Chapter 254 Air Combat System
Following this, the bombers were dispatched again and destroyed another German howitzer position.
The pilots had little rest. They did a short inspection after landing, loaded bombs and refueled, and then set off again.
Carter was a little worried that they were too tired and suggested taking a rest for a while, but the pilot responded indifferently:
"It's nothing, Major, it's almost a tour!"
"Yes, we don't need to worry about anything, we just fly the plane over the enemy's head and drop the bombs, that's all!"
"I think I could do this all day!"
The pilots laughed easily.
This is the "golden age" of bombers. No fighter jets can catch up with them, and there is no anti-aircraft firepower on the ground to pose a threat to them. This allows pilots to perform missions without any pressure.
As a result, just two hours after the first bombing, another German howitzer position was blown up by bombers.
The two successful bombings instantly caused a stir in the press.
The latest is that "The Meritorious Service" 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 o'clock and 11 o'clock this morning, our bombers destroyed two enemy artillery positions."
"One of the artillery positions is a hidden artillery position in the Qimusa area. Our frontline infantry did not even discover it."
"But it was still destroyed by our bomber group!"
"The Meritorious Service" did not report the real bombing process.
If the report is true, it is said that this mission was due to obtaining intelligence in advance to know the location of the howitzer, and then successfully locating it and blowing it up. The result was to remind the Germans to self-examine, which may eventually put the "Lady in White" in danger.
Charles instructed Kobdo to pass the blame on reconnaissance planes and fighter jets.
Kobdo said implicitly in the article:
"It is true that bombers are not suitable for reconnaissance due to shortcomings such as their large size and difficulty in steering."
"But the 'military commentators' seem to have overlooked one point: bombers can cooperate with reconnaissance aircraft and fighter jets."
"The reconnaissance plane discovers the target, and then under the cover of the fighter jets, it indicates the target to the bomber. Success is a matter of course!"
"That is to say, in principle, any target that can be detected by a reconnaissance aircraft can be blown up by a bomber!"
…
The Germans believed this because it was what they saw.
The view that "seeing is believing" is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. If anyone doesn't believe it, who should worry about the German soldiers who survived the battlefield?
French "military commentators" also had to believe it, because this idea was impeccable and could even be realized in actual combat.
But in fact, the reconnaissance aircraft at this time had neither high-power cameras nor radars, and it was very difficult to find hidden targets on the ground unless the Germans showed obvious flaws.
Then the media began to cover the bombers overwhelmingly, and the trend turned from doubt to praise. The "Morning Post" controlled by Schneider and the "Le Figaro" controlled by the right wing were no exception.
This is not something they want to do, but they have to do it in order to survive.
In the final analysis, the media relies on "hot topics" to cater to the public's expectations.
If "Morning Post" and "Le Figaro" go against the general trend today and continue to question, slander and oppose the bombers after their great success, the effect they can have is extremely limited. On the contrary, they will marginalize themselves and have fewer and fewer readers.
One day, when Le Matin and Le Figaro need to introduce certain ideas to the public, they will find that they can no longer push them because no one cares about them.
…
The British Prime Minister looked at the newspaper and fell into thought:
There is only a strait between France and the United Kingdom, only a few dozen miles to be exact. Even if calculated from the French capital Paris, the straight-line distance to the British capital London is only more than two hundred miles.
If one day, French bombers increase their range, does that mean they can drop bombs to London without any scruples?
No, Britain must develop an air control system such as reconnaissance aircraft, fighter jets, and bombers. Otherwise, the entire United Kingdom will not be safe, let alone have any say!
After thinking for a while, the British Prime Minister said to his assistant: "Send someone to France and say that we need bomber technology to fight the Germans!"
While we are still allies, it should be easier to talk about cooperation based on common interests.
…
Kaiser Wilhelm II was having lunch with Falkenhayn.
Lunch is very simple, just two steaks with some fruit and red wine.
William II only had one thing on his mind, how to quickly defeat his enemies and end his depressing life.
William II's life can be said to be a tragedy. When he was young, he was a dissolute prince, and that was his heart.
But since taking over, everything he has done needs to be deliberately constructed, which makes him like a puppet in a cage and being dominated.
As long as he defeats the enemy and ends this battlefield, William II thought, he can end this life and return to his true self!
After lunch, the two of them drank coffee and discussed the war on the Western Front. Falkenhayn remained optimistic:
"While our manpower resources are stretched thin and frontline troops are under tremendous pressure, so is the enemy."
"They are like a dam on the verge of collapse standing in front of us, as dangerous as eggs!"
"I believe that as long as we put a little more pressure on them, 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 and was stunned for a moment, then handed the telegram to Falkenhayn, and said sarcastically:
"General, why do I feel that our defense line is a dam on the verge of collapse?"
Falkenhayn took the telegram and looked at it, and his blood instantly turned pale. The telegram read:
"The French army dispatched bombers to blow up two hidden artillery positions of our army."
Unlike the two airports that were bombed before, this time the French army's bombing target was hidden units.
If the French army can find the hidden units so easily and blow them up one by one, can the Western Front still be defended?
The soldiers on the Western Front are likely to fight the enemy without artillery, aircraft, or even food and ammunition!
It should be the German army that really collapsed!
...
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 and shouted excitedly:
"We are saved! If the French can use this method to deal with the Germans, we can too!"
"Send someone to France to contact Charles immediately. 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!"
