It doesn't matter about preserving strength, but out of practical considerations, even if you fight hard with the aviation of an independent division, can you gain the upper hand? Admiral Ito did not have the slightest certainty that he had lost the Dispatch Army Air Force, and the skies over the entire Southwest Pacific region were open to the group of the devil in China, and at any time he would be attacked by an air attack from the independent division, and at that time, his life would be very difficult.

If you win the war, the credit goes to the guys in the navy, and the loss is the strength of Ito, who has a saying called "Make a wedding dress for others!" At this time, this sentence was swirling in Admiral Ito's mind.

Chief of Staff Kawashima's words played a decisive role, prompting Admiral Ito to change the order, Araki Air Force and Kuroda Air Force to closely monitor the carrier-based air group of the Independent Division, and not to take any counterattack action if there is no substantial attack, anyway, the carrier-based air group of the Independent Division is always hovering in the airspace on the edge of Kalimantan and Sumatra, and let's see, the Kashima Air Force dispatched two fighter wings to support the naval fleet.

Major General Araki Yoshiyasu, after receiving the order from the General Headquarters, read this telegram several times, both lost and relieved, lost a chance to engage the Shina aircraft group, unfortunately, did not have to fight with the Shina aircraft group, avoided the loss of the air force, Rear Admiral Araki also knew that once the war started, his own air force, I am afraid that there will not be many planes left, that Le Yiqin, by no means a wasted person!

The first wave of fighter formations that took off from Singapore was not intercepted in the slightest, and they passed through the air space over the Java Sea, which made the air commanders of the formation unbelievable. I couldn't help but think, "Could it be the little devil's plane, closed doors, or is there another conspiracy?" ”

When the situation report was reported to Tang Qiuli, he only said a few words to Chief of Staff Zhao Yuhe, "Tell me that the Japanese fighters did not intercept it, and it was the detachment and deterrence of the fleet's carrier-based aircraft group that played a role. Leave him alone and go according to the scheduled plan! At the same time, the fleet was ordered to carry out an attack on its own initiative if the Japanese planes did not attack. Prioritize! ”

Zhao Yuhe said with a smile: "Division Commander, I'm afraid that after your order is issued. Fleet carrier-based aircraft pilots. must be so aggrieved that I want to scold my mother! ”

Tang Qiuli said: "As long as we achieve the purpose of escorting the British and Australian troops, it will be the greatest victory, since Ito Yan Saburo knows the fun, there is no need for us not to cooperate, in this case, the pressure of the Leyiqin machine group." It will also be reduced a lot! ”

Really let Zhao Yuhe say, after receiving the order of the commander of the fleet aviation, the hearts of the carrier-based aircraft pilots were aggrieved. I can't describe it, looking at the Japanese artillery positions and infantry positions close at hand, showing them in front of my eyes at a glance, but I didn't let them fight, and, under the noses of the Japanese, I swaggered around for a long time, and I didn't see a Japanese plane, what the hell is going on?

Tang Qiuli's nephew, Tang Yunfei, was already the commander of the Third Fighter Regiment of the Fleet's carrier-based aircraft at this time, and the 21-year-old aviation colonel was the only one in the entire independent division.

To tell the truth, Tang Yunfei is the identity of the nephew of several bigwigs in the independent division, not only did not bring him any benefits and preferential treatment, but on the road to promotion, it was more difficult than others, according to the normal law, after serving as the regiment commander, the rank would be corresponding, and he would be promoted to colonel, but the fleet commander Vice Admiral Tang Qiuquan was forced to press for a year, and also tested for a year, and finally, with his excellent performance that could not be faulted, he was naturally promoted to colonel.

That's it, uncle Tang Qiuquan, and beat him from time to time, now, Tang Yunfei commanded more than 60 carrier-based planes of his regiment, hovering in the air, hearing the complaints of the pilots in the headphones, he couldn't help but smile slightly, he didn't know the entire plan of action, and he didn't know much about the orders of the fleet.

In the past few years, the number of battles the fleet has been very small, and it cannot be compared with the ground forces, which is a pity for himself who is eager to fight fiercely in the sky.

Just when Tang Yunfei was thinking nonsense, a call came from the earphone, "301!" 301！ 321 call, please answer when you hear it! ”

Tang Yunfei heard that it was the voice of Lieutenant Colonel Qiao Xiguang, the captain of the First Brigade, and hurriedly replied: "301 received, 321, please speak!" ”

Qiao Xiguang said with some eagerness: "301, below me is a shore artillery position of the little devil, please approve it, I will go down and give the little devil a few shuttles, maybe, I can lure the little devil's fighter out, let's just fight!" It's also a good idea to go around here! ”

Qiao Xiguang's words are full of temptation and are also in line with reality, for Tang Yunfei, who is eager to fight, he can't refuse this temptation, as long as he gives an order, the pilots who hear the battle, and their eyes are shining, will definitely be able to beat the Japanese shore artillery position below, and then, the Japanese fighter jets will definitely appear, and an air battle will begin, and their own regiment will definitely not suffer, and then what?

Tang Yunfei was full of excitement, and suddenly woke up from the hot-headed impulse, he couldn't help but consider that the consequences of violating military orders, his identity, could not save his life, and being punished was definitely the most severe.

Tang Yunfei was annoyed by his instantaneous impulsive thoughts just now, okay, you Qiao Xiguang, you almost caused me to enter the military law department, "Qiao Xiguang, don't be careful, strictly implement the order, if anyone acts without authorization, you know the consequences!" ”

In the headphones, there was a sigh and sigh from the pilots, Tang Yunfei escaped with his calmness that was not commensurate with his age, if it was really because of his impulsiveness, and affected the completion of the operation of the Leyiqin machine group, and even caused heavy losses, Tang Qiuli would not hesitate to punish according to military law, and even shot him!

Tang Qiuli, who was in Singapore, did not know that his most beloved nephew almost misfired, ruining the entire plan, since the Japanese army did not make an interception move, the first wave of fighter formations, according to the plan, flew directly to the airspace of the Coral Sea.

Thirty minutes later, Le Yiqin commanded the second-echelon formation and flew into the sky, and he himself, as well as the entire formation, had taken to the air at 6:30 a.m. on 25 August, and the four waves of independent divisional aviation and the fighter and bomber formations flying to the group from the south had all taken to the air and flew along the route of the first echelon to the Coral Sea.

At 6:40 a.m., Lieutenant General Wagnarze, chief of staff of the British and Australian forces, walked back and forth in the telecommunications compartment with an anxious face, like ants on a hot pot, and the troop carrier formation had already arrived in the Coral Sea, and the escort fleet that was supposed to rendezvous here was delayed for more than 30 minutes for unknown reasons.

Leaving Luzon in a hurry, as soon as he stepped on the vast sea, the hot mind of Chief of Staff Wagnardze began to calm down and realize the danger, hundreds of unarmed troop carriers, on the unobstructed sea, that is, the live target of Japanese aircraft and warships!

It must be escorted by a fleet, but he knows that the British Empire's task force in Australia does not have a single aircraft carrier, let alone an airplane, hundreds of troop carriers, and a huge fleet, and it is impossible not to attract the attention of the Japanese Navy, and the impulse to return to Australia is replaced by deep fear and worry, and Vice Admiral Wagnardze's heart and liver have never ceased to tremble since he left Luzon and sailed into the vast sea.

His impatient actions were like washing up 100,000 soldiers, adding spices, and sending them to the mouth of the Japanese Navy vividly, almost saying, "Please taste it!" ”

If you go back to the dangerous island of Luzon, you can't do it, knowing that it is a place of death, you will not be finished with that Yankee MacArthur, you can only take a risk, perhaps, the Japanese Navy will not expect that it dares to return to Australia without an escort fleet, and will not intercept and kill at sea.

With a gambler-like mentality, 100,000 British and Australian soldiers, led by their chief of staff, embarked on an unknown voyage, sailing at sea for half a day and a whole night, Wagnerdze Chief of Staff, did not dare to close his eyes, until he received a telegram from Admiral Fernandez, informing himself that the Chinese plane would come to escort the escort, and Lieutenant General Wagnerdze's heart fell into his stomach.

In the uneasy, extremely anticipatory and extremely complicated mood, he finally arrived at the scheduled rendezvous place, but the damn fleet, but it was more than half an hour late, Vice Admiral Wagnardze, he didn't even have the heart to curse, the closer he got to the Australian continent, the more uneasy his heart became, from the sea breeze, he smelled the smell of danger, the Japanese warship, did not appear all the way, is it here, give yourself the final blow?

Vice Admiral Wagnardze's premonition soon became a reality, the telecommunications room, received a telegram from the escort fleet, the fleet was in the Coral Sea, attacked by the Japanese naval fleet, the battle was extremely fierce, there were already five warships, under the attack of the Japanese carrier-based aircraft, sunk to the bottom of the sea, the fleet commander's meaning, the fleet now can not even protect itself, there is no ability to come to escort at all.

At the end of the telegram, he almost added, "Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, you and 100,000 brethren ask for more blessings!" "I can't take care of you anymore, the Japanese planes and warships are fighting so fiercely, and it is unknown whether I can even live to see the sun tomorrow!

After reading the telegram, the heart of Chief of Staff of Wagnadze was cold, his eyes were black, and he lamented in his heart: "It should have come, it still came, the Japanese did not let themselves go after all!" ”

(To be continued) (To be continued.) )