vstars Chapter 119 The Burning Fleet 1
Chapter 119 The Burning Fleet 1
When the news reached Japan, although people knew that this news might be a smokescreen released by China, no one could guarantee whether it would really happen.
It’s just like the damn Imperial Army rebels that suddenly appeared. God knows whether China will produce such an army again.
It is impossible for the Chinese Central Army to mobilize on a large scale at this stage. They are still accumulating strength to launch a second expedition into Burma.
As for the First, Second, and Fifth War Zones, their logistics could not even guarantee daily supplies, let alone launch a strategic counterattack.
This information has already been confirmed by the Mei Agency and Wang Puppet Government No. 76. The only variable now is the 78th Army and the Red Party’s army.
In recent months, the Red Party has been desperately trying to send more troops to the Jiaodong Peninsula. According to reliable sources, the number now exceeds 30.
They also received a large amount of equipment and logistical supplies. The Japanese troops originally stationed near Ji N joined forces with a large number of puppet troops to attempt to launch an active attack.
At the same time, the Combined Fleet sent a squadron to the waters off Jiaodong. While the battle was still in the preparation stage, it suffered a devastating blow from the bomber brigade stationed in Jiaodong (responsible for continuous bombing of the Japanese mainland).
Especially that squadron, they were bombarded by hundreds of various types of fighter planes at sea. The Kongo-class battlecruiser Haruna was sunk, and another light cruiser was also sunk.
Let us go back to the day when the incident happened. In the early morning of May 5, two P18 reconnaissance fighters were flying above the blue waters of the Bohai Sea.
After the Eighth Route Army assembled on a large scale, the Japanese troops stationed in Jinan and other places in Jiaodong clearly intended to launch military operations against the assembled Eighth Route Army.
80,000 Japanese troops began to assemble, with more than 100,000 Imperial Army troops participating. Comrades lurking within the enemy had already sent early warnings.
The Japanese army planned to launch a large-scale encirclement and suppression campaign against the base area in the near future, attempting to drive all the New Fourth Army troops that had entered Jiaodong from northern Jiangsu back to northern Jiangsu.
In fact, their main purpose is to destroy the airports on the Jiaodong Peninsula. With the existence of these airports, the empire's homeland will always be threatened.
In fact, what the Japanese army did not know was that not only was there such a bomber formation stationed on the Jiaodong Peninsula, but more than a dozen airports in northern Jiangsu had also begun construction.
In just one month, China's bomber groups dropped bombs on Japan eight times. The subsequent bombings were no longer like the previous two, and the subsequent targets were very clear.
It is Japan's military industry and factory areas. Only by destroying the Japanese army's ability to generate income will the Japanese be forced to surrender.
Moreover, such bombing has already shown initial results. Japan is anxious and they are determined to eradicate this deadly tumor.
If there are no restrictions within half a year, Japan will be in an irretrievable situation. At the same time, the Japanese military requires several major domestic military industrial giants to develop fighter jets for high-altitude interception within three months.
These days, the main forces of the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army in Jiaodong began to actively deploy their defenses, and the shadows of the aviation team's reconnaissance planes appeared in the sky above the Japanese-occupied cities almost every day.
The bombing of Japan was temporarily stopped, and bombing of various important fulcrums controlled by the Japanese army began. The Japanese fighter planes were no match for the P51 Mustang and F6F Hellcat fighter planes.
The only regret is that the number of pilots stationed in Jiaodong is limited, otherwise the Japanese would have suffered even more.
Two P51s were flying over the blue sea dozens of kilometers apart. According to reliable information, a Japanese squadron coming from the mainland will enter the Bohai Bay in the next few days.
Their goal was naturally to bombard everything along the coast, areas that they were suspicious of.
"Vulture! Look at how bright the sun is today! It's a pity that we can't go on a picnic in mainland Japan in such sunny weather!"
A pilot was having an enthusiastic conversation on the communication channel with his comrade who was conducting reconnaissance 40 kilometers away.
"Yes! Crow! It would be a pity not to go to Tokyo to see such a beautiful scenery!" The pilot called Vulture echoed.
Today the two are responsible for searching the sea area within 200 kilometers around the land. They have been flying like this for several days.
However, the legendary squadron of the Japanese devils still did not arrive, which disappointed some pilots who had not participated in the bombing of Japanese warships.
In fact, in the following bombings, their B29 fleet only bombed the Japanese military ports at high altitude, but it had basically no killing power on those warships that were avoiding the bombing at high speed.
The 30 SB2C (SBD dive bomber, the latest model in 1944) dive bombers and 20 TBD torpedo planes parked at the airport were of no use at all.
In addition to normal combat readiness cruises, pilots now need to spend seven or eight hours a day flying these bombers and Hellcats.
The pilot named Crow saw that his plane had little fuel left and planned to return.
Below the clouds on the eastern sea surface, a few black spots and long tail waves appeared.
Lu Rong felt his heartbeat speed up several times in an instant, and he hurriedly pushed the joystick and flew towards the sea.
At the same time, the shrill air defense alarm sounded over the fleet.
"We've been discovered! A Chinese reconnaissance plane!"
Unlike the crude sighting and observation equipment used in the P51 reconnaissance aircraft, the familiar paint schemes on the telescopes used for air defense surveillance inside the warship all show that they are fighter jets belonging to the Chinese Air Force.
Flying a few kilometers above the Japanese fleet, Lu Rong was able to confirm through the telescope he carried with him that this was indeed the legendary Japanese squadron.
A huge battleship, two light cruisers, three destroyers, and two ships that should be supply ships formed a small fleet and were sailing towards the Jiaodong Peninsula.
"Eagle's Nest! Eagle's Nest! I am Crow! The Japanese fleet has appeared and is now located at XXX degrees east longitude and XXX degrees north latitude! One battleship, two light cruisers, three destroyers, and two supply ships! Heading southwest!"
The entire communication channel was in an uproar, and many pilots who were still performing reconnaissance missions in other waters were extremely envious of Crow's luck.
Even if they flew back immediately, they would not be able to participate in this anti-ship attack.
"Boom, boom, boom" the alarm bells rang throughout the airport, and dozens of pilots, who had already been dressed neatly, quickly ran towards the airport warehouse.
The ground crew stood guard next to the dive bombers and torpedo planes. The moment the alarm sounded, they began to arm these iron eagles to the teeth.
Dive bombers, torpedo planes and escort fighters rushed into the sky and flew towards where the sun rose.
In fact, the goal of this squadron was not to join the battle immediately, but to go to QingD Port, so they originally did not need to take this route.
However, the fleet's commander, Tsutsumi Sakamoto, as a member of Japan's Locust Clan, could not suppress his anger after the death of Prince Locust in the bombing.
Many commanders in this operation were members of the Locust Tribe. The Japanese Locust Tribe needed to wash away the shame attached to them by the Chinese.
Before taking up the post of commander of this squadron, Tsutsumi Sakamoto had done his homework. Although China had advanced high-altitude bombers and hovering fighters.
However, they had never heard that China had torpedo planes specifically designed to attack Gunkanjima. They did have dive bombers like the Stuka bombers from Germany's allies.
In fact, no bomber is suitable for dealing with moving warships, so this time, Sakamoto Tsutsumi decided to command the squadron to go to Jiaodong to suppress the man's arrogance.