New World War II Eagle Strikes the Sky

In order to transport heavy equipment to the Japanese army on Guadalcanal Island, the Japanese army decided to organize a large transport fleet to send 38 people and heavy equipment from the 1.35th Division to Guadalcanal Island. This fleet consisted of 11 fast Composed of transport ships and 12 destroyers, commanded by the experienced Major General Tanaka Raizo, they departed from Shortland Island on the 12th and planned to arrive in Guadalcanal on the 14th.In order to ensure the safety of this fleet, the United Fleet dispatched a fleet consisting of 2 aircraft carriers, 4 battleships, 12 cruisers and 36 destroyers to provide cover and support. Mass bombardment.

In order to meet the offensive of the Japanese army, the U.S. military also made every effort to transport troops, equipment and supplies to Guadalcanal. Halsey also organized a transport fleet to transport about 6000 troops and heavy equipment from the Army and Marine Corps. It arrived in Guadalcanal on the 12th. island.

On this day, a flying team equipped with a special torpedo plane was also sent to Guadalcanal.They are equipped with a modified b-17 and a torpedo aircraft specially modified for night operations. In order to control a suitable height in the dark, a special device is specially installed.This kind of equipment is actually very simple, just a pair of small searchlights, one red and one green, fixedly installed on the left and right wings.If the altitude matches the bombing altitude during flight, the light spots illuminated by the two searchlights on the sea surface will coincide exactly.If the light spot is blue on the left and red on the right, it means that the flying altitude is a little higher. If the light spot is red on the left and blue on the right, well, you are going to swim in the sea without pulling up the plane.

Speaking of which, this device should have been invented by the British in 43.The British used this kind of thing to guide the huge Lancaster bombers to fly at ultra-low altitude over the river at night and launch deadly ricochet attacks on the dams in the Ruhr, Germany.When Ron was on the Enterprise aircraft carrier, when chatting with a mechanic named Martinez, he casually mentioned this method that allows a group of aircraft to fly relatively safely at ultra-low altitudes over the sea.In the end, I didn't expect to be pulled out by that guy.

This thing is of little use to the navy for the time being, because under the current conditions, it is really difficult for an aircraft carrier to fight at night.However, as a technical reserve, it is still good. Maybe it can be used to attack other people's military ports at night and so on.Anyway, the United States is not short of money, so an experimental team was established.

A few months after this team was built, it performed a night attack demonstration for several naval generals.Of course, the difficulty of this simulated attack is actually not too great. The targets of the attack are only two target ships moving at a constant speed on the sea. They can neither dodge nor fast.An aircraft dropped flares over the target ship, showing the corresponding position of the warship, and then that aircraft illuminated the target with a special high-powered searchlight.Then the attack group consisting of 10 torpedo planes quickly dropped the torpedoes.As a result, the two target ships were hit by 3 torpedoes and 4 torpedoes respectively.This hit rate, even considering that the target did not dodge, is very high, even higher than during the day.The reason is that under the cover of darkness, the threat of the ship's anti-aircraft firepower to torpedo planes is greatly reduced.This allows torpedo planes to drop torpedoes at a much closer range.

This exercise left a deep impression on the generals who participated in the observation.General Nimitz even gave this night-fighting Avenger a new nickname: Night Assassin.It's just that the technology for carrier-based aircraft to search the enemy fleet in a large area at night is not yet mature.Therefore, the use of such fighters on aircraft carriers is still far away.

General Halsey also saw the drill at the time.When it was learned that the Japanese army would use battleships to attack the airport at night again, Halsey immediately remembered this experimental unit and sent them all to Guadalcanal Island.

In the air strike on the 11th, the Japanese army suffered heavy losses.Therefore, although the water reconnaissance plane of the 12th Army found the US transport fleet, it could only send a small group of bombers to harass it.Rather than a massive attack like in history.But maybe it was because there were fewer planes coming, and if one was not careful, one of the Japanese planes really got mixed in.The bomber dropped a bomb on a transport ship moored in the port, but it missed, not even a near miss!This also shows that the level of pilots in the Japanese army has really declined sharply.If it was the old birds at the beginning of the war, how could a ship at anchor miss it?

However, this penetrating Japanese bomber still caused a little confusion, disturbing the orderly unloading process, and also rang the bell for the cactus, which has been winning consecutively these days.Perhaps, a series of victories made them proud and careless.

"It seems that ideological work must be done unremittingly!" Ron thought silently, "It's a pity that we don't have a political commissar here. Although there is a chaplain with the army, this is not included in their management."

Throughout the day, the island is preparing to welcome the Japanese fleet that will arrive at night.One after another, reconnaissance planes were sent out.Relevant reports were continuously sent back: at 9 o'clock, a reconnaissance plane reported that 335 Japanese battleships, 2 cruiser and 1 destroyers were found 6 nautical miles north of Guadalcanal.Later, another reconnaissance plane reported that five destroyers were spotted west of Guadalcanal. At about 5 o'clock, the reconnaissance plane reported that there were two Japanese aircraft carriers and two destroyers 15 nautical miles west of Guadalcanal.In the afternoon, 265% of the materials carried by the transport ship had been unloaded, and the transport ship could evacuate at any time, but the unloaded materials were piled up on the beach before they could be transported away.Once hit by Japanese artillery fire, these materials are likely to be burned.At the same time, the airport may also be bombarded.After consulting their superiors, the transport fleet, escorted by 2 destroyers and 90 minesweepers, left Guadalcanal and returned to Espiritu Santo.Major General Scott and Major General Callaghan, who originally escorted them, commanded all the escort warships to escort Turner's transport ship to a safe sea area south of Guadalcanal Island, and then returned to Iron Bottom Bay.This is a heroic decision. Of course they know that their fleet of 3 destroyers and 2 cruisers cannot fight against the Japanese fleet with two battleships.What's more, since the Japanese Navy took advantage of night battles during the Tsushima Sea Battle, it has attached great importance to night battles. The training intensity in this area is very high, and its combat capabilities are also quite good.In the previous night battles, against the Americans, even if the opponent had radar, Japan himself really never suffered a disadvantage.Undoubtedly, this is a fierce battle with a narrow escape.In fact, in the original history, Rear Admiral Scott and Rear Admiral Callaghan died in this battle.It can also be seen from this that although the Marine Corps is a separate military branch, its relationship with the Navy is really unusual, and it is definitely a close son.

Ron and Major General Scott and Major General Callahan discussed on the radio the night's transition plan.According to the plan they set, the fleet is under the unified command of Rear Admiral Callaghan. The destroyers of the fleet will use the radar advantage to search for the target. Once the target is found, the target data will be transmitted to the air force. The flares light up the target, and then the large searchlights are used to illuminate the enemy ship. The fleet starts to fire and shoot at the enemy ship, while the night assassin formation launches a torpedo attack on the enemy fleet from another direction.

Throughout the afternoon, the Dark Night Assassin formation was familiarizing themselves with the waters near Guadalcanal Island, more precisely, the terrain around Tiedi Bay.Major Burke, who led the team, said that it would not be too difficult for them to launch a raid in this area.

晚上21点30分，一架经过了特殊改装的b-17飞上了天空，紧接着，10架鱼雷机相继升空。21点45分暗夜刺客编队完成起飞。

Ron was sitting in the first B-17 to take off.This b-17 almost removed the entire magazine, and the vacant position was used to install a huge searchlight.This searchlight originally used for air defense of the fortress can ensure that the aircraft can use it to illuminate the targets on the sea at an altitude of 5500 meters.But at such a height, the small-caliber anti-aircraft guns of the warship are completely ineffective, and the firing rate of the large-caliber high-level dual-purpose guns is too low, and the probability of hitting high-altitude enemy aircraft at night is not much different from buying a lottery ticket.There is still a small magazine on the plane, which is specially used to throw flares.

At about 23:2 that night, the first artillery formation composed of 1 battleships, 14 cruiser and 23 destroyers under the command of Lieutenant General Hiroki Abe arrived west of Savo Island, preparing to enter Iron Bottom Bay via the South Channel of Savo Island. At 30:14, the cruiser "Helena" equipped with a new radar spotted the Japanese fleet [-] nautical miles away.While Callahan notified the target position to the Night Assassin formation, he ordered the U.S. interception formation to turn to the right in an attempt to seize the advantage of the thead (in a fleet artillery battle, one side intercepts in front of the other's column in a horizontal formation. In this way, the interceptor can use The main guns at the bow and stern of the ship shoot at enemy targets, and the enemy can only use the main guns at the bow to fight back, and the shooting of the rear ships will be blocked by their own people in front).

After receiving the notification, b-17 continuously dropped several flares in the No. [-] area.The surface of the sea was illuminated, but no Japanese fleet was found on the surface of the sea.At this time, because the Japanese fleet entered the shadow of the island, the radar of the US ship was interfered by the radar waves reflected by the island, and lost its target.

"Throw a few more inside." Ron gave the order while continuing to observe the sea with the telescope installed on the plane.Suddenly a flight path came into his eyes. "Found the track of the enemy ship!"

Another string of flares was dropped, and the majestic figures of the Japanese battleships Kirishima and Hiei first emerged on the dark sea...

When the first round of flares was thrown behind the Japanese fleet, Koki Abe knew that the fleet was exposed.At the same time, he also judged that the U.S. fleet operating around Guadalcanal Island during the day has not left, and they are preparing to intercept their own fleet and fight a night battle with themselves.

"Pay attention to the observation post to observe the sea surface. All ships immediately replace the high-explosive bombs and incendiary bombs that were going to attack the airport with the armor-piercing bombs that attack the warship." Abe immediately issued an order.

Abe did not expect that in addition to the enemy's fleet hidden in the darkness, there were even torpedo attack aircraft.Of course, it's not his fault.It is simply unimaginable to use an aircraft to attack a moving target in such a dark night.

In the light of the second round of flares, the Japanese fleet was completely exposed in front of Callahan.Callahan was surprised to find that the distance between the two sides had been shortened to about 6000 meters. If he continued to turn right, his fleet would directly mix with the Japanese fleet!

"Stop turning, the destroyer launches torpedoes, and all cruisers attack the closest battleship with artillery fire." The advantage of the turret can no longer be obtained.Then, before the enemy ship finds us, launch a preemptive strike.The 155mm guns on cruisers cannot penetrate the 203mm side armor of King Kong-class battleships, and even the 96-165mm horizontal armor is definitely not something that 155mm shells can chew.There is no need to think about the turret and the conning tower.However, the 155mm artillery shell can still sweep the superstructure of this battleship severely.Especially those delicate things related to sighting and aiming can't stand the bombardment of 155 guns.And once these are destroyed, the battleship is deaf and blind.

At 23:40, the US destroyer began to launch torpedoes at the Japanese fleet.At the same time, under the leadership of the cruiser San Francisco and the cruiser Atlanta, five US cruisers began to focus their fire on the battleship Hiei.

As soon as the U.S. military opened fire, the muzzle flame was immediately spotted by the Japanese observation post.It should be said that the Japanese army is indeed well-trained in night combat.As soon as the U.S. military launched a round of salvo, the Japanese army had already judged the approximate position of the U.S. military.At this time, Abe estimated that most of the US destroyers had fired torpedoes. Compared with the US artillery fire, the threat of torpedoes was obviously greater.So Abe ordered the destroyer to go forward to launch a torpedo attack on the enemy's artillery formation, and at the same time led the formation to turn to avoid the US torpedo that should have been launched.

At a distance of 6000 meters, it takes less than ten seconds for the shell to fall from launch to fall.In such a short period of time, the battleship Hiei had no time to respond, but the shells fired by the US military still missed a lot.After this round of blows, many of the superstructure of the battleship Hiei were damaged, but this did not have a great impact on his combat effectiveness.At this time, the Japanese fleet has completed the task of changing artillery shells, and the 14 destroyers of the Japanese army have also begun to turn to the US fleet and are preparing to launch a counterattack.

"Launch the torpedo on the port side!" Lieutenant Yoshikichi Kanama issued an order after arriving at the corresponding position.As a result, several powerful 93 acid torpedoes were shot into the pitch-black sea.Lieutenant Sato Kanama is the fourth captain of the legendary destroyer Yukikaze.But at that time, Xuefeng was not as famous as it was later.

The reason why Xuefeng is famous is that she is really the No. 1 broomstar, and it can even be said that she is the king of broomstars throughout the ages.Later generations even described her like this: "When Xuefeng's curse brought the entire Pacific Ocean into its sails, the Japanese navy was still ignorant of the fate it was about to face."

On January 15, Showa 1940 (1), the No. 20 ship "Yukikaze" of the "Kagero" class destroyer of the Japanese Navy was completed.At this time, no one has realized that this is a super-class broom star with a mysterious curse that can suck away all the luck of surrounding friendly troops.From this day onwards, the "Great Japanese Empire", which was constantly being sucked away from the country's fortune, gradually moved towards a doomed fate... She took part in almost all naval battles in the Pacific War, and in any battle, no matter how strong the enemy was, Xue The wind horn can always retreat unscathed.But her friendly ships were not so lucky.If you go on a mission with her, the chance of sinking is astonishingly high.So much so that Ron saw such a post in the postings of later generations: "Who wins Yamato + Xuekaze vs. Bismarck + Prince?" The No. 8 heavy cruiser has a very high chance of winning, but if you add Xuefeng, um, in a word: "Yeah, I'm dead. Anyone who comes out with Xuefeng will not die."

After shooting the torpedo on the port side, Yukikaze began to turn, preparing to launch the torpedo on the starboard side.In Xuefeng's gorgeous turn, a torpedo launched by the US military passed by Xuefeng, and the waves caused by Xuefeng's turn caused a small change in the course of the torpedo... As a result, this torpedo The torpedo accidentally hit the destroyer Yudachi, which sank immediately.This is also the first warship sunk that night. Of course, this is not the last one.

Accidentally got the order wrong and dropped a chapter, sorry.