The Rise of the Third Reich

"But Admiral, we are too far away from RB's main sea lines of communication. It takes 4,000-5,000 nautical miles in a straight line. The endurance of the Independence-class and Cleveland-class is only about 10,000 nautical miles. It is impossible for them to stay in the Western Pacific for a long time. Activity."

Colonel Mitchell did not know that the Independence-class aircraft carrier was designed to break diplomatic relations-Roosevelt's small goals were a secret for people at his level.

"Arrangements have been made," Nimitz said. "There will be ships flying the red flag of the Bolsheviks to provide you with supplies."

"Flying the red Bolshevik flag? Are they Soviet ships?" Colonel Mitchell asked.

"They are our ships," Nimitz smiled sarcastically, "but they belong to the Soviet Union in name only. They are responsible for transporting Lend-Lease supplies to the Soviet Union so that the Red Army can use them to defeat Germany."

"The RB people haven't blocked the North Pacific route yet?" Colonel Mitchell was a little surprised. He had heard of such a North Pacific route earlier, but the Soviet-German war had not yet started. "What are these RB guys thinking? Do they think they can hold on after Germany's defeat?"

"Maybe," Nimitz snorted, "RB people have a very weird way of thinking that we can't understand. But this does not prevent us from killing them all! Colonel, your task now is to kill as many RB people as possible "

"Where are we going to break through?" Colonel Mitchell asked again.

"From the North Pacific, try to get as close to the Arctic Circle as possible." Nimitz said, "Because a German fleet may have arrived in the east, the American freighters flying the red flag became nervous and formed a fleet, as well as the Soviet Pacific Fleet. The ship escort is also very north. Colonel, your formation will follow a "Soviet fleet" and also fly a red flag. It will separate from the "Soviet fleet" near the Kamchatka Peninsula, and then go south of the RB mainland. sea ​​activities. Remember, don’t get too close to the RB mainland...and don’t get too close to Saipan and Guam.”

"Okay, I understand..." Colonel Mitchell frowned, "Commander, can I say this is a suicide mission?"

"No, this is not a suicide mission." Nimitz shook his head, "Because the Independence and the Cleveland are fast ships. According to the standards of the German Navy, these are typical destroyers. Those who can fight them Enemy ships cannot catch up with them, and enemy ships that can catch up with them cannot defeat them. Moreover, the Independence is also an aircraft carrier with a very large combat radius, so it will be a very successful combination with Cleveland. , they will turn RB’s shipping line upside down!”

In fact, this aircraft carrier break-up operation also had the intention of mobilizing the main force of Rabaul's RB fleet to go north. Nimitz sent three aircraft carrier breakup formations! Except for the aircraft carriers of the RB Combined Fleet, they have no opponents at all in the Western Pacific!

…

Just when three U.S. break-up fleets, including one light aircraft carrier each, were quietly approaching the RB mainland under the red flag of GC doctrine, disguised as Soviet freighters. RB Combined Fleet Commander Yamamoto Isoroku received the news that the huge FS06 fleet left San Francisco!

"According to the reconnaissance of the 'Deep Mountain' long-range reconnaissance aircraft deployed in the Gilbert Islands, there are at least hundreds of large transport ships forming a transport convoy, including 5-6 cruise ships with tens of thousands of tons..."

Yamamoto Isoroku had no expression on his face as he listened to Sennin Staff Officer Kuroshima reading the telegram forwarded from Lavata Base.

The FS06 fleet escorted by the Halsey Fleet was discovered by a "Deep Mountain" long-range reconnaissance aircraft taking off from Lavata Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. This aircraft was originally developed as a bomber and was called the "13 Test Bomber". The RB Navy originally hoped to use this bomber to bomb the Soviet Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok Port. However, by the time this aircraft was developed, the target it needed to bomb had become the military port of San Diego on the west coast of the United States. But San Diego is too far from Hawaii, and the range of the mountain-type heavy bombers is too close to reach there.

Therefore, this four-engine heavy bomber was equipped with airborne radar provided by Germany and became a reconnaissance aircraft with an ultra-long range. It was also deployed to Lavata Atoll, more than 2,000 kilometers south of Hawaii - the RB people occupied Lavata Atoll shortly after the Battle of Hawaii and turned it into an RB outpost south of Hawaii. By June 1942, the airport on the island was expanded and could accommodate long-range reconnaissance aircraft taking off and landing in the mountains. After the mountain bomber was converted into a reconnaissance aircraft, its range was increased to 6,000 kilometers due to the addition of oil tanks and reduction of weapons and equipment, which is enough to patrol waters 2,500 kilometers away.

"Hundreds of large transport ships, and 5-6 cruise ships of tens of thousands of tons?" Ugaki, chief of staff of the United Fleet, looked envious. "Americans are really rich. It would be great if we could have so many ships." ”

"There will be!" Yamamoto Isoroku said, "As long as Australia is conquered, RB's shipbuilding industry will definitely surpass the United States in less than 30 years!"

"Yes, as long as we capture Australia, we will have everything." Kurojima Kameto nodded heavily and agreed with Yamamoto. Then the slovenly naval commander shook his head and said, "But this American transport fleet must be full of people. The army...those luxury cruise ships should be used to transport soldiers, and they can probably carry tens of thousands of people, right?"

RB Imperialist troop transports are usually dilapidated cargo ships that just cram people into the cabins like animals. But the American soldiers went to the battlefield on luxury cruise ships, and the journey was as comfortable as traveling (according to RB's travel standards, of course).

"That's a matter for the Army," Yamamoto Isoroku smiled nonchalantly, "We are the Navy, and we only deal with American convoys... How many aircraft carriers were discovered this time?"

"There are 3-4, but they are all small escort aircraft carriers." Kuroshima Turtle replied with a frown, "In addition, there are twenty or thirty cruisers and destroyers, but no large American aircraft carriers have been found."

Escort aircraft carriers with a displacement of seven to eight thousand tons to more than ten thousand tons, a thin hull, a wooden deck, and a diesel engine used by merchant ships are not worth much to the United States. For RB, their value is not great. After all, escort carriers are limited by speed, protection and firepower, and have little effect in fleet decisive battles.

"Where are their four large aircraft carriers? Are they still in San Diego?" Yamamoto asked.

"No more."

There are German spies lurking in San Diego. Although they can't get any important information, they can still find out whether the US aircraft carrier is at home.

"Will you go to the Atlantic Ocean?" Yamamoto thought for a while and asked. "Anything discovered over the Panama Canal?"

"No," Black Island Turtle Man still shook his head. "Neither the Germans nor our Type 2 large boats found it."

The Panama Canal was very important, and of course it was under the surveillance of German agents. In addition, the RB people also sent two seaplane carriers (Akitsusu and Chihaya) carrying two Type 2 large boats to wander in the Pacific waters west of the Panama Canal, and took turns using Type 2 large boats to search the Panama Canal. The USS Independence aircraft carrier and USS Cleveland light cruiser were discovered by Type II large boats when they passed through the Panama Canal. However, it did not attract the attention of the RB Navy. They thought that the Independence was a worthless escort carrier.

"You didn't find it either?" Yamamoto Isoroku shook his head slightly.

The loss of four large U.S. aircraft carriers is not a good sign, but there is no need to worry. After all, the RB Combined Fleet has gathered 12 aircraft carriers in Rabaul, which far exceeds the Americans' 4 large aircraft carriers. As long as the Americans dare to come to the Coral Sea to fight, they will definitely lose.

…

On October 22, somewhere in the South Pacific, the USS Lexington aircraft carrier.

Admiral Halsey looked up at the dense rain clouds in the sky and let out a breath. Under the cover of this rain cloud, he would not have to worry for a few hours at least. Since leaving the combat radius of the P38 fighter jets deployed on the west coast of the United States, his fleet has been sailing cautiously on the ocean about 150 nautical miles south of the FS06 fleet.

The FS06 fleet actually became the shield of Task Force 1 commanded by Halsey. Because the FS06 fleet is very large, there are 168 ships in total including transport ships and escorting cruisers and destroyers, forming a formation of dozens of nautical miles on the sea. Moreover, all cruisers and destroyers have air search radars, and there are F4F fighter jets circling and escorting the fleet at any time.

Therefore, the RB's large reconnaissance aircraft can only take a look at it from a distance, and generally will not fly over them. Those large reconnaissance planes of the RB people cannot withstand the F4F attack!

In addition, the route Halsey chose was far away from Hawaii and Lavata, RB's forward bases in the central Pacific. This area is not an active area for RB submarines - the main role of RB submarines is not to break diplomatic relations, but to detect and detect enemy surface ships, and rarely operates on the US-Australia route.

Therefore, Halsey believes that there is a high probability that his fleet can quietly follow the FS06 fleet to the Coral Sea. As long as the RB people don't discover his four large aircraft carriers, they probably won't send all their main aircraft carriers to intercept them. As long as the RB's aircraft carriers at Rabaul are not overwhelmed, Halsey's fleet can handle it.

Moreover, Nimitz also sent three break-up aircraft carriers to slip into the Western Pacific to cause trouble for the RBs. Perhaps the commander of the RB Combined Fleet will mistakenly believe that the four large American aircraft carriers have transformed into destroyers... In this way, the FS06 fleet can arrive at XN peacefully.