Chapter 1706: Huge fleet
The German Air Force's strategic bombing of the United States officially came to an end on February 10. The heavy snow that had been swirling before has stopped. According to the forecast of meteorological experts, the next few days will be sunny. Such weather is undoubtedly conducive to the actions of the Luftwaffe.
At six o'clock in the morning, before dawn, the Luftwaffe's air bases in Newfoundland, Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia were already brightly lit. Fighters, dive bombers, ground attack aircraft, and long-range fighters, medium bombers, and heavy bombers of the Strategic Air Force all began to prepare for takeoff.
Fuel has been filled in advance, and ammunition is also being loaded.
After listening to the combat briefing, the pilots already understood their mission. After breakfast, the Luftwaffe will go all out to launch the first large-scale bombing.
At the same time, the aircraft carrier formations of the three major fleets of the German Navy also sailed to the eastern waters of the Nova Scotia Peninsula. The navy's carrier-based aircraft will also participate in this attack.
Marshal Edward Milch hoped that today's bombing would completely turn all the major cities in Maine into ruins. In this case, tomorrow the Luftwaffe will be able to bomb New Hampshire and the rest of the country.
Time is also running out for the Luftwaffe. They hoped to **** American industry before the German Army launched a massive offensive. In this case, the army will undoubtedly have a much greater advantage in the next battle.
Just after 7 o'clock in the morning, the fighter planes of the Luftwaffe took off one after another. The huge H-31 heavy bomber took the lead in taking off from the air force base in Newfoundland. Then came the H-21 heavy bomber, the H-11 medium bomber, and the BF-110 long-range fighter. After that came the Tactical Air Force's TA-152 fighters, dive bombers and ground attack aircraft.
On the sea, the carrier-based aircraft of the aircraft carrier formations of the German Navy's major fleets also took off one after another. Carrying a large number of bombs, torpedo planes performing horizontal bombing missions, as well as dive bombers and carrier-based FW-190 fighter jets, took off one after another.
When the carrier-based aircraft groups of the German Air Force and Navy appeared in the sky, they were densely packed. It's almost like covering the entire sky.
After the air search radar of the U.S. Army Air Force discovered these targets, those radar soldiers were also dumbfounded. Because, the radar display screen is full of dense dots of light. It's like filling up the entire radar display screen.
"God! What's going on here? Is it a malfunction?" The radar soldiers thought that their radar had malfunctioned.
"Idiot, this is not a glitch. It's the Germans attacking. Immediately sound the air defense siren, telegraph to the superiors, and tell them that we have spotted a huge German fleet. The number of fighters is unpredictable, but it is very large. ’” the officer ordered.
Suddenly, the phone at the headquarters of the U.S. Army Air Corps was about to explode.
When Admiral Henry Arnold learned of the news, the U.S. Army Air Forces at various airports in the northeastern United States had already started taking off fighter planes to meet the enemy.
However, after Admiral Henry Arnold learned that the German Air Force dispatched a very large fleet to attack them, he immediately ordered the U.S. Army Air Force to enter a state of emergency combat readiness. All fighters took off to meet the enemy. Ground anti-aircraft firepower has also entered a state of combat readiness, ready to meet the bombing of the Luftwaffe.
"Whoo! Whoo!"
The P-47 fighter jets and P-51 fighter jets of the U.S. Army Air Forces took off from airports in the northeastern United States one after another. Even the P-51 fighter jets at the Central Airfield took off to meet the enemy. After all, the P-51 fighter has a long range. Even if it takes off from the central region, it can participate in the offensive. But more aircraft of the U.S. Army Air Forces are preparing to transfer to the airport in the northeast, and then take off to face the battle.
US President Roosevelt also learned that the German Air Force dispatched a large-scale fleet to attack the United States. He knows that the confrontation between the United States and Germany is now in full swing. Germany will do whatever it takes to defeat the United States. And the United States, if they want to keep their country and resist the German attack, they must also do their best. Otherwise, they have a great chance of losing this war.
President Roosevelt also instructed Admiral Henry Arnold to do his utmost to smash the German conspiracy and defend the sky of the American Republic.
"For the American Republic, go!"
Countless U.S. Army Air Corps pilots, chanting such slogans, drove their planes into the sky, preparing to face the Luftwaffe. However, the U.S. Army Air Forces suffered considerable losses in previous battles. Even after nearly two months of recovery, there is still a big gap from their peak state. It is very difficult to counter the bombing of the Luftwaffe.
Although, the U.S. Army Air Force deployed as many as 1,500 fighter jets at the Northeast Airport. But unfortunately, in front of the German Air Force, such a little power still seems weak. Not to mention that the German Navy's carrier-based aircraft force has also joined in, which puts the US Army Air Force at a disadvantage.
The five strategic aviation groups of the Luftwaffe, all dispatched this time, include 1,200 BF-110 long-range fighters, 600 H-11 medium bombers, 600 H-21 heavy bombers and 600 H-31 heavy bombers. Five tactical aviation groups, including 1800 TA-152 fighters, 600 dive bombers and 600 ground attack aircraft. The carrier-based aircraft force of the German Navy took off 252 carrier-based FW-190 fighter jets in the first wave, as well as the same number of dive bombers and torpedo aircraft. The number of carrier-based aircraft that will take off in the second wave soon will not be less than the number of carrier-based aircraft that will take off in the first wave.
It can be said that the combined carrier-based aircraft forces of the German Air Force and Navy have invested more than 3,500 fighter jets, more than 1,000 dive bombers, and more than 1,000 ground attack aircraft in this attack. and torpedo planes, as well as more than 1,800 medium and heavy bombers.
Such a fleet, even the U.S. Army Air Forces in its heyday, may not necessarily be able to compete. Not to mention the current U.S. Army Air Force, which has suffered very serious losses in previous battles.
Combined with the gap in fighter performance and pilot quality between the two sides, it can be said that even if the U.S. Army Air Force tries its best, it may not be able to withstand the attacks of the German Air Force and Navy carrier-based aircraft units.