Ⅱ

Just like the British battleships, the German fleet obviously didn't have such good luck, allowing them to score the first round of hits at a distance of 20,000 meters. However, compared with the impact point of the British, the Frankfurt was much better.

Not long after the Frankfurt fired a round of shells, the Lorraine and the Roon, which were 1,000 meters behind the Frankfurt, also fired a salvo, but they also failed to achieve any results.

"Add 600! Armor-piercing projectiles are ready!" The staff in the firing command room of the Frankfurt quickly corrected the design parameters based on the first impact point and sent them to each turret.

After a dull "humming" sound, the four turrets on the Frankfurt were driven by the motor to complete the fine-tuning, and the automatic loader reloaded the shells in the 12 203mm guns in just six seconds.

"The artillery is aimed! The shells are loaded!"

"Fire!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" After a series of loud noises, the Frankfurt fired another 12 203mm armor-piercing projectiles. At this time, the distance between the two sides was also close to about 18,000 meters.

It's a pity that these 12 shells still failed to achieve any results.

In this way, the two sides continued to fire at each other while continuing to approach at high speed, until the Frankfurt was only 15,000 meters away from the George V, and the Lorraine in the rear fired a salvo at the battlecruiser Retaliation. Got a straddle.

Just as the fierce battle between the two sides was in full swing, a bunch of "dots" appeared on the Frankfurt's air-to-air surveillance radar.

"Captain! The air-to-air radar has captured something!" The radar soldier operating the air-to-air warning radar stood up in a panic and reported to Becker who was standing by the bed and observing the battle situation.

"Ah... I see..." Becker didn't show too much surprise, he still held up his binoculars, and said without looking back, "The British carrier fleet...informed Los Angeles of this situation. Lin and Ron, sound the air defense siren, put the air defense position on alert, and fly the water reconnaissance plane... The rest depends on God and the quality of the British pilots..."

Becker's order was quickly issued and carried out, and the stern air defense alarm soon resounded on the three ships, and the soldiers operating the small-caliber anti-aircraft guns arrived at the position one after another and pressed the chains of the small-caliber anti-aircraft guns into the barrels. , looking nervously at the direction detected by the radar.

The turret of the large-caliber anti-aircraft gun also rotated quickly. The long-diameter barrel was driven up by a high-power motor, and the 105mm and 128mm muzzles pointed straight at the sky like erect spikes.

A folded AR196 water reconnaissance aircraft was also pulled out of the hangar. Under the operation of skilled ground staff, the folded parts such as the wings were quickly unfolded to the combat state. Finally, the condition of one side of the aircraft was confirmed. It was hoisted onto the ejection track by a crane along with the pilot.

"Radio detection." The pilot knocked on the headset and said to the officer in charge of communicating with him in the bridge.

"The radio is normal." The officer quickly responded.

"Engine started, request to take off."

"Allowed to take off, good luck."

After receiving the order to allow takeoff, the pilot skillfully turned on the engine. After reaching a certain speed, he gestured a thumbs up to the ground crew outside to indicate that he was ready.

"Eject!", the ground crew glanced at the cockpit, roared loudly to remind other personnel to pay attention to dodging, and then forcefully pulled down the ejection wrench.

The powerful steam power is released, and they push the slider forward at high speed, while the slider connects with the plane, increasing the speed of the plane from 0 to one or two hundred kilometers per hour in a fraction of a second, and then Pushed hard to the sky.

After rushing out of the ejection track, the AR196 sank slightly first, and then it shot straight into the sky driven by the 960-horsepower radial engine produced by Daimler-Benz.

The three planes took off quickly. After slightly adjusting the formation, the three planes began to circle within the fleet's air defense circle.

After all, they are not carrier-based fighter jets, but water reconnaissance planes. Even if they had ten guts, they wouldn't dare to fight with the British "Pipe Nose Swallow" carrier-based fighter jets.

Although the "Tube Nose Swallow" carrier-based fighter has been at a disadvantage since it fought against the German naval aviation, it was beaten by ME109T and DO.38 in various tricks.

The Glorious aircraft carrier was not far from the gunboats that were firing passionately, so the plane that took off from it was discovered by the air-to-air warning radar on the Frankfurt as soon as it took off, but this also meant that there was not much time left for Germany to react. long.

After the British battleship conducted several rounds of test firing against the Germans, and the George Fifty, which fired first, also successfully straddled the Frankfurt, the British carrier fleet finally appeared within the distance that both sides could see with the naked eye. .

It was an attack formation composed of 14 dive bombers, 12 torpedo attack aircraft, and 2 carrier-based fighters.

A total of 28 aircraft fleets would not even be called a drizzle for the High Seas Fleet with six heavy fleet aircraft carriers, but for the three heavy cruisers at the moment, this is already a very troublesome problem.

The incoming British fleet quickly entered the outer air defense circle of the German fleet. The four dual-mounted 128mm dual-purpose guns on the Frankfurt that rushed to the front were the first to fire. The ultra-high rate of fire of 25 rounds per minute desperately sprayed shells at the fast-flying British carrier-based aircraft group.

Although these shells formed an anti-aircraft barrage with a huge range, compared to the vast sky, the coverage area of ​​the shrapnel was still too small. The British fighter pilot easily twisted the barrage net and spread out to continue Launch an assault on the German ship.

However, the 128mm anti-aircraft gun is enough to break up the fleet. After entering the mid-near air defense circle, the British pilots who lost their formation cover gradually began to feel pressure. Finally, a "Swordfish" equipped with a 533mm aviation torpedo The torpedo bomber and a "Barracuda" bomber with a 1,000-pound aerial bomb were shot down almost simultaneously by the 40mm small-caliber anti-aircraft gun on the Frankfurt.

These two strikes frightened some British pilots. They were extremely nervous because they lacked actual combat experience on aircraft carriers. This time, the two teammates beside them were shot down, and the weapon operators of the two "Swordfish" torpedo planes frightened their hands. With a flick, two 533mm aviation torpedoes were thrown into the sea.

Their speed and altitude at this time did not meet the requirements for the correct delivery of aviation torpedoes. After being abandoned by their "owners" and dropped into the sea, the two "poor" torpedoes broke into several pieces and sank into the sea.

However, the mental adjustment abilities of the soldiers who were selected into the Royal Navy were not bad. Most of them quickly regained their composure and controlled the fighter planes to start the final sprint.