The Rise of the Third Reich

"Imperial Marshal, Your Excellency Marshal, the Japanese call this type of ship an army aircraft carrier, and we call it an amphibious assault ship. In fact, it is modified based on an escort aircraft carrier so that it can carry landing craft, landing troops, and ships at the same time. It is equipped with attack aircraft and has high-level dual-purpose artillery that can carry out ground bombardment. In fact, it is a multi-functional ship that combines the main functions of a light aircraft carrier, a landing ship, a gunboat and other ships..."

In the Port of Kiel, which seemed a little empty after most of the ships had left for Gibraltar, the commander of the German Marine Corps, General Graeme, was introducing to Hessmann and Schleicher a ship that had just been commissioned and looked a little A ship like an aircraft carrier.

This is the "Baltic" amphibious assault ship belonging to the German Marine Corps. It is modified based on the 12,000-ton escort aircraft carrier C aircraft carrier. The standard displacement is similar to that of the C aircraft carrier, reaching 12,500 tons, and the full load displacement reaches 18,300 tons. Driven by two marine diesel engines with a power of 6,000 horsepower, the maximum speed can reach 20 knots.

Like ordinary aircraft carriers, the amphibious assault ship "Baltica" also has a through-type deck that can take off and land aircraft. However, its hangar is very small and can only accommodate 9 Hs-123T carrier-based ground attack aircraft. In addition, 6 such bi-wing ground attack aircraft can be tied to the through-type flight deck, making the number of carrier-based aircraft possible. It has 15 aircraft, which is half less than its prototype C aircraft carrier.

In addition to the hangar that accommodates carrier-based aircraft, the amphibious assault ship also has a landing craft/landing vehicle cabin that occupies the entire three decks. The cabin can carry 10 B-type landing craft (personnel landing craft) with a light load and displacement of 6 tons, 20 E-type landing craft (vehicle landing craft) with a light load and displacement of 6.5 tons, and 20 vehicles carried by the E boat (can carry 1 trucks), 22 equipped with 50mm L-type amphibious tanks, and 2,000 fully armed Marines.

In addition, the "Baltica" also has a high-level dual-purpose gun, anti-aircraft gun and 1 machine gun. Among them, high-level and flat dual-purpose guns can be used to bombard the shore to support landing troops.

On the top platform of the island of the amphibious assault ship "Baltica", two 10-barreled rocket launchers named Type 41 150mm smoke launchers are also installed. This rocket launcher is a product of Dornier. It uses Do38 rockets with a weight of 53 kilograms and a range of up to 6 kilometers. It is also very effective in supporting landing operations.

"Franz, how many Baltic-class ships can be ready before the end of May?" Hersman asked Graeme after getting off the Baltic.

"Five Baltic-class ships can be prepared." Marine Corps Commander General Graham replied.

Marshal Schleicher, commander-in-chief of the Western Front, said: "That can accommodate 10,000 officers and soldiers and 110 No. 3 tanks."

"How many T-type landing ships will there be by the end of May?" Hersman asked again.

The T-type landing ship is currently the largest landing ship in Germany, with a light load displacement of 1,500 tons, a full load displacement of 3,750 tons, and a beaching limit displacement of 2,450 tons. It has a 4,000-horsepower diesel engine and a maximum speed of 16 knots. During landing operations, the bow hatch can be opened, allowing infantry and vehicles to rush directly to the beach.

"There are many T-types. Among them, 25-30 T-1 landing ships can be prepared, 12 T-2 fire support ships can participate in the battle, 8 T-3 air defense support ships can be prepared, and T-4 There are 6 rescue and salvage ships, 5 T-5 multi-purpose repair ships, 5 T-6 landing supply ships, T-6 landing hospital ships, T-7 ammunition supply ships and T-8 seaplane carriers. There are 4 ships.”

The T-type landing ship was designed to be used as a pure tank landing ship. It can not only carry the No. 3 amphibious tank, but also the No. 4 tank and the No. 3 assault gun or the Wasp self-propelled howitzer, as well as a considerable amount of infantry.

But when the German Marine Corps Command later studied landing operations, it discovered that they needed not only landing ships that could transport soldiers and vehicles, but also a variety of ships that could support landing operations. Although the navy's ships can undertake these tasks of supporting landing operations, asking for help is always inferior to asking for help yourself. So after the German Marine Corps was upgraded to an independent branch, it began to modify the T-type landing ship, and finally produced 8 sub-series. With the addition of five "Baltic" class ships, the Marine Corps can already fight a landing battle without direct support from naval ships.

Of course, the premise is that the enemy's large fleet does not appear, our own side has overwhelming air superiority, and there are no densely packed coastal defense armored batteries at the landing site - the beaches of Ireland are obviously the place where these "Baltic" class and T-type ships play a role The best battlefield.

However, it is not easy to sail as many as 78 T-type ships and 5 "Baltic" class amphibious assault ships from Wilhelmshaven, Germany to Ireland. Not only because the entire voyage is nearly 900 nautical miles, it takes 60 hours of continuous driving at a speed of 15 knots.

Also because they have to cross the English Channel, which is heavily blocked by troops. The most dangerous section is the 30-40 kilometers long Dover Strait. The narrowest part of this section is only 28.8 kilometers.

"Mr. Prime Minister, the strait in front of you is the narrowest part of the Strait of Dover. Europe under the rule of Nazi Germany is 28.8 kilometers away. Our Dover cannon can completely shoot a 2,000-pound shell across the strait!"

At this time, Churchill had returned from the United States to Britain, which was about to be invaded. On the second day after returning to Britain, he inspected Dover, the most likely landing site for the German troops. This is the closest area of ​​the British Isles to the European continent, so close that when the weather is good, you can see the other side with the naked eye (I guess it will take a Japanese cat-eye warrior to see it).

Therefore, since the fall of France in 1940, Dover has been a key defense area for the British Home Defense Forces. Baron Ironside, the commander of the Home Defense Forces (Chief of the Imperial General Staff when the World War broke out), who is now taking Churchill to inspect the Dover Fort, is very confident in the defense of Dover.

He told Churchill: "If the Germans landed in France when it had just fallen, Dover would only have antiques to protect against Napoleon. But now, we already have eight armored forts equipped with 1Mark2 artillery, and the range can be fully covered. Go to the ports of Vesant and Sangat on the other side, and you can also shoot the Port of Calais if you use extended-range artillery shells.”

The eight armored forts placed in Dover are all twin-mounted. The cannons assembled are all the best 16-inch guns in Britain. The maximum range is 36.5 kilometers. If special extended-range ammunition is used, the range can be extended to 40 kilometers, allowing artillery shells to fall into the city of Calais.

"Can you hit the target at sea?" Churchill squinted and looked at the foggy strait. It was early morning and the sea was covered with fog as usual.

"No problem," Baron Ironside replied, "Each armored fort has a set of the most advanced 284 fire control radar, so even in the middle of the night, Dover's cannon can hit a battleship 30 kilometers away."

This is of course a bit of a boast. Although the 284 radar can barely function as fire control, it still needs the cooperation of flares to effectively hit enemy ships. However, there are 16 cannons guarding the Strait of Dover, and it is not easy for the landing ship group to pass.

"In addition, there are not only these 8 armored forts in Dover, we also have 12 other forts." Baron Ironside saw Churchill frowning slightly and added, "Three of them are equipped with 15-inch /42 caliber Mark 1 artillery (range 26.5 kilometers), 3 are equipped with 14-inch / 45 caliber Mark 7 artillery, and 6 turrets are equipped with 12-inch old-fashioned artillery, but they are more than enough to deal with heavy cruisers. "

"That's 40 cannons," Fatty Qiu nodded. "That's enough to deal with surface ships. What about air defense?"

Baron Ironside said, "There are a total of 10 anti-aircraft artillery positions in the Dover area, deploying 240 twin-mounted 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns and single-mounted 3.7-inch (94mm) anti-aircraft guns."

"There is no heavy anti-aircraft gun that can shoot 11,000 meters?" Churchill asked.

"No, there is not much production of 5.25-inch (133mm) anti-aircraft guns, and now they can only meet the needs of the navy."

Due to the emergence of wire-controlled glide bombs that can be dropped at an altitude of 10,000 meters, all British large and medium-sized surface ships and even large merchant ships must be equipped with 5.25-inch heavy anti-aircraft guns. As demand suddenly increases, production will naturally not be able to keep up.

Baron Ironside saw that Churchill seemed uneasy, and added: "Prime Minister, the Royal Air Force Fighter Command already has many Spitfire 10 fighters and Mustang fighters (P51). If the German bombers dare to come, they will be there." I can bear it.”

"We still need to equip 5.25-inch anti-aircraft guns as soon as possible." Fatty Qiu gave instructions, and then asked, "Is there any way to deal with the German airborne troops? Those guys are very powerful!"

"Of course we are prepared," Baron Ironside replied. "We have deployed the 30th Armored Brigade at Dover, which can be used both to counterattack the beachhead and to destroy the German airborne troops. In addition, we have The army force near the Strait of Dover is very strong. In addition to the 30th Armored Brigade, there is also a motorized infantry division, an infantry division, a fortress division and an air defense division, with a total strength of more than 50,000. Enough to repel any invading enemy!"