northernbook Chapter 192: Look at the beginning and the end, but ignore both the beginning and the end
Chapter 192: Look at the beginning and the end, but ignore both the beginning and the end
As the Fuso battleship fleet moved northward, it continued to launch seaplanes.
This type of seaplane was modified from a retired Type 3 carrier-based fighter by adding floats.
This is also because the production of Type 95 carrier-based fighter jets is not high, so they can only use these retired fighter jets for modification.
These seaplanes not only circled over the fleet to prevent sneak attacks from the Renaissance Army's submarines.
At the same time, they spread out in a fan-shaped manner, focusing on the direction of Qidong Province.
So far, they are not aware that the Restoration Army Navy has been equipped with aircraft carriers.
Yutake Sada was flying a Type 3 seaplane to carry out reconnaissance missions.
Moreover, the direction he was investigating was towards the island city of Qidong Province, which was also the most dangerous direction.
Basically, if you encounter the Restoration Army's fleet, you will definitely die.
So he carried out this reconnaissance mission with the determination to die.
Just as he flew past the fog in front of him, the sunlight shone directly into his cockpit, illuminating both him and his cockpit.
In this bitingly cold winter day, the sun is also particularly warm.
When he got used to the dazzling light, he looked forward and almost popped his eyes out.
Before, in the sky, a dense formation of black dots formed and flew towards him.
Although he could only see a vague outline, he was sure that it was a fighter plane of the Restoration Army.
"The Renaissance Army has indeed arrived!"
Sada Yuwu's heart trembled, and he tightened the joystick in his hand, and then shouted, "Quick, report this news to the headquarters. I am returning to the port as fast as possible!"
The person he was calling was the controller in the back seat, who was responsible for using the radio and navigation.
After shouting, Yutake Sada controlled the plane and began to turn and return.
However, at this time, a land-based F-8 Crusader jet fighter had already broken away from the team and was accelerating towards it.
"What? A group of Renaissance Army aircraft have been spotted attacking from the island city. How many are there?"
Lieutenant General Shimizu Mitsume was startled, suppressed the uneasiness in his heart, and asked in a hurried tone.
"No specific number was reported, but the estimated number is over 50."
Vice Admiral Shimizu Mitsumi took a deep breath and then shouted, "Order all ships to close together and change the air defense formation."
At this moment, he already regretted letting the aircraft carrier formation leave the fleet, otherwise the Renaissance Army would not have been able to sink these two heavy aircraft carriers so easily.
The air defense formation is also called the ring formation.
For example, the Fuso fleet's rapidly changing formation is divided into three layers.
The three battleships Hyuga, Kongo, and Haruna are located in the center of the fleet and are also the ships that are given priority protection.
The second layer is the inner air defense circle consisting of 2 heavy cruisers and 5 light cruisers.
The third layer is the outer air defense circle composed of more than ten first-class and second-class destroyers.
Such a formation allows the fleet to face air attacks from all directions.
Seeing that dozens of ships of the Fuso fleet began to maneuver, the warships of various countries following behind them understood that the Fuso army must have discovered something.
"Gentlemen, the battle is about to begin. This time, perhaps we will witness a spectacular showdown between giant ships, artillery, and air power.
This battle will also determine the future of battleships and artillery."
On the American destroyer, the captain smiled and said to the non-commissioned officers and sailors who were watching the battle.
Just as the captain said.
If Fuso's battleships were at a disadvantage or even sunk in this battle, then other countries would inevitably reduce the number of battleships they built.
But if the Restoration Army Air Force suffered heavy losses during the attack and did not cause much damage to the battleships, it would mean that the battleships are still the overlords of the sea.
"Sir, who do you think will be the winner of this fight?"
"Who knows this?"
The captain shook his head and did not answer him directly because he didn't know either.
When the Fuso fleet began to change its formation, everyone on the several warships focused their attention on the scene.
Some people even set up cameras on the deck and bridge to record this exciting sea battle.
Half an hour later, the Fuso fleet had completed the formation change.
More than 20 warships of various types formed a dense three-layer air defense circle with three battleships as the center.
This is exactly the effect that the Renaissance Army needs to achieve.
At an altitude of 2 meters, the pilot of the U- high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft saw this scene through the reconnaissance equipment and took a picture of it.
He then adjusted the radio channel and reported the situation directly to the aircraft carrier battle group more than 200 kilometers away.
On the flagship Chishan missile cruiser, Navy Commander Song Yang ordered Fleet Commander Chen Qifeng, "Qifeng, notify the three submarines and tell them to begin their attack."
"Yes!"
Soon, three radio signals flew from the Chishan missile cruiser to the three ships.
Because radio waves are severely attenuated in water, the ability of submarines to receive radio signals underwater will gradually fade.
This also means that submarines cannot receive long messages underwater, so they only receive two bytes - attack.
Captain Qi Hong of the UH-1108 submarine was shocked after receiving the order. He immediately picked up the intercom and said in a low voice, "This is Qi Hong. Send two torpedoes in a group, each towards a target!"
At this time, the UH-1108 attack nuclear submarine was located behind the left side of the Fuso fleet, about 3 kilometers away.
The other two submarines were located in other directions, also maintaining a safe distance of about two or three kilometers.
Ten seconds later, the UH-1108 attack nuclear submarine began to release the first MK35 acoustic homing torpedo.
A minute later, all six torpedoes in the torpedo tubes were released.
After completing the launch, the submarine began its secondary reloading.
The mission of the naval aviation force is to reveal the tracks first, and then let the Fuso fleet gather together, so as to increase the torpedo hit rate at medium and long distances.
At the same time, the submarine can also disrupt the Japanese air defense formation.
When facing the threat of submarines, the Japanese can't just ignore it.
They must send ships to deal with submarines or change their formation and start moving in a Z-shaped pattern.
In this way, their formation will be completely disrupted, directly exposing the three inner battleships.
At this time, the carrier-based aviation formation and the shore-based aviation formation that broke through from low altitude directly entered the field and launched an attack on the three battleships.
Let the Japanese experience what it means to take care of both the beginning and the end, and not both.
This is the tactic Song Yang formulated this time.
At this time, the Fuso fleet was not sailing fast, maintaining a speed of 18 knots.
So the torpedo is faster than theirs.
Three minutes later, the MK35 torpedo group hidden underwater and sailing at high speed began to approach the destroyers outside the Fuso air defense circle.
On one of the Mutsuki-class destroyers, a sharp-eyed lookout spotted a dark shadow in the sea. Using a telescope, he saw a torpedo hurtling towards him at high speed, which made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
"torpedo!"
Then the battle alarm was sounded and the command room below was sent to the open air.
The captain of the Ruzuki destroyer quickly came to the command room and observed through a telescope, and immediately locked onto the two incoming torpedoes.
At this time, the torpedo was less than 200 meters away from their port side.
"Full right rudder to avoid!"
The captain almost roared the order, as if he wanted to release the panic in his heart through roaring.
However, the distance of 200 meters is too short.
For a torpedo with a maximum speed of 14 meters per second, 200 meters is just over ten seconds.
What's more, the incoming torpedo is the MK35 torpedo with advanced acoustic guidance.
This thing is not the simple acoustic guidance technology of the World War II era, but the active/passive sonar guidance technology, which is incomparable.
Under the desperate eyes of the captain of the Ruzuki, two heavy torpedoes hit it one after another.
Two towering columns of water shot up from the port side of the Ruzuki destroyer.
The huge explosion, coupled with the aftermath of the explosion cavity, caused the destroyer, which was unable to bear the heavy load, to break into two pieces due to the violent ups and downs.
In less than ten seconds, on the other side, a Fuso destroyer also exploded.
This sudden change left everyone stunned.
Before they could react, another explosion sounded from the side and rear.
"The submarine is from the Restoration Army!"
Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Mitsume Shimizu suddenly woke up from his dream.
"Order all ships to maneuver, and destroyers to find their submarines!"
The Fuso fleet's air defense formation was immediately disrupted.
The outer destroyers began emergency maneuvers.
Some were avoiding torpedoes, while others were heading towards the direction of the torpedoes, trying to find the submarines lurking in the sea.
The seven cruisers stood still, still protecting the three battleships.
However, as explosions rang out one after another among the destroyer group, these cruisers could no longer remain calm.
In less than five minutes, six destroyers were sunk.
This directly led to a sharp decrease in the number of their destroyers.
If they allow the Restoration Army submarines to attack, they will be the next to face the torpedo attack.
So all five light cruisers began to take action and joined the anti-submarine operation.
Just as Song Yang predicted, it was impossible for them to ignore the submarine attack.
And in their view, submarine attacks are more terrifying than air strikes.
At least an air strike is visible, but a submarine is like an assassin in the sea, you never know when it will appear and attack you.
This sudden change caused the Fuso fleet to become disorganized, and also stunned the destroyers of various countries that were watching the battle from behind.
The American captain stood on the bridge and was shocked to see the Fuso destroyers in the distance emitting flames and thick smoke.
Only when you see it with your own eyes can you intuitively feel the huge deterrent from the Fusion Army submarines.
It seemed unbelievable to him that six destroyers of the Fuso army were destroyed in a short period of time.
Only then did he finally understand why John's Far East Fleet suffered such a great loss in front of the Renaissance Army submarines.
"Captain, 11 o'clock, look at 11 o'clock!"
Upon hearing this, the American captain suddenly looked towards the 11 o'clock direction pointed by the first mate.
On the distant sea level, dozens of fighter planes were seen flying across the sea, approaching the Fuso fleet at a high speed.
"The Restoration Army Air Force is here!"