In charge of directing the bombing of Iwo Jima was Colonel Jiang Wenhan. Jiang Wenhan is also the captain of the "Yangtze River" aircraft carrier group, and his plane is a "vulture" fighter. In order to be able to strengthen the bombing force, the "vultures" who carried out escort missions hung four small bombs of 5o kilograms, which were specially responsible for dealing with those targets that were easier to bomb, such as Japanese camps.

The lowest altitude of the clouds over Iwo Jima was about 18oo meters, so as not to affect the bombing, the altitude of the flight route was set at 15oo meters. Jiang Wenwei: They are not worried about being caught by the Japanese, at least for now, there is no radar in Japan. At the same time, if it encounters a Japanese fighter, the "vulture" can immediately drop the bomb and then engage the Japanese fighter to cover the bomber group behind. In any case, the bombing mission was only secondary, and the main task of the 36 "vultures" led by Jiang Wenhan was to repel the Japanese air defense fighters so that the bombers could drop bombs smoothly.

Behind the "Vulture" group were two groups of bombers. Each of the 72 "Kingfishers" had two 25o kg bombs, while the 72 "Ospreys" each had ten 1oo kg bomblets. These bombs were used to destroy the runway and the Japanese warplanes parked on the airfield. Both groups flew at an altitude of 15oo meters. When there were still 2o nautical miles from Iwo Jima, the Osprey group began to reduce altitude, and these bombers were going to carry out horizontal bombing missions, and the intended bombing altitude was 8oo meters. Kingfishers still carry out dive bombardment, mainly against high-value targets, as well as anti-aircraft artillery positions.

By the time the Vulture fleet reached the skies over Iwo Jima, there were still no Japanese fighters. Jiang Wenhan was not surprised, because before he left, Hao Dongjue told him that the Japanese plane group might have been transferred to other islands, otherwise the "vultures" would not have hung bombs to carry out bombing missions.

The "vultures" of 36 cameo bombers dropped their bombs first. Because most fighter pilots were not proficient in bombing techniques, the pilots dropped the bombs in a hurry. Then the dive strafing began. Strafing targets on the ground with machine guns made it a little more convenient for the pilots. Soon two other groups of bombers also arrived, and one after the other entered the battle, beginning to destroy the Japanese military targets on the island.

When the group of "Osprey" planes that bombed the Japanese airfield in the northeast corner of the island arrived in the airspace above the airfield, there was not a single fighter plane in the airfield! The bombers were "greeted" by heavy anti-aircraft fire. As a result, most of the bomber pilots dropped their bombs quickly. It's a job done.

The "Kingfisher" group was mainly responsible for bombing the Japanese camp near Mt. Oriba at the southern tip of the island, as well as fortifications, shore artillery groups, anti-aircraft artillery positions, and so on. The bombers dived and dropped bombs in two formations. They were also intercepted by heavy anti-aircraft artillery, but did not encounter Japanese fighters.

The bombing lasted only fifteen minutes, and when the two groups of bombers left the airspace over Iwo Jima, Jiang Wenhan also led the fighter group to complete the last strafing shot, and then followed the retreating bomber group. He did not forget to do something very important to report back the results of the bombing.

When Tan Renhao received a telegram from Jiang Wenhan coming back. It was already 7:45. When he learned that all the Japanese fighters on the island had been evacuated. Moreover, the Japanese troops all hid in underground fortifications, and only anti-aircraft artillery was fighting, and when fighting against the bomber group, Tan Renhao immediately understood. His guess was already half right, and this was the trap set by the Japanese.

"Immediately turn on the air defense radar. The fleet switched to an air defense formation and let the second batch of air defense fighters rise into the air! Tan Renhao did not hesitate, he sent the telegram to Lei Shaoqing, and when he gave it to Lei Shaoqing, he issued a new order: "Contact the ground reconnaissance plane in front to inquire about their situation." ”

The four aircraft carriers quickly dispersed. The first carrier strike group is in the northeast of the fleet, and the second carrier strike group is in the southwest of the fleet. Each carrier was flanked by a large air defense cruiser, and the heavy cruisers were scattered in the open space of the fleet, and the destroyers were spreading out to the periphery.

"Commander. Qin Qiong's radar is now an unknown aircraft! ”

"Immediately arrange for fighter jets to go over, damn it, do you still need to ask?" Tan Renhao was anxious.

"Over there!" Lei Shaoqing pointed to the sky outside the porthole.

Tan Renhao immediately ran over, a plane loomed in the clouds, and if you didn't look closely, you couldn't see that plane at all. The two "vultures" were killed, and soon the plane with the plaster flag was forced out. It was a Japanese anti-submarine patrol aircraft, which was also generally used as a reconnaissance aircraft. After being besieged by two "vultures". The Japanese quickly lowered their altitude and tried to escape from a low altitude. But the dive performance and low-altitude performance of the "Vulture" are much better than those of the "Zero Battle", and the Japanese aircraft are sending them to death by doing so!

"Damn the Japanese planes are there any radio signals?"

The staff officer who was questioned nodded. "The signal was just issued, and the Japanese plane probably just entered the sky above the fleet!"

Tan Renhao gritted his teeth, that is, the position of the fleet has been exposed. And now, the only thing fortunately for the Japanese reconnaissance plane was that he had another hour to an hour and a half to prepare to meet the enemy.

"Are you going to send fighter jets into the air?" Lei Shaoqing walked over.

Tan Renhao shook his head slightly. "Let the patrolling air defense fighters land quickly. Jiang Wenhan: They returned to the fleet in about an hour. Before that, 2o minutes for all the air defense fighters to rise into the air. Then they received the returning bombers, and finally let Jiang Wenhan and them all take off to carry out the fleet's air defense combat mission. ”

"It will take at least half an hour to recover the bomber, do you want the 1st Carrier Strike Group to also participate in the recovery work?" Lei Shaoqing immediately pointed out the problem. It would take at least half an hour for the two aircraft carriers to recover those bombers, and in that half an hour the fleet would certainly be bombed by a Japanese group.

Tan Renhao sighed: "I'll make a decision in half an hour." If we can't find the Japanese First Air Fleet in this half an hour, we will be bombed by the first wave, and we won't be able to fight back! ”

Lei Shaoqing didn't bother Tan Renhao anymore, he knew that Tan Renhao needed time to make a decision, and the next half an hour would decide whether the fleet could fight back when it was attacked by Japanese bombers, which was also related to the final outcome of the battle.

In charge of the reconnaissance mission was Lieutenant Colonel Yang Shihong. He was a veteran of the Fifth Air Wing, and his qualifications were not in Deng Zi. Zhang Nai, under Jiang Wenhan, was one of the four pillars of the Fifth Air Company at that time. But he was not a fighter pilot or a bomber pilot. When the Fifth Air Wing was transferred to the direct command of the Fifth Fleet, he was assigned to the reconnaissance and search and rescue group and served as the commander of the reconnaissance aircraft unit. Later, the wing was again reorganized and various aviation brigades were formed. However, only the reconnaissance aircraft unit led by Yang Shihong is still directly subordinate to the command of the wing commander rather than the command of the aircraft carrier groups. Yang Shihong was only promoted to lieutenant colonel officer, not Deng Zi, who was promoted to colonel by skipping the ranks.

When Tan Renhao asked the reconnaissance planes on the aircraft carrier to go out to find the Japanese First Air Fleet, Yang Shihong took the other eleven crew members on the road. They still use Osprey bombers, but instead of torpedoes or bombs, they have an auxiliary fuel tank with 5oo liters of fuel. The two aircraft carriers of the First Carrier Strike Group each have eight bombers of this type on board, and their fundamental task is reconnaissance and search. Of course. When necessary. Yang Shihong: They can also let the reconnaissance planes hang torpedoes or bombs to participate in the bombing operation.

At that time, the Tang Empire did not have a dedicated aircraft carrier reconnaissance aircraft (it was not until a year later that the first combat aircraft of the Tang Empire with reconnaissance as its main task began to equip the troops). All aircraft carrier reconnaissance aircraft were converted from bombers. The biggest difference is that these reconnaissance planes are equipped with a high-power radio station, and the communication distance has reached 4oo nautical miles, and they can even send signals at a greater distance. At that time, only officers at the rank of squadron commander and above in the bomber group were equipped with such high-power radios on the planes, so that the bombing results could be reported in time after the bombing mission was completed, so that the fleet commander could quickly decide whether supplementary bombing was needed.

Before reaching Iwo Jima, the fleet had been flying at an altitude of 3ooo meters. Twelve reconnaissance planes then dispersed. They each followed a set course and lowered their flight altitude to 16oo meters. At the beginning of October, the western Pacific Ocean was not calm, and it was normal for the weather to be stormy. In order to be able to move on the surface of the sea, the fleet must fly below the clouds. It's risky and dangerous at the same time. If they were caught by the Japanese fighters, they would probably not even have a chance to escape. Every pilot of a reconnaissance plane understands this truth: they are the arrows that the fleet shoots out to test the enemy, and most of the reconnaissance planes are after the enemy fleet is present. will all be shot down, then the fate of the pilot on the reconnaissance plane can be imagined.

When Iwo Jima disappeared from the back of the plane, Yang Shihong and the navigator in the back seat were highly nervous. According to what Hao Dongjue told them, it is very likely that Japan's First Air Fleet is operating in the waters around here. Then there will definitely be a large number of Japanese fighter jets in the vicinity. It would be too uneconomical if it had been shot down before the current Japanese fleet.

"Lieutenant Colonel, do you think the Japanese fleet will be around here? The commander said yesterday that it was possible for the Japanese fleet to be in the east of our land, and now how did it come to the northeast? ”

"Who knows, maybe we'll be able to prove it soon!" Yang Shihong rubbed his eyes: "You keep an eye on it, and I'll do it for you in ten minutes!" ”

It is impossible for anyone to stare at one place for twenty minutes, and it is very easy to get tired and very tired. That's why reconnaissance planes have to have at least two pilots (many Japanese seaplanes have three pilots). Only by rotating between two people can ensure that everyone has enough energy to carry out their search mission and can spot the battleship on the surface in time. The general rule is to rotate once every 20 minutes, but this patrol time is less than half an hour, so Yang Shihong and his navigator rotate every 10 minutes.

"Lieutenant Colonel, do you really think the Japanese fleet is around here?"

"Where did all this nonsense come from?" Yang Shihong smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Do your own thing, don't make a mess for me, just wake me up now!" ”

The navigator in the back seat stuck out his tongue and looked to the left front of the fighter. There are a few small black dots on the surface of the sea that are very blurry. He rubbed his eyes, thinking he was dazzled. When he saw the white trail of the battleship, he knew immediately that it was not dazzling!

"The lieutenant colonel has appeared in front left!"

Yang Shihong was startled, and immediately looked to the left front, and it was indeed a fleet with more than a dozen warships. When he saw the three "flat-topped ships" clearly, he immediately knew that he had found the Japanese First Air Fleet. Then he jerked his head up and looked over the clouds. Thick clouds obscured his vision, but he knew that there must be Japanese fighters above the clouds.

"Immediately report the exact location of the Japanese fleet." Yang Shihong did not hesitate at all, he had already operated the plane to ascend, and chose a cruising altitude of 16oo meters, so as to be able to hide in the clouds in time to avoid the interception of Japanese fighters. Although the Japanese fighter has not yet appeared, he does not dare to be careless.

When the "osprey" burrowed into the clouds, radio waves were also emitted. When the navigator in the back seat reported that the telegram had been issued, Yang Shihong breathed a sigh of relief, his task had been completed, and as for whether he could go back, he hadn't considered it at first.

The radio waves were transmitted to the aircraft carrier "Yangtze River" with light. It was 7:55 a.m., and it was only ten minutes before the last telegram was delivered. When the staff officer sent the telegram to Tan Renhao, Tan Renhao immediately laughed.

"Let the bomber swarm take off immediately!" Tan Renhao immediately gave the order: "Arrange a squadron of escort fighters, and then let the air defense fighters take off as soon as possible." ”

Lei Shaoqing did not delay for any time, and immediately went to convey the order.

Within five minutes, the bombers of the 1st Carrier Strike Group began to take off in 6 consecutive days. The bombers were parked on deck, and the pilots were on standby, waiting for the order to attack.

The reason why Tan Renhao left the bombers of the First Aircraft Carrier Strike Group to deal with the Japanese First Air Fleet was very simple, and the air captains on these two aircraft carriers were Deng Zi and Zhang Naiding, the two most powerful bomber pilots of the First Task Force, and most of the pilots of the bomber group they led were veteran pilots!

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