books44 Chapter 886 There are no idlers in the Navy!
Chapter 886 There are no idlers in the Navy!
pier.
This is the most magnificent moment of the day.
The setting sun burned half the sky into a brilliant orange-red, and the sea was dyed with a layer of molten gold, with even the surging waves shimmering with magnificent colors.
"It's been a whole day! It's finally here!"
Looking into the distance, Old Wang saw four tugboats, like loyal sheepdogs, working intently around the two enormous machines.
Two high-powered tugboats were positioned close to the port and starboard sides of the Hayashio-class submarine, with specially designed fenders at the bow firmly against the submarine's hull, using continuous thrust to control its course and speed.
The other two tugboats also carefully controlled the 418 boat, which was tightly "locked" with the Hayashio-class, by pushing it forward.
This "side-towing" method allowed the two submarines to slowly and steadily enter the harbor, as if they were being supported.
Waves occasionally washed over the battered deck and crooked gun barrel of the 418 boat...
However, they were moving very slowly, and all the tugboats were billowing black smoke.
You might ask why not more...
Uh, I don't need to say more, right?
That's why that admiral cried and complained that the Navy had suffered injustices you can't even imagine.
But... who told you to spend money like that!
……
The waves constantly washed over the battered deck and crooked gun barrel of the 418 boat. What looked like a sorry state to outsiders filled Lao Wang with respect.
He subconsciously adjusted the top button of his military uniform, straightened his back, and looked eagerly at the 418 boat that was getting closer and closer to the dock, ready to welcome the hero's return.
However, just when Lao Wang thought the fleet would dock directly, the situation changed. Several tugboats, supporting two submarines, slowly came to a stop in the deep waters about a hundred meters from the pier.
"This is……"
"They have to be separated! Otherwise, no shipyard can fit a pair of 'conjoined twins' like this!"
As Staff Officer Xie spoke, he picked up his binoculars and ran towards the lighthouse, saying, "Come with me to the lighthouse, the view will be better for command!"
The two climbed the creaking iron ladder to the top of the lighthouse, where the signalman was already waiting, holding red and yellow signal flags.
Staff Officer Xie leaned close to the oversized telescope on the lighthouse, aiming the lens at the two submarines side by side. His brow furrowed slightly, and he quickly gestured on the railing with his fingers: "Tugboat number one on the port side, the jacking point is too far back, tugboat number three on the starboard side is too powerful, the two submarines are squeezing into the middle..."
Signalman! First, signal to tugboat number one on the port side: Stop pushing, move closer to within 50 meters of the bow of 418, and prepare to hook the mooring lines!
"Yes!"
The signalman responded immediately, gripping the yellow flag with both hands, first waving it horizontally three times, then pointing it towards the bow of boat 418, and waving his arms up and down twice.
The port tugboat No. 1 in the distance quickly adjusted its course and slowly approached the bow of the 418 boat. The sailors on board leaned out, preparing to throw out the mooring line.
"Tugboat No. 3 on the starboard side, also move closer to the bow of the Morning Tide!" Staff Officer Xie's voice didn't stop. "Choose the mooring bollard on the bow, but don't touch the observation equipment in the conning tower!" The signalman switched to the red flag and repeated the same action, and the starboard tugboat also moved closer to the Morning Tide.
Old Wang leaned on the railing, watching, and couldn't help but ask, "Why do we have to use a cable? Can't we just use a pusher?"
"Pushing is a 'hard push,' and the two boats are only a little over two meters apart. If they deviate even slightly, they will scrape against each other's hulls. The sonar dome of the Hayashio and the ramming marks on the bow of the 418 can't withstand such a bruise." Staff Officer Xie's eyes didn't leave his binoculars. "Hanging the cable is a 'soft pull,' which can precisely control the distance. We'll have to adjust the rudder angle later to 'pull' the two boats apart."
Well, this time Old Wang is truly convinced that Staff Officer Xie is a man of genuine talent and ability! No wonder the naval leaders can confidently stay in Qingdao to oversee things and entrust the base in Darian to him!
As they spoke, the two tugboats had already completed their mooring lines, and the sailors secured them firmly to the submarine's bollards. Staff Officer Xie immediately ordered: "Tugboat number one on the port side, pull up half a section of the line to maintain tension! Tugboat number three on the starboard side, similarly pull up half a section of the line, don't let the line sag!"
After the signalman crossed his hands, he slowly raised them upwards. The winch on the tugboat began to turn, and the cable gradually tightened. The bows of the two submarines were gently pulled outwards.
"The distance is three meters!" Staff Officer Xie shouted, then adjusted the commands: "Port tugboat number one, rudder angle three to the left, forward first gear! Starboard tugboat number three, rudder angle three to the right, forward first gear! Tow in unison, separate the two boats!"
The signalman's flags drew clear arcs in the air, the yellow flag veering to the left and the red flag to the right, while simultaneously waving forward.
Under his precise command, the tugboats worked together as if they were limbs interlocking.
A low, sickening metallic twisting and scraping sound faintly came through the water. The severely deformed bow of the 418 boat began to be pushed out of the breach in the "Early Tide" class very slowly.
"Stop! Maintain this distance!" Staff Officer Xie shouted in time. "The two tugboats in the middle will fill in and push the two boats between them, coordinating with bow and stern towing, to bring them to shore at a constant speed! The port tugboat will guide 418, and the starboard tugboat will guide Zaochao. Keep the course deviation within one degree!"
The signal flags waved again, and the four tugboats, with their clearly defined roles—towing from the bow and stern, and pushing from the middle—assisted the two submarines in steadily approaching the dock in a straight line, maintaining a safe distance between their hulls and the dock piers at all times. Old Wang, dazzled by the sight, couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement: "Impressive! How come I never knew you were someone like that before!"
"What's so great about it! He's just learned his lesson from making so many mistakes!"
"It's all from making too many mistakes and learning from those lessons! Last time, a minesweeper was docked, and because the tugboat was not properly operated and didn't attach the mooring line, it bumped into the minesweeper directly, which resulted in the anti-submarine sonar array on the side of the minesweeper being damaged. It took three whole months to repair and restore its combat capability! I still regret it to this day!"
Staff Officer Xie's frustrated expression didn't seem fake.
Before Old Wang could offer any words of comfort, Staff Officer Xie continued to issue instructions:
“信号通知：‘103’护航418艇靠泊码头！‘104’‘105’、‘106’继续控制‘早潮’，转向船厂方向！”
A tugboat immediately pushed the 418 boat, preparing to smoothly bring it alongside the dock pier.
The battered and bruised 418 boat finally ended its thrilling expedition, like a veteran returning home proudly despite its many wounds, and quietly anchored in the embrace of its home port.
The other three tugboats continued to support the Hayashio-class vessel, slowly turning around and heading towards the Daryan shipyard.
"This is……"
Staff Officer Xie explained, "There's a dry dock left over from the Yuejin at the shipyard, and it's empty. We can put Zaochao there, cover it with scrap metal, and no one will know that there's a submarine hidden underneath!"
"High! It's really high!"
"Now that you've shown me what you've got, watch me do it!"
Although Lao Wang didn't admit defeat verbally, he was already impressed by Staff Officer Xie's smooth and skillful command, giving him a thumbs up.
From cable-laying and boat allocation to dispatching and diversion, every instruction was executed flawlessly, demonstrating a truly solid level of professionalism.
But who is this Old Wang?
Back then, he had more experience dealing with all kinds of enemies than anyone else in suppressing bandits and arresting spies in various places. When it came to managing prisoners, he was truly second to none!
The badge warrior's competitive spirit kicked in, and he was determined to show off his skills in his area of expertise and compete with Staff Officer Xie.
……