The Rise of the Empire

Chapter 2747: Operation Thurbrus II



2747P

So, after realizing that this battle was inevitable, the Japanese combined fleet also began to act immediately. The first to act was the 4 aircraft carriers. All pilots were awakened, and after a simple wash, food and drink were taken to the war room on standby. The ground crew began to load fighters and bombers with ammunition and fuel in the dark, but due to anti-submarine reasons, they could not turn on the lights to illuminate the entire deck, so the efficiency was very low. As for loading in the hangar, that is even more forbidden. After all, the Japanese aircraft carrier has no armored deck. Putting a barrel of oil in the hangar is about a time bomb!

The aircraft carrier squadron and the battleship squadron are not separated. Unlike the Americans, the Japanese have very fragile air defense firepower. Not only are their battleships unable to provide strong and reliable air defense shielding capabilities for friendly forces like American battleships, on the contrary, sometimes Destroyers are also needed to provide cover. On the one hand, Japan lacks sufficient air defense equipment. On the other hand, it lacks sufficient air defense artillery. Therefore, for the Japanese Navy, their only reliable air defense weapon is the carrier-based aircraft carrier. machine.

Although the damage of carrier-based aircraft to battleships in this era is still very limited, it is still possible to greatly weaken the attack power of battleships by destroying rangefinders and surface facilities after a round of attacks. The aircraft carrier squadron was severely damaged. It is true that the Japanese cannot continue the fight, but for the same reason, if the battleship is severely damaged, the interception plan will still fall through! As a result, the Japanese fleet can only use the method of holding a group for heating.

"It's really unimaginable. In the opening battle of this battle, the mighty battleship can only exist as the protected object and the **** warship of the aircraft carrier, but it can't intervene in this outbreak out of sight. The war in China is really uncomfortable for the war machine that condenses the power of a country."

Shigeru Yoshimatsu looked at the busy deck of the aircraft carrier detachment in the core area of ​​the fleet, and sighed involuntarily. Until now, even the most stalwart gunners must admit the role of aircraft carriers! At this time, the 4 aircraft carriers of the Japanese Navy are in the center of the entire fleet, and a total of 13 battleships in the 3 battleship squadrons are in the surrounding area, forming a triangle to protect the aircraft carriers in the middle! And around the battle fleet, there are a large number of destroyers.

In addition to the joint fleet at sea, the Japanese airfield in the Talau Islands was also a busy scene. A large number of twin-engine attack aircraft were placed on the tarmac with the help of tractors. Ground crews replenish the aircraft. They take tons of fuel and bombs from the semi-buried warehouse and load them on the aircraft. The aircraft that has completed the replenishment will be sent to the designated take-off position by the towing vehicle. On the beach not far from the airport, a large number of seaplanes are also assigning tasks, some of which have already taken off, and they will try to search for the US fleet in the nearby waters. what? How do you search? Use searchlights and radio positioning devices. As for the effect, only the Japanese know!

Compared with the Americans’ almost desperate style of play, the Japanese’s tactics are still fairly stable. This is because although the Japanese think that the US aircraft carrier has some advantages, the Japanese fleet should be superior in terms of attack power. The reason is simple. , Tarau Island’s twin-engine bomber’s attack power is not comparable to carrier-based aircraft. Therefore, the deployment of the Japanese can be described as calm and stable.

The reconnaissance force mainly relies on seaplane aircraft carriers and land-based seaplane units. The latter has already set off and searched in the nearby waters. Then the first batch of 4 aircraft carriers will release about 120 attack aircraft groups. According to the Japanese plan, this 120 An aircraft and at least 30 twin-engine bombers will form the first wave of strike force. If you are lucky, this wave of attack is enough to destroy or severely damage 2 aircraft carriers.

In addition, the 4 aircraft carriers have left a full 50 fighter jets. These aircraft will take off to perform the air defense mission of the fleet after the first wave of attack aircraft is released. Subsequently, the Japanese joint fleet will prepare the second wave of attack aircraft. There are about 110 aircraft in the wave fleet. Used to destroy the remaining US military aircraft carriers. The entire attack process can be said to be both offensive and defensive and stable.

Well, just when the Japanese navy is preparing, what are the Americans doing?

"We have determined the location of the Japanese fleet?" Old Fletcher asked on the bridge of the USS Zeppelin.

"That's it. The Japanese aircraft carrier is in the DF4 area and is within our strike range. In another 30 minutes, the fleet will enter the best strike distance." Logan said.

"Our carrier fleet is ready?" Old Fletcher continued to ask.

"The Zeppelin and the Raiders will take off 120 aircraft, and the aircraft carrier Constellation on the other side will take off 20 fighters. Our two fleets will arrive on the battlefield within the specified time to form a joint force. There are now two more aircraft before dawn. When we are small, we can set up the plane group now." Mitchell said.

"If everything goes well on the Constellation side, their lure operation will begin, right? I don't know if the Japanese fleet will be fooled." Old Fletcher sighed and looked at the still dark night and brightly lit aircraft carrier deck outside. Fell into silence. At the same time, about 50 nautical miles northwest of the Zeppelin and Raiders twin aircraft carrier battle group ~www.novelhall.com~ the aircraft carrier Constellation and the seaplane carrier Mercury began operations!

"I wish you a successful return." The officers and soldiers of the Mercury seaplane carrier sent a blessing signal to the seaplane on the sea, which is ready to take off at any time. However, in terms of the missions they performed, the probability of survival of all the six seaplanes participating in this operation is very low.

These aircraft mainly undertake two tasks. The first task is naturally the attack and guidance task. Although the US submarine has discovered the position of the Japanese aircraft carrier detachment, the Japanese fleet is constantly moving. In order for the attacking fleet to accurately find the enemy, it must have a special The aircraft guided the attack fleet, and this mission was performed by a seaplane on the Mercury.

The second task is to lure the Japanese into launching an attack on the Constellation. In addition to the Constellation itself sending telegrams to reveal its position, at the same time, in order to perform better tricks, some of the seaplanes released by the Mercury will be responsible for the Japanese troops. Bring the fleet to where the Constellation is located! what? How do you bring it? This is naturally easy, as long as you make sure that the Japanese aircraft can follow you! In order to make the trick more realistic, Constellation fighters will also cooperate.

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(End of this chapter)