The Rise of the Third Reich

June 9, 1941. The sea area known as Norway to the west of Norway, south of Iceland, and northeast of Scotland has become a key battlefield that determines the fate of the British Empire.

When dawn arrived on June 9, the main forces of the German High Seas Fleet and the British Home Fleet had already gathered in this not-so-extensive sea area. The German side has 2 aircraft carriers, 3 battleships and 4 very powerful heavy cruisers, as well as many light cruisers and destroyers.

The British side has invested 4 powerful fleet aircraft carriers, 1 battlecruiser (HMS Hood), 4 battleships (HMS Nelson, HMS King George V, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Ramillies) and 5 treaty ships. Heavy cruisers and many light cruisers and destroyers. In addition, the battlecruiser Repulse, which had a narrow escape in the southwest waters of Ireland, sailed towards the Norwegian Sea under the protection of three destroyers, preparing to join forces with Fleet A.

The Americans, who had not yet officially participated in the war, also deployed a squadron including a battleship and an aircraft carrier in Iceland near the Norwegian Sea. At the request of the British, this American fleet has now left Reykjavik, Iceland, and entered the Denmark Strait between Iceland and Greenland, acting as the eyes and ears of the British Royal Navy.

At the same time, the Americans sent a large number of fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft to "fly freely" south and east of Iceland. Be ready to stop any German planes that the British find.

In addition, neutral American imperialism also helped Britain another big favor. They allowed the British "Sea Spitfire" carrier-based fighter jets to land in Iceland to refuel after completing the escort mission, and then fly back to their mothership. This can partially overcome the shortcomings of the "Sea Spitfire"'s insufficient range, allowing this carrier-based aircraft to escort SBD carrier-based dive bombers and TBD carrier-based torpedo bombers to fly farther.

In addition to Iceland, the British-controlled Faroe Islands can also be used as a refueling station for the "Sea Fire" to increase the actual combat radius of the "Sea Fire". However, the "Sea Spitfires" on the four aircraft carriers of the British C Fleet are still unable to reach the German aircraft carrier formation, so the P-51s and P-40s taking off from the Faroe Islands can only be used to take off in the target waters to undertake cover tasks.

Vice Admiral James Somerville stood on the platform outside the bridge of the "Ark Royal" and looked at a US Navy PBY Catalina seaplane passing near the "Ark Royal" at low altitude. He said to Colonel Scott beside him with some emotion: "It would be great if these Americans could really fight alongside us."

"General, they will fight with us soon." Colonel Scott's voice was hoarse. He had not slept for more than 24 hours. He paused and then said: "General, it's daybreak, and the air raid can begin now!"

Nowadays, there are few veterans in the British Royal Navy's aviation force who can take off from aircraft carriers at night. Therefore, night air raids could not be carried out, and the planes had to be released after dawn.

Somerville looked down at the neatly arranged SBD dive bombers on the flight deck. Deck maintenance personnel are making final preparations for these aircraft before takeoff.

The bombardiers wearing white overalls and orange life jackets checked the safety bolts of the 1,000-pound bomb rack for the last time, and then waved their thumbs at the bombardier inside the cabin.

"Just received news that 45 minutes ago, a Short 'Sunderland' seaplane of the Coast Air Force lost contact, so now we can only roughly determine the position of the German fleet." At this time, Colonel Scott said lowly said to Somerville.

This Short "Sunderland" seaplane disappeared while following and monitoring the German fleet. It was probably killed by a Fokker Zero on the German aircraft carrier. Considering the location of the aircraft and the time of loss of contact, the German aircraft should have taken off from the aircraft carrier when it was quite dark.

"It's only 45 minutes. The Germans can't run very far. Our planes can find them." Somerville made an estimate in his mind, and then said, "Order the plane to take off! Then power the Coastal Air Force and let them dispatch as soon as possible. Attacks from shore-based aircraft in the Faroe Islands."

The aircraft carrier had already started sailing at full speed against the wind. Now that Somerville gave an order, the preparation bell immediately sounded on the deck. When the flight commander saw the takeoff signal light starting to flash, he quickly waved the command flag in his hand.

The pilot of the SBD Fearless aircraft, who had been impatient for a long time, pushed the throttle lever forward, and the aircraft engine began to run wildly. The propeller soon reached take-off speed, and a huge SBD Fearless aircraft began to speed on the deck. A few meters away from the bow of the ship, the wheels suddenly left the deck and the aircraft jumped into the air.

As the first SBD Dreadnought took to the sky, the four British aircraft carriers began to continuously release carrier-based aircraft. The takeoff went surprisingly smoothly without any incident. All 90 carrier-based aircraft (51 SBDs, 39 TBDs) that made up the first assault wave took off safely, formed several inverted V-shaped formations, and flew eastward.

"May God bless them!" Somerville prayed silently in his heart, then watched his plane disappear into the vast blue sky, then slowly exhaled, turned around and just walked into the bridge, with surprise written on his face. The staff officer shouted at him: "Lieutenant General, an American seaplane has discovered the German fleet!"

"Great!" Somerville couldn't help but clapped his hands, "Send the coordinates to the first assault wave immediately!"

…

"We are U.S. Navy aircraft. This is the high seas. We are exercising the right to freedom of navigation in accordance with international law. Please don't stop us!"

American-accented English rang out from little Hersman's headphones. He was currently flying a Fokker Zero following a U.S. Navy PBY Catalina seaplane. The American seaplane was so close to Hersman's plane that Hessman was tempted to shoot it down, just as he had done to a British Short "Sunderland" seaplane an hour earlier. .

But this is an American plane that cannot be hit! Before the fleet approached Iceland, all pilots, including Hersman Jr., had been ordered not to fire on American aircraft first...even if they had seriously interfered with the German fleet's combat operations!

On the sea less than 10 kilometers away from Little Hersmann, the German Navy's aircraft carriers "Seidlitz" and "Seckt" were speeding under the protection of 2 heavy cruisers, 4 light cruisers and 12 destroyers. Sail northeast.

According to the original plan, the German aircraft carrier formation should have released carrier-based aircraft to bomb the British fleet (Force B) 200 nautical miles away an hour ago. But just before the carrier-based aircraft took off, the radar of the "Seidlitz" detected a British seaplane.

Helmut Haye immediately realized that the fleet's whereabouts had been exposed! British aircraft on the Faroe Islands, and possibly carrier-based aircraft on British aircraft carriers, would certainly launch air strikes after daybreak.

Therefore, Helmut Haye immediately gave up the air attack, turned the ship's bow and fled eastward. It also ordered that all Fokker 99s on the aircraft carrier deck be replaced by Fokker Zeros so that carrier-based fighter jets can be released immediately if necessary.

But what he didn't expect was that before the British air strike group arrived, an American seaplane flew over in a swaggering manner, claiming that it wanted "freedom of navigation."

"Lieutenant General, shoot it down!" Colonel Hinze, the captain of the Seydlitz, walked to Lieutenant General Haye and suggested, "Otherwise the British will find us easily."

Helmut Haye shook his head slightly. He had the right to order the fighter jets to fire, but he didn't want to do that.

"This American plane must have sent our coordinates to the British!" Helmut Haye sneered. "The British planes will fly over soon and die. We have to shoot them all down." That’s it!”

He looked at his watch again and said: "The plane from the Faroe Islands will arrive in about an hour and a half. We will release all carrier-based fighter jets in 45 minutes."

…

With a muffled sound of "bang", another Ar-196 seaplane was ejected into the sky, and then flew westward with swaying wings. This was the last seaplane launched by the battleship "Bismarck".

Gunther Lütjens withdrew his gaze, looked at Colonel Lindemann beside him and said: "We avoid the aircraft patrol circles of Shetland Islands and Faroe Islands and continue sailing north..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the fleet's communications staff shouted loudly: "Sir, I received a telegram from the aircraft carrier formation. They were discovered by British seaplanes, and there is now an American seaplane following them. The aircraft carrier formation is now heading northeast at full speed. Navigation...expected to engage the enemy aircraft group in one and a half hours!"

"Has it been discovered?" Gunther Lütjens was stunned. "Why are there still American seaplanes? What do the Americans want to do?"

"Admiral, are we still going north?" Colonel Lindemann asked uncertainly.

Gunther Lütjens thought for a while and said: "Of course we can't go further north, we have to stay within the protective circle of the Bergen shore-based aircraft... We are heading west, towards the Shetland Islands! "

"To the Shetland Islands?" Lindemann was surprised. "Admiral, are we going to deliberately expose our target?"

"Yes!" Gunther Lütjens nodded, "We cannot let the aircraft carrier bear all the enemy planes... They are outside the combat radius of the Fw-190, so we should expose it and attract some of the enemy planes. The British shore-based Wellington bombers and Beaufort torpedo bombers were of little use, and with the cover of the Fw-190s in Bergen and Stavanger, we would not suffer heavy losses."

At this time, the communications staff of the fleet made a suggestion, "Admiral, if we want to be exposed, we can let the radio station send out a large number of radio signals."

Lütjens nodded: "Okay, let's do it!"