1947 Strategic Adjustment 2
"In addition, we must also seize the training of pilots. In addition to transferring some fighter pilots to the newly established interceptor units, some experienced bombers and reconnaissance aircraft pilots can also join the interceptor units. As for bomb throwers and radio communication personnel, except for leaving the necessary ones, the rest are all trained by machine gunners." Trenchard said.
"Marson, it is probably a very tragic thing to ask the bomber pilot to conduct interception operations. The German interceptor pilots are all fighter pilots. At least they know how to deal with most air combat situations." Wells said a little unbearable.
"However, we cannot let precious fighter pilots attack the German fire hedgehogs. This is a huge waste of resources. Because whether this kind of battle can survive depends more on luck rather than the pilot's skills. Fighter pilots are insufficient and need to fight against German fighters. Therefore, we can only use second-rate personnel to fly interceptors. Their mission is to rush to a close enough distance, and then kill the bomber in front of them before the other party hits them!" Trenchard's words revealed a sense of determination.
"Well, if interceptor pilots can perform 15 missions, they can transfer to other non-combat departments." Trenchard sighed and said, no matter at any time, the interceptor pilots in any country's air force have the highest death rate. Even in the Bavarian Air Force, the interceptor troops have a large number of fighter covers, are equipped with special interceptors, and have special cannons. The death rate is more than twice that of ordinary fighter troops! On the battlefield in Asia Minor, it was normal for a squadron to 18 aircraft head-on to rush the British bomber troops to lose 3 aircraft in one round.
After determining the equipment and personnel issues of the Royal Air Force in the future with Wells, Marshal Trenchard began to adjust the internal structure of the aviation force. The first thing he had to do was to draw a large number of technicians to rush to the rear to prepare for the formation and improvement of the interceptor force. Then, he charged some of the personnel into the air defense force, increased the air defense fire density in the key areas, and began to learn from the Germans, preparing to re-establish an air warning network. When the fighter force was not strong, Trenchard could only rely on anti-aircraft guns to ensure the safety of key positions, not asking for a few enemy aircraft, but only trying to drive the opponent away.
The airline team in the UK that was on the offshore flight can no longer rest. Using the few remaining v1500 as an imaginary enemy, the offshore flight team conducted interception exercises on bombers in the UK. A group of outstanding pilots who retreated from the front line due to combat injuries or other reasons were also enriched to various aviation schools to accelerate the training of pilots. Trenchard prepared for equipment and personnel. However, there was one problem that could not be solved, that is, the fuel of the British air force was really tight, so the British pilot training had to be mainly ground education. The flight time before going to the battlefield was compressed to only about 15 hours!
"Hope, the Germans can give me 2 months." After some adjustments, Marshal Trenchard has done everything he can do at the moment. And the rest is not something he can decide. He depends on how the Germans choose.
"I am not worried that the German bombers will bomb our traffic lines, artillery positions or corps stations. The bomber projection is very limited and the accuracy is relatively low. It will not be very effective against any defensive ground units. If the Germans do this, we can ignore it. But what I am worried is that if the Germans attack our transport ships on the English Channel, the situation will probably be completely different. A hit torpedo may send a ship worth tens of thousands of tons and thousands of tons of materials directly to the sea! We cannot afford such losses." In a telegram to General Hager, Marshal Trenchard wrote.
If this happens, then what Trenchard can do will only allow this Royal Air Force, which has not yet completed its transformation, to participate in the cruel air defense operations. Of course, if the battle over the English Channel is fought, the British have certain advantages. They are closer to the airport, and the parachuting personnel can get rescued quickly, while the Germans are at a disadvantage.
After the bombing of British airports in the first few days, the Luftwaffe's attack strength dropped significantly. Many people still think that the storm has passed, but those who really know about the Air Force know that this is just an end. Because the Germans are not short of fuel and bombs, the losses are very small, and they stop attacking now is definitely not because they are unable to reach their strength. The biggest possibility is to find a suitable target. Just like a hunter, after consuming the physical strength of the prey, he began to consider how to start and then let one blow be fatal! You can also understand that in the bullfighting performance, the bullfighter used his gorgeous steps and skills to consume the power of the bull, and the bull-killer entered the field and began to prepare to use his spear to solve the bull!
Trenchard saw it even more clearly. Perhaps the Luftwaffe was weighing the benefits and costs of attacking the English Channel at this time! The air strikes on port cities such as Dunkirk and the English Channel are obvious. As long as the Germans have enough crews with experience in attacking ships, the gains of a large-scale attack will be absolutely generous in the good weather. And there is almost no need to consider attacking that day, because now, no matter that day, the English Channel is busy. Not to mention anything else, the British just have to ensure the consumption and supplies of more than 1.5 million troops in France? The 50 million tons of coal needed by the French every year are also necessary! Just talking about coal mines, on average, there is nearly 150,000 tons of coal mines per day!
"It seems that I need to deploy some of the fighter troops near and in the English Channel." Trenchard couldn't help but shivered when he thought of the German bomber group flying quickly over the English Channel and dropped a torpedo and bomb. This situation was really terrible.
Trenchard guessed halfway. After relied on the sudden attack and successfully hit Royal Air Force again, the German bomber group did reduce the intensity of the air strikes. The German eagle, who had just stretched out its sharp claws, returned to its nest again, looking down at its opponent in the clouds. Trenchard thought about the safety of the English Channel route, and the Germans also thought about it, but what the Royal Air Force marshal could not have imagined was that the Germans not only focused on the English Channel this time!
Chapter completed!