This is also the reason why the Japanese have never sent aviation troops to compete with the Eighth Route Army for air supremacy.
Neji Okamura knew in his heart that the Empire's "Zero War" had no advantages over the Mao Xiong fighter plane named "La 5", except for its range.
The reason why Okamura Neiji knew that the Eighth Route Army fighter plane was called "La 5" was because Mao Xiong had already put this fighter plane into battlefield use.
The irony is that Okamura Neiji knew this and had to go through Hansna to get this information.
This shows that the Eighth Route Army's intelligence work has been done so well that the Japanese have been losing one after another in air battles since the war started, but they don't even know the model of this fighter plane, let alone its specific performance.
Objectively speaking, this cannot be said to be due to the Eighth Route Army's intelligence work being in place, but to the fact that the Eighth Route Army's industry is too weak. For example, there is only one production line for the "La 5" aircraft. Except for the wooden fuselage, which can be made by oneself, all key parts must be made from scratch.
Xiong Import has only a thousand people in the entire production workshop.
There is a saying that "a small ship is easy to turn around." Of course, the small and simple production line of the Eighth Route Army makes it easier to keep secrets.
But if it is a furry bear, the production line will be complicated.
For example, there are engine production lines, assembly plants, scientific research units, testing units, combat units, etc. People who know how to "pull 5" are intricately involved in various departments, and it is inevitable that there will be "a hundred secrets and one omission".
But even so, Okamura Neji only knew that the model of this fighter was "La 5".
For the rest, Okamura Neiji can only make a rough judgment based on the characteristics of the Mao Xiong fighter and the performance of the "La 5" on the battlefield before. For example, although the "La 5" is fast, it has a short range.
Since we know that "La 5" has the disadvantage of short flight range, the temporary airport located at the steel plant is the key point.
This is also the main reason why Okamura Neiji listed the steel plant as a key target.
Okamura Neiji originally thought this was a sure thing. During the battle, the 59th Division easily surrounded the steel plant and controlled the airport with only the first charge.
Who would have thought...
The Eighth Route Army actually put the special troops in the steel factory, which put the imperial army in a dilemma.
"There's nothing they can do now!" Neji Okamura muttered to himself.
The double strike of "zero warfare" and "manned missiles" can ensure that the imperial army can destroy the temporary airport of the Eighth Route Army.
Once the temporary airport is lost, the Eighth Route Army will immediately lose air supremacy.
The Eighth Route Army has lost air supremacy, so what about the mechanized troops, and the half-tracks blocking the gap and surrounding the 59th Division... aren't they all targets for fighter planes?
Okamura Neiji was still uneasy. He reviewed the logic of the battle plan again and confirmed that there would be no problems with it. Then he slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
At this moment, the staff officer reported nervously: "Your Excellency, General, we have discovered the Eighth Route Army aircraft group, three miles away from our military aircraft group!"
Okamura Neiji was stunned for a moment, and then he let out a cold laugh: "The Eighth Route Army, as expected, still can't calm down!"
Then Okamura Neiji's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and he ordered in a low and confident voice: "Order Taro Sakamoto to blow up the Eighth Route Army's temporary airport. After that... he knows what to do!"
"Yes!" The staff officer immediately conveyed Okamura Neiji's order to the aviation team.
The commander of the aviation team is Lieutenant Colonel Taro Sakamoto. Unlike the previous commanders, Taro Sakamoto is a naval pilot specially transferred from Tokyo to the Pacific Theater.
Although the Imperial Navy and the Army have always been at odds, Tokyo believed that the "zero battle" in the Chinese battlefield had been suppressed by the Eighth Route Army Air Force. In addition to being inferior to the enemy in equipment, another important point was that the quality of the pilots was insufficient.
good.
If we continue to send second- and third-rate pilots to fight the Eighth Route Army, it will only be a waste of "zero war" and will do no good to the empire.
On the contrary, the Eighth Route Army only had a few hundred fighters and their performance was not excellent (at that time, the Eighth Route Army only had the "Hawker 81" of the First Air Force). If a group of excellent pilots could be sent to defeat the Eighth Route Army Air Force, or there would be no need
Defeating them only needs to severely weaken their vitality, and then they will be saved once and for all.
On the other hand, it was also the reason for the shift in the strategic focus of the empire.
Previously, the empire's strategic focus was to defeat Yingjiang on the Pacific battlefield. However, as this strategic goal could not be achieved, even the navy could not resist the counterattack of Yingjiang Navy... Then it is natural for the strategic focus to shift to the Chinese battlefield where the goal can be achieved.
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Since the strategic focus has shifted to the Chinese battlefield, can excellent pilots still be placed on the Pacific battlefield?
Eagle's "Hellcat" fighter jets specifically aimed at "zero warfare" are already in service. In addition, its warships are also equipped with a large number of "proximity fuze" anti-aircraft guns... Excellent pilots have no place in the Pacific battlefield, so send them to the battlefield.
It's no different from sending rookie pilots to the battlefield. They are all shot down like turkeys by eagle sauce, so why not make the best use of them and send them to the Chinese battlefield?
The Sakamoto Group was the first batch of HNA pilots transferred from the Pacific to the Chinese battlefield. Taro Sakamoto himself had a record of shooting down 21 fighter planes of various types. The pilots under his command ranged from more than 20 to as few as three or four.
, all are experienced pilots.
(Note: The highest record of the Japanese ace pilot's downing is 80 aircraft, of which 14 are Chinese fighter jets. The 21 aircraft shooting down record can be ranked in the top 30 of the Japanese)
After receiving the order from Okamura Neji, Sakamoto responded habitually: "Yes!"
But he still frowned and looked at the "human missile" flying below.
Sakamoto knew the entire battle plan and agreed with it, knowing that it took advantage of the enemy's fighter planes' short range weakness.
but……
High-level strategic decision-makers simply cannot see that there is a weakness in this plan: the flight speed of the "manned missile" is more than 400 kilometers per hour, and the flight speed of the "zero war" is more than 500 kilometers per hour. The speeds of the two do not match.
The mission of the aviation team is to protect "manned missiles", so how to protect them when facing enemy fighters?
Slowing down the speed is the same as "human-controlled missiles"?
The speed of "Zero War" is not as good as "Pull 5". If we lower the speed, wouldn't we be seeking death?
But if we don’t do this, does it mean that the “man-made missiles” will be intercepted?
Although there were many problems, Sakamoto, who had rich combat experience, made a decision quickly.
"Everyone!" Taro Sakamoto ordered over the radio: "Once a fight breaks out, ignore those 'missiles', understand? Repeat, ignore those 'missiles'!"