Therefore, for the coastal defense regiment, finding seaplanes can almost find the main force of the Japanese fleet.
It shouldn't be counted as "found", because the flying direction of the seaplane does not represent the direction of the Japanese fleet nor the position of the fleet, but at least some clues can be found based on its flight trajectory.
On the other side, Toshihei Inoguchi didn't consider this at all.
This is not to say that Toshihei Inoguchi is careless. Of course, Toshihei Inoguchi does have the heart to underestimate the enemy, but more importantly, he knows that the Eighth Route Army's fleet only has one "Nagara" class cruiser and four "Wrath" class destroyers from Mao Xiong.
Inoguchi Toshihei knew very well what kind of configuration the "Nagara" class was. Its air radar could barely detect targets more than thirty kilometers away... This was about the same as the visual distance of a lookout. This was also the case on a Japanese warship.
One of the reasons why lookouts have not been eliminated is that sometimes lookouts are more reliable than radar.
As for Mao Xiong's "Wrath" class, let alone that. What is worth mentioning and being wary of about Mao Xiong warships is definitely not the radar and communication equipment.
Therefore, Toshihei Inoguchi felt relieved and released 4 seaplanes for reconnaissance. (The "Musashi" carried 7 seaplanes)
Two of these four seaplanes were flown by the "Musashi" and the other two were from the heavy cruiser "Myoko".
This is also the reason why Toshihei Inoguchi wants to bring a heavy cruiser. The seaplanes on the battleship and the heavy cruiser can cooperate with each other and serve as take-off and landing platforms for each other.
For example, in actual combat, there are two seaplanes that need to be recovered. If there is only one battleship, there is no choice but to let the other one wait in line.
Another example is that in actual combat, the battleship is busy fighting and cannot recover the seaplane... When recovering the seaplane, the warship needs to stop completely and use a crane to lift the aircraft to the warship. Such an operation is obviously not possible when it is in combat status.
If there is only one battleship, then the unrecovered seaplanes parked on the sea will be in danger and unable to function. The cooperation of heavy cruisers can perfectly fill this gap. The cruisers can continuously recover the seaplanes from the rear and then put them back.
Let fly.
The four seaplanes flown by Toshihei Inoguchi fanned out from four directions to perform reconnaissance missions.
Soon, pilots reported the sighting of an enemy fleet.
Inoguchi Toshipei was stunned for a moment when he heard this information. He asked: "Are you sure it's the enemy fleet?"
"Sure!" the pilot replied: "That's the cruiser 'Natori', and there are also Mao Xiong's four Fury-class destroyers. All the warships of the Eighth Route Army are here!"
How many warships the Eighth Route Army has is not a secret to the Japs, because all the warships of the Eighth Route Army come from outside... Of course, the captured "Natori" cannot be kept secret, and the four destroyers sailing from Mao Xiong to China certainly can't be kept secret, so the Japs know the Eighth Route Army warships
quantity.
Inoguchi Toshihei was quite surprised by this. He never expected that the Eighth Route Army would actually send out warships to fight. He originally thought that the Eighth Route Army would put the warships in the port and protect them with anti-ship missiles... In this case, the fleet would be destroyed.
There will be some difficulties, because the fleet must fight against the enemy fleet while defending against air.
However, this is two hundred nautical miles away from the Dalian coastline, which is beyond the combat radius of the Eighth Route Army fighter planes. Aren't they looking for death here?
At this time, the staff officer asked: "Your Excellency, Major General, do you want the seaplanes to launch the first wave of attacks?"
The staff officer has his own reason for saying this, because the Japanese seaplanes are not only used for reconnaissance or shooting, they also have considerable attack capabilities. In actual combat, they even shot down the Yingjiang B17 heavy bomber.
However, strong combat effectiveness does not mean it is excellent.
The reality is exactly the opposite. This is an outstanding failure on the tactical level and a failure on the strategic level... The Japs' lack of strategic thinking is well known to everyone. Even if the Japs themselves know this, they cannot change it. This is engraved in their bones.
something.
The reason is that the seaplane carries two large pontoons...it is necessary to have these pontoons to land on the water.
These two pontoons determine that the speed of the hydroplane is not very fast. The speed is only more than 300 kilometers per hour, which is about the same as the speed of a missile.
In this era, there are not many fighters that are this slow. Countries are climbing to more than 600 kilometers, and the BF109 can still reach an astonishing 710 kilometers.
This determines the role that the seaplane can play: it can only be used for reconnaissance and the firing of warship guns. When used in combat, it is obviously behind the times and will ultimately outweigh the gain.
However, after the Japanese lost four aircraft carriers in the Battle of Midway, they began to look for another way. They hoped to replace the aircraft carriers with battleships and heavy cruisers carrying as many seaplanes as possible, so that they would have both air support and artillery.
ship.
Therefore, the seaplane that originally performed reconnaissance missions not only carried a machine gun but also mounted four 60-kilogram bombs. Now the Japanese even require the seaplane to carry a 250-kilogram bomb for dive bombing...
The seaplane brought by the "Musashi" is the newly developed so-called "Ruiun" type carrier-based waterborne reconnaissance-bomber integrated aircraft that can carry out dive bombing.
Just a little analysis will tell you what this is. If you want it to be able to do everything, the result will often be that it can't do anything well.
Inoguchi Toshihei hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and rejected the advice of his adviser.
This is not to say that Inoguchi Toshipei doubts the combat effectiveness of the "Ruiun", but that Inoguchi Toshipei believes that the war with a "junior" fleet like the Eighth Route Army should be a complete victory.
If seaplanes are sent for bombing, it is inevitable that one or two will be shot down by the Eighth Route Army, and then his record will be ugly!
Inoguchi Toshipei immediately ordered: "Expand the battle formation and move towards the target direction!"
"Yes, moving in the direction of the goal!"
…
Inoguchi Toshipei didn't even notify the Army. He thought that he only needed to notify the Army after destroying the enemy fleet. He liked the angry look of the Army, especially Umezu Yoshijiro.
Xu Huandong on the other side also knew that the Japanese had discovered them, and Xu Huandong even guessed the approximate location of the Japanese fleet.
It is not difficult to do this. The detection range of the cxam radar is 100 kilometers. It discovered two Japanese planes. If the reconnaissance area of the two Japanese planes is extended in the direction of the Japanese, their intersection may be the Japanese fleet.
Location.
"The enemy situation has been discovered. The Japanese fleet may be seventy nautical miles away from us!" Xu Huandong reported to Wang Xuexin: "Requesting for further instructions!"
Wang Xuexin thought for a while and then ordered: "Lead them towards the port, preferably within two hundred kilometers!"
"yes!"
Two hundred kilometers is the ultimate range of the Eighth Route Army's land-based anti-ship missiles.