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Leap, a stroke of genius that shakes the world Chapter 130 Noodle Fleet

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    Chapter 130 Noodle Fleet Under the low-hanging clouds, a huge fleet was sailing along the West African coastline at a uniform speed.  In this fleet, large and small ships all fly the green, white and red tricolor flag. Among them are powerful combat ships, light and flexible auxiliary combat ships, and solid and generous logistics supply ships.  The flag of the Fleet Commander is hoisted by a very well-armed battleship: its main guns are all configured in triple turrets, and its firepower is more concentrated than the traditional twin turrets. The shape of the long forecastle ship also looks very majestic.  and domineering.  Although the ship is on full alert, what is surprising is that the open-air observation deck on the second-floor bridge of the flagship has been arranged into a small "tea restaurant" - the snow-white sunshade canvas is pulled up, and a round wooden coffee table is placed.  Comfortable wicker chairs with strong backrests, rich coffee, fresh tea aroma and exquisite snacks. Even though everyone sitting there is wearing neat uniforms, it still looks like a chic vacation place.  "General Sato, in your opinion, what aspects should a large fleet of this size pay attention to when sailing over long distances?" The person speaking was wearing the traditional Italian Navy officer's uniform, with distinctive ribbons and medals, and military rank marks  Look, this is a senior Italian admiral.  The middle-aged man sitting opposite has a typical Asian face, broad face, medium height, dark skin, wearing a white Japanese Commodore uniform, with much simpler accessories. The medal was awarded by the British to commend those who served in the Navy between 1917 and 1918.  The commemorative medal for the Allied officers and soldiers who fought bravely in the Mediterranean is quite conspicuous. He said in fluent Italian: "The orderly, strict and neat cruising formation fully demonstrates the outstanding talents of the commander, the excellent quality and quality of officers at all levels and  The professional ability of the sailors is enough to dwarf any fleet in the world. "This made the Italian admiral very satisfied. He said with joy: "In the Mediterranean, we had fierce battles with the British fleet, including  Some have been recorded in the history of world military affairs. It is no exaggeration to say that our officers and sailors have extremely rich practical experience! "Because the German army successfully defeated the Royal Navy and landed in England in the autumn of 1940, the Italians were spared from the towers!  The Battle of Lanto and the Battle of Cape Matapan were humiliating, but several encounters with the British Mediterranean Fleet were not ideal, especially in the battles in the Eastern Mediterranean. The superior Italian fleet returned in embarrassment, but the axis  The victory of the Italian camp in the European War has covered up these "unpleasant" memories - the optimistic Italians regard all this as war glory.  "Of course, of course! Your commander's combat experience in Europe is as good as my teacher!" The Japanese Commodore smiled with a smile on his face. Although the European tea art was not worth mentioning, he still tasted it with great enjoyment.  The Italian admiral is the current Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Fleet, Angelo Aquino, a well-known naval gunnery expert who has held this important position since Italy entered the war. Every large-scale operation of the Italian Navy during the war was led by  He actually took command. This time he led the fleet on a long voyage, and the ships staying at home were personally commanded by the equally experienced Navy Minister Riccardi.  Aquino drank tea decently and said: "General Sato, you have been fighting the Americans for more than a year, so you should have a deeper understanding of them, right?" The Japanese Brigadier General sighed helplessly: "Although  Many people think that the U.S. Navy is very traditional, but I think it can only be regarded as a half-knowledge! Otherwise, the war would not have dragged on until now, and the situation would not be advantageous! Now all Japan is counting on the strong support of its Italian allies!  " "We can't rush this matter. We must look at the opportunity. Once we enter the Pacific area, we must give the Americans a fatal blow - this is called hitting the snake seven inches, right?" Admiral Aquino wants to use the Eastern method?  To describe it, it is a pity that this kind of historical accumulation is not something that the Yamato nation can possess with its little cultural heritage.  "Yes, that's the truth!" The Japanese brigadier general responded very positively.  Aquino did not stay on one topic for too long. He asked again: "I think your country has made all preparations in Ceylon according to our requirements? With a fleet of nearly 300,000 tons, the daily supplies can be  It¡¯s an astonishing number!¡± ¡°Three battleships, three heavy cruisers, fourteen destroyers and sixteen auxiliary ships of various types. The displacement of the entire fleet has indeed reached 260,000 tons, but there is not a single one.  Aircraft carrier, for the Japanese naval generals who have realized the strategic and tactical significance of naval aviation, this reinforcement force is really not ideal, not to mention the Italian Navy has always been known for its low combat effectiveness, but it is better than nothing, so they have to rely on the spiritual significance of Italy's participation in the war.  Boost morale and disrupt opponents.  "Of course, food, supplies and fuel are all in place!" Brigadier General Sato covered it up with a respectful attitudePain in the heart: Although the resources in the occupied areas of Southeast Asia are rich, due to the destruction carried out by the British and Dutch troops when they retreated, most of them were not restored until mid-to-late 1942. Based on the Japanese navy's own consumption, the fuel supply was not abundant. Now,  A batch must be specially allocated to supply the Italians. You must know that the high speed of Italian ships is based on high fuel consumption. Taking the Veneto class as an example, 6,000 tons of heavy fuel can only travel 4,700 nautical miles at cruising speed.  Japan's Yamato class can travel 7,200 nautical miles at economic speed with the same fuel, and the Bismarck class can also travel 8,500 nautical miles with 7,400 tons of heavy fuel. The efficiency of the U.S. Navy's battleships in fuel conversion is even more amazing, and their endurance is usually 15,000 nautical miles.  above!  With the fleet speed of only 12 knots, it is conceivable that the voyage is long. The Italians are surprisingly patient. Only some of the Japanese officers accompanying them feel anxious and impatient - Commodore Sato seems to be an exception.  , he communicated and communicated with his Italian counterparts exceptionally calmly. Even when an Italian staff officer came to report to Aquino that an aircraft was detected approaching from the rear of the fleet, there was no trace of surprise on his face.  "It must be a German reconnaissance plane!" Admiral Aquino explained disapprovingly to the special liaison officer from Japan. Nowadays, the three Veneto-class battleships in service are all equipped with "sea-mounted equipment" originally purchased from Germany.  "Beat", the price of this kind of primary radar detection equipment certainly makes the Italians grit their teeth, but its actual role is obvious-before the aircraft is observed with the naked eye, the radar can determine its approximate position and distance, so as to provide the commander with  and sailors to respond in advance.  "We should be more than 300 nautical miles away from Gibraltar!" Sato did not stand up and look back like the other two Italian officers - Germany knows the movements of this Italian fleet, then the Americans will also know, whether it is dividing their forces to intercept or  If other countermeasures are taken, as long as the U.S. fleet makes proactive adjustments, the Japanese navy, which is using static braking, may find a good opportunity to attack!  "The ship's range of one day and one night is completely within the range of German long-range reconnaissance aircraft!" Aquino said with a touch of envy in his tone. After high-level coordination, the collaborative efficiency of the German navy and air force has become a model for European countries, not to mention  The strength of the German naval aviation itself is already quite amazing.  Backed by strong technical equipment and a clear strategic thinking, Germany has established a huge aerial reconnaissance network in the pan-European region. Some people even joked that as long as Mussolini appeared on the balcony of the Venice Palace, the German Prime Minister  Two hours later I found out what color hat he was wearing!  About twenty minutes later, an Italian navy captain who stood up to watch came back and said: "It's a four-engine Junkers reconnaissance plane. It is probably equipped with a radar detector and an aerial camera. The weather is so good. The size of our fleet and  "The composition has probably become a diplomatic bargaining chip for the German government!" "This fully demonstrates the value of technology!" Aquino's tone was calm, but the content of his words contained dissatisfaction - it was enough to enter the war without sufficient preparation.  It's so stupid that the additional investment in the military after the outbreak of the war was only used to maintain normal expenses. There was very little funding for technology development and practicality. Very practical equipment such as radar and sonar were only a small amount of equipment.  As for the Italian fleet, it was already at a disadvantage in front of its opponents before they even went into battle.  Under this situation, the top brass of the Italian Navy had already decided that this voyage was only for cheering, and they would not participate in the war if they could. If they had no choice, the primary purpose of the war would be to preserve their strength.  The result of cooperation with everyone¡¯s own thoughts is destined from the beginning.  "How can a stubborn and rigid nation have so many amazing technological inventions?" Sato's emotion is more like a kind of jealousy. For extreme people, their own nation must be the best, but currently the best scientists are concentrated  In Germany and the United States, this is indeed a fact that frustrates the confidence of the people of the island countries.  Italy has an absolute advantage in quantity and quality in both artists and gourmets. Therefore, Admiral Nokia brushed off the issue with disdain. When the roar was faintly heard from overhead, he did not order the fleet to prepare for war, or even take the  He picked up the telescope to observe, but just raised his head and took a glance: due to the low and thick clouds, the German reconnaissance plane flew over from an altitude of less than a thousand meters, completely within the effective range of the 90mm anti-aircraft gun!  In terms of ship design, the Italians often referred to the designs of various European countries, especially their rival France. As a result, their main ships not only had weak endurance, but also had obvious shortcomings in anti-aircraft firepower. These were the problems between 1940 and 1941.  It has not yet been reflected in the Mediterranean War, but based on the several confrontations between the U.S. and Japanese navies in 1942, with the current configuration of the Veneto-class battleships, the outcome may be very disappointing.  In this regard, Commodore Sato has seen it from the beginning, but in addition to reminding the Italians that the U.S. Navy?In addition to the strong strength and flexible tactics of the air force, what he has done and what he can do is very limited.  []
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