Tan Renhao went to bed at seven o'clock, the two fleets were expected to meet around three o'clock in the morning, Tan Renhao wanted to seize the time to rest, no one knew what would happen after dawn. It turned out that it was only twelve o'clock when a staff officer came to wake him up.

"Any major discoveries?" Tan Renhao walked into the command cabin quickly, there was nothing important, Hao Dongjue would not let the staff officer wake him up.

"I just received the news from Guam." Hao Dongjue asked the staff officer who was discussing with him to leave first, and then walked up to Tan Renhao and gave the telegram to Tan Renhao. "Long-range reconnaissance planes departing from Saipan again spotted the US convoy about 210 nautical miles north of Wake Island, and a large fleet about 50 miles southwest of the convoy, judging from the radar images of the reconnaissance planes, there were at least two large warships with a displacement of more than 30,000 tons, as well as more than a dozen other warships."

"Radar images?"

"The long-range reconnaissance plane was modified with a 'wolf dove' and installed a sea surface search radar, but the weather over there was still relatively bad, the visibility was very low, the cloud height was less than 500 meters, and the reconnaissance plane could not fly at low altitude, so it could only use radar at high altitude to search for warships on the sea surface." Hao Dongjue explained simply, "The intensity of the radar reflection signal is different for different targets, and the radar reflection signal of a large warship is the strongest. ”

Tan Renhao nodded, he also understood this truth. The sea surface search radar was originally equipped with anti-submarine patrol aircraft, mainly used to search for submarines on the sea surface, as well as the periscope stretched out by the submarine, the new generation of sea search radar can even find metal objects the size of cans on the sea surface (electromagnetic waves are only reflected on the metal surface), the detection sensitivity is very high, which greatly enhances the combat efficiency of the anti-submarine patrol aircraft. Later, in order to improve the reconnaissance plane's night reconnaissance capability, the technical personnel of Tang and the United States both came up with the idea of using radar to search for warships on the sea surface at night. This is now the night reconnaissance aircraft, which are equipped with improved sea surface radars. However, due to the limitations of radar performance, it is only possible to determine the size of the warship on the sea, and to determine the nature of the warship, it is necessary to conduct visual reconnaissance. However, the current situation made it impossible for the ground reconnaissance plane that discovered the US fleet to conduct visual reconnaissance at all.

"Two large warships of 30,000 tons, this is most likely an aircraft carrier!" Hao Dongjue glanced at his partner, "From the number and scale of the escort warships, it can also be determined that this is an aircraft carrier fleet." If Spruance had grouped the two task forces, the other task force would be within 80 to 100 nautical miles of the other fleet, most likely to the east of the task force that was discovered. ”

"Does the reconnaissance plane have a report on it?"

"Nope. The reconnaissance plane spotted the American fleet on the extreme patrol radius, and I am afraid that the remaining fuel will not be enough to allow it to return to Saipan, and it did not continue to fly east at all. ”

Tan Renhao touched his chin and pondered.

"Renhao, this is our chance, according to the current speed of the American fleet, if we bomb the U.S. troops on Wake Island at dawn, as well as the U.S. landing fleet, and shell the formation, Spruance will have no time to rescue, and there is no ability to threaten us."

"It's a good plan. But the biggest problem is. Why did the American fleet go north and not stay to cover the landing grounds? Tan Renhao looked at his partner, and he was very puzzled. Spruance would not have been unaware of the importance of the landing site, where the American landing fleet is now concentrated, as well as artillery formations. These two fleets, as well as the American GIs on the beach, did not have any air defense, and if they were bombed, they would suffer heavy losses, and the American troops would even lose the ability to land on Wake Island. At that time, even if the U.S. military wins the naval battle, it will be difficult for them to expand their landing force on Wake Island, and as a result, they will not be able to capture Wake Island, I'm afraid. Spruance wouldn't make such a low-level mistake, would he? ”

"But the problem is that Spruance also knows the importance of the transport fleet, without the supplies and heavy equipment on those transport ships, the US military will not be able to capture Wake Island, and he will definitely be worried that we will attack the transport fleet." Hao Dongjue also had his reasons, "In addition, we expected to arrive at the battlefield on the morning of the 26th, and now we have arrived ahead of schedule. Spruance is also likely to calculate this time, and they will definitely be able to return to the landing site tomorrow morning. It's not too late to cover the landing site then, right? ”

Tan Renhao sighed, and Hao Dongjue's analysis also made sense. "So, Spruance is now in the north, isn't it a little too risky for him to do that?"

"Perhaps, he only sent one task force over, and the other task force remained near the landing site."

"It's almost unlikely." Tan Renhao immediately vetoed this, "If Spruance judges that we will only be able to rendezvous with the second task force tomorrow morning, then he leaves a task force at the landing site, it will be meaningless and a waste of troops." In addition, if Spruance was worried about Task Force 2 attacking the convoy, he would never have sent only one task force over, but would have brought both task forces with him to form a force superiority, and then annihilate Task Force 2 in one fell swoop. From both point of view, Spruance has no reason to let the two task forces scatter and divide their forces, which is a taboo in the first place, and Spruance will never give us a chance to break through until he knows exactly where we are. ”

"Well, then, both task forces are to the north, in a parallel east-west formation, within 80 to 100 miles of each other, so that Spruance can guarantee that one task force can be mobilized to counterattack the other if it is attacked. In addition, if Spruance chooses to attack actively, he can have the task force to attack in full force from the west, and the task force from the east to provide air defense cover. ”

"This tactical issue is not on the table." Tan Renhao glanced at his partner, "The key now is whether Spruance is north of Wake Island, if so, then we will bomb the US landing fleet and artillery formation tomorrow morning, and first disintegrate the US army's ability to attack Wake Island." If not, then we will try to find the American task force tomorrow morning and take out their task force first. ”

"But the problem is, unless we break the radio silence now and contact Guam Command. Let them arrange for new reconnaissance planes, so that it is possible to find the US fleet before dawn, and if the previous communication methods are still used, I am afraid that the time when the reconnaissance planes will fly over is already after eight o'clock. ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly, this is what makes him feel a headache. Long-range reconnaissance planes taking off from Guam or Saipan can fly to the vicinity of Wake Island, but they can only fly at cruising speeds, which takes at least six hours. If Task Force 1 does not break the radio silence, it will simply pass orders to the nearby islands. It would take at least an hour and a half, and a delay of this hour and a half would mean that the reconnaissance plane would not be able to fly until after half past seven.

If Spruance's task force was indeed covering the convoy, they would have been able to reach the vicinity of the landing site around eight o'clock, which would have meant a lost opportunity to attack the American landing fleet. But if the radio silence is broken now, then the position of Task Force 1 will be exposed, and as soon as Spruance receives the news, he will leave the convoy and head south at full speed, still able to return to the landing site early. The approximate location of Task Force 1 will first be determined.

Send out reconnaissance planes, and the situation will be very unfavorable.

Hao Dongjue also knew that his suggestion was extremely risky, so he didn't bother Tan Renhao.

Let Tan Renhao think more comprehensively and in detail.

"Let the seaplanes take off." Tan Renhao finally chose to stay hidden, as long as the fleet was not hit, he had many opportunities. "I hope that General Liao Hanxiang will know the urgency of the current battle situation and send a new reconnaissance plane as soon as possible. However, judging by the current weather conditions in the waters north of Wake Island, perhaps we shouldn't be hoping too much. ”

"Then we will have to rely on our own reconnaissance aircraft to determine if Spruance is near the landing site."

Tan Renhao nodded, walked to the chart table, thought for a while, and said, "If Spruance stays in the sea area of the landing site." The threat to us is greatest, so we must first assume that the two US task forces are not heading north, but in the waters near the landing site. ”

"But now there are at least two ......"

"Dong Jue, consider the enemy to be stronger, it will not hurt us." Tan Renhao glanced at his partner, "If Spruance is convinced that we will fight back from the south, his two task forces will definitely be east of the landing field, or south-east. It's about 150 to 200 nautical miles from the landing site. ”

Hao Dongjue nodded, in terms of tactical judgment, he might as well talk about Renhao.

"Then we must first search the sea that poses the greatest threat to us." Tan Renhao circled the sea area where the US fleet was most likely to operate on the chart, "You calculate how many reconnaissance planes we need to use if we want to thoroughly search this sea area." ”

"At least 24, maybe 30." Hao Dongjue is familiar with this skill, and by looking at the scope of the sea area, he can roughly calculate the number of reconnaissance planes needed.

"Then arrange for our fleet's 24 aircraft carriers to carry reconnaissance planes, as well as 16 seaplanes, to search this sea area, and there must be no omission!" Tan Renhao glanced at his partner, "Secondly, if Spruance is covering his transport fleet now, and believes that we are in the south, then he will definitely rush back to the landing site as soon as possible, and by tomorrow morning, he will probably appear in this sea area north-east of the landing field, about 150 to 250 nautical miles away from Wake Island, which is a relatively big threat to us, so we must also pay close attention to it." ”

Hao Dongjue nodded again, and talked about Renhao's analysis reasonably.

Tan Renhao also marked the sea area where the US fleet would probably appear on the chart. "If we want to search this area and ensure that at least there is a fifty percent chance of spotting the U.S. fleet, how many reconnaissance planes do we need to use?"

"At least 24 of them, and all of them have to be reconnaissance planes carried by aircraft carriers, and seaplanes can't fly that far."

Tan Renhao nodded slightly. "After rendezvous with the Second Task Force, let them arrange a reconnaissance plane to search this sea area, you can make a reconnaissance plan, and then send a plane to send the plan over, so that Shaoqing and them can make arrangements."

"No problem, I'll do it all."

"The last possibility, the U.S. fleet is in the north, and it is not going south in advance, then when we bomb the landing ground tomorrow, Spruance will definitely let the fleet accelerate southward, and he will choose the nearest route." Tan Renhao marked a route on the chart, "We don't have carrier-based reconnaissance planes, so we can only maintain vigilance by water planes." Ten seaplanes were left behind, and all the others were sent to carry out reconnaissance patrols within 50 nautical miles to 100 nautical miles north of the US landing site. ”

Hao Dongjue nodded. "Why do you leave ten seaplanes behind?"

"Watch this side!" Tan Renhao nodded on the west side of Wake Island on the chart, "Although the possibility of Spruance taking this route is very small, but it is also possible, we can't help but take precautions, let our fleet of ten seaplanes, and all the extra seaplanes of the second task force patrol here, all with full fuel, as long as possible." ”

"We can ignore the issue of the return of seaplanes, and if the bombing of the US artillery formation is successful, we can let the seaplanes go to Wake Island to replenish fuel." Hao Dongjue glanced at his partner, "In this way, the seaplane patrol time can be extended by two hours, and these two hours will be very critical." ”

Tan Renhao hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "It can be arranged in this way, after the battle starts, send a seaplane to contact Han Shaofeng and ask him to prepare aviation gasoline. In addition, the seaplanes patrolling northeast of Wake Island flew in this way, and after we bombed the American bombardment formation, they all went to Wake Island to refuel. ”

"Now, then, it's just a matter of the arrangement of our two fleets."

Tan Renhao fell silent, this is the most important thing. Regardless of where Spruance was hiding and whether there was a threat to the two task forces, Tan Renhao didn't want to put all the weight in his hand on it, he had to leave a bomber group that could destroy four aircraft carriers to ensure that it was just in case. But the question is, how should the two fleets work together, and how many bombers should be dispatched to deal with the landing sites of the American army?