In the cold North Sea, the British Royal Navy, which had discovered traces of the German High Seas Fleet's first mixed fleet through seaplanes, quickly moved the nearby large aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, the battleship HMS Hood and six other ships under the command of General Cunningham.
A battleship immediately threw itself at the discovered First Mixed Fleet of the German High Seas Fleet.
Lütjens's German First Fleet was a mixed fleet with 8 Z-class destroyers, 3 new cruisers, 2 Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers, 1 new battleship, and 10 F-class frigates.
What Cunningham used to deal with them was six battleships from the Royal Navy's Home Fleet, one of the most advanced aircraft carriers in the UK, and more than 30 cruisers and destroyers.
In fact, this is the most advanced aircraft carrier in the United Kingdom. It is the second aircraft carrier in the history of the Royal Navy named HMS Ark Royal. It cost the British government a total of about 3 million pounds, making it the most expensive warship built in the Royal Navy so far.
As the most advanced aircraft carrier in the UK, Ark Royal's carrier-based aircraft include a total of 48 Swordfish torpedo attack aircraft and 12 "Osprey" fighter-bombers, which is a total of 60 aircraft.
In comparison, the huge capacity of the 105 carrier-based aircraft carried by Germany's Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers can be described as abnormal in this era.
On the other hand, although the final force of both sides has not yet been deployed to the forefront, the most powerful forward fleets of both sides have been used as the first force.
Strategically speaking, Cunningham used the main force of the British Home Fleet in the first batch. To this end, he assembled all the battleships that could be dispatched for this battle, as well as a most advanced aircraft carrier.
What he left behind to hold on to the battle were three aircraft carriers that were even more backward than Ark Royal, and some destroyers that stayed behind to protect the aircraft carriers.
In contrast, Raeder seemed more prudent, placing nearly 70% of the main force of the German High Seas Fleet in the second mixed fleet under his command, leaving only Lütjens to lead less than 30% of the strength of the High Seas Fleet.
The first mixed fleet went to meet the British fleet's fist.
Of course, this is obviously an unfair duel. Although Lütjens has two large space carriers, in terms of basic combat effectiveness, they are already twice as powerful as the British Vanguard fleet. However, there are not enough battleships and
Even if the aircraft carriers escorted by cruisers and destroyers have a large carrying capacity, their survivability in naval battles is far inferior to those of aircraft carrier formations that are sufficient to escort the fleet.
Once approached by a group of high-speed cruisers and destroyers, no matter how powerful the aircraft carrier is, it will be dead!
More importantly, the naval battleships of the German High Seas Fleet are generally one level lower than the British battleships. In addition to the quality of the battleships, which are not inferior to those of the British army, the German cruisers and destroyers have enhanced air defense and anti-submarine capabilities, but the artillery
A downgraded product whose combat power has been weakened by a whole level.
In other words, even if the same number of German escort formations encounter a British escort formation, the German army will be one level lower than the British army in naval battle artillery on average. What's more, Lütjens's current first mixed fleet, in escort battleships
Even the number is less than half that of the British Vanguard Fleet!
This is almost an asymmetrical strength gap. The British army has the firepower network of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers as a backing. As long as it gets close to the German aircraft carrier formation, it can win with one move.
The Royal Navy possesses such overwhelming artillery firepower that it suppressed the German army's chance of winning a frontal battle to zero almost from the beginning. Coupled with the Royal Navy's decades of uninterrupted artillery training, their artillery skills were even more powerful.
The combat capability is one level higher than that of German warships!
This is also an important reason why Reinhardt is unwilling to compete with the British with big guns and ships, because it is too difficult to defeat these navy veterans.
Precisely because he knew he could not compete, Reinhardt asked the German Navy to put all its bets on strange moves. As early as ten years ago, he signed an agreement with the United Kingdom to limit the tonnage of German surface warships, and deliberately put
The low profile suppressed the number of German battleships and cruisers.
At the same time, he also placed all his bets on aircraft carriers, placing his hopes for future naval battles on aircraft carrier tactics that were considered unconventional at the time, but were hailed as classic aircraft carrier tactics in later generations!
On the cold and lonely surface of the North Sea, Lütjens's first mixed fleet, led by the only battleship, formed an inverted V shape and advanced at a constant speed.
In the center of the majestic battleships, inside the inverted V-shaped escort fleet, two huge Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers were moving slowly.
On the aircraft carrier, the fw-190s that were parked full of people ten minutes ago have now become bustling and no longer dense.
In the distance, on the endless sea, these German fighter planes are forming to pounce on the oncoming British vanguard fleet.
This is the first battle and also the decisive battle!
"If I were the German naval commander, would I just leave the fighter planes behind and then immediately withdraw all the warships into the port?" Standing on the flagship, Commander Cunningham of the British Royal Navy couldn't help but sigh: "They
You shouldn’t have a head-to-head confrontation with the Royal Navy!”
To be honest, after fighting for so many years, Cunningham considered himself to be quite experienced. However, from the moment he saw the German High Seas Fleet discover each other, he could not imagine the possibility of the German army winning.
During World War I, he served as captain of a destroyer, and in 1938 he was appointed deputy chief of staff of the Navy. Then in 1939, he was appointed commander of the Mediterranean Fleet, and in 1940 he was transferred back to the Home Fleet as commander. Cunningham's knowledge is definitely unparalleled in the Royal Navy.
One of the best.
The Royal Navy of the British Empire is the most powerful navy in the world. This is not an exaggerated advertising slogan, but a fact witnessed by all other countries in the world.
The British Navy not only has four hundred years of noble blood flowing through it, but has also saved Britain in crisis time and time again.
When everyone sees the glorious side of the British Navy, they will not notice that its start was so difficult. At the beginning, even pirates could be compared with the British Navy. At the time, the powerful Spain and the Netherlands ignored the British Navy.
There were all kinds of humiliations, and the Royal Navy, which was born out of difficulties, almost paid high tuition fees with blood chips, until they finally defeated the arrogances of Spain, the Netherlands, France, and China, which had once despised their existence, with their own efforts.
It supported the empire on which the sun never sets, which is unprecedented and unprecedented.
This is the capital of a maritime power. It includes not only the glory after becoming famous, but also the struggle before becoming famous.
The formation of a forest takes at least a hundred years. The experience of a mature navy also takes countless hours.
In the navy, the construction time of a battleship usually takes several years, maybe longer. The requirements for soldiers in the navy are even higher, requiring not only physical fitness but also a strong cultural level.
The navy needs to constantly explore and move forward. Based on accumulated experience, it can design a reasonable hull, cabin, magazine, rest area, etc., as well as the fire control system. The technical content in all aspects is particularly high. If Reinhardt had not led the German navy to take shortcuts, bypassing
After many detours, Germany would never be able to compete with Britain on the sea.
A century-old navy! Even with this alone, the German High Seas Fleet cannot compare to the British Royal Navy.