Chapter 380 Italian Noodles VI

"Admiral, the main force of the British fleet is turning southeast and heading for us!"

The news of the main force of the British Mediterranean Fleet turning was quickly transferred to the Italian fleet's flagship battleship Count Cavour, which was heading northwest through the Italian Navy Headquarters.

Now the British fleet is sailing southeast, while the Italian fleet is sailing northwest, and the two sides are heading head-on!

"The British have discovered us!" Admiral Compioni immediately made a wrong but common sense judgment.

The British fleet, which "will destroy the enemy when it sees them", would not be scared away by a few German planes, so they must have known the location of the Italian main fleet. Although the Italian main fleet did not find any British reconnaissance aircraft approaching, the area near Benghazi is an area where British submarines are relatively active. The Italian main fleet is a large target, and it is normal to be discovered by submarines.

"Admiral, the distance between us and them is less than 180 nautical miles, which is within the attack range of Swordfish and Big Gull aircraft." Major General Baronni's judgment was also wrong. He believed that the British might send carrier-based aircraft for air strikes. "They have two aircraft carriers, which can carry at least 80 aircraft in the Mediterranean."

In addition to the area occupied by the aircraft (whether the wings are folded), the hangar area and the loading method determine the number of carrier-based aircraft. According to the method of hangar storage + hangar top suspension + deck mooring, the Italian "Eagle" and "Sparrowhawk" aircraft carriers, which are converted from cruise ships and have small hangar areas, can carry more than 50 carrier-based aircraft.

However, this loading method is not feasible in the high sea conditions of the Atlantic Ocean, and usually only a single hangar storage method is used. Therefore, the Glory and Eagle, which have a small number of carriers in the Atlantic Ocean, can carry more aircraft in the Mediterranean, and the attack power will be greatly increased.

"At what distance can our G.50 attack?" Admiral Compione also believed that his fleet had no way to escape, so he also prepared to launch an air strike to counterattack.

"The G.50 carrier-based aircraft has a combat radius of only 130 nautical miles after the bombs are hung, and this is the maximum," said Rear Admiral Baroni, "so I suggest releasing the carrier-based aircraft at a distance of 100 nautical miles. Considering that we are sailing face to face with the enemy fleet, the carrier-based aircraft can be released in 2 hours."

"Then start the attack in 2 hours!" Admiral Compioni made up his mind, "So, where is the 'Sparrowhawk'?"

"Admiral, the 'Sparrowhawk' aircraft carrier and the 2nd Battle Fleet are sailing southeast about 100 nautical miles southeast of Taranto Port."

"Let the 2nd Battle Fleet also launch an air strike!" Admiral Compioni ordered, "Send a telegram to the Navy Command and ask them to ask the Air Force to send fighters to cover the 2nd Battle Fleet."

"Air Force? Admiral, do you think we can trust the Italian Air Force?" Baroni immediately raised an objection.

Admiral Compioni snorted: "Italy's fate is in the hands of those fascists. What reason do they have to neglect it?"

...

"Admiral Compioni has decided to engage in battle. The carrier-based aircraft will be released in 2 hours!"

With the voice of the staff report, the atmosphere in the operations room of the Italian Navy Headquarters on Cassian Avenue suddenly became tense.

"The British carrier-based aircraft will probably be dispatched first, right?" Admiral Hans Jeschonnek, who was still in the Italian Navy Headquarters, was very familiar with the general performance of various types of British aircraft. "Their Swordfish and Big Gull have a longer range, and now they can reach Admiral Compioni's fleet."

"Did Fw-200C discover the British aircraft carrier launching carrier-based aircraft?" Admiral Cavgnari asked immediately.

"No," a staff member immediately replied, "The British aircraft carrier did not launch carrier-based aircraft, but they launched seaplanes."

"The British did not discover our fleet." Admiral Cavgnari made an accurate judgment this time.

"But they will find out soon," Admiral Sanmigli said, "There are at least six Walrus seaplanes on the three British battleships."

This is not a fluke. The G.50 has a limited range and can only attack when it is 100 nautical miles close to the British fleet. It is impossible not to be discovered by the British fleet at this distance, and the G.50's attack power is not strong. Even if 50 are dispatched, it is impossible to severely damage the British fleet with radar and sea flames.

"Admiral," another staff report came at this time, "Admiral Compionni requested the Air Force to cover the 2nd Battle Fleet."

"Air Force?" Admiral Cavgnari frowned, "Can they reach it?"

The Italian Air Force is also famous for its short legs. The current main fighters G.50, MC.200 and CR.42 cannot fly far. Among them, the longest range is the outdated biplane fighter CR.42, which is only 780 kilometers.

"We can send out the CR.42," Admiral Sanmigli glanced at Jeschonnek, "and there are also eight German Fokker Zeros that can be deployed."

"We can send eight Fokker Zeros over the British fleet, and have the Italian Air Force send out a few S.M.79s," Admiral Jeschonnek suggested, "The British will have to send out the Seafires to fight, and our Fokker Zeros can circle around the Seafires and use up their fuel, so that your G.50s will have a chance."

What Hans Jeshunek proposed was a damaging move, using the long range of the Fokker Zero to use up the Spitfire's fuel, forcing them to return. This tactic was invented during the Western Front Campaign, and was now used in the air battle over the Atlantic, with very good results.

Admiral Kavniari thought for a while, nodded and said to Deputy Chief of Staff Admiral Sanmigli: "That's it, ask the Air Force to send CR.42 to cover the 2nd Battle Fleet. Let them send at least one more The squadron's S.M.79s, protected by Fokker Zeros, harassed the British fleet."

Admiral Sanmigli received the order and immediately called the Italian Air Force Command. After a lot of talking, the Italian Air Force finally agreed to dispatch aircraft.

However, the Italian Air Force still paid no attention to matters at sea. A squadron of MC.200s took off quickly, but it was not the CR.42 required by the navy, but the MC.200 deployed in Sicily. Their usual missions It is escorting transport planes flying over the island of Malta, so it is relatively familiar with the waters in this area. However, the range of this aircraft is too short and cannot provide long-term direct cover for the 2nd Battle Fleet.

However, the 12 S.M.79s (all of which were medium bombers) were not dispatched until the afternoon of July 8, and they did not form a formation with the German Fokker Zero. Instead, they flew over the British and Italian fleets that were exchanging fire and dropped them indiscriminately. 60 250kg high explosive bombs...

…

"Admiral, the reconnaissance plane has discovered the Italian fleet, battleship 2, aircraft carrier 1, heavy cruiser 6, the location is..."

At 11:55, just before noon, a Walrus seaplane launched by the battleship Warspite sent a telegram reporting the position and number of ships of the Italian fleet.

"They are heading towards us, less than 100 nautical miles away, and...the seaplane also found that the aircraft carrier was releasing aircraft!" Rear Admiral Crutchley frowned, "That should be G.50, according to the intelligence it should be G. .50.”

The Italian G.50 is not terrible. If it is replaced by the German Fokker Zero and Fokker 99, it will be a big trouble!

"They are G.50s, otherwise they would have taken off long ago." Admiral Cunningham did not have the slightest worry. "Ordered the Spitfires to take off nine first, occupy high-altitude positions, and then release all the Swordfish and Great Gulls to form a 2 attack waves to attack the Italian fleet."

The distance is less than 100 nautical miles, and it takes only 30 minutes at G.50 speed. The range of the G.50 is too short and it is impossible to form a large formation. It is estimated that the attack will be in units of 9 or 12 aircraft. Therefore, Cunningham immediately ordered 9 of the 9 Spitfires to take off to fight.

"Admiral, there are still four Fokker Zeros around us." Major General Crutchley quickly reminded, "Should we send Spitfires to drive them away?"

"Unnecessary," Admiral Cunningham shook his head, "These planes are very difficult to deal with, and our Spitfires don't have that skill. Moreover...the German bombers have not come yet, and they are obviously still in Naya. . Only a few Fokker Zeros and Fw-200s were sent to Sicily or Taranto."

Cunningham knew the Germans very well. They were known for their accuracy. If bombers could get them, how could they not come for so long? This kind of thing is not allowed in Germany, but it would be normal for Italians. They have at least 79 in the Eastern Mediterranean, but the British Royal Navy has not seen even one in the past two months - the Italians clearly have an overwhelming advantage, but they have given the British Mediterranean Fleet the upper hand. It is really stupid!

"We clearly have 79s that can reach the British and blow them to pieces, but we still have to dispatch carrier-based aircraft like the G.50. It's really nonsense!"

Watching one G.50 after another take off from the "Eagle" aircraft carrier, Admiral Compioni was not happy at all. This time he dispatched 3 squadrons with a total of 36 G.50s, divided into 3 attack waves to bomb the British fleet.

But he also knew that such an attack intensity would not achieve much results at all. At the same time, there are at least 600 S.M.79s that can carry two 500-kg bombs for attack on airfields in Sicily, North Africa, the southern Apennine Peninsula, and Albania, doing nothing.