World War III in May 1946

[Eternity]

Originally Posted by Hairog

Meow

Dog is barking up the correct tree?

[oberstklein]

Should be interesting to see how the carrier air wings match up to the Red air force...one heckuva fight is coming me thinks....great story so far!!!

[Dan]

Sorry, been slack with the northern front. Update incomming shortly.

[altamiro]

Can the ace up the sleeve be something like remote-controlled hulks of the bombers stuffed with explosives and guided into a dive on a battleship or two?
USA had something like this in development (but never applied). Germany took the concept further with the Mistel guided bomb from which the actual plane decouples just before the terminal dive.

[stevep]

Originally Posted by Eternity

Dog is barking up the correct tree?

Eternity

Ah! Why didn't I think of that.

If so very good line Hairog.

Steve

[stevep]

Originally Posted by altamiro

Can the ace up the sleeve be something like remote-controlled hulks of the bombers stuffed with explosives and guided into a dive on a battleship or two?
USA had something like this in development (but never applied). Germany took the concept further with the Mistel guided bomb from which the actual plane decouples just before the terminal dive.

altamiro

Could be but I doubt it. The key point I think is that the US think the heavy bombers are a feint. I.e. ignore them unless they approach within 'range'. If they do get close then their likely to be hit by a heavy CAP and most-all be shot down. Especially if radio controlled, which means no defending crew. [Could also be some nasty fratricide when one or two starts blowing up under attack, taking out each other and attacking fighters].

I get the feeling that there's a stand off weapon somewhere which is at the least going to give the navies a few brown trouser moments if not a bloody nose as the Russians hope. That the stand off from the bombers by the defenders is going to means their caught by surprise by something.

Steve

[Hairog]

Dover, England

05:26


Scramble all available fighter aircraft. Remember to stay in your lanes gentlemen. The Navy has given strict orders to not venture into their Air Space. We don’t want any friendly fire incidents. It’s hard enough to keep all the players straight as it is.

I heard that besides our YP80s there will be a squadron or two of Meteors flown by Brit pilots and to make matter worse a few former German Aces flying ME 262s have been thrown into the mix.

You heard right Lt. This is a maximum effort and we need all the help we can get.

I got a real bad feeling about this Major…

Keep your thoughts to yourself Lt…unless you want me to call General Kenney and tell him my First Lt. has a bad feeling.

No sir, thank you sir, sorry sir.

[Hairog]

The Bridge

TF77 Flag Ship USN BB South Dakota
Operation Louisville Slugger
English Channel off LeHavre
05:45

Admiral ground radar is picking up 30 more boggies that just appeared near the bombers. They appear to be traveling at a much higher rate of speed than the bombers.

How much faster damn it!

They are going at around 400 mph and will be in range in 15 minutes.

Shit! Some kind of missle. Captain order a simultaneous turn to line abreast, full flank speed heading 345. Get Kenney on the horn and tell those Air Corps flyers to hit the PE-8 mother ships with all they got. They must have some kind of guidance. Get that brit expert up here and fire up those gizmos they used against the German guided bombs. Rig for impact. All AA guns look to the east northeast for targets. Keep our flyboys close just in case.

[CT23]

I hope they can defeat this Soviet attack.

Without this naval armada, it would seem the Allies are screwed (since they don't have nukes in theater yet).

[Mad Missouri]

The only problem I have with the last update is that the US Navy should have had better understanding of air launched R/C weapons. I think US Navy even had 2 ships were hit by them after the invasion of Italy. For some reason I want to say they were cruisers but I might be wrong. I don't remember if they were damaged or sunk. Also I believe the USN had US/Canadian designed jamming systems on its ships at Normandy.

Maybe the task force commander served the war in the Pacific? Which explains why he does seem to grasp the danger before hand.

But seeing as the Soviet system seems to be cruise missiles not guild bombs I think the USN is going to take a hit!

Also one other minor complaint shouldn't it be, P-80A not YP-80 by 1946? I thought the aircraft was order under the P-80 name in late 45.

What would be the main USAAC fighter in the sky over the TF? P-51D? Are they even fast enough to match the 400 mph of the missiles. What about the USN fighters? F8F Bearcat can they match speed of these missiles?

[Eternity]

The guided bomb you are thinking of is the Fritz X. It was for use against armoured targets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_X
And kills:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_X#Combat_service

For use against unarmoured targets the Hs 293 was used.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henschel_Hs_293
And kills:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hensche...at_performance

The Type 650 transmitter which jammed the 3GHz frequency was quite good at disrupting both types of weapon.

Also, both were radio-controlled and thus able to be jammed, but worse this was the glide path of the Fritz X:
http://www.bobhenneman.info/romabomb.jpg

You have to be very close to target - Absolute slaughter for the carrying aircraft, unless it was un-expected (As with the RN Roma). In this TL situation, such and attack would be a disaster for the Russians!

Good article on the RN Roma here - She was sunk by the Fritz X in 1943.
http://www.bobhenneman.info/roma.htm

[Hairog]

I do love the way you guys can provide just amazing amounts of references.

The video is almost done.

Remember how the US won the Battle of Midway.

[Eternity]

Originally Posted by Hairog

I do love the way you guys can provide just amazing amounts of references.

If you would rather I didn't post references then that is fine with me (Less work!)

It's just I usually have people complain about my facts if I don't post references so..... Your call!

[Uxi]

Just caught up. Great stuff. I wanna some of the MK III nukes used!

[Mad Missouri]

Originally Posted by Uxi

Just caught up. Great stuff. I wanna some of the MK III nukes used!

I want to see British 17 pder armed Centurion mkIIs against T34/85s and T44s! I even think they had the mobility to get around to the sides to destroy the IS-2s fairly easy. Of course in OLT the MKIIs did not enter service until December of 1946. I would assume the attack in May 46 would force the British to speed up the production and introduction of this tank. Maybe the Soviet attack would force them to speed up putting the 20 pd cannon in the Centurions. That gun could defeat the frontal armor on all Soviet tanks of that era. Maybe they speed up the development and introduction of the EM series of rifles.

Also I wonder if the engineers and designers at FN escaped to UK if so they might have taken the design plans for the FN FAL with them. In otl the first FN FAL prototypes chambered in 7.92 x 33 were built in 1947.

[Hairog]

I'm serious. I love the references. Keep em coming.

[Uxi]

To go with Mk III's and maybe some improvised/simpler Mk IV (IIb?) nukes being deployed from the USAAC, how about Patton leading a counter-attack with the M26/M46 hybrids?

[Mad Missouri]

Originally Posted by Uxi

To go with Mk III's and maybe some improvised/simpler Mk IV (IIb?) nukes being deployed from the USAAC, how about Patton leading a counter-attack with the M26/M46 hybrids?

We have already seen the M26 Patton tanks used ITL. For some reason they are reported as being a failure. Why I am not sure. Maybe it was a doctrine, tactics, or crew training issue not a equipment issue. The 90mm in those tanks should have been able to deal with most Soviet tanks. The 90mm gun in the M26 could go through the frontal armor of a German Panther at 1100 yards. I think the Panthers had 120mm-ish of frontal armor. The T44 tank had the same amount I think. The IS tanks had 150/160mm of frontal armor I am not sure how close the M26 had to get to them to defeat it's armor or even if it is possible. We know that in OTL the M26 could easily defeat the armor of the T34/85 tanks used in Korea.

I would say that because the M26 seemed to have been a failure that the US Army would move quickly to add the upgrades that turn the tank into the M46. But can they get enough built in time to give the Soviets a problem.

Also the M4A3 76mm Sherman tanks should be able to deal with the T34/85s and T44s with HVAP ammunition which should be available in large amounts. That ammo was hard to find during WW2 because of materials went to other equipment types.

[Uxi]

Right. That's why I'm imagining it would only be a partial evolution/hybrid of the M26 to M46 but mostly interested in seeing Patton in action in the war he wanted against the Soviets.

[Mad Missouri]

Originally Posted by Uxi

Right. That's why I'm imagining it would only be a partial evolution/hybrid of the M26 to M46 but mostly interested in seeing Patton in action in the war he wanted against the Soviets.

Ok...I misunderstood your post. Sorry.

I agree maybe the US Army will fit the new engine and transmission. That alone would be a big help. Or if they added the bore evacuator to the main gun. Maybe a new turret. Remember the M47 was mainly a M46 with a different turret design.

ALSO I'd think that we would see the M20 3.5 inch bazooka rushed into mass production. It would deal with the t34/85 and t44 tanks. I know it's design was done and tested in 1945/46 there just was not a budget to build it in large numbers before the US Army had problems with the T34/85 in OTL korea.