Approaching the evening, the sea area of the South China Nansha Islands with high winds and waves gradually became calm, a group of seagulls, frolicking and circling each other over the mast of the warship, the huge fleet, facing the sun, sailed smoothly on the sea, no wind, the sea level was as smooth as a mirror, it was a rare and calm afternoon, but in this calm, there was a tense atmosphere.

Vice Admiral Tang Qiuquan, commander of the fleet, said to the first deputy commander, Rear Admiral Amosyev, with a smile: "Deputy commander, just now, I received a report from the division commander, and Le Yiqin of the Southern Flying Group is also eyeing this piece of fat, but this time, I am afraid that this aggressive guy will be disappointed, and we can only pick up some leftovers from our mouths." ”

Rear Admiral Amosiyev did not smile, and said solemnly: "Commander, I don't think this is an easy battle, first of all, the number of our carrier-based aircraft is less than that of the Japanese army, and secondly, if the Japanese bomber formation dares to come, the Japanese commander will definitely make careful arrangements, perhaps, from a place we did not expect, launch an air attack, therefore, I build yì, the fleet immediately entered the first level of combat readiness." ”

Tang Qiuquan smiled, did not speak, and secretly thought to himself, "Although he has lived in China for more than three years, Amosyev still cannot understand the humor of the East," however, the deputy's words reminded him that the Japanese bombers dared to carry out air strikes against a fleet with carrier-based aircraft and powerful anti-aircraft fire without fighter escort, and this Japanese commander was either a madman or had the certainty of victory.

Qiuquan was just about to ask Amosiyev some questions, when the communications officer came in, "Report to the commander, deputy commander, radar report, three hundred nautical miles northwest of our fleet, a large group of Japanese planes, about 160 planes, the specific model is unknown, and the radar is being monitored." Tang Qiuquan breathed a sigh of relief, he didn't let himself down, and still came.

Tang Qiuquan picked up the phone on the table and said, "Order the First Carrier-based Aircraft Flying Regiment to take off immediately to meet the enemy." According to his plan, the 1st Carrier-based Aircraft Flying Regiment will intercept the Japanese bomber formation in an airspace of 200 to 150 nautical miles, and in the first round, it will shoot down more than half of the Japanese bombers, and the 2nd Carrier-based Aircraft Flying Regiment will be in the airspace of 100 to 50 nautical miles. Finish out all the Japanese bombers.

Then, after the fighters of the First Carrier-based Aircraft Flying Regiment landed on the ship to replenish fuel and ammunition, they took off for the second time, and together with the Second Regiment, shot down all the Japanese bombers. Problems that can be solved by naval aviation will not bother land aviation.

According to such a tactical arrangement, it was impossible for Japanese bombers to break into the circle of anti-aircraft fire of the fleet. Besides, there are still hundreds of anti-aircraft guns equipped with the "Sky Eye" gun-aiming radar, waiting for the Japanese fighters to get close by chance, and according to the principle of air defense of the air fleet, enemy fighters or bombers are not allowed to approach within five nautical miles of the fleet.

Because the Japanese army did not have fighter planes, this battle was much easier, but Tang Qiuquan was a cautious and steady person, and he ordered the officer on duty to immediately issue a battle alarm. The sirens sounded in the ships, echoing on the sea, and the ships immediately entered the combat state, one anti-aircraft artillery gun after another, raising their muzzles, vigilantly watching the sky.

On the aircraft carrier "Longxiang". Lieutenant Colonel Tang Yunfei sat in the cabin, quietly waiting for the aviation commander to give the take-off order, his left hand gently stroked the various instruments and joysticks in the cabin, calmed down the tension and excitement brought by the first battle, the metallic texture of the instruments and joysticks gave him a feeling of flesh and blood, which is also a habit, the light trembling of the fuselage brought by the low-speed rotation of the propeller is a rhythm of strength.

Tang Yunfei is already 24 years old this year, and in the fleet, except for Commander Tang Qiuquan and a few people who know his identity, no one knows that this young man with a delicate appearance and seemingly weak is the nephew of Tang Qiuli, the No. 1 person in the Independent Division, and Tang Yunfei is now the deputy head of the First Carrier-based Aircraft Flight Regiment and chief of staff of the regiment.

Being able to hold such an important position at the age of less than twenty-five, and still holding the rank of lieutenant colonel, has nothing to do with Tang Qiuli's identity and status, it is completely himself, with his personal ability, from an ordinary pilot, step by step to his current position, among them, how much hardship and effort he has paid, he knows best in his heart.

At the beginning, the request to be transferred to the carrier-based aircraft flight regiment from the Army Aviation was for a kind of challenge and passion for fighting, but for three years, in addition to training, there was still endless training, not to mention fighting with Japanese fighters, even the shadow of the Japanese could not be seen, for Tang Yunfei, who was eager to fight, it was a kind of mental training, and sometimes, he even doubted whether his uncle's decision to transfer him to the HNA was correct.

Instead, he stayed with Liu Cuigang of the Northern Flight Group, and Tang Yunpeng, the younger brother of the fighter pilot, wrote to him from time to time to tell him that he had shot down several Japanese fighters and had been promoted to major, which made Tang Yunfei's heart even more anxious.

However, with the fighters of the Japanese Kwantung Army Air Force, there are small-scale firefights almost every day, and sometimes, a single plane can be pinched for a while, unconsciously, Yun Peng's fighter plane has been painted with four five-pointed stars, but his fighter fuselage, is still blank, happy for his younger brother, he is also secretly ashamed, three years without any achievements, why is he a brother?

Except for the time when he escorted his uncle to Manila for a meeting and the fleet met in the airspace of the South China Sea, Tang Yunfei had not flown that far, and he had already thought that if the fleet was still in a state of war avoidance and training at the end of this year, he would be ready to go to his uncle again and ask to be transferred to the Southern Flying Group, even if it was an ordinary pilot.

"Pop" three red signal flares rose into the air, immediately pulling Tang Yunfei's memories back to reality, and the order of the aviation commander came from the headset, "The first echelon will take off immediately, turn on the airborne radar, and keep in touch with the control tower,"

Tang Yunfei pushed the joystick violently, and the fighter plane rushed out of the take-off line like a fierce horse that had been whipped violently.

At the end of the flight deck, the dark blue sea water rushed to the face, the nose of the plane was lightly raised, the fighter plane rushed almost straight into the blue sky, his wingman was half a fuselage behind, and then also took off into the air, Tang Yunfei was not only the first pilot to take off today, but also the commander of the air formation of the first carrier-based aircraft flight regiment, that is to say, the first battle of the fleet, which had been hidden in the snow for three years, would start under his command.

In the command room of the flagship "Canglang", Tang Qiuquan put down the telescope and muttered in a low voice: "This kid is still so good!" "His nephew, the first to take off and serve as the commander of the air formation, how could Qiu Quan not know, like Tang Qiuli, Qiu Quan's requirements for Tang Yunfei are very strict, for more than three years, because of this identity, Yun Fei has paid several times more hard than other pilots.

The dark blue sea, far away in the field of vision, Tang Yunfei looked back, the entire formation followed very closely, he nodded with satisfaction, "Pay attention to all aircraft, maintain altitude and speed," The carrier-based aircraft formation melted into the blue sky and disappeared into the field of vision of the officers and men of the fleet, countless pairs of eyes, still staring at the sky, if you want to say that you are not nervous, it is impossible, after all, it is the first battle of the fleet, which affects everyone's hearts.

More than 40 minutes after takeoff, Tang Yunfei's airborne radar found the target, "Command, find the target, find the target, whether to attack immediately!" He reported, "According to the original plan, attack immediately!" "The command gave the order.

Tang Yunfei was about to order the group to climb and seize the advantageous height, when he suddenly found that the Japanese bomber group had turned due west, and it was almost at an angle of 90 degrees to the original course, "Huh! What was the Japanese bomber group going to do? Could it be that he found his own fleet and couldn't escape? Tang Yunfei was puzzled.

It's impossible, the radar shows that there is still a range of more than 40 kilometers from the Japanese bomber group, and besides, it is not at a height, the naked eye of the Japanese pilots cannot detect their own aircraft group at all, they also have radar, and it is even more impossible, this is the exclusive weapon of the independent division, and the Japanese have not yet developed it?

So why? Tang Yunfei was just about to report this sudden situation to the command headquarters, when the sunlight outside the cabin flashed, shaking his eyes, "Oh, understood," "The command center, Tang Yunfei, commander of the air formation of the 1st Carrier-based Aircraft Flight Regiment, reported that the Japanese bomber group suddenly changed direction, and my judgment is that they want to take advantage of the opportunity of our fleet sailing in the direction of the sun, and use the cover of the sun to put us in a disadvantageous position against the light, so as to facilitate covert approach. ”

Tang Yunfei's judgment solved the mystery in the hearts of the fleet commanders, Tang Qiuquan smiled proudly, "Yes, this kid's brain is turning fast enough," just now, Qiuquan was still worried, the Japanese bomber group turned around and fled, and he couldn't eat the fat in his mouth, he took the intercom, "Commander Tang Yunfei, according to the situation, deal with it on the spot, in short, the battle plan of the fleet headquarters must be completed!" ”

Since Yunfei discovered the attempt of the Japanese aircraft group, he handed it over to him to deal with it, and it was also a rare opportunity for actual combat training, "Yes!" Commander, mission is guaranteed! Tang Yunfei replied confidently.

Immediately, he gave an order to the formation, "Attention to all the brigades, all turn due west, climb the altitude, we must put the Japanese bomber group in a backlit position," the group suddenly changed course, widened the distance from the Japanese bomber group, and climbed to the best altitude.

Tang Yunfei's tactics were obvious, to seize the backlit position in advance before the Japanese bomber group turned again, let the sunlight cover his fighter formation, complete the surprise attack, and catch the Japanese bomber formation by surprise.

(To be continued)