When the first reconnaissance plane took off, Bai Zhizhan looked at the wall clock on the wall, 5:15.

Not bad at all, very punctual.

This is Li Yunxiang.

Soon, three other "Exocets" ejected one after another.

Because the orientation of the transport fleet had already been roughly determined, four reconnaissance planes were dispatched by the "Imperial Capital". After discovering the convoy, these reconnaissance planes did not have to return home, but hovered around the convoy, guided the attacking groups behind, and directed the battle on the front line.

For this reason, the pilots of the four reconnaissance planes were all elites who had participated in previous battles.

On the flight deck, the aviation crew did not stop and began to make preparations for the fighter before it took off.

Because no reconnaissance planes were dispatched, in the following attack operations, the "Companion Beijing" took the lead and took the lead in dispatching carrier-based aircraft.

These things are arranged by Li Yunxiang, and there is no need to worry about Bai Zhizhan.

Relatively speaking, at this time, the easiest person on the aircraft carrier is the White Stop. If it was a fleet exercise, he would set up a beach chair in the open-air corridor outside the commander's bridge, make a cup of coffee, make two plates of pastries for afternoon tea, and watch the carrier-based aircraft perform a take-off show.

Of course, that has to be on the "Longjiang".

The bridge of the commander of the "Imperial Capital" is more spacious, but the open-air corridor outside is very narrow, not to mention the beach chairs, and it seems crowded for several people to stand.

Besides, it's a cold and windy early morning, not a sunny afternoon.

Not to mention the outside, even inside the Commander's Bridge, the temperature is only five degrees Celsius.

Because of the continuous high-speed voyage for several days, there were more and more problems with the boilers, so after consulting the White Stop, the captain ordered to turn off the heating of all non-essential departments to reduce the workload of the power system, and the commander of the bridge belonged to the "non-essential department".

Leading by example is the basic code of conduct for naval officers.

There was still almost an hour before dawn, and there was no need to immediately lift the fighter into the air.

Even if the Narrow-Sized Navy sent the 97 boats to carry out reconnaissance missions in front and let the 96 land attack aircraft group follow behind, it would not be able to launch an attack until dawn.

For this reason, after coming to the commander's bridge, Bai Zhizhan asked Li Mingbo to go to breakfast first.

Only after you have eaten enough can you have the energy to command the battle.

When the phone rang, Bai Zhizhan was stunned for a moment, and after a few seconds, he realized that Li Mingbo had already gone to the restaurant.

"Commander Bridge, I'm Bai Zhizhan."

"Commander White...... Report to the commander, who had just received a report from a reconnaissance aircraft that an unknown ship suspected of being an enemy ship had been spotted. ”

"What!?"

Hearing the captain's words, Bai Zhizhan was startled.

How long has it been since the reconnaissance plane departed?

Is there any ten minutes?

Even the first one to take off was about forty kilometers away from the north at this time, and the other three were not yet forty kilometers away from the "Imperial Capital".

How could an enemy ship be spotted at such a close distance!?

It's just that the captain didn't talk nonsense.

The investigation report was quickly confirmed.

The reconnaissance plane circled back and came under anti-aircraft fire as it approached to reconnoitre, and the pilot visually judged that it was four heavy cruisers heading south at full speed.

The key is that the pilot is Major Ji Yeyan, a three-material elite squadron leader.

Yesterday's battle against the Third Air Force was commanded by him at the front.

After the group returned home, Bai Zhizhan also specially received and commended him, so I knew him and remembered his voice, and I was very impressed.

The main thing is that his surname is too rare, and it is similar to the staff officer named Zhang Xiaohua.

Obviously, Ji Yeyan will not report the enemy's situation indiscriminately.

Thirty kilometers to the north, the heavy cruisers of the Sidu Sasa Navy were heading south at full speed, heading for the Third Air Task Force.

There is no doubt that the Third Air Task Force has been exposed.

Not to mention when it was exposed, just those four heavy cruisers were enough to kill.

What should I do now!?

When Bai Zhizhan was thinking about countermeasures, Li Mingbo, Li Yunxiang and Zhou Yongtao came to the commander's bridge one after another.

They all received a phone call, or they met an officer sent by the captain.

The situation was extremely urgent, Bai Zhizhan did not dare to delay, issued an order to turn around, and asked Li Yunxiang to make arrangements immediately, and immediately let the fighter take off after the turn.

For the same reason, the 96 land attack aircraft group is afraid that it will be killed soon.

Dispatch "Exocet" and "Wasp" to attack those four enemy ships?

Not then.

Even if bombers and torpedo planes were able to take off, they would have to wait until after dawn.

In addition, it may not be possible to obtain the opportunity to dispatch carrier-based aircraft.

The fastest speed of the "Imperial Capital" class is only 32.5 knots, and Li Mingbo called to ask, because there is a problem with the boiler, so the fastest speed that can actually be achieved may only be 31 knots, which is not sustainable, and it can sail for a few hours at most, and then it must slow down.

Can you get rid of those four heavy cruisers with this speed?

Definitely not!

According to the confirmed battle reports, four "Best" class ships have been incorporated into the mobile fleet, four "Gao Xiong" class ships have been integrated into the first main team, four "Miaogao" class ships have been assigned to the second main team, and two "Ligen" have been destroyed with the Third Air Force.

The fastest speed of these four heavy cruisers, which is claimed to be able to reach 34.5 knots, is actually not less than 33 knots!

In addition, the four heavy cruisers were equipped with eight-inch naval guns with a maximum range of more than 25 kilometers, and the power of eight-inch shells was enough to destroy unprotected aircraft carriers.

Without sinking, just destroy the flight deck.

Theoretically, in an hour and a half at most, the four heavy cruisers would be able to reduce the distance to 25 kilometers, just in time for dawn.

Even if you can't hit it at all because it's too far away, it doesn't matter much.

It is enough to continue firing at the two aircraft carriers and force the aircraft carriers to constantly make tactical turns to avoid the incoming shells.

When it comes to tactical evasion, the aircraft carrier cannot get the carrier-based aircraft into the air.

In the event of shelling, the aircraft carrier could not put bomb-hung and fuel-filled carrier-based aircraft on the flight deck.

As the distance decreases, perhaps not until noon, the heavy cruisers of the Sagami Navy will catch up and sink the two fleet carriers with naval guns.

In addition, the heavy cruisers of the Sagai Navy had powerful "Spear" torpedoes.

Bai Zhizhan regretted it.

In the early hours of the morning, when preparing to fly the reconnaissance plane, in order to save some fuel, Bai Zhizhan withdrew the two destroyers that were supposed to patrol the front.

The main reason for this arrangement is that they do not want to resupply these destroyers whose oil tanks are about to bottom out before returning to the sea.

The key point is that the fleet aircraft carrier is not a fleet oil tanker, so it can only stop to resupply, which is not only very troublesome, but also takes a lot of time.

It will take at least a couple of hours to replenish each of several destroyers with a hundred tons of fuel.

If you can save some fuel and postpone the resupply operation by a day, you can make arrangements after leaving the warring sea.

Don't forget, Bai Zhizhan has always been worried about being attacked by narrow submarines.

If Bai Zhizhan had not made this adjustment, the two destroyers that came out in front would definitely have been able to spot the heavy cruiser in time.

Only now, regret is useless.

After making the arrangement, Bai Zhizhan ordered the radio silence to be broken, allowing the destroyers, which were still hovering nearby, to return at full speed to provide cover for the aircraft carrier.