"Admiral, the main forces of the British fleet are turning southeast and are coming at us" The news of the turn of the main forces of the British Mediterranean Fleet was quickly transferred through the Italian Naval Command to the battleship Count Cavour, the flagship of the Italian Fleet, which was heading northwest.
Now the British fleet is sailing to the southeast, and the Italian fleet is sailing to the northwest, and the two sides are heading head-on "The British have discovered us," Admiral Campioni immediately made an erroneous but common sense judgment.
It was impossible for the British fleet, which "would destroy the enemy, to turn around and leave" by a few German planes, so they must have known the location of the main Italian fleet.
Although the Italian main fleet did not find any British reconnaissance planes approaching, the vicinity of Benghazi was an area where British submarines were relatively active, and the target of the Italian main fleet was very large, and it was normal for it to be discovered by submarines.
"Admiral, the distance between us and them is less than 180 nautical miles, within the attack range of the Swordfish and Gull planes."
Rear Admiral Baroni also made a mistake in his judgment when he believed that the British might send carrier-based aircraft to carry out air strikes.
"They have 2 aircraft carriers and can carry at least 80 carriers in the Mediterranean."
In addition to the floor area of the carrier-based aircraft itself, whether the wings are folded, the hangar area and the way of carrying are determined by the number of carrier-based aircraft.
According to the method of the hangar to contain the suspended deck on the top of the hangar, which was transformed from a cruise ship, the Italian aircraft carriers "Eagle" and "Sparrowhawk", which have a small hangar area, can be equipped with more than 50 carrier-based aircraft.
This is not possible in the high-sea Atlantic, and a single hangar containment method is usually used.
Therefore, in the Atlantic, the Brilliant and Eagle, which are not numerous ships, can carry a relatively large number of aircraft in the Mediterranean, and the attack power will be greatly increased.
"At what distance can our G50s strike" Admiral Kompioni also thought that his fleet could not escape, so he also prepared to launch an air attack to counterattack.
"The G50 carrier-based aircraft has a combat radius of 130 nautical miles after the bomb is hung, and this is the largest," said Rear Admiral Baroni, "so I propose to release the carrier-based aircraft at a distance of 100 nautical miles."
Considering that we are driving face to face with the enemy fleet, the carrier-based aircraft can be released after 2 hours. ” "Then the attack will begin in 2 hours," Admiral Campioni decided, "So, where is the Sparrowhawk?"
"The aircraft carrier Admiral Sparrowhawk, along with the 2nd Combat Fleet, is 100 nautical miles southeast of the port of Taranto and is also sailing southeast."
"Let the 2nd Combat Fleet also launch an air attack," Admiral Kompioni ordered, "and send a telegram to the Navy Command asking the Air Force to send fighter jets to cover the 2nd Combat Fleet." ” "Admiral, do you think we can trust the Italian Air Force," Baroni immediately objected.
Admiral Campioni snorted: "The fate of Italy is in the hands of those fascists, what reason can they slack off" "Admiral Kompioni decided to fight, and 2 hours later released carrier-based aircraft" With the sound of the staff report, the atmosphere in the war room of the Italian Navy General Headquarters on Cassion Avenue suddenly became tense.
"The British carrier-based aircraft will probably be dispatched first," Admiral Hans Jeshunek, who remained in the Italian Naval Headquarters, was well aware of the general performance of the various types of British aircraft.
"Their Swordfish and Gulls have a long range, and now they can reach Admiral Kompioni's fleet."
"Did the FW200C detect the British aircraft carrier releasing a carrier," Admiral Kavnyari immediately asked.
"No," immediately a staff officer replied, "the British aircraft carriers did not release carriers, but they released seaplanes. ” "The British did not discover our fleet."
Admiral Kavnyari made an accurate judgment this time.
"But they will soon find out," said Admiral Sommigli, "that the British had at least six walrus seaplanes on three battleships." ” There was nothing to be left to chance, the G50 had a limited range and had to be close to the British fleet for an attack only 100 nautical miles.
It is impossible not to be detected by the British fleet at this distance, and the attack power of the G50 is not strong, and even if 50 aircraft are dispatched, it is impossible to inflict heavy damage on the British fleet with radar and Sea Spitfire.
"Admiral," another staff officer reported, "Admiral Cumpioni asks the Air Force to cover the 2nd Combat Fleet. ” "Air Force" Admiral Kavnyari frowned, "Are they enough?"
The Italian Air Force is also known for its short legs, and now the main fighters G50, C200 and CR42 cannot fly far.
Among them, the longest-range is the outdated biplane fighter CR42, which is only 780 kilometers.
"CR42s can be sent," Admiral Sanmigli glanced at Jeshunek, "and there are also German Fokker Zeros, eight of which can be dispatched." ” "You can let 8 Fokker Zeros go to the skies over the British fleet, and let the Italian Air Force send a few S79s."
Admiral Jeshunek advised, "Then the British will have to send the Sea Spitfire to meet it, and our Fokker Zero can go around in circles with the Sea Spitfire and run out of fuel, so that your G50 will have a chance." ” Hans Jeshunek came up with a bad move, using the long range of the Fokker Zero to drain the fire-breathing fuel and force them to return.
Such tactics were invented during the Western Front campaign, and now they are being used in air battles over the Atlantic, and the results are very good.
Admiral Kavnyari thought for a moment, nodded and said to the deputy chief of staff, Admiral Sanmigli: "That's it, please send CR42 to cover the 2nd Combat Fleet." 79 harassed the British fleet under the protection of the Fokker Zero. ” Admiral Sanmigli received the order and immediately dialed the Italian Air Force Command, and after much talking, the Italian Air Force finally agreed to dispatch the planes.
However, the Italian Air Force still did not pay attention to things at sea as always, and a squadron of C200s took off quickly, but not the CR42 required by the Navy, but the C200 deployed in Sicily, whose usual mission was to escort transport planes flying over Malta, so they were more familiar with the waters in this area.
However, the range of this aircraft was too short to provide a long period of direct cover for the 2nd Combat Fleet.
The 12 S79s, all of which were medium-sized bombers, were not dispatched until the afternoon of July 8, and they did not form a formation with the German Fokker Zero, but flew over the British and Italian fleets that were engaged in fire, and dropped 60 high-explosive bombs of 250 kg indiscriminately "Admiral, the reconnaissance aircraft has spotted the Italian fleet, battleship 2, aircraft carrier 1, heavy cruiser 6, the position is" At 11:55 a.m., just before noon, a walrus seaplane from a battleship weariness sent a telegram reporting the position of the Italian fleet and the number of ships.
"They're coming towards us, less than 100 nautical miles, and the seaplanes have spotted that the aircraft carrier is releasing planes," Rear Admiral Krachley frowned, "it should be a G50, according to intelligence." ” The Italian G50 is not terrible, if you change to the German Fokker Zero and Fokker 99, then it will be a big problem "They're the G50, or they'd have taken off."
Admiral Cunningham didn't have the slightest concern, "Order the Sea Spitfire to take off 9 planes first, occupy a high-altitude position, and then release all the Swordfish and gulls to form 2 attack waves to fight the fleet of the Italians." ” The distance is less than 100 nautical miles, and at the speed of the G50, it is 30 minutes.
The range of the G50 is too short to form a large formation, and it is estimated that it will attack in units of 9 or 12 aircraft.
So Cunningham immediately ordered nine of the nine Sea Spitfires to take off to meet them.
"Admiral, there are still 4 Fokker Zeros around us."
Major General Krachley hurriedly reminded, "Do you want to send a sea spitfire to expel it?"
"Not necessarily," Admiral Cunningham shook his head, "these planes are hard to deal with, and our Sea Spitfire doesn't have that skill."
And the bombers of the Germans have not come until now, they are clearly still staying in Ronaya.
It should have been only a handful of Fokker Zeros and FW200s that were sent to Sicily or Taranto. ” Cunningham knew the Germans very well, they were known for their accuracy, if there were bombers that could get them, how could they not come for so long, this kind of thing is not allowed in Germany, but it is normal to change to Italians. 79, but for 2 months, the British Royal Navy has not seen even 1 plane, and the Italians obviously have an overwhelming advantage, but let the British Mediterranean Fleet have the upper hand, which is really stupid "We obviously have 600 S79s that can reach the British and blow them to smithereens, but we want to dispatch carrier-based aircraft like the G50, which is really nonsense" Watching one G50 after another take off from the aircraft carrier "Eagle", Admiral Kompioni was not at all happy.
This time he sent 3 squadrons with a total of 36 G50s, divided into 3 attack waves, to bombard the British fleet.
But he also knew that this kind of attack intensity would not achieve much success at all.
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At the same time, at least 600 S79s capable of carrying two 500-kilogram bombs were idle, at least 600 S79s capable of carrying two 500-kilogram bombs on airfields in Sicily, North Africa and the southern Apennines, as well as in Albania. t1706231537: