The Rise of the Third Reich

When the 12 RB aircraft carriers began to gather at the port of Rabaul, the six aircraft carriers of the U.S. Pacific Fleet were also concentrated in San Diego. Among them, the Saratoga and Enterprise entered the dock and were undergoing routine maintenance. Mk-1 twin-mounted water-cooled 40mm anti-aircraft guns are also being installed - this type of anti-aircraft gun is an American copycat version of the famous Bofors anti-aircraft gun. Beginning in the second half of 1942, a large number of such anti-aircraft guns were installed on combat ships of the U.S. Navy.

In addition to the Mk-1 twin-mounted water-cooled 40mm anti-aircraft gun, a secret weapon called a "proximity fuze" also appeared on U.S. Navy ships.

This "proximity fuse" is about the size of a beer mug and has five tubular radio transceivers on its head. They continuously transmit and receive radio signals. When it flies about 21 meters away from the target, the electric L tube detonates the main L tube, and the shell explodes. In other words, American anti-aircraft shells do not have to hit the RB aircraft, they can explode if they get close!

However, due to the size of the "proximity fuze", small and medium-caliber anti-aircraft guns such as 40mm and 20mm cannot be used. Current radio proximity fuzes are used for 127mm anti-aircraft guns.

"Admiral, the people at the Navy Yard told me that the Saratoga and Enterprise will be undocking on Saturday. I want to set off next Monday."

"The Bull" Halsey had just returned to the Pacific Fleet Command from the Navy Yard in San Diego. As soon as he saw Admiral Nimitz, he immediately offered to lead the fleet to attack.

"Attack?" Nimitz looked up at Halsey, who was rushing over in a hurry. "Where to attack?"

"Of course it's the South Pacific!" Halsey said, "Commander, you haven't read the latest war report, have you? The RB Japanese fleet is concentrating on Rabaul, and their planes are also starting to go to Morse. A bomb was dropped in Port Moresby. This means they will attack Port Moresby soon!”

"William, we know that the RBs are about to attack Port Moresby, and we also know that they are preparing to attack Australia." Lieutenant General Spruance, chief of staff of the Pacific Fleet, who was sitting in Nimitz's office, interjected. , "The commander and I are studying countermeasures."

"What are we still studying? We can't lose Australia!" Halsey shouted, "That is a continent of more than 7 million square kilometers. If the RB devils get Australia, sooner or later it will become as powerful a country as the United States. "

Although he is yelling fiercely now, in the past few months, the fleet he commanded has never been impulsive when performing escort missions. No matter what kind of bait the RB man sets, he will never take the bait. Perform the escort mission honestly and walk around the RB devils - this guy is a foul-mouthed guy, and anyone who wants to believe him must be a big fool.

"Well, of course we can't lose Australia, that's for sure!" Admiral Nimitz nodded and said, "William, since you are here, let's discuss it together."

Halsey nodded, pulled up a chair and sat at Nimitz's desk. Nimitz personally picked up the coffee pot and poured Halsey a cup of fragrant coffee.

"Admiral," Halsey picked up the coffee cup, took a sip, and then analyzed, "We now have 6 carriers, and the Independence will arrive in a few days. That's 7 fleet carriers, although they are smaller than RB There are fewer 10-12 ships that can be used, but our aircraft carriers can carry more carrier-based aircraft, so we may not suffer a loss in a fight.

In addition, we have also deployed many shore-based aircraft in Australia, including P40 and P38. These aircraft are enough to counter the RB Zero fighters. Moreover, the P40 also has certain ground and sea attack capabilities, and they can be used to participate in air attacks on the RB fleet when necessary. "

It turns out that Halsey has been thinking about how to offset the advantages of RB's aircraft carriers and carrier-based aircraft, and he also found a way. It is to use land to fight against sea, and make full use of the P38 and P40 deployed in Australia to fight against RB's Zero.

As for the P51, which worries Yamamoto Isoroku, it does not exist on the Pacific battlefield. This kind of aircraft is now fighting with the Fokker Zero on the European battlefield.

In addition, the F6F and F4U, which historically eliminated the Zero air superiority, have only just come out. The F6F is still undergoing its final test flights, and the F4U has just entered the naval aviation trial. However, because of the poor landing performance of this aircraft (similar to the Fw-190T), it is being complained by the pilots on the USS Independence aircraft carrier. .

"William, your idea is very good." After hearing Halsey's suggestion, Nimitz smiled and said, "But we in the United States still have the Army. They also have the responsibility to defend Australia, don't they? Why should we bear all the burden? Add it to yourself? I remember that from January to September this year, we already transported 9 divisions to Australia.”

"Remember, of course I remember." Halsey said, twirling his fingers. "They are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Marine Divisions, the 6th, 7th, 24th, and 25th Infantry Divisions of the Army, and the 11th Airborne Division. Division and the 82nd Airborne Division. It took us nine months to get them to Australia and we didn’t even have time to fight the RBs.”

"But the President of the United States believes that nine American divisions are still not enough to ensure that Australia will not be occupied by the RB Army..." Nimitz shrugged and said, "The combat effectiveness of the RB Army is very powerful! Therefore, the President ordered to send more troops to Australia ”

"More Army?"

"The Army's 1st Division and 4th Armored Division will be shipped to Australia in the near future."

"Transporting two divisions at once?" Halsey frowned, "There is also an armored division among them. How many ships are needed?"

Spruance added: "Add to that 250 A-36 Apache dive bombers and 100 P51B fighter jets."

Halsey had not heard of the Apache dive bomber, so he asked, "A-36 Apache? What kind of plane is this?"

"It's a dive bomber modified from a P-51," Spruance said. "It was originally going to be used in Ireland, but now half of it is allocated to be shipped to Australia."

"Add these 350 aircraft, the strength of 2 divisions, and the 9 divisions and hundreds of aircraft already in Australia..." Halsimer calculated, "The ground troops are almost 200,000, and the aircraft are Thousands of them.”

"Not only," Nimitz said, "there are also the Anzacs! There are two to three hundred thousand people, more than a thousand aircraft of various types, and a small fleet." He paused and smiled coldly, " Aren’t the RBs going to fight Australia? Let them fight. When they reach Brisbane and hit XN, we will have time to rescue them.”

"So what are we doing until then?" Halsey asked.

Nimitz held out two fingers and replied: "The first is escort; the second is breaking diplomatic relations. Four large aircraft carriers serve as the core of the escort formation, escorting FS06 (from San Francisco to the XN fleet to the XN Raider and Wasp "William, you will continue to be in charge of escort, and the three break-up units will be under the command of Colonel Mitchell, Major General Aubrey Fitch, and Major General Kincaid."

In a few words, Nimitz assigned the task, and then looked at Halsey's arrogant face.

"Okay," Halsey nodded, "Then I'll make another trip to Australia." He thought for a while and then said, "This time the RB people might enter the Coral Sea to intercept FS06...their attack in Rabaul The fleet is very large.”

Nimitz shrugged and said: "Raymond (Spruance) and I are studying this matter, but unfortunately we haven't thought of any good way... If the three break-up teams we sent can't kill the RB If the fleet is diverted away from Rabaul, we will probably have to fight to the death. "

The RB fleet may intercept the FS06 fleet escorted by Halsey if it travels a thousand and hundreds of nautical miles south from Rabaul. If the RB people detect the FS06 fleet, they will most likely dispatch Rabaul's fleet to intercept it in the Coral Sea.

By then, Halsey would be escorting a large number of merchant ships and tens of thousands of American troops, and it would be impossible for him to escape, and he would have to bite the bullet and fight the RB fleet.

…

The day after Halsey accepted a very dangerous, but very important escort mission. The aircraft carrier USS Independence and the light cruiser USS Cleveland, which had sailed all the way from New York, finally arrived in San Diego. Colonel Mitchell, the commander of the formation and the captain of the USS Independence, got off the ship and rushed directly to Nimitz's headquarters—— He went to Nimitz for the F4U on the Independence. The landing performance of these aircraft was somewhat poor, and training during the voyage was fraught with hazards.

"The F4U is not easy to use?" Nimitz frowned. The F4U is the latest model of aircraft. If it is not easy to use, the next battle will be difficult to fight.

"It's not that it's bad, but it's difficult to land on an aircraft carrier... I think it's a very good shore-based aircraft."

"Shore base?" Nimitz shook his head, "But your people have passed the assessment of flying F4U on board, which shows that they can handle it. So I can't agree to change the aircraft, and the current situation is urgent and we cannot allow us to delay ”

"Is the situation urgent? Is there going to be a war?" Colonel Mitchell asked quickly, "Is it a counterattack on Hawaii?"

"No, no, it's a battle."

"Break the relationship?" Mitchell was a little disappointed, "Use a submarine?"

"Not just submarines, but also aircraft carriers!" Nimitz said, "This is the purpose of bringing you to the Pacific... Your Independence and Cleveland will form a breaking formation to go to the Pacific to deal with the RB merchant ships. "