack and began to return, but there is still no shadow of the European fighters.

"Could it be that they didn't find the location of our fleet?" The chief of staff on the side asked aloud.

"Did the enemy reconnaissance plane send a telegram?" Zhang Qi frowned, looked at the combat staff officer on the side, and asked loudly.

"The telecommunications interception department confirmed on four occasions that an aircraft of unknown nationality found near the fleet had sent a message of more than 30 seconds in length." The operational staff officer, who had great authority in the fleet, nodded in response, "There is no doubt that the enemy did grasp our whereabouts at least two hours ago. ”

"But if you calculate according to the time and range of the sortie, then their fighters will have no fuel to return to the sea at this time." The chief of staff of the fleet was puzzled: "Could it be that they did not attack at all?" It shouldn't be. ”

"They've definitely struck." The combat staff officer shook his head and said, "The front-line attack formation reports that the decks of those Europeans' aircraft carriers are all empty, and the number of their air defense fighters is not large. Unless they didn't have enough fighters with them when they set out from England, they must have fought as a professional soldier before. ”

Aircraft carrier sea and air combat is different from battleship bombardment, even if the opponent's strength is far inferior to its own, but a successful surprise attack is enough to completely turn the situation on the entire battlefield. In terms of the quality of the navies of various European countries, mainly the German navy, their attack formations are at least the size of three or four hundred aircraft.

That's hundreds of lethal fighters. If the Ming army was in the process of releasing or recovering the fighters, these hundreds of fighters suddenly attacked, even if they had a strong air defense force and a large number of air defense fighters, they would inevitably suffer large-scale losses. If all of their aircraft carriers are lost or incapacitated, then they have to retreat.

As the main advocate of the combat tactics of the HNA aircraft carrier formation, Zhang Cheng himself has a deep memory of the midway naval and air battle in modern time and space, which can be called the turning point of the Pacific War.

At that time, the extremely powerful Japanese Navy's aircraft carrier squadron, while occupying absolute superiority and the initiative on the battlefield, completely destroyed its entire country's national fortunes because of the sudden attack of dozens of US fighters.

Dozens of U.S. warplanes suddenly appeared while the Japanese Navy was busy flying and retrieving fighters, destroying three-quarters of the Japanese aircraft carrier group in one fell swoop, thus writing a new history of their own.

Zhang Cheng, who still remembers this major event vividly, has repeatedly conducted battle flag deductions for this battle when promoting aircraft carrier combat tactics in this time and space, leaving a deep impression on all aircraft carrier commanders. No matter what, no matter how advantageous it is, one must not underestimate one's opponent and put the fleet and its officers and men on the brink of danger.

Although Zhang Qi was very surprised that the officers and men of the European Navy, who were not of bad quality, had never arrived without knowing the location of their fleet, he would not risk flying a new group of attack planes.

And because it did not escape the attack of the combined fleet of European navies, Zhang Qi's fleet could only keep moving in the direction of the German high seas fleet to avoid the attack of the unaccounted for fighter formation.

In this case, Zhang Qi can only watch the distance between the two sides getting farther and farther away.

"How much longer?!" Time flies, and when the time comes to eleven o'clock, Zhang Qi, who can no longer bear it, even his voice begins to become stern. He couldn't stand it any longer, and now the distance between his fleet and the German fleet was approaching four hundred and fifty nautical miles, and the number was constantly increasing.

More importantly, the reconnaissance plane sent back a telegram saying that the German fleet had sailed into a huge rain cloud, which made the idea of preparing to win a brilliant battle and then return triumphantly during the day today become more and more remote.

"Half an hour at most." The combat staff officer, whose forehead was already covered with beads of sweat from anxiety, shouted: "There is still half an hour at most, and their theoretical fuel maintenance will reach its end." ”

"Can't wait!" Zhang Qi, whose eyes were faintly red, ordered loudly: "Attack formation, prepare to attack!" ”

"Commander." The chief of staff of the fleet came to Zhang Qi's side at this time, and said in a deep voice: "It doesn't have much effect to force an attack at this time. Since the German fleet has entered the rain clouds, then even in the past, we have lost troops and fighters in vain, although we do not lack fighters, but now in the vast sea, if we are not sure of victory, we must act calmly. ”

"I'm sorry." Zhang Qi, whose face softened, took a deep breath, nodded, and said, "I just lost my mind. You're right, it doesn't make much sense to force a strike now. But since the Germans took refuge in the rain clouds, we don't have to rely entirely on aviation. ”

"What do you mean?" The role of the chief of staff is to provide favorable advice to the commander, and of course, the final decision is still in the hands of the commander. Unless the commander is unable to continue his duties, even the chief of staff, who is the second man in the fleet, can only obey orders.

When the navy goes out to sea to fight, it is very concerned about the right to command, because once there is a struggle for power or the repetition of orders, it will lead to the loss of fighters or the sinking of ships.

Therefore, the navy has always been known for its centralization of power. If the commander gives a formal order, even if you think it is wrong, you can only carry it out, not question it and reject it. This is the Navy.

"I just calculated our route versus the route of the Germans." Zhang Qi came to the nautical table, pointed to the charts on the table, and explained, "Unless the Germans turn around and sail back, or follow the convoy full of dignitaries of various countries to Greenland." Otherwise, the Germans would have to end up going to the United States. So their route must have been all the way to the west. ”

"That's right." The Chief of Staff nodded, this is something that everyone knows. The reason why the European Combined Fleet had to cross the Atlantic was to be able to flee to the American continent and avoid the powerful and unparalleled forces of the Ming Dynasty. (To be continued.) )