Chapter 801 Anti-aircraft Gun
Charles was about eight-tenths full and was picking up the milk when he saw General Winter walking into the office with a smile on his face.
"Charles, my friend." General Winter handed a gift box to Charles: "Long time no see, this is a gift for you."
Charles took a look and saw that they were high-end coffee beans from Guatemala.
Charles had heard of this coffee because it was on the French shipping embargo list and was considered a luxury item, not a necessity.
General Winter came closer, patted the gift box in his hand and lowered his voice: "It's made in Antigua, General, please accept it."
The Antigua region is the best of the best.
The coffee beans there are of excellent quality due to the volcanic soil and microclimate, and the price has been driven up to more than $300 a box.
Charles nodded calmly.
General Winter underestimated Charles too much. Now Charles has no sense for a few hundred dollars.
Especially since this is a military camp, the soldiers are suffering, the citizens are receiving "wartime rationing", and Charles is enjoying a can of coffee that costs more than $300.
This can of coffee beans is even enough to buy an American Jn4 aircraft, which is simply a crime!
If this matter were to get out, it would immediately bring unnecessary negative impact to Charles.
Charles didn't hesitate. He nodded to the signalman and pushed the coffee over. "Send it to the warehouse and distribute it to the wounded."
"Yes, General." The signalman stood up in awe, saluted Charles properly, and took the coffee with both hands.
General Winter was a little embarrassed. He spread his hands and said, "Sorry, I didn't know you didn't like it..."
"No, I like it very much." Charles stood up and shook hands with General Winter:
"I thank you on behalf of the wounded, General."
"It's just that it's probably popular in the British Army and you're used to it."
"But that's not the case in my army."
General Winter forced a smile and said, "I know. This is one of the reasons why you are so successful in every battle."
"I guess so." Charles invited General Winter to sit on the sofa next to him, and the orderly brought coffee to them.
"Is this not the only reason you came here today?" asked Charles.
"Of course." General Winter replied, "I heard that you are producing a new type of warship, and this type of warship will be equipped with an anti-aircraft machine gun?"
"That's a rumor, General," Charles answered simply.
General Winter was stunned: "You mean there are no anti-aircraft machine guns?"
"No."
General Winter was unconvinced: "But how do you deal with enemy aircraft? I mean your warships."
"My warships?" Charles laughed. "Do you think France has the warships to deal with enemy aircraft?"
General Winter was speechless.
The French warships did not have such a need. They were at one end of the English Channel and their base was in Antwerp. It was impossible for the German warships to break through from this direction, as that would be tantamount to seeking their own death.
"Please, General." General Winter was unwilling to accept the result: "It was you who invented the torpedo plane. Now the Germans have learned your tactics. They put torpedoes on planes like you did. This has caused us a lot of trouble."
"You mean I have to take responsibility for this?" Charles asked back, "Or do you think I should ask the Germans for copyright fees?"
General Winter hastened to deny: "Of course not. But since the torpedo plane is your invention, you must have a way to deal with it, right?"
Charles didn't say anything, which was considered as his agreement.
General Winter's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward unconsciously, his eyes full of anticipation: "So, you have a way to deal with it?"
Charles nodded. "It's not an anti-aircraft machine gun, it's an anti-aircraft cannon, General."
General Winter's eyes widened instantly: "Machine gun? You mean, it has a longer range than a machine gun?"
Charles opened the drawer and took out a sketch and handed it over: "The maximum range is 4389 meters, and the effective range is 914 meters."
(Note: The maximum range of air defense is also meaningful. Although the accuracy is not high, it can be hit by relying on the density of firepower. The effective range refers to the distance at which the target can be hit with a high probability, excluding the human shooting factor and the bullet dispersion is within an acceptable range)
General Winter became excited after seeing the sketch: "I knew it, I knew you had countermeasures!"
Then he looked at Charles eagerly again: "You will sell it to us, right?"
"I'm sorry, General," Charles replied, "this is our latest equipment and we don't sell it to anyone."
"But we are allies..."
"Even allies are not good enough." Charles shook his head:
"You know, if this anti-aircraft gun is leaked, it means the Germans will use it against our bombers."
"Not only at sea, but also on land. Then it will threaten France's air supremacy."
“I have to be very cautious.”
General Winter was silent.
Charles had good reasons.
France was the party with air superiority. The sky was full of French planes, and the German Air Force could only stay away.
If anti-aircraft machine guns appeared in the hands of the Germans, it would be equivalent to handing the thing that restrained themselves into the hands of the enemy, which could change the entire battlefield situation.
So, it is indeed not suitable for export, even if the UK is an ally.
Charles picked up the coffee and said slowly, "Perhaps you can talk about the trouble you encountered."
"Bergen Port." General Winter sighed:
“We’re losing control of it.”
"The Germans used seaplanes equipped with torpedoes to drive away our fleet, and then sent out warships to control the route."
"They are about to succeed, and then the Germans will be able to get the necessary supplies from the Port of Bergen."
Charles knew this, he just wanted to hear General Winter say it himself.
Charles wanted to see how badly the once-mighty British Empire and the Royal Navy, which had the most powerful fleet in the world, would be dealt with under the threat of German bombers.
"So, you thought of anti-aircraft weapons?" asked Charles.
General Winter said, “Hmm.”
"We noticed that the German bombers had to maintain a steady flight and reduce speed and altitude when dropping torpedoes."
"We think anti-aircraft firepower can be used very well."
"I mean, of course, effective anti-aircraft firepower."
The air defense of existing warships is too weak, the bullets of the Maxim machine gun are too small to cause much damage to wooden aircraft bodies, and they also have the disadvantage of short range, and the time window to hit the target is too short.
(Note: refers to the range of high-angle air shooting)
The "bang bang cannon", although with a large caliber, has a very low rate of fire and its hit rate is also unsatisfactory.
Then, General Winter remembered that this torpedo plane was invented by Charles, who certainly knew these characteristics, and he was just showing off his skills.
This frustrated General Winter.
The world's most powerful country, the British Royal Navy, which is so high and mighty, has to be humble in front of Charles.
(End of this chapter)
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