To tell the truth, if we were to sum up the most innovative service among the various branches of the German military, it would be the naval aviation -- the army's tanks were updated from the Leopard to the King Tiger Improvement; the Air Force also used the ME-239 jet fighter from the FW-190D; but the Navy's carrier-based aircraft were still the naval version of the FW-190, and the dive bomber was still the Stuka instead of the Stuka 2.

There are many reasons for this, such as the relative lack of attention to the Navy, and the complexity of carrier-based aircraft design, which makes it impossible to complete the replacement in a short period of time - but it is actually simpler to sum up, to put it bluntly, there is no time and no money.

The first generation of carrier-based aircraft used by the German Navy was actually modified from the FW-190 and Stuka used by the Air Force, but when the performance of the army aircraft was higher, the aircraft was larger and the design was more professional, this all-in-one design could not meet the needs. The Ta-152 fighter has performed in despair after its experimental arrival on ships, not to mention advanced jet fighters.

Therefore, the battle for air supremacy in the Battle of Iceland may be said to be the smallest clash of forces between the Allies and the Germans. The enhanced P-40 Rolls-Royce modification was far from far from the difference between the German Navy and the naval version of the FW-190, although the German Navy was slightly ahead in terms of performance.

By the time the fleets of both fleets came close enough to spot the opposing reconnaissance planes, both Dudley Pound and Raeder knew that the naval battle was inevitable. The difference is that Dudley Pound desperately confirmed the fact that the Allied contact code had been successfully deciphered by the Germans.

"Top Hat No. 2 calls brain! Top hat No. 2 calls brain! Hear it, please answer!" In the noisy cockpit of the plane, a German reconnaissance plane pilot was in the sky to avoid the entanglement of a P-40 combat reconnaissance plane, and the two planes rolled and chased in the clouds, and they could be shot down by the other side at any time, which became the first record of this naval battle.

"This is the brain! Hear it, please answer!" The voice of the operator of the aircraft carrier fleet contact center came from the headset, and the German pilot shook the joystick again and burrowed into the clouds: "I am entangled in an American fighter plane! Single-engine fighter! It should come from the other side's aircraft carrier fleet!"

Hearing this, the German Navy officer on duty who was guarding the radio checked the chart in his hand, and then snatched the liaison's microphone: "Entangle the other party!

Then he pressed his finger on the place where the air battle took place on the chart and walked to another station: "Let the two newly taken off reconnaissance aircraft rush to this coordinate...... Follow this American plane and try to find the exact location of the opposing fleet!"

In the next command room, one radio after another, an officer waited anxiously in his position for the latest news, and from time to time asked his subordinates if there was any relevant news: "Hasn't the submarine force heard back yet? Not a single submarine has sent back any news about the location of the enemy's fleet?"

"Long live the Führer! Your Excellency the Marshal! I have not yet found the exact position of the opposing fleet! Do you want to adjust the course and continue to move west?" the naval officer with the rank of rear admiral on his shoulder stood behind Raeder and Lütjans, and saluted to report the news that had just been confirmed.

Raeder heard his men's questioning and looked at Ruetjens. He knew that he couldn't have as much experience in aircraft carrier combat as Lütjans, so he preferred to listen to Lütjans's advice, after all, the other party had commanded the Battle of the English Channel: "What do you think?"

"Your Excellency, we must sail against the wind, and a hasty change of course will put us at a disadvantage when we take off our fighters......" Ruetjance replied after a moment's thought, "I suggest that we keep course until after noon." ”

After hearing Lütjans's suggestion, Raeder nodded and didn't say anything more, and the major general officer who came to interrogate also understood the next task, and he gave a loud combat order to continue to maintain the course: "Keep the course! Pay attention to anti-submarine reconnaissance!"

The German army had an absolute superiority in radar technology compared to the American and British navies, so the German commanders were happy to rely on this advantage. If Germany is looking for someone with a flashlight in the dark, then the United States and Britain can only be counted as two night blind people who walk at night.

Despite this, Lütjans was still afraid of these two powerful opponents, and he told Raeder that maintaining the course before noon was actually a disguised statement to Raeder's attitude: as soon as noon passed, the fleet should find a way to maneuver in advance to avoid a night battle.

Although the German Navy has achieved initial results in using fixed-angle lights to achieve night aircraft take-off and landing, the German Navy is still reluctant to fight at night. After all, as an upstart, Germany still has a big gap to catch up with a powerful country like Britain in traditional subjects such as night battles and artillery battles.

......

Compared with the somewhat arrogant German Navy, the Allied fleet commanded by Dudley Pound was actually inferior to the fleet commanded by Lütjens on the opposite side in terms of overall strength. The British veteran was using skilful steering to lure the German fleet as far as possible into the combat radius of shore-based fighters.

"There have already been encounters with carrier-based aircraft of the German Navy...... One of our planes was shot down, and another was circling!" The head of naval aviation, standing behind Dudley Pound, reported to the old general about the battle that had just taken place: "The destroyer Montto seems to have spotted a German submarine...... Whether it is accurate or not needs to be further confirmed. ”

"Gentlemen, there is no doubt that the Germans have deciphered our contact code, so this time we may have to deal with seven aircraft carriers of the other side, and we must be cautious!" Dudley Pound encouraged the commanders on the bridge: "Show your Nelson spirit and fight to the end for His Majesty the King!"

He let out a contemptuous laugh as he spoke: "You see, in fact we have good news! Just wipe out the German fleet here, and we will turn the tide of the war, won't we?"

His words made all the officers and sailors on the bridge laugh, and the solemn atmosphere was shattered, and everyone regained confidence in victory. George, as the commander of the damage management, stood at his post and glanced at Dudley Pound, and felt that this battle was really possible to create a new miracle belonging to the British Royal Navy under the leadership of this general.

"Let the attack planes mount torpedoes! The battleships on the periphery of the fleet are ready for air defense!" Dudley put on the life jacket handed to him by his assistant, and gave the order to prepare for battle: "Send light signals to the battleships Ramirez and Queen Elizabeth! Let them be ready for battle, if we entangle the enemy until evening, maybe they will be the key to victory!"

At 9 a.m., the battle alarm sounded in the cabins of every battleship of the British fleet, and all the sailors began to get busy, the cannons were ready at the sound of orders, and the anti-aircraft guns were already pointed at the clear sky. The sea breeze blows on everyone's face, carrying an intoxicating moist and astringent fragrance.

"Fighter jets with drop tanks begin to take off! formation over the fleet!" shouted a commander with a notepad on the deck, and the pilots began to rush to their planes, and the ground crew was making a final check of the status of each plane. These improved U.S. fighters fought fiercely against the Japanese Zero fighters in the Pacific theater, but now they have to face an even more formidable enemy.

"Eagle 1, ready! Take off!" Seeing the ground crew help start the plane's propellers, the engine fluttering and making noises were normal, the pilot sitting in the cockpit confirmed over the radio to the control tower.

"Eagle 1! Permission to take off!" In the headset, the sound of approval for take-off came, and then there was his wingman, the take-off application of Eagle 2, which was immediately approved. One fighter after another flew into the sky, and soon formed a neat flying formation over the Allied fleet.

"General Dudley Pound! The fighter formation of the air defense has taken off! The radar shows that the first wave of attack planes of the Germans seems to be on its way!" The commander of the naval aviation, who had prepared everything, stood beside General Dudley Pound and saluted and reported: "We have made all the preparations, and the victory or defeat will depend on the next few hours!"

Dudley Pound nodded, and then turned his gaze to the sea in the distance, where there was a destroyer of the British Royal Navy, and a light signal was flashing on the mast: "No German submarines found!"

......

On the bridge of the German Navy's Reich aircraft carrier, Lütjans received the report of the take-off attack aircraft group from the hands of his air commander, he took a cursory glance, nodded and signed his name: "Immediately let the second batch of attack aircraft carry torpedoes and bombs, and in 25 minutes, take off immediately without asking for instructions and attack the Allied ship formation!"

"Haven't you confirmed how many aircraft carriers are in the Allied fleet?" Raeder looked at his men worriedly, and asked his most concern. He knows that the difference in the strength of the aircraft carriers of the two sides determines the final victory or defeat of this naval battle, so he must ask that he must be responsible for his own navy.