The Rise of the Third Reich

A C-69 fast transport aircraft with a beautiful streamlined appearance roared over escorted by four P61 fighter jets. Before the Army's "Gulf 10" airport near Valparaiso Bay, the airport's ground staff set fire to There was gasoline in the grooves on both sides of the runway, and two straight fire snakes appeared in the darkness, which was very eye-catching. The C-69 in the sky soon discovered the fire below that was used to guide the aircraft to land, and began to circle and descend. A few minutes later, the aircraft's landing gear suddenly hit the hard airport runway.

This C-69 is the military version of the L-049 Constellation passenger aircraft developed by Lockheed since 1939. Not only does it have a huge range, up to 7,405 kilometers, but it also has a top speed of 531 kilometers per hour and can carry up to 93 passengers. Such outstanding performance makes this C-69 the best personnel transport aircraft in the hands of the US military. Although the total amount of equipment is not large (because of the high price), all the important people are transported. Whenever it appears near the front, someone important must be coming to inspect.

On the tarmac of the "Gulf" Airport, Brigadier General Albert Wedemeyer, the chief of staff of the 10th Army of the US Army, was already waiting there with a respectful expression. The attendants who followed him all stood at attention in the most standard way. Watching the plane slowly slide to the tarmac illuminated by searchlights, the fuselage slowly came to a stop, then the cabin door opened, and the escalator was quickly lowered. In the pale white light, I saw General Eisenhower with a big bald head walking down with a serious expression. Those who filed down behind him were all staff officers from the Allied South American Theater Command, and of course, General Eisenhower's staff.

The four-star general of the U.S. Army is currently the commander-in-chief of the Allied Forces South America Command and is fully responsible for commanding the battlefields on the South American continent except Venezuela, Guyana and Colombia. He now came from his headquarters in Panama to Valparaiso Bay on the front line precisely to urge the 10th Army to liberate Santiago, the capital of Chile, as soon as possible.

Eisenhower walked towards the plane and looked around on the tarmac. He did not see Lieutenant General Bradley, the commander of the 10th Army, so he asked Brigadier General Wedemeyer, who was standing at attention and saluting him: "Albert, where is Omar?" Is Lieutenant General Chennault of the 14th Air Force disobeying my order and flying a plane to bomb Buenos Aires now?"

The night bombing of Buenos Aires has been going on for almost a month. Every night, 100-200 American planes deliver nearly 200 tons of bombs to Juan Peron. However, the Americans' own losses were not small. They lost nearly 500 fighter planes in just one month! Many senior officials of the 14th Air Force disappeared while personally leading the team on expeditions. In order to avoid the loss of senior officers, Eisenhower ordered that officers above the rank of lieutenant colonel in the 14th Air Force were prohibited from flying aircraft in person. However, Lieutenant General Chennault often violated the regulations. This order.

Brigadier General Wedemeyer led Eisenhower towards the car waiting outside the airport and replied: "Lieutenant General Bradley went to the San Diego front line to inspect. The situation on the front line is not very good! The casualties of each unit are heavy, and morale is also a bit low. . Not only did they encounter stubborn resistance from the German and New Asbanian troops on the front, but they were also attacked by guerrillas from time to time... The situation in the Valparaíso region was also unstable, and there were few supporters of the free Chilean government. , rule cannot be established anywhere without our army.”

"How come the Chileans don't support us?" Eisenhower felt a little strange.

Wedemeyer smiled bitterly and said: "Admiral, the Valparaiso region is an area inhabited by European immigrants, and most of the residents are descendants of German and French immigrants."

"Are the Germans causing trouble?" Eisenhower shook his head, "It's really hateful!"

What is hateful is of course the Germans in Chile who do not love democracy and freedom, not the Germans like Eisenhower and Wedemeyer who fought for the freedom and liberation of the Chilean people. However, Eisenhower only said it was hateful, and he would not issue an order to take severe measures against the Germans in Chile... That would be a serious war crime! Now the United States does not seem to be the party that is bound to win, so it is better to be careful.

The two were about to get into the car when they heard a roar above their heads. In the night sky swept by searchlights from time to time, dozens of aircraft flew in neat formations from the east. These were B-17s and P-61s of the U.S. Army's 14th Air Force, which completed the bombing of Buenos Aires and flew back to their base in Valparaiso Bay.

The night bombing of Buenos Aires is now on track. As long as weather conditions permit, about 200 fighters (including B-17s, B-24s and P-61s) will fly to Nueva Ass every night. The capital of the Federation of Bania is bombed.

However, such bombing is not easy. American planes will encounter interceptors mainly composed of He219 and SM.91 in the sky west of Buenos Aires. The sky above Sri Lanka was attacked by anti-aircraft guns and a "mysterious rocket weapon". The average loss rate was as high as 15%!

For night bombing, a 15% loss rate of buildings is an astronomical figure!

"Admiral," Wedemeyer told Eisenhower, "Lieutenant General Chennault may be back. He went to see the German rocket weapon tonight. He suspects it is a radar-guided surface-to-air missile!"

"Surface-to-air missiles?" Eisenhower took a breath, "Then let's wait for Lieutenant General Chennault."

Lieutenant General Chennault did not go to Buenos Aires in a B-17, but in a P-61F radar surveillance aircraft equipped with an AN/APS-20 radar (S-band). North Aires - This aircraft has a similar function to the German Bv138E, but it is not that the Americans copied the German design, but a model developed by the Americans themselves. In addition to the P-61F radar warning aircraft owned by the Army Air Forces, the U.S. Naval Aviation also owns the TBM-3W radar warning aircraft with similar performance.

Lieutenant General Chennault, who was flying in a P-61F, flew over Buenos Aires for more than an hour and witnessed a fierce air battle. Compared with the Japanese interceptions Chennault encountered over the Palembang oil field, the Brunei oil field and the Balikpapan refinery, the sky above Buenos Aires was simply a hell. Not only are there He219 and SM.91 with performance comparable to the P-61, but there are also much more anti-aircraft guns, and there are also radio proximity fuse shells.

But what scares American pilots the most is the rocket weapon that looks like it has eyes. This weapon is not only very accurate, basically 2-4 can replace a B-17, but it is also very powerful. If it is hit by it, the aircraft will be destroyed, and there will be no chance of parachuting.

"Admiral," Chennault reported to Eisenhower immediately after meeting him about the situation of German surface-to-air missiles. "According to my observation, the Germans do have a guided rocket weapon. In Buenos Aires There should be 6-8 launchers in the urban area. They can launch 6-8 rockets each time. On average, 3 rockets can shoot down a B-17 or B-24, and the power is extremely amazing. It was almost impossible for the crew to survive."

At the headquarters of the Army's 14th Air Force near the "Gulf" Airport, Chennault told Eisenhower everything he saw that night.

"If a daytime bombing of thousands of aircraft were to be launched, would this kind of guided rocket be likely to cause great losses?" Eisenhower asked.

"Thousand-plane bombing during the day?" Chennault took a breath. Is this a desperate attempt?

Eisenhower nodded, "The Air Force is going to launch a thousand-plane bombing, and the 10th Army is going to attack San Diego... If everything goes well, it may bring a decent peace to the United States."

He looked at a rough face with a surprised expression, "Claire, is there no problem with the 14th Air Force?"

"No... no problem." Chennault said, "The number of guided rockets deployed by the Germans in Buenos Aires is limited and they cannot shoot down many aircraft. And their number of day fighters is not very large. It is estimated that a day battle will The loss rate of a thousand aircraft bombings will not exceed 15%.”

A loss rate of 15% is not low! But if a decent peace can really be achieved, the price will be acceptable.

Seeing Chennault's brows still furrowed, Eisenhower asked: "What? Is a 15% loss rate unbearable?"

"No," Chennault said, shaking his head, "Admiral, I'm worried that the Germans will put the guided rockets they used in Buenos Aires on warships. This will make our situation in the Atlantic even more unfavorable."

Now the United States relies on the numerical advantage of shore-based aircraft in the Atlantic Ocean. In the most critical waters near Trinidad, the Americans have deployed more than 4,000 shore-based aircraft. The German naval aviation can only gather 1,500 carrier-based aircraft. Even including long-range shore-based aircraft, the air force that can be invested is only more than 2,000, which is obviously at a disadvantage in terms of strength. But if the Germans install 100-200 missile launchers on surface ships, the United States' advantage in the number of aircraft will be greatly reduced!

Eisenhower was silent for a while, nodded and said: "Claire, write a report and submit it to the Joint Chiefs of Staff... I think we can always find a way to deal with it. In addition, the 14th Air Force must prepare to launch an attack on Buenos Aires as soon as possible." The daytime bombing of Saires is best launched in December.”