The weapons of Nazi Germany that worried the generals of the British and American navies the most now were not the huge Hindenburg-class battleships, nor the Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers capable of carrying 80-100 aircraft (depending on the containment method, but also in different quantities), and not the elusive wolf pack in the water. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

It's a remotely controlled guided weapon! These include the Fritz-X remote-controlled gliding bomb, the HS-293 remote-controlled gliding bomb and the V3 remote-controlled guided missile.

These remotely guided weapons are either mounted on aircraft or mounted on surface ships, and can carry out accurate and lethal strikes against British and American ships in combat, while at the same time keeping the aircraft or ships equipped with such weapons at a relatively safe distance. It was a pleasant murder and arson, but there was no danger in itself, which made the fighters of the free world tremble.

And while trembling, the Americans also began efforts to knock off radio-guided bombs. From April 1942, the Americans began to develop a guided bomb codenamed VB. Before starting the copycat, the American technical experts first conducted a comprehensive test of the German remote-controlled gliding bombs picked up from the battlefield, and in the course of the inspection, they found that the radio remote control device used by the Germans for the remote-controlled gliding bombs existed at an effective distance, and this distance was 20,000 meters, and after more than 20,000 meters, the signal would become very weak, and it would be difficult to effectively control the gliding bombs -- in fact, it was not that the Germans could not make a better radio signal transceiver device, but that it was too far away for the operator to see the target clearly.

Therefore, 20,000 meters has become an upper limit of the range of use of German radio-controlled weapons. And 20,000 meters away, which is a safe distance relative to radio-controlled weapons, is about 21,970 yards when converted into the imperial system (Americans usually use the imperial system). The U.S. Naval Operations Department added a bit of insurance to make up a 22,000 yards -- battleships/battlecruisers and aircraft carriers should keep their distance from enemy aircraft and ships as much as possible at a distance of 22,000 yards when engaged.

The German planes could not be stopped, and the American anti-aircraft guns could not hit 22,000 yards away. However, the distance between you and the enemy ship on the opposite side is easy to maintain, and even if you can't stop the opponent from approaching, you can still run! Maintaining a 22,000-yard range of fire was not a difficult task for the British, American, and Soviet battleships and battlecruisers.

As for heavy cruisers and large light cruisers (more than 10,000 tons), the requirements for a safe distance were somewhat relaxed and set at 20,000 yards. This is also not difficult for the heavy patrol with a 203mm caliber main gun.

Rear Admiral Wright of the United States and Rear Admiral Burnett of Great Britain, the commanders of the two Anglo-American cruiser formations who were ordered to clear the way for the two battleship/battlecruiser detachments, were very careful to keep their fleets at a dangerous distance from V3 remotely controlled missiles.

On December 9, at 18:10, radar on the flagship heavy cruiser Chester, commander of the 1st Advance Squadron of the Allied Combined Fleet, Rear Admiral Wright, first spotted the enemy ship formation.

"Commander, the target has been found, the distance is 30,000 yards (27,400 meters), the azimuth is 353 degrees, the number is more than 10, and the speed is about 25 knots!" The radar officer aboard the Chester reported loudly.

"Can you determine the type of ship?" Major General Wright asked.

"Not a large ship," the radar officer replied. "Probably a destroyer."

It is very difficult to distinguish the type of ship by radar signals, but as long as the adversary does not take any means of jamming and camouflage, the current US shipborne radar still has a certain chance of distinguishing the size of the enemy ship.

"Where are they sailing?"

"West-southwest, as if it was driving parallel to us."

"Looks like they know where we are." This was stated by Colonel Cohen, the captain of the heavy cruiser Chester and also the chief of staff of the squadron.

"That's for sure, there are their reconnaissance planes in the sky, and maybe there are German submarines in the water." Major General Wright was not nervous, it was a "long night in the ice sea", and it was already pitch black at 6 o'clock in the evening, and the plane could not drop remote-controlled gliding bombs at all.

"If they want to fight, let's fight!" Rear Admiral Wright thought for a moment and ordered, "Now form an artillery formation, in the order of Chester (heavy cruise), Louisville (heavy cruise), Augusta (heavy cruise), San Francisco (heavy cruise), Red Caucasus (Soviet heavy cruise), Kirov (Soviet heavy cruise), let the 1st Driven Patrol Detachment (consisting of 10,000-ton light cruiser Atlanta and 6 destroyers) cover on our right side."

Then send a telegram to the USS Soviets and the 2nd Advance Squadron flagship Shropshire to inform them of our situation. ”

The 2nd Advance Squadron was 15 nautical miles south of the 1st Advance Squadron, which also consisted of 6 heavy cruisers, 1 10,000-ton light cruiser and 6 destroyers. The mission of the two advance teams is the same, that is, to search the battlefield and drive out the enemy's light ships so that they do not release torpedoes and shoot missiles while the battleships are engaged.

Less than 1 minute after the telegram was sent, the radar officer of the heavy cruiser Chester reported again: "Sir, another group of enemy ships has been discovered!" There are more than 10 ships, the distance is 29,000 yards, and the azimuth is 100 degrees. ”

Another formation?

"Can you determine the type of ship?" Major General Wright asked.

"It's also a small ship."

More than 20 small ships? What is this for?

"Commander, the enemy ship formation in front of our right seems to be a little slow, less than 15 knots."

At this point, the Chester's radar officer reported another incident. The speed of the two enemy ship formations heading towards the 1st Advance Fleet was unexpectedly fast and slow. The formation on the left had a high speed of 25 knots, but the formation on the right had only 15 knots.

What's going on?

Major General Wright and Colonel Cohen looked at each other, both confused.

"Commander, the formation of enemy ships on our right has turned to the right!" After a few more moments, the Chester's radar officer reported again.

"How many degrees did you turn?" Major General Wright asked.

“100…… It seems to be 120 degrees. The radar officer hesitated, "They seem to be grabbing the T-shaped position!" ”

T-prefix?

"They're heavy patrols?" Maj. Gen. Wright hurriedly asked, "Can you tell the difference on the radar?" ”

"It shouldn't be a heavy patrol, it's not that big...... At most, destroyers. ”

"What's the distance?"

"26,000 yards."

"Shoot a few flares and see how it goes." Major General Wright gave the order to fire flares.

The chief of staff, Colonel Cohen, asked: "Do you fire flares at both enemy ship formations?" ”

"That's right! See what kind of ships they are? ”

The secondary guns of the heavy cruiser Chester soon fired several flares, after which the observation post reported the observed results.

"Commander, the enemy ships are all small ships of about 1,000 tons."

About 1000 tons? This is a torpedo boat (mine strike ship)! The Germans were going to drop torpedoes?

"What's the distance now?" Major General Wright asked.

"23,000 yards."

How can it be hit so far? Major General Wright and Colonel Cohen looked at each other, and the doubts on their faces were even more confused.

"Commander, you must keep a safe distance of 20,000 yards." Colonel Cohen seemed to have something in mind. "These torpedo boats may have remote-controlled missiles on board!"

It must be like this!

Rear Admiral Wright nodded and ordered: "Prepare to turn right, and at the same time order all ships to shell freely, and be sure to block the enemy ships at 20,000...... No, 22,000 yards away. ”

As soon as his words fell, the radar officer shouted again: "Commander, another target has been found, 29,000 yards away and 60 degrees in azimuth...... This seems to be a relatively large ship. ”

"Is it a heavy cruiser or a battleship?"

"It doesn't seem to be that big, about a light cruiser or a large destroyer."

Major General Wright shook his head and glanced at Colonel Cohen beside him, "Colonel, what do you think the Germans want to do?" ”

……

"Colonel, the Golden Comb formation has been completed!"

Just inside the bridge of the SP-class reconnaissance cruiser Lviv, which had just been spotted by the Chester's radar, Colonel Rosinger, commander of the 1st Lightning Strike Squadron of the Combined European Fleet, had just received a report from the Chief of Staff.

The 15 "Beast" class mine-strike ships and 15 T-type mine-strike ships under his command have already put up the so-called "golden comb formation" on the sea.

This formation was learned from naval aviation and was a tactic used by naval aviation to attack British convoys. It was two groups of torpedo bombers that launched a torpedo attack at the enemy fleet at a 90-degree angle. The torpedoes dropped by the two groups of torpedo bombers showed a comb-like track in the water, and formed a 90-degree angle, which made it difficult to avoid the target after turning.

This tactic made the British convoy suffer greatly in 41 years, losing two or three hundred ships before and after.

However, the German submarines and surface ships never used the golden comb tactic, so Rear Admiral Wright and Colonel Cohen did not figure out the German intentions for a while.

Moreover, they are not aware of torpedoes with a range of more than 20,000 meters - the Japanese Type 93 torpedo, although very powerful, has not used much of it themselves (it was used in the Battle of Hawaii, but it did not hit the target). So the British and American navies did not know about the existence of the 93 Lance torpedo until now.

"Order the reconnaissance aircraft to drop flares, and the mine-striking ship is ready to launch torpedoes!" Colonel Rosinger immediately gave the order, "Fire all the torpedoes at once, and then disperse and retreat." ”

The "Beast-class" and T-class mine-striking ships participating in the war today are not large in tonnage, and the T-93 torpedoes they carry are also very limited, and they are all two-seat twin launch tubes. And there were no ammunition reserves - the T-93 torpedo was a very dangerous weapon, and it was very cumbersome to fire, requiring temporary oxygen additions. Therefore, it is not considered to reload multiple times, that is, it is pulled down at one time.

So 30 mine-striking ships fired 120 quite lethal T-93mm caliber torpedoes at once! (To be continued.) )