Chapter 2196： Bettys debut (1/2)
”Your Excellency Commander, we have found traces of the German fleet. One of our V1500 long-range reconnaissance aircraft was shot down by a German aircraft in Area 5. According to intelligence, these aircraft were not seaplanes, but may have been ejected by the Germans. Aircraft. Of course it is also possible...” Lieutenant General Charles Madden, Chief of Staff of the Great Fleet, hesitated: ”It may also be an aircraft carrier.”
”Find the position of the German fleet, the rest is not important!” Jericho said.
”Our other long-range reconnaissance plane is tracking it. It found the other party's radio communication and determined its approximate heading. If it is not attacked, it will send us a telegram to confirm its location in about half an hour.” Lieutenant General Madden said.
”It seems that we have a good start today. The position where we were fighting just now is not far away from us! Immediately send a report to the reconnaissance unit in the nearby waters that we need to find this German fleet. Also, tell Thomas and Betty that we need them. Find the Spey fleet as soon as possible, and then tear a piece of meat from them!” After speaking, Jericho looked at the clock on the wall again, frowning slightly.
The actual situation is not as good as Jericho just said. If nothing else, it is not optimistic in terms of time alone. At about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the target is still more than 100 nautical miles away from the headquarters of the large fleet. Calculated by the 50-nautical-mile combat radius of the bomber and the 35-nautical-mile combat radius of the torpedo attacker, the large fleet must advance 50 nautical miles to the target! And this is still assuming that the opposing fleet does not move.
But in reality, might the Spey fleet not move? Obviously impossible! How will the Spey fleet go? No one knows this. If you are lucky, everyone will meet each other and you will soon be able to meet it. If you are not lucky, the Spey fleet will turn around and leave, then the big fleet will not want to catch up with each other!
So, for Jericho, the only ones who have the most hope to bite the Spey fleet are the Thomas Fleet and Betty Fleet, they can go fast! As for whether it can be discovered later, and whether the carrier-based aircraft can be sent within the combat radius, it depends on the situation, or more luck!
And even if the situation is good, Betty's fleet is close to the distance to launch an attack, then look at the time, before night comes, Betty's fleet has at most one chance to attack! Otherwise, Betty is waiting to prepare for the night landing of the carrier-based aircraft. There is no doubt that the recovery of the carrier-based aircraft at night in this era is a disaster, whether it is for the pilots or the aircraft carrier!
”This is really tricky.” Jericho said in his heart, but he decided to listen to the opinions of the officers below. In principle, he agreed with this attack, because from the intelligence point of view, the High Seas Fleet seemed to have just left William. Hong Kong is still far away from the large fleet, and I am very safe! If it's safe, why not try it?
At the same time, on Thomas’ flagship Queen Elizabeth, Thomas is also discussing an attack plan with Betty, who has just boarded a transport boat. They are more radical than Jericho, and they didn't even think about whether to attack, but directly considered how to fight!
”If the enemy fleet is in this area, if our two fleets advance at a maximum speed of 24 knots, they can reach this area in 3 hours, and then I can release the first wave of carrier aircraft, counting With the time of take-off, fleet formation, and attack, my fleet can barely complete the recovery before nightfall.” Betty drew a range on the huge chart with a pencil, and at the same time marked the planned route with a dotted line and said to Thomas.
”Even if the carrier-based aircraft can launch an attack, it will be difficult for my fleet to catch up to the target. The distance is too far. If we rely solely on the carrier-based aircraft to attack, we can only slow them down at most. The combat radius you just drawn should be the bomber Right? 400-pound bombs have limited damage to battleships.” Thomas hesitated and said.