Prince Heinrich, the third child of Frederick III and brother to Wilhelm II, had served diligently in the German Navy. He previously held the esteemed positions of Commander of the High Seas Fleet and Inspector General of the Navy.
As Heinrich prepared for retirement, Qin Tian approached him with a proposal to command the aircraft carrier fleet. Although he had never encountered such a modern weapon, Heinrich found himself intrigued, especially after Qin Tian described a future where aircraft carriers would become the navy's paramount force. This vision captivated him.
Consequently, Prince Heinrich accepted Qin Tian's invitation and became the inaugural commander of the German Navy's aircraft carrier fleet. His efforts played a pivotal role in swiftly establishing the fleet's combat capabilities, and now he was eager to witness the fruits of his labor.
Barely twenty minutes after Admiral Reinhardt Scheer issued the order, the first aircraft soared into the sky from the *Vanguard* aircraft carrier, quickly followed by launches from the *Victory* carrier.
Initially, only the lighter fighter planes took flight, as the heavier torpedo bombers required a longer runway and were scheduled to launch last.
At present, the two German aircraft carriers were equipped solely with fighters and torpedo bombers. Unfortunately, the dive bombers that Qin Tian favored were still under development due to technical constraints. Bombing fast-moving targets on the sea with conventional bombers proved exceedingly difficult. In contrast, torpedo bombers posed a far greater threat to surface vessels. Even lightweight aerial torpedoes could inflict fatal damage on smaller ships, and a battlecruiser's armor might not withstand their assault if it were even slightly compromised.
Watching the aircraft ascend one after another and circle above the carrier, awaiting formation with the other planes, Prince Heinrich felt a surge of excitement.
"I thought I would never have the chance to participate in a decisive confrontation with the British Navy again. Yet, unexpectedly, I find myself re-engaging in this manner. I am grateful to His Royal Highness for allowing me to fulfill this aspiration. May God bless the Empire's aircraft carrier fleet with resounding victory," Heinrich silently mused.
As a naval officer and former commander of the High Seas Fleet, who would not wish to partake in a climactic battle against the Royal Navy? Especially now that the German Navy held the upper hand, it was a perfect opportunity to etch his name into the annals of history.
Due to the operational range of the aircraft, the first half of the planes launched from the *Vanguard* and *Victory* carriers, upon forming up, surged westward. The remaining aircraft would take off and regroup afterward.
Each carrier could only accommodate 48 aircraft, a limitation imposed by the Atlantic's tumultuous conditions, which required consideration of the sea state—unlike the tranquil waters of the Pacific, where carriers could carry far more.
The initial batch consisted of 24 fighters and 24 torpedo bombers, while the subsequent group comprised 48 torpedo bombers.
With the British Navy lacking an air force, the German carrier units faced little competition for air superiority. Moreover, the absence of anti-aircraft weaponry on British vessels meant that the German aircraft could operate with impunity. Their singular task was to locate the British fleet and launch their assault.
Guided by the German battlecruiser forces, finding the Royal Navy's main fleet posed no difficulty, rendering the impending attack a mere formality.
As seconds slipped by, the aircraft departing from the German carriers gradually approached the British main fleet. For the planes, a distance of one hundred kilometers would require merely half an hour to traverse.
Onboard the flagship *Revenge* of the Royal Navy, Admiral John Jellicoe and Vice Admiral David Beatty awaited the decisive encounter. They understood that the German main fleet was en route and would soon cross paths with them. Once this confrontation concluded, regardless of the outcome, their missions would reach their conclusion.
"Admiral, the German battlecruisers are ahead, likely awaiting the arrival of their main fleet," Beatty remarked.
Jellicoe nodded in response. "Our confrontation with the Germans is now inevitable. We possess 20 battleships, while they have 24 battleships and 12 battlecruisers—1.8 times our number. I can only hope we manage to eliminate over twenty of their capital ships in this battle. If we succeed, we may alleviate our peril."
Admiral Jellicoe's goal was to sink twenty German capital ships. If they could achieve this, even if they were completely overwhelmed, the Germans would emerge significantly weakened and unable to impose a blockade on Britain. Furthermore, the United States, long repressed by German dominance, would likely seize the opportunity to intervene, affording Britain critical time until their new capital ships were completed, enabling them to confront the Germans once more.
"Admiral, sinking more than twenty of their capital ships will be a formidable challenge. However, even if we can take down fifteen, it would still be a notable victory," Beatty contended.
The German Navy was a global powerhouse. Yet if the British could inflict substantial losses, other nations might no longer fear the German fleet, thus granting Britain a chance to regain its standing.
Jellicoe acknowledged Beatty's words. "Indeed, even sinking fifteen of their capital ships would be a significant blow to the Germans. I recognize that defeating them is exceedingly difficult, but inflicting severe damage seems plausible. After all, we are prepared to fight to the bitter end!"