Chapter 1639: anti-aircraft fire
On the battleship "Kaiser", the flagship of the capital ship formation of the German Navy's home fleet, all officers and soldiers have entered a state of combat readiness. In particular, the sailors in charge of the anti-aircraft artillery positions have already arrived at their respective posts.
Not only the battleship "Caesar" is ready for air defense, but other battleships in the capital ship formation, whether they are capital ships or cruisers, as well as those destroyers and frigates, have also entered the mode of air defense operations.
The anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft machine guns are all aimed at the sky. Once the carrier-based aircraft of the US and British navies launch an attack on the fleet, they will use sharp anti-aircraft artillery fire to cause the US and British navies to pay heavy losses.
"General, the air battle is very fierce. Our carrier-based fighter jets are fighting desperately with the Americans and British. A large number of American and British carrier-based aircraft are being shot down by us. In front of our carrier-based FW-190 fighter jets , the carrier-based aircraft of the Americans and the British are vulnerable." Major General Rudolf said.
Lieutenant General Gerke nodded: "The carrier-based aircraft force also hopes to weaken the strength of the carrier-based aircraft of the US and British navies as much as possible, so as to protect us and ensure our safety. However, the American and British aircraft groups are too powerful. It is also very difficult for our air defense fighters to completely stop them. In the end, we still have to rely on our own air defense firepower."
"General, all the ships are ready for battle. Once the American and British carrier-based planes attack us, they will definitely be hit by our intensive anti-aircraft fire." Lu Major General Dove is very confident.
"I hope so! Even if all our warships are sunk, the American and British carrier-based aircraft must be consumed as much as possible. Only in this way can the aircraft carrier formation be able to launch a counterattack and severely damage the US Navy and the British Navy in one fell swoop. ’” Lieutenant General Gerke said.
Of course, Lieutenant General Gerke’s real worry is that the carrier-based aircraft forces of the US and British navies will let go of their capital ship formations and continue to look for aircraft carrier formations. In that case, their plan would fail. In that case, the local fleet will pay an unimaginable price. There is even no chance of a comeback.
"I hope the Americans and the British will attack us directly!" Lieutenant General Gerke secretly prayed to God.
"General, the carrier-based aircraft groups of the US and British navies are only tens of kilometers away from us." A staff officer reported.
"The fleet is on combat readiness." Lieutenant General Gerke ordered.
"Yes, General."
After the order was issued, all the officers and soldiers of the entire fleet were fully motivated. Everyone is very clear that the next battle will be related to the life and death of the fleet and themselves. Therefore, in the next battle, they must work hard. Only in this way, they may be able to withstand the fierce attack of the carrier-based aircraft forces of the US and British navies and gain a chance of life.
Although, under the fierce attack of the German carrier-based fighter jets, the carrier-based aircraft of the US and British fleets suffered heavy losses. However, when they discovered the capital ship formation of the German Navy's home fleet sailing on the sea, they still cheered.
"Launch an attack and kill those German warships!" The carrier-based aircraft commander of the US and British fleets issued an order.
"Fighters cover, dive bombers and torpedo attack aircraft attack!"
After receiving the order, the carrier-based aircraft groups of the US and British navies began to rush towards the German fleet.
"Let our fighter jets evacuate, and the next battle will be handed over to us!" Lieutenant General Gerke ordered.
At this time, if one's own fighter jets also rush in, they may be accidentally injured by the battleship's anti-aircraft fire. Therefore, at this time, it is undoubtedly the best choice for one's own fighter jets to withdraw.
The carrier-based FW-190 fighter jets of the German army withdrew from the battlefield one after another. In the next battle, they can no longer help, it depends on the fleet's own anti-aircraft firepower.
However, fortunately at this time, the fleet's air search radar has discovered the second wave of the US and British navies that departed ahead of schedule. Therefore, under the guidance of the air search radar, these carrier-based FW-190 fighter jets rushed to the second wave of the US and British navies.
After encountering the interception of the German carrier-based fighter jets and suffering heavy losses, Admiral Ernest King, commander of the combined fleet of the US and British Navy, ordered the second wave of aircraft to take off ahead of schedule. He hoped to combine the strength of two batches of carrier-based aircraft, more than 1,200 carrier-based aircraft, to crush the German Navy's home fleet in one fell swoop and win this naval battle.
"Fire!"
The German air defense commander gave the order to fire.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The 105mm high-level dual-purpose guns of each door started the shelling first, and the shells roared and fired at the aircraft fleet of the US and British navies more than ten kilometers away.
These shells are very powerful. Every time a shell explodes, it leaves a cloud of black smoke in the air. The shrapnel shot out in all directions, and the surrounding aircraft of the US and British navies were riddled with holes.
The carrier-based aircraft of the US and British navies were constantly hit by the anti-aircraft fire of the German fleet, and the fighter planes dragged thick smoke and fell to the sea. Even, some carrier-based aircraft were directly hit by 105mm anti-aircraft gun shells. The powerful power can directly tear the carrier-based aircraft of the US and British navies into pieces.
It’s just that although the 105mm anti-aircraft gun is very powerful, it has a slow rate of fire. At the same time, there are relatively few such large-caliber anti-aircraft guns equipped on battleships, which cannot pose a fatal threat to the carrier-based aircraft of the US and British navies.
Battleships are equipped with more small and medium-caliber anti-aircraft guns. This is the main anti-aircraft firepower against the enemy.
Soon, the fleet's 88mm anti-aircraft guns also fired. The firepower of these anti-aircraft guns is also very powerful.
"Damn! Why is the German anti-aircraft firepower so powerful? At such a long distance, they can pose such a big threat to us!"
In the long distance, carrier-based aircraft have been shot down continuously. This made the carrier-based aircraft pilots of the US and British navies feel a little nervous.
Countless carrier-based aircraft of the US and British navies spread out and rushed towards the capital ship formation of the German Navy's home fleet at high speed.
"Boom boom boom!"
Soon, the fleet's 40mm anti-aircraft guns and 20mm anti-aircraft guns joined the shooting. This means that the carrier-based aircraft groups of the US and British navies have arrived above the fleet. The real battle begins from this moment.
"Attack, sink the German warship!" Numerous carrier-based aircraft pilots of the US and British navies roared loudly, driving their fighter planes to launch an attack.