The Rise of the Third Reich

"Beyond visual range strike? What does this mean?"

"That is to launch missiles before the U.S. fleet discovers our aircraft, and then use airborne radar to guide the missiles to find the U.S. fleet for attack."

After hearing Hirschman's personal explanation, General Kiyoshi Hasegawa and Lieutenant General Hiroshi Oshima suddenly began to breathe quickly.

This suicide missile produced by Rolls-Royce is the decisive weapon that Japan wants!

The attack range beyond the enemy's "visual range" can put one's own attack fleet in absolute safety. The maximum horizontal flight speed of 800 kilometers exceeds that of all known American fighter jets (let alone Japan), which will make this suicide missile difficult to intercept. Moreover, the missile can reach a level flight speed of 800 kilometers. Once a dive attack is launched, the speed is likely to exceed 1,000 kilometers per hour, making it difficult for even the anti-aircraft guns of surface ships to shoot it down.

"And our engineers also designed a locking attack device. Once the pilot starts to dive at the enemy ship, he can use this device to lock the control stick." Hersman continued, "Even if the pilot of the missile is killed, the missile can still Complete the final stage of flight along the original dive angle to ensure the exchange ratio of one bomb to one aircraft to the greatest extent!”

The idea proposed by Hirschman is actually very consistent with Japan's national conditions. Germany can do similar things, and so can the United Kingdom (the reason why Henschel cooperates with Rolls-Royce is because Rolls-Royce has participated in the British Dreadnought missile project and has accumulated technology in this area) , America’s technology is a bit inferior, but it’s not impossible to do it. After all, suicide missiles do not require a high-quality jet engine or rocket engine, as long as they can be used.

Moreover, the United States also obtained most of the British radar technology before the British surrendered to Germany. It has long been able to produce multi-cavity high-energy magnetrons, so it is also equipped with sea search radars with a theoretical detection range of more than 300 kilometers.

Therefore, the United States can theoretically build a suicide missile similar to the Rolls-Royce "Silver Death". But the problem is that the missile pilot can't be found...

Countries such as the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom, because they are Christian countries, have always been relatively resistant to the issue of suicide. At least the government cannot openly encourage suicide for the country.

Therefore, even if the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries produce "artificial intelligence missiles", they cannot find a few "artificial intelligence" and it is impossible to form combat effectiveness.

Japan has a "suicide culture" in its history. It is an honor to commit suicide for the emperor, so it can find a certain amount of "artificial intelligence" to make suicide missiles "intelligent".

However, Hessmann is unwilling to follow the historical "kamikaze" path - isn't Japan known as "craftsman spirit" and strive for excellence? Why are we so careless about suicide attacks? It is sheer fantasy to use a large number of crudely manufactured aircraft, man-made missiles, man-made torpedoes and motorboats to carry out a fatal mission with no return, and to try to win the war by relying on numerical superiority.

If numbers can win, what kind of kamikaze does Japan have? Wouldn't it be enough to just use conventional tactics? Since they know that the numbers are absolutely overwhelming, they should give full play to their "craftsmanship" and pursue the ultimate in suicide attacks.

"Your Excellency, Imperial Marshal," Kiyoshi Ohtani was obviously impressed by this limited edition Rolls-Royce "Silver Death." "How much is your country prepared to charge for such a missile?"

"A missile sells for 300,000 Euromarks." Hersman gave a frightening price. You must know that the cost of Germany's most advanced Me262 jet fighter is only 150,000 European marks, which is equivalent to 255,000 yen (the exchange rate between Japanese yen and European marks is 1.7 to 1).

In other words, the price of a "Silver Death" is equivalent to 510,000 yen, which is more expensive than two Zero fighter jets (the cost of the Zero is about 210,000 yen).

"No problem." Kiyoshi Hasegawa agreed without hesitation without bargaining with Hersman.

Because he only planned to buy four pieces and then transport them back to Japan to "make copies". It was only a 2 million yen business, so of course he didn't care about the price.

"You must buy 200!" Hersman immediately broke Kiyoshi Hasegawa's wishful thinking. "The total payment of 60 million European marks must be paid in gold or in kind, and cannot be paid on credit... because these missiles are all British Rolls-Royces. Produced by Si company.”

This "Silver Death" is a limited edition, with 225 planned to be produced, of which 20 (18 of which are two-seat training bombs with landing gear) are used for testing and display. Because it uses a jet engine with a lifespan of 100 hours, the "Silver Death" training bomb is a very good missile for testing the TV remote control system. Therefore, 18 were sold to Henschel and Volkswagen, and 6 One piece is used for testing of the "Silver Death" project, and one piece is used for display.

The remaining 200 "Silver Reapers" will be sold to Japan, of which 20 are training bombs, which are actually a small two-seat jet aircraft, and 180 are ordinary bombs used for attack.

The empty weight of a "Silver Death" is as high as 1.8 tons. After adding fuel and an "artificial intelligence system" (usually one for a Japanese elite pilot), the total weight can reach more than 2.8 tons (the specific "above" depends on the weight of the Japanese pilot. According to Rolls-Royce's recommendations: Pilot The weight cannot exceed 100 kilograms), and the service ceiling is 12,000 meters.

In addition, in order to improve the missile's battlefield survivability, two 20mm cannons can be optionally installed - optional items including leather seats, DSC tape recorders and 20mm cannons cost extra. You can also choose the color of the missile casing, which also costs extra.

"60 million European marks...that's more than 100 million yen!"

Kiyoshi Hasegawa and Hiroshi Oshima both had painful expressions on their faces when they heard Hersman's request.

"What is 100 million yen?" Hessman glanced at the two of them and said, "With the war now, does anyone still care about money? What is really valuable now is not money, but the lives of outstanding pilots! If you want In order for the 'Silver Death' to truly exert its power, you must select some pilots who are capable of flying dive bombers to participate in training in Germany. Because the elimination rate of the training is more than 50%, it is recommended to send 400 people to participate in the training... Each of them must be trained again. Pay an additional 150,000 Euros for training expenses.”

This is another 60 million Euromarks!

But the money was not collected unreasonably. Because the "Silver Death" is actually a jet aircraft that can reach a speed of up to 800 kilometers per hour! It is very difficult to fly this aircraft to conduct a dive attack, and strict training is required.

According to the plan formulated by the German Naval Aviation, Japanese pilots participating in the training must first practice with the Me262A-1b (bombing type) worth 150,000 European marks. It needs to fly for at least 100 hours (2 engines are scrapped) and burn a lot of expensive aviation kerosene. Only then are you eligible to use the "Silver Death" training bomb.

The only aircraft capable of launching the 2.8-ton "Silver Reaper" missile is the modified Me264 heavy bomber. The fuel consumption of such a large aircraft in one flight is even more amazing!

It can be said that spending 60 million European marks to train 400 "Silver Death" pilots (with an elimination rate of more than 50%) is definitely a loss for the German naval aviation.

The contribution of 120 million Euromarks plus the lives of 180 veteran pilots is a worthwhile investment for Japan.

Because a 2.8-ton "Silver Death" missile has a charge of more than 500 kilograms, it can break through the defense of any American fighter jet at a maximum speed of 800 kilometers per hour, and it can also dive and ram into a U.S. aircraft carrier at a speed of 900 kilometers or even more than 1,000 kilometers per hour. Or battleship.

Such a weapon, even if it cannot replace a ship with one bomb, can at least paralyze a large aircraft carrier or a large surface ship of the battleship level with one bomb!

Even if the 180 "Silver Deaths" only have a 50% hit rate (if a rigorously trained artificial intelligence is really not afraid of death, a 100% hit rate is possible), it can paralyze 90 large aircraft carriers or battleships!

According to Hirschman's idea, the Japanese can use the Me264 to mount the "Silver Death" to raid the home base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

"Eighty-four Me264s mounted with 84 'Silver Reapers' went straight to San Diego," Hersman said. "Even if the hit rate is only 1/2, it can at least defeat 42 large American surface ships! This 100 million mark was spent on It’s worth it, right?”

…

"120 million Euromarks..." Yamamoto Isoroku gasped for breath in the conference room of the Japanese Navy Ministry, "The Germans are really open-minded... But we can't refuse, these 120 million Euromarks must be given, and there is no way to sell iron. Take it out!"

He has obtained a detailed report personally brought back to Japan by Kiyoshi Otani, including dozens of color photos of sample missiles, including multiple color photos of the Rolls-Royce W1B jet engine - this jet engine with a thrust of 500 kilograms is The Japanese have always wanted to get good things, but their repeated purchase requests have been rejected. Now they can get 200 units at once. These engines alone are worth 120 million European marks.

Moreover, the Germans are also willing to help train up to 220 jet pilots (the retired Silver Death pilots can still fly jets).

With the Rolls-Royce W1B jet engine and 220 elite jet fighter pilots, Japan may be able to establish its own jet force in a short period of time - in fact, Japan has long noticed Germany's Me262, and also teamed up with the New Roman Empire to start the development of jet aircraft. However, due to the delay in obtaining samples provided by Germany (the Silver Death is actually a jet aircraft), the research and development work progressed very slowly...