"Target found, 12 o'clock direction, altitude 5000, distance 7500, large Japanese aircraft group! Guys, follow me! Avenge the Californians! ”

When Captain Thomas's voice came again, George. Second Lieutenant Bush's spirit was immediately highly concentrated, and he manipulated his F4U to follow Squadron Leader Thomas and flew quickly forward, while carefully searching the sky below. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

Today is not a particularly suitable day for air combat, and there are quite a few marshmallow-like stratus clouds floating in the sky. Enemy aircraft are easy to hide in, and if it were not for the radar guidance of surface ships, it is very likely that the more than 200 F4U hovering at an altitude of more than 6,000 meters would not be able to find Japanese aircraft flying under the cover of clouds.

Captain Thomas, who led Second Lieutenant Bush in the attack, was an experienced interceptor pilot, and before boarding the USS San Jacinto, he had played a heart-pounding one-time Spitfire and shot down two Ju-288 bombers -- an absolutely remarkable achievement in the Atlantic theater.

Captain Thomas, who has a wealth of experience, did not blindly launch an assault after leading the group close to the large Japanese group. Instead, they made another half circle and occupied a position with their backs to the sun.

Using the glare of sunlight to attack the Ju-288 is the most common tactic used on the Atlantic theater, especially if the Ju-288 has an equally capable Fw-190 or He219 escort.

The glare of sunlight can ensure that the fragile "disposable fire" will not go to the nose with the powerful Fw-190 and He219. Although the Spitfire will still be hunted down by the Fw-190 or He219 after completing the attack, there is a chance to shoot down the Ju288 with fire.

"Again, the target is the Japanese bombers, don't get entangled with their fighters, and pull the bombers up and get out of the battle after the fight." Captain Thomas gave one last admonition, and then shouted, "Now, follow me!" For California! For America! ”

He is a Californian from Los Angeles, the epicenter of the bacterial attack in Japan. That's why he kept talking about avenging the Californians -- many American officers whose hometowns were not in California liked to use to incite hatred before leading their troops against the Japanese.

"For California! For America! ”

Bush, who was born in Massachusetts, also yelled at his boss, and then began to dive down with his four-plane formation.

About 200 or more Japanese fighter jets and bombers are flying south at a high speed of more than 500 km/h in the sky about 1,000 meters below.

Second Lieutenant Bush found that the Japanese bombers and fighters below had not been seen before, and they had not appeared in the enemy plane identification book sent down by his superiors.

It is clear that the Japanese threw in their new fighters!

At this time, the Japanese had already found their F4U in the sky above, and the escorting purple electric fighters pulled up their noses one after another, and attacked the F4U that swooped down from above. However, the twin-engine "Galaxy" bombers still maintained their original formation, only speeding up their flights, as if they wanted to use their own speed to get rid of enemy planes.

"Sudden ......"

Just as Second Lieutenant Bush was trying to maneuver his plane to avoid an oncoming purple electric plane, the Japanese plane suddenly opened fire on him. Four thick and continuous flashes of light pierced the air and suddenly flashed from the right side of the F4U fighter, startling Second Lieutenant Bush, who had always thought that the Japanese plane's firepower was weak.

This is not the momentum that a 12.7mm machine gun can play, this should be a 20mm machine gun!

The firepower of this new Japanese fighter is so powerful! Fortunately, the backlit attack position was chosen, otherwise it would have been shot down. Thinking of this, Second Lieutenant Bush did not care about the order to "not entangle with enemy fighters" and hurriedly deducted the machine gun launch button. The six 12.7mm machine guns on the plane immediately erupted tongues of fire, and immediately shrouded the Japanese fighters below in a burst of flames -- the current Second Lieutenant Bush is an "old bird" who has shot down two Japanese fighters, and his marksmanship is still very accurate!

However, the Japanese plane, which had received several 12.7mm bullets, showed no signs of imminent fall, but roared past Second Lieutenant Bush's plane.

"It's pretty sturdy!" Second Lieutenant Bush's brow tightened, and he already felt a little uncomfortable.

However, he did not go to the Japanese plane, which had been subjected to several rounds of 12.7mm bullets, but continued to rush towards the Japanese "Galaxy" bomber.

Although the speed of the "Galaxy" is fast, it is still too far behind the F4U that is diving. Therefore, the F4U piloted by Bush quickly rushed to the top of a "galaxy" and once again fired six tongues of fire composed of 12.7mm bullets. This time, Bush also did not miss, and at least 20 rounds of ammunition swept on the big plane (the Galaxy bomber was also very large, with a maximum take-off weight of 13.5 tons, which was on par with the "Flying Dragon"), but to Bush's surprise, the Japanese plane also carried 12.7mm bullets and still flew forward steadily.

Because of the tactic of "striking and leaving" was adopted, after the dive attack, Second Lieutenant Bush's plane could not immediately pull up and continue the attack, so it could only continue to rush towards the sea with potential energy, throwing off the Japanese planes that might be following behind the buttocks -- in fact, the Japanese did not pursue them, because after all, they were carrying out escort missions, and the most important thing was to keep the Galaxy bombers.

And the interception operation just launched by 108 F4U is only the first wave, and the purpose is not to shoot down how many Japanese planes, but to disrupt their formation. Then there will be a second, third, and fourth wave of attacks!

……

"The Japanese threw in new fighters? Still very sturdy? ”

Halsey's command soon received the latest battle report from the front - the two waves of volleys had been fought, and the number of downed planes was now initially reported to be only a measly 28 (only 18 were later confirmed, including 10 "Galaxy" and 8 "Purple Reform"), and its own losses had reached 17.

"Sir, the new Japanese plane is very difficult to shoot down." Major General Callaghan, chief of staff of the Central Pacific Theater, said while reading the battle report, "The pilots on the front line also reported that the bombers dispatched by the Japanese army this time were all twin-engine bombers, which were slightly smaller than the 'one-type lighters', but they were very strong and fast, exceeding 500 km/h in visual inspection." ”

"Twin-haired...... Is it a torpedo machine? Halsey asked.

"I don't know," Callahan replied, "if it's a torpedo machine, I'm not afraid." ”

Japanese torpedo planes have almost turned into "suicide aircraft" in the face of the American surface fleet with strong anti-aircraft fire, while twin-engine large torpedo attack aircraft see that it is easier to hit.

"Well," Halsey nodded, "I'm afraid it's a dive bomber!" ”

It is estimated that the Japanese do not have "missile planes" like the Ju288, and although many American companies have long been saying that they can copy off German remote-controlled gliding bombs, they have only been able to produce remote-controlled suicide B-17 and B-24 for several years...... This kind of thing can't be used against surface ships.

"It's possible that it's a dive bomber," Callahan shared his concerns, "and the bomb load is estimated to be about the same as the German Ju88...... It should be around 2000 kg! ”

2,000 kg is not a small amount for a surface ship, and if it is a bomb, the Iowa-class battleships will not be able to carry it, and they can be paralyzed with one shot.

"Let's be careful." Halsey's brow furrowed, as if he sensed something was serious.

"Sir, Task Force 51 reports that their destroyers have spotted an even larger group of attack aircraft forming over Oahu, with an estimated number of more than 500 enemy aircraft."

At this time, a staff officer reported another piece of news that worried Halsey even more -- the attack aircraft group of the Japanese Army Air Corps was almost formed.

……

"Sir, the U.S. fleet has been spotted, right in front of us. Quantity...... There are about 1,000 of them! ”

At this time, the god of critical hits, Jiang Cao Fanlong, had already found a trace of the American fleet - this was a large fleet that "spread" hundreds of square nautical miles, and it was too easy to find!

But being easy to find doesn't mean it's easy to play.

About 1,000 warships of various kinds have long formed a huge air defense battle formation on the ocean about 300 nautical miles south of the Hawaiian Islands.

"Start from the perimeter!" Kamei Kaifu Osa began to give orders, "Use the onion peeling tactic to hit the perimeter of the American fleet first." ”

The tactics of going straight to the core, which the Japanese had already used in the Battle of Christmas Island, turned out to have almost lost a generation of the elite of naval aviation.

So this time, the Black Island ghost man, who was in charge of formulating the sortie plan, changed his tactics and decided to start from the periphery, first hitting the American destroyers, and then hitting the inside layer by layer, gradually weakening the strength of the American fleet.

However, this style of play also has a drawback, that is, it cannot crush the aviation combat power of the US fleet in one fell swoop. The attack aircraft group will have to fight a war of attrition in the air with the American F4U and F6F again and again.

Just when the first attack wave commanded by Kamei Kaifu Osaku broke through the volleys of four F4U waves one after another and rushed in front of the US Grand Fleet, more than 200 F6F fighters were already in full position.

At the same time, more than 250 kilometers away, Second Lieutenant Bush's squadron also climbed to an altitude of 6,000 meters with more than 200 other F4Us, preparing to launch a surprise attack on the second attack wave of the Japanese army.

The fierce war of attrition in the air will soon be staged again!