Chapter 1386 Midfield 1

Chapter 1386 Midfield 1

"The period from the first bomb falling to about 40 minutes after the start of the war is the prime time for our attack. Most of the Russian battleships are in a state of defenselessness. Some of the first targets are even parked on the sea and are left to us. Strike! We almost pressed them to death on the sea one by one like we did in the exercise. The hit rate was very high and the price paid was very small!"

"But it has to be said that under the guidance of Admiral von Essen, the quality of the Russian Baltic Fleet is still very high. After the initial chaos, the Russians began to fight back and worked hard to save their warships. They almost lost their battleships. From all the nearby aviation units, we can easily see groups of planes flying here. The destroyers carrying smoke canisters quickly walked to the two remaining Russian super-dreadnoughts and used thick smoke to pull them out. Smoke screens completely covered the two giant ships. Seeing this scene, we knew that the highlight of today's battle was coming!"

"At this time, 4 bomber squadrons have launched air strikes. We have destroyed 1 super-dreadnought, 2 dreadnoughts, 2 cruisers and only 7 destroyers. The 4 squadrons have consumed more than 70% of the ammunition. We need Using another 2 squadrons to deal with two Russian fast battleships under the cover of more than 10 destroyers and 3 fighter squadrons was a bit stressful for us. So, before that, I regrouped my remaining forces. "Major General Harrell wrote in his battle report.

In fact, this is indeed the case. As Russia's strongest naval force and also the last naval force that can be used on the battlefield, Russia still values ​​​​it very much. (The Far East Fleet does exist, but unfortunately it cannot go to the battlefield...) When the Russian fleet discovered the incoming German air force, almost all the aircraft near Riga were permanently activated, and even a few were used as long-range reconnaissance aircraft and night battles. The bomber's four-engine Ilya bomber was dragged out from that corner, and then equipped with various machine guns to prepare for the enemy...

After the two fast battleships escaped the initial raid through smoke screens, a large amount of high-temperature and high-pressure steam was injected into the turbines. The roaring steam turbines provided huge power to the two battleships. Therefore, under the cover of air planes and sea destroyers, Try to break out from the north!

"All fighters attack bombers with bombs. Don't worry about the German fighters or those who drop bombs! The destroyers follow the fleet, let's go north!" Bashilev on the battleship Izmail Will take over the entire fleet. Faced with this almost catastrophic situation, the Russian vice-admiral tried his best to save his fleet.

"The German fleet seems to have suspended its attack." An officer sent a telegram just sent by the destroyer to the lieutenant general. The smoke screen released by the Russians was thick enough, and the Russian lookouts on the two battleships could not clearly see the situation in the distance. Therefore, the eyes of the entire fleet are actually those destroyers on the periphery.

"This is just an adjustment by the opponent. The German attack will never give up halfway.

"Bashilev shook his head and said. He would not relax at all just because his opponent temporarily gave up the attack.

At this time, Major General Harrell was indeed re-adjusting his fleet, and most of the bombers that had run out of ammunition were already on their way home. There are only about 15 aircraft with ammunition left in the four squadrons. Coupled with the two new bomber squadrons, there were less than 60 bombers carrying powerful armor-piercing bombs and torpedoes. If this amount of ammunition is used to attack two fast battleships without cover, then there shouldn't be much of a problem. But the key is that there are dozens of fighter jets hovering above the opponent's head and the thick smoke screen on the sea.

"We can afford to wait, don't be anxious, let the fighter force clear the Russian aircraft in the airspace first." Major General Harrell is really not in a hurry. First of all, the bomber's endurance is sufficient, and the maximum load of 800KG is not suitable for the K-6 type. The bomber is not fully loaded to begin with, and the remaining load is used to load fuel. Without the consumption of going back and forth, the entire fleet can fly in the air in a cruising attitude for 4 to 5 hours... Major General Harrell did not believe that the Russian smoke canisters could last so long.

It doesn't matter even if the Russian smoke canister lasts so long. They will eventually have to escape through the Moon Strait, which is not wide to begin with and is equipped with minefields. This is like closing the door and beating a dog in a narrow alley. It is not easy to avoid the Russians after they enter. It is possible to make mistakes in the chaos and break into the minefields deployed by oneself. The German fleet is completely capable of better strikes. environment, so what’s the rush now? Drink some water, eat something, adjust your condition and fight again!

"The biggest problem is those destroyers. They are so annoying on the outside!" Rear Admiral Harrell said somewhat depressedly after watching the Russian destroyers gathered around the two battleships.

"Major General Hopman sent a telegram. They will enter the combat zone in 20 minutes." At this time, the telegram sent by the telegraph operator gave Major General Harrell a feeling of clearing the air.

The light cruisers pick up the destroyers, and then the bombers attack the Russian naval battleships. Well, a very good plan! Major General Harrell calculated the situation on the battlefield like a sophisticated computer. At this time, the two Russian battleships were shrouded in smoke, and the Germans could not see them. They were also unable to attack Rear Admiral Hopmann's light cruiser. Moreover, because of the smoke screen, the German destroyers found a loophole, then got in and lured them away. It's all possible! Even worse, Hopman's destroyer detachment can also deal with the destroyers that are not in the smoke screen on the periphery. After all, this Russian fleet cannot be all hidden in a smoke screen.

While Major General Harrell was waiting for the opportunity, the fighter squadron commanded by the Red Baron would not waste fuel in the air. Under the leadership of his iconic red-painted K-4M twin-engine fighter, a Tracer A fighter squadron and a fighter squadron rushed towards the Russian fighter force like a pride of lions, and the air battle that broke out over the Gulf of Riga became the last large-scale air battle on the entire Eastern Front before September 1913! In other words, after this air battle, for nearly half a year, the presence of the Russian Air Force was almost zero!

After almost all the personnel were replaced with new engines, the combat effectiveness of even some old K-4J Tracer interceptors was greatly improved. They were replaced with two V12 375-horsepower engines produced by Daimler-Benz. The maximum speed of the K-4M interceptor engine exceeds 200 kilometers per hour. And there is enough weight to strengthen the structure and install armor, turning it into a full-fledged high-speed aerial tank.

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