I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France

Chapter 623 This is Not a Coincidence, but Inevitability

"I’ve already talked to the Brest Shipyard," Shire explained. "They will provide torpedoes and technical personnel to the aircraft manufacturing plant. Our research department will be responsible for mounting the torpedoes on the aircraft and ensuring they can be effectively used."

This was proposed by Shire at the shipyard.

Shire did not tell Wells the detailed situation. He only informed Wells that the torpedoes would be used and their performance further improved.

Because Shire had previously provided the torpedo design ideas and the torpedo explosive formula, Wells did not suspect.

Even if he did, he couldn’t do anything about it. At this moment, Shire had become the core of the French Navy’s development direction. Any future problems would still need Shire to resolve. Now, Shire was merely making a request; how could they not comply?

"No problem," Eric readily agreed. "We will set up this torpedo attack aircraft research department tomorrow."

He already had a preliminary concept in mind. This would require several modified Caproni bombers and a suitable experimental water area, preferably blocking off that region.

Shire provided a general direction for the experiment:

"Initially, we can use models with the same weight, shape, and density for testing."

"The first stage requires ensuring the torpedo enters the water in the optimal posture."

Eric was a bit confused upon hearing this.

He understood why the model experiment was necessary. Torpedoes are expensive and cannot be casually thrown from the start.

But...

"General, what does ’equal density’ mean?" Eric asked.

"The weight distribution of various parts of the torpedo," Shire explained. "Its head and tail, where the explosive charge and compressed air and combustion chamber are respectively located, have different weights. This may cause an imbalance during high-speed drops from bombers, affecting its entry posture in the water."

Eric instantly understood. "So, we need to adjust it according to the situation and possibly change the layout if necessary, right?"

"Yes," Shire nodded. "Additionally, we need to strengthen the internal parts of the torpedo because the impact when entering the water from the air can potentially damage some components causing malfunctions."

This was one of the early problems of the U.S. air-launched torpedoes during World War II.

This flaw resulted in very stringent launch conditions for U.S. air-launched torpedoes: the torpedo attack aircraft had to maintain straight flight at low altitudes and speeds couldn’t be too fast.

This made U.S. torpedo attack aircraft almost suicidal during the war.

By World War II, ships had generally equipped anti-aircraft measures, while torpedo aircraft had predictable straight trajectory low-altitude slow flights, becoming targets for anti-aircraft machine guns and cannons.

This was one of the reasons the U.S. was utterly defeated by the Japanese Navy during the early stages of the Pacific naval battles.

However, thinking it over, Shire felt that at this stage, requirements in this aspect didn’t need to be too high. After all, the anti-aircraft gun hadn’t been invented yet, and warships only had a few "non-professional" machine guns and cannons, almost incapable of hitting targets.

(Note: Hitting targets in three-dimensional aerial space is not as simple as imagined. One of the difficulties is that the shooter cannot see the bullets or shells’ trajectories, thus cannot judge whether they missed and by how much, hence unable to correct the trajectory and can only rely on instinct. The solution is to use tracer rounds to assist in shooting)

Eric nodded repeatedly, indicating he understood. With Shire’s explanation, he knew what this research institute needed to do.

At the same time, he sighed inwardly: If this type of bomber succeeds, the entire naval warfare model might be completely overturned. The Germans’ tens of thousands of tons displacement battleships could be easily dealt with just one torpedo from this aircraft.

What Eric didn’t know was that Shire was not thinking about dealing with the Germans, but the British.

With torpedo attack aircraft, the La Manche Strait would undeniably be under the control of France, and even the British Fleet within the 300-kilometer coastal range would be unable to approach. As soon as they got close, they would become targets for the torpedo attack aircraft.

(Note: The range of the Caproni bomber is 600 kilometers, the farthest launch distance is around 300 kilometers)

...

The lights in the officers’ club were dim, and the officers were engaged in enthusiastic discussions.

The topic, of course, was Shire’s latest achievement: the Hasselt penetration mission.

"This is another perfect victory. The number of Germans captured this time is even more than in Antwerp."

"That’s not the point, Field. The point is this is the second successful penetration."

"Yes, many people thought the Antwerp penetration was because the Germans were unprepared, thus couldn’t be replicated and can’t be a widely used tactic. But now it’s proven completely wrong, it can be replicated!"

...

However, there were still some who expressed doubts:

"What if this is just another coincidence?"

"Yes, the Germans were still unprepared. They moved their main force to attack Antwerp."

"I heard there were only two infantry regiments of Germans in Hasselt."

...

After delivering drinks, Garell placed the tray on the bar and complained to Lucia, who was busy inside: "Can’t they talk about something else? Is Shire the only man in the world?"

Lucia glared at Garell. "You can plug your ears or shut your mouth, Garell."

Garell laughed. "I forgot, there’s someone here who just wants to hear about Shire, and never gets tired of it."

Lucia placed the prepared cocktail on the tray, pushed it to Garell with a scowl, and said, "Table 3, get out of my sight!"

As Garell turned around, he glimpsed Shire entering through the door and turned back to mock in a low voice, "Hope you can say the same to him."

Lucia glanced along Garell’s line of sight and couldn’t believe her eyes. Shire shouldn’t be in Hasselt at this time, right?

Before Lucia could react, Shire was surrounded by officers:

"General, it’s Vice Admiral Shire."

"He really came!"

"Congratulations, General. You’ve achieved another incredible victory!"

...

This time, unlike before, the officers didn’t give Lucia time and space. They kept asking:

"General, can you tell us about this battle?"

"And the Antwerp penetration, it’s not a coincidence, right?"

"But both times it happened when the Germans were unprepared."

...

Shire understood these officers’ mentality.

They hoped to get an answer, an answer that could convince them, or rather a theory, for one day when they go to the battlefield, it might come in handy.

Not just to save lives, but to create a miracle like Shire.

Shire nodded to Lucia, indicating her to wait a moment, then walked into the group and sat with the officers.

"This is not a coincidence, gentlemen," Shire said. "It is inevitable, including the Germans being unprepared; that is also an inevitability."

The officers were all stunned.

How could being unprepared be an inevitability?

As long as the Germans pay attention next time and take countermeasures, won’t they plug this hole?