June 9, 1941. The sea area west of Norway, south of Iceland, and northeast of Scotland, known as Norway, has become a key battlefield that determines the fate of the British Empire.

When dawn arrived on June 9, the main force of the German high seas and the British local fleet had already gathered in this not-so-wide sea area. Germany had 2 aircraft carriers, 3 battleships and 4 heavy cruisers with very powerful combat power, as well as many light cruisers and destroyers.

The British side has invested 4 powerful fleet aircraft carriers, 1 battlecruiser (Hood), 4 battleships (Nelson, King George V, Prince of Wales and Lamilis), 5 treaty heavy cruisers and many light cruisers and destroyers. In addition, the Counterattack battlecruiser, which survived death in the southwest waters of Ireland, was heading towards the Norwegian Sea under the protection of three destroyers, preparing to meet with the fleet.

The Americans who had not yet officially participated in the war also deployed a squadron in Iceland near the Norwegian Sea, including a battleship and an aircraft carrier. At the request of the British, this American fleet has now left Reykjavik, Iceland, and entered the Danish Strait between Iceland and Greenland, acting as the eyes and ears of the British Royal Navy.

At the same time, the Americans sent a large number of fighter planes and reconnaissance planes to "fly" south and east of Iceland, ready to stop the German planes they discovered for the British.

In addition, the neutral U.S. imperialism also helped Britain another big favor. They allowed the British "Sea Spitfire" carrier-based fighter jets to complete the escort mission and land in Iceland for refueling, and then fly back to their motherships. This can partially overcome the shortcomings of insufficient range of the "Sea Spitfire" and allow this carrier-based aircraft to escort SBD carrier-based dive bombers and TBD carrier-based torpedo bombers to fly further.

In addition to Iceland, the Faroe Islands controlled by the UK can also be used as a gas station for "Sea Spitfire" to increase the actual combat radius of "Sea Spitfire". However, the "Sea Spitfire" on the four aircraft carriers of the British fleet still cannot reach the German aircraft carrier formation, so they can only allow the Faroe Islands to take off and take off P-51 and P-40 to take off to the target sea area to undertake cover tasks.

Lieutenant General James Somerville stood on the platform outside the bridge of the Ark Royal and looked at a US Navy's pby Caterina seaplane near the Ark Royal that passed by from a low altitude. He said to Colonel Scott beside him with some emotion: "It would be great if these Americans could really fight side by side with us."

"General, they will fight with us soon." Colonel Scott's voice was a little hoarse. He had not closed his eyes for more than 24 hours. He paused and said, "General, it's already dawn, and the air strike can begin now!"

Now there are few old birds in the Royal Navy's aviation forces that can only take off from the aircraft carrier at night. Therefore, they cannot play with the night air strikes, so they have to release the plane after dawn.

Somerville looked down at the neatly arranged SBD dive bombers on the flight deck. The deck crew was making final preparations for the planes before takeoff.

The ammunition hands in white work clothes and orange life jackets checked the safety bolts of the 1,000-pound bomb hanger for the last time, and then gave the bomb dropper inside the cabin a thumbs up and waved a few times.

"I just received a message that 45 minutes ago, a Short Sunderland seaplane of the Coast Air Force lost contact, so we can only roughly determine the location of the German fleet." Colonel Scott said to Somerville in a low voice.

This Short Sunderland seaplane disappeared while following and monitoring the German fleet, and was mostly killed by the Folk Zero on the German aircraft carrier. Considering the location and time of the loss of contact, the German aircraft should have taken off the aircraft carrier when the sky was quite dark.

"It's only 45 minutes, the Germans can't run far, our planes can find them." Somerville estimated it in his mind, and then said, "Order the planes to take off! Then generate electricity for the Coast Air Force and let them dispatch the shore-based aircraft on the Faroe Islands as soon as possible to attack."

The aircraft carrier had already started sailing at full speed against the wind. Now with Somerville's order, the prepared electric ringtone immediately rang on the deck. When the flight commander saw the take-off signal lights start to flash, he quickly waved the command flag in his hand.

The pilot of the SBD Fearless Aircraft, who had been impatient, pushed the throttle rod forward, and the aircraft engine began to run wildly, and soon the propeller reached the take-off speed. A huge SBD Fearless Aircraft began to gallop on the deck. A few meters away from the bow of the ship, the wheel suddenly left the deck and the plane jumped up.

As the first SBD flew into the sky with fearlessness, four British aircraft carriers began to release carrier-based aircraft continuously. The takeoff process was unexpectedly smooth and no accident occurred. All 90 carrier-based aircraft (51 SBDs and 39 TBDs) that formed the first assault wave were all safely launched, forming several inverted V-type formations, and flew eastward.

"May God bless them!" Somerville prayed silently in his heart, then watched his plane disappear into the vast blue sky before he slowly breathed out. Turning around and just walked into the bridge, a staff officer with surprise on his face shouted at him: "Lieutenant General, an American seaplane has discovered the German fleet!"

"That's great!" Somerville couldn't help but pat his hands, "Send the coordinates to the first assault wave immediately!"

...

"We are a US Navy aircraft, and this is the high seas. We are driving the power of free navigation in accordance with international law. Please do not stop it!"

The American accent English sounded in Little Hessman's headphones. He was now flying a Folk Zero followed by a US Navy Pby Caterina seaplane. The American seaplane is close to Little Hessman's plane, and Little Hessman wanted to shoot it down, just like he did an hour ago with a British Short Sunderland seaplane.

But this is an unbeatable American aircraft! Before the fleet approached Iceland, all pilots, including Hessman Jr., had already received orders not to fire at American aircraft first...even if they had seriously interfered with the combat operations of the German fleet!

Just on the sea less than 10 kilometers away from Little Hessmann, the German Navy's aircraft carriers "Sedlitz" and "Sekt" were sailing rapidly to the northeast under the protection of two heavy cruisers, four light cruisers and 12 destroyers.

According to the original plan, the German aircraft carrier formation should have released a carrier-based aircraft one hour ago to bomb the British fleet (B fleet) 200 nautical miles away. However, just before the carrier-based aircraft took off, the radar of the "Sedlez" discovered a British seaplane.

Helmut Haye immediately realized that the fleet's whereabouts had been exposed! British aircraft on the Faroe Islands and carrier-based aircraft on the British aircraft carriers that may exist will definitely launch air strikes after dawn.

Therefore, Helmut Haye made a quick decision to give up the air strike and turned the bow of the ship to escape eastward. He also ordered all the Folk 99s on the aircraft carrier deck to be replaced with Folk Zero so that the carrier-based fighter jets would be released immediately if necessary.

But what he didn't expect was that before the British air raid fleet arrived, an American seaplane flew over first and claimed that he wanted "freedom of navigation".

"Lieutenant General, beat it down!" Colonel Xinze, the captain of the Seedlits, walked to Lieutenant General Hayes and suggested, "Otherwise the British will find us easily."

Helmut Haye shook his head gently. He had the right to order the fighter to fire, but he didn't want to do that.

"This American plane must have sent our coordinates to the British!" Helmut Haye said with a sneer, "The British planes will fly over and die soon, we have to kill them!"

He looked at his watch again and said, "The planes in the Faroe Islands will arrive in about an hour and a half. We will release all carrier-based fighters in 45 minutes."

...

With a muffled bang, another Ar-196 seaplane was ejected into the sky, and then shook its wings and flew westward. This was the last seaplane released by the Battleship Bismarck.

Gunther Lütjens withdrew his gaze and looked at Colonel Lindman beside him and said, "We avoid the aircraft patrol circles that set up the Terran Islands and the Faroe Islands and continue to sail north..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the fleet's communications consultant shouted loudly: "Sir, I received a telegram from the aircraft carrier formation that they were discovered by British seaplanes, and there is still an American seaplane following. The aircraft carrier formation is now sailing northeast at full speed... It is expected to engage in an enemy fleet in one and a half hours!"

"Discovered?" Gunther Lütjens was stunned, "Why are there American seaplanes? What do Americans want to do?"

"Admiral, do we still have to go north?" Colonel Lindman asked with some uncertainty.

Gunther Lütjens thought for a while and said, "Of course we can't go north anymore. We have to stay in the protection circle of the Bergensbank aircraft... We go west and towards the Shetlands!"

"Go to Shetland Islands?" Lindman was surprised. "Admiral, are we going to deliberately expose our target?"

"Yes!" Gunther Lütjens nodded, "We cannot let aircraft carriers bear all enemy aircraft... They are outside the combat radius of -190, so we should expose it and attract some of the enemy aircraft. The British shore-based Wellington bombers and Beaufort torpedo bombers are of little use, and we will not suffer heavy damage as well as the -190 cover of Bergen and Stavanger."

At this time, the fleet's communications consultant made a suggestion, "Admiral, if we want to be exposed, we can make the radio send a large number of radio signals."
Chapter completed!