2,300 kilometers northwest of Port Vila, Port Rabaul, New British Island, Headquarters of the Joint Air Force of the Southeast Theater (commonly known as Rabaul Air Force). ww）

“…… The basic strength of the Air Force is the Navy's 6th Air Force and the Army's 102nd Mixed Air Wing. ”

Colonel Zhao Zixi, the thin and swarthy chief of staff of the Air Force, was holding a green bamboo stick pointing to the theater deployment map on the wall and briefing the "Major Liu Wuwei," the special intelligence commissioner of the base camp.

"The former has two land-based wings, two water reconnaissance squadrons, and three water combat squadrons, together with the units directly under its command, and should be equipped with 164 aircraft according to their establishment, including 36 land-based fighters and 36 water-based fighters, 63 land-based attack planes, 24 water-based reconnaissance planes, and three land-based reconnaissance planes."

"The latter has four fighter squadrons, three light bomber squadrons, two heavy bomber squadrons, and one reconnaissance aircraft squadron under its jurisdiction, and together with the units directly under it, it should be equipped with 105 planes according to its establishment, including 48 fighters, 48 light and heavy bombers, and 9 reconnaissance planes."

"Taken together, our Rabaul Air Force should have 269 planes according to its establishment, but in reality, the breakdowns and combat losses of various units have been continuous, the replenishment of aircraft and pilots is not always in place in time, and the climate in the theater is extremely humid and hot, the planes need more time to maintain and maintain, and the pilots are often absent due to illness -- all in all, the total number of planes that can be dispatched at any time by the air force never exceeds 200."

"Even if there are less than 200 planes, it is impossible for them all to be deployed to the Solomon front. The defense and constant patrols of the New Guinea side and Rabaul all require a certain scale of aviation support, and the sea communication line between Rabaul and the Solomon front line is also indispensable for the escort support of shore-based aviation units, plus a variety of other miscellaneous tasks -- in short, the total number of planes that can be dispatched at any time on the Solomonic front line at any time does not exceed 100, roughly including: more than 40 fighters, more than 40 attack planes and bombers, and more than 10 reconnaissance planes. ”

"Currently, the Munda airfield, which is at the forefront of the Solomon front. It was more than 400 kilometers from the enemy's landing site on Malaita Island, which exceeded the combat radius of all single-engine fighters, reconnaissance aircraft, and light bombers of the air force. Thus, of the less than a hundred aircraft mentioned earlier, it is possible for less than forty large and medium-sized aircraft to go to the perimeter of the landing site and force their way into it only without fighter escort. ”

When Liu Ping, the imperial crown prince under the pseudonym Liu Wuwei, heard this, he raised his pen and asked: "It hasn't been long since the enemy troops landed on Malaita Island, and it will take some time for the airport to be put into use, right?" ”

The bamboo strip in Zhao Zixi's hand was drawn to the southern part of the Solomon Islands. A bold red cross on a blue background prominently marks the naval battle that humiliated the Imperial Navy more than a month ago.

"According to the confessions of British and American pilots captured in the last Battle of the Solomons. On the island of San Cristobal, the US engineering corps, using mechanized equipment, opened up an improvised fighter runway within a month, built an airfield capable of taking off and landing twin-engine bombers within two or three months, and completed an aviation base capable of taking off and landing four-engine heavy bombers within four months -- comparable to the speed of our army's construction. ”

Zhao Zixi paused, and the bamboo strip returned to the east of Malaita Island, with a blue circle on the green background, marking the landing site of the US military.

"Kirakira Airport on the Holy Island is only two hundred kilometers from the Malaita Island landing site. Not only can the enemy send fighter planes to patrol the skies over the landing site, but its single-engine torpedo attack planes and twin-engine medium bombers can also carry out attack missions within a range of 100 to 150 kilometers north of the landing site. ”

"Isn't there a way to suppress the air base on the Holy Island?"

Liu Ping asked while drawing circles in the palm of his hand.

Zhao Zixi's bamboo strip was drawn back to the edge of the red fork.

"The Kirakira airfield on the holy island is 560 kilometers away from the Munda airfield of our army, which exceeds the combat radius of all the twin-engine medium planes of the air force, and at present there are only more than a dozen four-engine large planes that can go to Kirakira to carry out suppression tasks. Judging from the actual combat experience of the last naval battle of the Solomons, the effect of such a large-scale suppression operation is very limited, and it is very likely to suffer large losses. ”

Zhao Zixi patiently explained.

"However, in order to support the operation of the theater fleet to shell Malaita Island to the fullest, the Eastern Commander has already decided: starting tomorrow. Using all available four-engine mainframes, repeated air strikes were carried out on Kirakira airfield to weaken the enemy's shore-based air fleet as much as possible. In addition, all available twin-engine medium planes were used to repeatedly attack the enemy's landing site on Malaita Island to weaken the enemy's coastal defense forces as much as possible......"

Liu Ping pointed at the table with a pen, thoughtful.

"All available...... You just said that all the large and medium-sized machines available on the Solomon front. Less than forty? That is, all the air support that the Rabaul air force was able to provide for this major operation of the theater fleet was less than forty bombers without fighter escort? And you, the Eastern Commander, are still planning to use this little force to suppress two land targets at the same time? ”

"I don't know what Commissioner Liu's opinion is on our Eastern Commander's decision?"

Zhao Zixi obviously did not buy the first heir to the imperial throne in front of him, in fact, all the army and navy officers of the Chinese Empire, the first lesson in the military academy, contained: "We are self-respect, self-love and self-discipline, and we are by no means slaves of a family, a surname, and a party"; "The military rules we follow can be restrained by non-vulgar laws and bended by power"; "The obligation of obedience of a soldier shall be limited to the superiors prescribed by military regulations, even if the royal family and nobles are not exempted...... Content like that.

From Zhao Zixi's tone, Liu Ping realized that his attitude just now might be a little arrogant, but he didn't intend to explain more, so he just closed his mouth in time: "Thank you Chief of Staff Zhao for bothering to introduce, I will learn about the situation of the aviation team here first, and I will ask you again if necessary......

Zhao Zixi glanced coldly at the coconut wood door of the staff room: "Welcome at any time." ”

Liu Ping could see that the other party almost wrote the word "send-off" on his face, but for the sake of his restless adventure**, he still tried his best to speak politely: "I have a reluctant request, and I hope that Chief of Staff Zhao can ask the commander of the East for instructions on my behalf." ”

"Oh? Commissioner Liu, but it doesn't hurt to speak. ”

Zhao Zixi's face was expressionless.

"Can you give me a plane, I want to fly over Malaita Island to gather information."

Liu Ping knew that there was little hope, but he didn't want to let go of any opportunity.

Zhao Zixi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and the face that had been frozen for a long time was a little kinder.

"There is no need to consult Commander Dongfang for this, I can reply to Commissioner Liu now: forgive me."

…… (To be continued.) If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation and monthly passes, and your support is my biggest motivation. )

ps: Liu Ping could see that the other party almost wrote the words "I have a girlfriend" on his face, but for the sake of his inner restless **, he still tried to speak politely: "Don't you want to send it?" ”