Chapter 254 Air Combat System
Following this, the bombers sortied again and destroyed another German howitzer position.
The pilots had almost no rest. After landing, they made a quick inspection, loaded the bombs and filled up the fuel before setting off again.
Carter was a little worried that they were too tired and suggested that they take a break, but the pilot replied nonchalantly:
"It's nothing, Major, it's almost a tour!"
"Yes, we don't have to worry about anything. We just need to fly the plane over the enemy's head and drop the bomb, that's all!"
"I think I could do this all day!"
The pilots laughed easily.
This was the "golden age" of bombers. No fighter jets could catch up with them, and there was no anti-aircraft firepower on the ground to pose a threat to them, which allowed pilots to perform their missions without any pressure.
So, just two hours after the first bombing, another German howitzer position was destroyed by bombers.
The two successful bombings instantly caused a sensation in the press.
The latest is that the Meritorious Newspaper urgently published a special report in the newspaper. It was published more than half an hour after the battle ended. The article was even written before the attack:
"At 8 and 11 this morning, our bombers destroyed two enemy artillery positions."
"One of the artillery positions was a hidden artillery position in the Qimusa area, and our front-line infantry could not even find it."
"But it was still destroyed by our bomber squadron!"
The Meritorious Newspaper did not report the actual bombing process.
If the report was true, saying that the mission was based on advance intelligence about the location of the howitzer, which was then successfully located and blew up, the result would have been to alert the Germans and ask them to check themselves, which would have likely put the "Lady in White" in danger.
Charles instructed Kobdo to put the blame on the reconnaissance planes and fighter planes.
Kobdo said cryptically in the article:
"It is true that bombers are not suitable for reconnaissance due to their large size and inconvenient turning."
"But the 'military critics' seem to have overlooked one point: bombers can work in tandem with reconnaissance aircraft and fighter jets."
"The reconnaissance plane finds the target, and then indicates the target to the bomber under the cover of the fighter plane, and success is a natural outcome!"
"In other words, any target that can be detected by a reconnaissance aircraft can, in principle, be destroyed by a bomber!"
…
The Germans believed this because that's what they saw.
The idea that "seeing is believing" is deeply rooted in people's minds. If anyone doesn't believe it, the German soldiers who survived the battlefield will be very angry!
French "military critics" had to believe it because the idea was impeccable and could even be implemented in actual combat.
But in fact, the reconnaissance aircraft at that time had neither high-power cameras nor radars, and it was very difficult to find hidden targets on the ground unless the Germans revealed obvious flaws.
Then the media began to report on the bomber extensively, and the tone of the news changed from questioning to praise. The "Morning News" controlled by Schneider and the right-wing "Figaro" were no exception.
It's not that they want to do this, but they have to do it in order to survive.
The media ultimately exists by catering to public expectations based on "hot topics".
If today's "Morning Post" and "Le Figaro" go against the trend and continue to question, slander and oppose the bomber after its huge success, the effect they can play will be extremely limited, and they will instead marginalize themselves and their readers will become fewer and fewer.
One day, when Le Matin and Le Figaro need to promote certain ideas to the public, they will find that they can no longer do so because no one is interested in them.
…
The British Prime Minister looked at the newspaper and fell into deep thought:
France and Britain are separated by only a strait, or to be exact, only a few dozen miles. Even if calculated from the French capital of Paris, the straight-line distance to the British capital of London is only more than 200 miles.
If one day, the range of French bombers increased, does it mean that they could drop bombs on London without any scruples?
No, the UK must develop an air control system including reconnaissance aircraft, fighter jets and bombers, otherwise the whole of the UK will not be safe, let alone the right to speak!
After thinking for a while, the British Prime Minister said to his assistant: "Send someone to France and tell them that we need bomber technology to fight the Germans!"
It should be easier to discuss cooperation based on common interests while we are still allies.
…
German Emperor Wilhelm II was having lunch with Falkenhayn at the time.
Lunch was simple, just two steaks, some fruit and red wine.
William II had only one thing in his mind: how to quickly defeat the enemy and end his repressive life.
William II's life can be said to be a tragedy. He was a dissolute prince when he was young, and that was his inner self.
But since he ascended the throne, everything he did had to be deliberately created, which made him like a puppet locked in a cage and controlled by others.
William II thought that as long as he defeated the enemy and ended the battlefield, he could end this life and return to his true self!
After lunch, the two men drank coffee and discussed the war on the Western Front. Falkenhayn remained optimistic:
"Although our manpower is tight and the frontline troops are under tremendous pressure, the enemy is also under such pressure."
"They are like a dam on the verge of collapse standing in front of us, as dangerous as an egg!"
"I believe that as long as we exert a little more pressure, they will collapse in front of us, and then our army will once again move towards complete victory!"
At this time, the staff sent a telegram to William II. William II looked at the telegram for a moment, then handed it to Falkenhayn and said sarcastically:
"General, why do I feel that our defense line is the dam on the verge of collapse?"
Falkenhayn took the telegram and looked at it, his blood instantly turned pale. The telegram read:
"The French army dispatched bombers to destroy two of our hidden artillery positions."
Unlike the two airports that were destroyed previously, this time the French bombing targeted hidden units.
If the French could so easily find the hidden units and blow them up one by one, could the Western Front still be defended?
Soldiers on the Western Front would likely have to fight the enemy without artillery, aircraft, or even food and ammunition!
The ones that really collapsed should be the German army!
…
The Russian Tsar learned the news during dinner. He was chewing his food when he received the telegram. He dropped his knife and fork as if he had been electrocuted. He stood up with a bang and shouted excitedly:
"We are saved! If the French can use this method against the Germans, we can do it too!"
"Immediately send someone to France to contact Charles and buy it at all costs. No...try to get the authorization to produce it."
"I believe they will agree. They don't want the Eastern Front to collapse. This is the best reinforcement for us!"
(End of this chapter)
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