"The fleet turned to 22o full retreat!" As soon as the air defense alarm was lifted, Tan Renhao immediately issued a new order: "Formulate a new return route, contact the returning aircraft group, and let them change course!" ”

Lei Shaoqing hesitated, and the other staff officers were also a little hesitant. Lei Shaoqing immediately nodded to those staff officers, and asked them to carry out the commander's order first, and the chief of staff should come forward to negotiate with the commander on other issues. Even if you have an opinion, you must not delay time at this time.

Tan Renhao walked to the corner of the command cabin and lit a cigarette.

Lei Shaoqing followed, and after taking the cigarette from Tan Renhao, he asked, "Are we going to run away?" ”

Tan Renhao nodded. "I'm sure the Japanese bombers on several nearby islands are preparing for takeoff, and even these bombers are out."

Lei Shaoqing glanced at the navigation clock, it was already 10:15 in the morning, and the battle had started at 8 o'clock, and two hours and 15 minutes had passed. And two and a half hours have passed since the fleet was exposed, and even if the preparation efficiency of the Japanese shore-based bombers is lowered, these two and a half hours will be enough for all the bombers to hang up the bombs, fill them with fuel, and leave the runway!

"When will Zhang Naiding and Deng Zi return?" What Tan Renhao can consider now is to avoid the attack of Japanese shore-based bombers, as long as the fleet is saved, then he will have enough capital to take out the Japanese combined fleet and win the absolute victory in this battle.

"Zhang Naiding's group arrived at the fleet at about 10:50, and Deng Zi, they won't be back until about 11:15."

"Let the fighters return to the squad to refuel and ammunition." Tan Renhao's decision was made quickly: "It is necessary to ensure that at least 36 fighter jets patrol the skies over the fleet. In addition, as soon as the results of the losses are counted, I want to know how many forces are left, and whether there is any ability to take out the Japanese combined fleet again. ”

Lei Shaoqing didn't say anything and immediately went to get busy.

Five minutes later, the first batch of returning fighters landed on the aircraft carriers "Yangtze River" and "Yellow River". The pilot did not leave the cockpit. At this time, they are tired but also excited. The pilots knew that they had to be on high alert until the fleet left the strike range of the Japanese shore-based bombers. The fighters were replenished with ammunition and fuel on the flight deck, and the pilots just ate some pastries and took off again.

Twenty minutes later, the second group of fighters began to land. The fleet was unusually busy in the beginning of the air battle. Most fighters have run out of ammunition, so replenishment is the most important part. But there was a mistake in the busyness, and at this critical juncture, there were three more "vultures" crawling into the nest, and all of them were motive failures!

At 10:45 a.m., the bomber group led by Zhang Naiding returned to the sky above the fleet. With the help of the aircraft carrier's aviation guides, these bombers began to land on the two aircraft carriers "Taizu" and "Xuanzong". According to the arrangement, the bombers landed on both carriers, and the returning fighters landed on the carriers of the second carrier strike group, so that the fighters could be guaranteed to take off at any time. and not to affect the air defense operations of the fleet.

The returning bomber pilots were warmly welcomed. The officers and men of the fleet all knew Zhang Naiding, and they had created a brilliant victory in battle. If fighter pilots are eagles protecting the fleet. Then the bomber pilot is the Raptor who went to change history!

"The results of the loss are in." Lei Shaoqing also found Tan Renhao at this time, "Lost 22 bombers and 27 fighters. The seaplanes are out and we are trying to contact nearby submarines to try to find and recover the pilot. ”

Tan Renhao nodded. This loss was very small, almost insignificant in relation to the results achieved. The fleet also has a powerful strike force, especially all the ground ace pilots (battle aces and bombing aces) flew back, captains, squadron leaders. None of the squad leaders lost. Almost all of the pilots who were shot down were rookies from the newly incorporated First Air Wing. If these pilots can be rescued, then they will not be easily shot down by the enemy next time.

"Let Ansler's escort fighters also take off as soon as possible, keep at least two fighter squads on the deck of the second carrier strike group, and these fighters will take off immediately after the current Japanese bomber group!"

Before Tan Renhao's words were finished, a staff officer shouted. "The radar of the heavy cruiser Commander 'Stinging' is now unknown, and the fleet is 5o nautical miles northeast!"

Tan Renhao and Lei Shaoqing were both shocked. Immediately ran over. The heavy cruiser "Stinging" was responsible for the air defense of the fleet's perimeter. The eight large anti-aircraft cruisers in the fleet were responsible for providing close anti-aircraft fire cover for the carriers, and the heavy cruisers were responsible for organizing the anti-aircraft fire network on the periphery. The "Stinging" and two other heavy cruisers (without radar) formed an anti-aircraft fire point to the northeast of the fleet to intercept invading enemy aircraft at medium and high altitudes. At the same time, the "Stinging" ground radar also played a role in vigilance and surveillance.

"Fighters take off at once, all fighters that are able to take off take off!" Lei Shaoqing gave an order for Tan Renhao: "Sound the air defense alarm, this must be a Japanese bomber." ”

Tan Renhao sneered and did not interfere with Lei Shaoqing's command. He was slightly surprised by the fact that the Japanese shore-based bombers arrived very quickly. The Japanese bombers on Iwo Jima have been withdrawn, so the closest is the small airfield on North Iwo Jima, and the Japanese bombers are on the ground. North Iwo Jima is about 33o nautical miles away from the fleet, and the Japanese shore-based medium bombers are only about 16o knots, and it takes two hours to fly to reach this side. And now it's only 10:55. In other words, the Japanese shore-based bombers took off within an hour of the fleet being revealed. Obviously, the Japanese had been prepared for a long time, and if they had not been prepared, they would not have been able to get the bombers out in an hour.

Lei Shaoqing glanced at Tan Renhao, and then quieted down. The staff officers also quieted down, and the atmosphere in the command cabin was a little scary, and it was a little nervous, and it was a little breathless. The second round of bombardment by the Japanese has finally arrived!

There were as many as 18o Japanese bombers that rushed in, divided into three groups. The three fleets took off from Chichijima, Hashima, and Brother Island in the Ogasawara Islands. These three islands are the third of the Ogasawara Islands where airports have been built.

When the Japanese anti-submarine patrol planes appeared in the First Task Force, the 72 bombers on the home island could immediately go out to bomb the First Task Force. As a result, Yamamoto 65 was convinced that Yamaguchi's 1st Air Fleet would inflict heavy damage on the 1st Task Force of the Tang Empire, and then use shore-based bombers to clean up the remaining ships. As a result, the bombers on the mother island did not take off immediately, but waited until the bomber groups on Chichijima and Brother Island were ready to attack, and then they went out at the same time, which delayed for half an hour.

The first to arrive were 72 "6 Attacks in One Style" that took off from the mother island. This bomber, officially designated "G4M", was mainly used against the Japanese 6 Navy, and was characterized by a large bomb load. The range is long, and the degree is not too slow (the early model is about 23o knots, and the improved version reaches 25o knots). The shortcomings were also obvious: all the early models used by the Japanese Navy at that time did not have armor, the design of the fuel tank was extremely unreasonable, and it was easy to burst. As early as the Battle of Ryukyu Island, the First Task Force had encountered this kind of bomber, and those fighter pilots who participated in the Battle of Ryukyu Island knew very well how to beat down this kind of bomber that had been blown up by wishful thinking.

These bombers, armed with two motives, were not covered by fighters. All the fighters originally deployed on Iwo Jima have also been withdrawn, and it is difficult for the "Zero Combat" deployed on other islands to fly so far. Outcome. When this group of bombers approached the 1st Task Force of the Tang Empire. It was immediately intercepted by a swarm of fighters.

Tan Renhao was not afraid of these bulky twin bombers. The "one-type 6 attack" can generally only carry out horizontal bombardment, and when necessary, torpedoes can also be hung for torpedo bombing. When the war broke out. Against the Second Fleet, the Third Fleet, and the Southwest Fleet, Japanese shore-based bombers were torpedoed, posing a huge threat to the fleet. But in fact, if the "6 attacks in one type" are torpedoed, then the success rate is very low. At least the success rate isn't much higher now. There are dozens of anti-aircraft fighters over the fleet, as well as groups of anti-aircraft warships, which are bulky. It is not so easy for bulky bombers to break through the air defense network of the fleet.

After turning the volume of the horn to the maximum, Tan Renhao leaned on the handrail next to the porthole and lit a cigarette. The screams of the fighter pilots immediately filled the entire command cabin.

"Squadron leader, I took out one, I killed one!"

"Mother's little Japan, is it an airplane made of oil paper? These bombers burn as soon as they hit! ”

"Don't waste your time, kill them all, and don't let them go!"

"Squadron Leader, are we having a bonfire?"

……

Tan Renhao smiled and shook his head. It seems that the nervousness of the pilots has also passed, and now it is their turn to repair these Japanese bombers without fighter escort, which is naturally much easier.

Fighters on four aircraft carriers are taking off on 6 consecutive days, and before the Japanese bombers break through the interception line of fighters, the fighters on the aircraft carriers will seize the time to take off.

Dozens of Japanese bombers dragged their tails into the sea with their tails of flames, and it was at this time that the second batch of 54 bombers took off from Chichijima arrived. The bombers entered at low altitudes and were torpedoed. At the same time, two more squads of air defense fighters were added to the skies over the fleet.

"Do you want to turn off the radio?"

"You don't have to let everyone listen, as long as it doesn't affect everyone's work." Tan Renhao looked out of the porthole: "Let all the fighters take off as soon as possible, since there is such a good opportunity, why not train a few more aces to come out?" ”

Lei Shaoqing laughed, now eighty percent of the aces of the Imperial Naval Aviation are in the First Task Force, after this battle, there will definitely be another batch of ace pilots!

A third group of 52 bombers arrived fifteen minutes after the battle began. The bombers took off from Brother Island. At this time, there were already more than 7o "vultures" hovering over the first task force. The battle is heating up. The first bombers to arrive had already broken through the interception nets of fighters and began to drop bombs on battleships on the surface of the sea. Each of these bombers had 3 25o kg bombs hung.

The battleships in the fleet were quickly evading the anti-aircraft artillery and roaring. Horizontal bombardment from 8oo meters is not a great threat to battleships, at least much less than those of dive bombers.

Several bombs fell near the "Yangtze River," and Tan Renhao immediately grabbed the handrails, and the aircraft carrier shook. As he steadied his heels and looked out of the porthole, the other three carriers were also trying to avoid the falling bombs. When the sea calmed down, all the ships were intact, and several bombers were also dropped by shells. Before the officers and men on the battleship could change their breath, the second group of bombers entered the sky over the fleet and dropped torpedoes.

More than a dozen white "minelines" were fired at the "Yellow River" aircraft carrier in front of the "Yangtze River" to the left, and the huge aircraft carrier quickly turned and aimed its bow at the direction of the torpedo, and at the same time, the anti-aircraft guns on the battleship were also firing at the torpedoes on the sea.

"Dodged the 'Yellow River' and dodged all the torpedoes!"

The staff officers all screamed excitedly, and Tan Renhao also breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The third group of bombers came over the fleet, and this was still a group of horizontal bombers. Several "Type 6 Attackers" were knocked down by anti-aircraft fire from large anti-aircraft cruisers before they could be dropped. The fleet once again avoided the bomb attack, and the "Yangtze River" became the focus of the Japanese bomber attack, and the battleship shook violently.

Bombs kept falling near the aircraft carrier, and huge columns of water exploded. Tan Renhao became nervous again, and God knew when a bomb would fall on the deck. The staff officers, who had been excited at first, also fell silent, and everyone heard the screaming of the bomb bursting.

When the last bomb landed 5o meters away on the port side of the "Yangtze River", Tan Renhao breathed a sigh of relief, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief......