After obtaining the exact location of the US aircraft carrier, it was finally the turn of the Shozuru and Zuizuru to get busy, and according to Ryunosuke Kusaka's calculations, the mobile fleet is currently only 590 kilometers away from the enemy fleet, and the distance between the two sides is still further shortening, and it is completely within the normal strike range of carrier-based aircraft. Based on the above judgment www.biquge.info Tsukahara gave three orders at 9:03:

First, all four aircraft carrier attack aircraft groups were immediately released, and the Hayabusa and Skyhawk attack aircraft groups, which had been prepared, quickly took off. Second, the decoy fleet direct cover aircraft returned to the mobile fleet for rapid refueling, and then cooperated with the fleet direct cover aircraft to escort the attack aircraft group; Thirdly, the artillery fleet direct cover aircraft were withdrawn and turned to escort the mobile fleet.

At this time, it was obvious how important it was for Tsukahara to prepare the Hayabusa and Sky Aquila for the attack group - after they took off quickly, they were able to free up the deck to provide fuel supplies for the 12 Bf-219s that were about to fly back without interfering with the take-off operations of Zuizuru and Xiangzuru, and the overall time was basically synchronized. In order to ensure that the attack aircraft group had sufficient range, the ground crew attached small wing fuel tanks to the He-218, extending its maximum range to more than 1,400 kilometers.

On the artillery bombardment fleet in the distance, seeing the fighter plane covering overhead suddenly flying away, Cao Lu was stunned: "What's the matter, the fighter jet has not come yet, how can they go first?" ”

Horiyoshi thought about it and said with a smile: "Don't think about it, Tsukahara is going to attack." ”

"Attack? So far away to attack? Didn't the US aircraft carrier say that it was southeast of Port-au-Prince? It's still far from the mobile fleet. ”

The information collected by the water reconnaissance is shared by all fleets, and Kusaka Ren inferred from common sense that the distance between the mobile fleet and the US aircraft carrier formation was more than 800 kilometers, and although he wanted to do it, he felt that it was too far away, and he was about to ask what Tsukahara was going to do, and a telegram from Ryunosuke Kusaka had arrived.

"Mobile Fleet Report: Preparing to Attack the Enemy Aircraft Carrier Formation, This Fleet is currently 500 km from the Shelling Fleet and about 240 km from the Decoy Fleet."

"What?" The grass deer was taken aback, and a mouthful of old blood almost spurted out, "Why is it so close?" Had he been staying away in the morning? No, no, no, no! Even if he stays still, we won't be so close to him. ”

Horikichi sighed: "Don't guess, he turned around, and he didn't just turn around, it's been a while......"

"This ......," Grass Deer widened, "he's crazy?" Yesterday's battle plan was not reported like this, he only said that he tried to run out as much as possible, and then used fighter planes to cover the safety of the artillery formation. ”

Horikichi smiled bitterly: "It's me who is not good, it's me who set a bad example: I bypassed the military command department to make arbitrary decisions, and Tsukahara bypassed me to make arbitrary decisions, hey...... So far, it has only reaped its own consequences. ”

"Sir...... What to do? Let him turn around again? ”

"Let him go, since he dares to do this, he must be sure." After reading the chart, Horikichi didn't seem to be angry because of this, but kept nodding, "Well, being bold and careful is a good move, it depends on your luck......"

At 9:30, the mobile fleet attack aircraft group was assembled, and Mitsuo Fuchida led a formation of up to 180 planes to attack the northwest, including 32 Bf-219 fighters, 78 He-218 dive bombers (after a flight crew escaped from the Panamanian defenders, Tsukahara used reserve aircraft to restore this number), and 70 Ju-98 torpedo attack planes. Judging by the composition, the attack aircraft group is strong enough, but the number of escort fighters is on the small side.

Time passed minute by minute, 9:40, 9:50, and until 10:05, the heavy cruiser Haguro, which was on a lookout mission with two destroyers on the periphery, still did not report any enemy aircraft attacking, and the fighter formation that had been ambushed in the designated airspace in advance also reported that it was safe.

Ryunosuke Kusaka became anxious again: According to common sense, the US military should immediately start attacking when it obtains the position of its own fleet at about 7 o'clock, assuming that the attack plane group is released at 7:30 o'clock, and two and a half hours have passed by now, why is it delayed? Had it not been for the fact that the heavy cruiser Mogami and other warships escorting the outer part of the mobile fleet had reported that nothing had been discovered, he would almost have suspected that the strategy had failed, and that the enemy had rushed directly towards his own fleet.

He didn't know that he was waiting anxiously for the American aircraft group, and Fletcher and Cox on the other side were also anxious on the Lexington: the carrier-based aircraft formation arrived at point X where it met with the Puerto Rican Army Airlines at the appointed time, but they didn't see each other's shadows at all, and then the Army Airlines was also troubled by not being able to find the carrier-based aircraft formation-the Army Airlines navigator was really lost at sea, and the telegrams from both sides were back and forth, without a clue, so anxious that Fletcher almost ordered the two formations to attack alone, Finally, considering the strength of the Axis Fleet's air defense group, they didn't want to turn it into a refueling tactic again, and in the end, the two sides waited for 15 minutes to assemble, and they attacked the Axis Fleet together without complaining about each other.

At 10:08, the group noticed the lone heavy cruiser Haguro and 2 destroyers on the sea, which made the American fleet excited, and Lieutenant Colonel Henry, who led the team, disdained it - he didn't want to waste precious time on these few small shrimps, but directly sent a telegram to the second attack wave, so that they could "easily" kill these cruisers and destroyers in the process of advancing. His idea was very good: after these more than 200 planes pressed over, it was estimated that there would not be many warships left in the Axis aircraft carrier formation, and it would be good to leave some targets for the brothers behind to attack, and it would be a heavy cruiser anyway.

After arriving at point Z in the intended combat area, this huge group of planes did not find anything, and Lieutenant Colonel Henry's mentality was still very peaceful: after a delay just now, coupled with the difference in speed between the group and the enemy fleet during the flight, he decided that the Axis fleet must use this time to advance or turn, so he divided the large formation of more than 200 planes into three small formations of 6 or 70 planes, and scattered to find the movement of the enemy fleet.

After five minutes of searching, Henry's middle lane formation had not yet found anything, and only heard an exclamation in his ears: "A large group of enemy planes are rushing towards me......" Looking closely, a large wave of enemy planes from a high altitude went straight to the left flank of their side, and the number seemed to exceed 60.

Henry did not panic about this, before leaving, Cox explained that the other party might still have fifty or sixty fighters, and he was very happy to see that the Axis fighters took the initiative to meet and the number was in line with his cognition: This shows that the enemy aircraft carrier formation is close at hand, otherwise what are these fighters desperately rushing to do?

"F6F and P-47 entangled enemy planes as much as possible, and the attack aircraft group followed me, and did not break away from ......the formation without authorization." )