After the departure of the fleet, radio silence has been maintained, only receiving information from the rear, without sending any radio signals, and the warships communicate with each other by flag and light signals.

Tan Renhao set his headquarters on the aircraft carrier "Taizu" instead of the flagship "Li Jing". His main task was to command aviation operations, and the post of operational staff officer of the fleet was temporarily replaced by Brigadier General Ji Xiaobin. It's a new arrangement, but Tan Renhao prefers the location. Wu Xianyu and Ji Xiaobin also took into account Tan Renhao's talent in aviation operations, so they let him go to the "Taizu" aircraft carrier to be responsible for the command of aviation operations.

It's still early autumn, but the sea breeze is already cool. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, the aircraft carrier "Taizu" was like a huge whale, advancing on the sea. Tan Renhao looked at the glow that was darkening in the west, and suddenly had an uncontrollable feeling of fate. It was a strange feeling, as if there was a huge whirlpool on the pitch-black sea ahead, attracting him and dragging the entire fleet into it.

"Why don't you go to dinner, don't you have an appetite?"

Tan Renhao was startled, and when he turned around, he saw Lei Shaoqing walking over with a boxed lunch.

"Even if you're nervous, eat too, if you fall, who's going to replace you?" Lei Shaoqing smiled and put the lunch box on Tan Renhao's hand, and then patted him on the shoulder, "However, I don't feel nervous." Perhaps, this is the fate that has been predestined for a long time, and we should be grateful for this war. ”

"Thanks for this war?" Tan Renhao glanced at Lei Shaoqing in disbelief, and then opened the lunch box.

"Yes, if it weren't for this war, you'd probably be a lieutenant officer at most now, and I'm probably worse than you, but I should be a lieutenant officer, right?" Lei Shaoqing leaned on the railing, and then lit a cigarette, "War needs heroes, and it also creates heroes." Since we have all been pushed to this crossroads by fate, why don't we move forward bravely and hesitate instead? ”

Tan Renhao laughed. "When did you change your mind to philosophy?"

"That's the right attitude, smile, ten years less. You're pretending to be cool with a face? Lei Shaoqing also laughed, "However, to be honest, I still think your plan is a bit risky, and I heard that the commander of the Southwest United Fleet has been replaced by Nanyun Yizhong, and he also has a very powerful staff officer named Minoru Genda, do you know this person?" ”

"Minoru Genda?" Tan Renhao immediately frowned, and then nodded, "I've heard about it for a long time, and he is the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable about aviation operations among the officers of the Japanese Young Zhuang faction, and I heard that he has always been very important." However, Nagumo Kazutada is not a powerful character, and if he has the decisiveness of Yamamoto's sixty-five and a half, he will be a difficult opponent. ”

"Yes, I heard that this surprise attack, especially the surprise attack on the First Fleet anchored in Naha Port, was planned by Minoru Genda." Lei Shaoqing handed a cigarette to Tan Renhao, "The entire strategic sneak attack was planned by Yamamoto Sixty-five, and in terms of specific tactics, it was completed by Minoru Genda. If this information is to be believed, then Minoru Genda will be a very formidable opponent. ”

Tan Renhao put down his lunch box and lit a cigarette. "It doesn't matter if he's terrible or not, it's useless for us to worry, if we do it with a real gun, we will know who is more powerful."

Lei Shaoqing laughed. "Renhao, this is what you are."

Tan Renhao was stunned for a moment, and also laughed.

"Remember when we were kids, we fought with those little hooligans?" Lei Shaoqing slowly spit out the cigarette, "Every time you don't say anything, you know that you will beat others to death, and you won't stop until someone forcibly pulls you away." I'm skeptical if you're crazy, but that's your personality and what I'm lacking. ”

Tan Renhao grabbed Lei Shaoqing's shoulder. "Now, I treat the Japanese fleet as those little rascals, and since I want to fight, I will beat them to death!"

Both of them laughed, and they remembered when they were children and fought with others, which also made Tan Renhao feel a lot more relaxed.

That night, Tan Renhao gathered all the principal officers of the Fifth Air Wing. After the Fifth Air Wing was placed under the command of the Fifth Fleet and the Fifth Fleet established the Aviation Combat Staff Department, the Fifth Air Company was placed under the direct command of the Aviation Operations Staff Headquarters. Tan Renhao also became the nominal commander of the Fifth Air Wing, but this was only nominal, and the Fifth Air Wing had its own colonel commander.

The 5th Air Company was divided into four brigades, namely a fighter group, a torpedo bomber group, a dive bomber group, and a reconnaissance transport search and rescue group. The wing commander was Colonel Luo Jinming, the captain of the fighter group was Major Jiang Wenhan, the captain of the torpedo bomber group was Major Deng Zichao (Tan Renhao had already known him before), the leader of the dive bomber group was Major Zhang Naiding, and the captain of the reconnaissance elm search and rescue group was Major Yang Shihong. These five people have all been promoted in the past six months or so, and they are all the backbone of the Fifth Air Wing, and they are all about 30 years old. In addition, three squadrons have been set up in each squadron, and in addition to the reconnaissance, transport, search and rescue squadron, each squadron has four squadrons, each of which has four to eight combat aircraft. In terms of establishment, the size of the establishment of the imperial naval aviation units is somewhat larger than that of the aircraft carrier units of the navies of Western countries.

After the Fifth Fleet returned to Zhoushan, the Fifth Air Wing was transferred to Zhoushan and airfields along the coast of Zhejiang, and has been practicing bombing techniques in Hangzhou Bay. The fighter unit and the shore-based air defense fighter unit of the HNA jointly carried out air defense patrol duties on the Zhoushan Islands, and also carried out simulated air combat training. After more than ten days, the burned fuel alone was enough to fill the aviation fuel depots of five aircraft carriers.

Tan Renhao had met these officers when the fleet was leaving, except for Deng Zichao and Liu Jinsong (Deng Zichao's deputy), everyone else was met by Tan Renhao for the first time. Of course, these officers of the naval aviation had heard of Tan Renhao's name a long time ago, and they were also very satisfied with this new leader who attached importance to aviation operations.

The aviation war room was packed, but that didn't affect the atmosphere. When Tan Renhao, Lei Shaoqing, and Hao Dongjue walked in, these aviation officers all quieted down, and everyone's eyes fell on Tan Renhao.