"Is this... going straight to Christmas Island?"

On the afternoon of September 25, Tokyo time (late night on the 24th, Hawaii time), General Koga Feng, who had just led the main force of the joint fleet to depart from the anchorage of Matsushima near Wujun Port, once again received a report on the whereabouts of the US fleet.

The Americans' advance towards the Great Island of Hawaii was indeed a feint. When they advanced to more than 800 nautical miles from the Great Island of Hawaii, they turned around and turned to the southwest and headed straight to Christmas Island.

"It should be Christmas Island!" Ugaki stood in front of the chart table with his arms wrapped around his arms, frowned slightly. "According to the latest seaplane reconnaissance report, the US fleet is about 900 nautical miles away from Christmas Island, but their speed seems to be a bit slow, about 10-15 knots."

"It should be accelerated," said Koga Feng. "They may bring the landing troops and the supply formation together...it will probably be separated tomorrow, the main formation will accelerate, and there may be air strikes in the early morning of the 26th Hawaiian time. Will there be no problem with the air defense on Christmas Island?"

"There is no problem on Christmas Island," Ugaki smiled. "There are more than 1,000 aircraft on the island, including 380 Blast fighters and Zero fighters... Now we can teach American ghosts a lesson."

Koga nodded, and he was also very confident about the air defense of Christmas Island.

"Let's hurry up too," said Koga Feng. "There are more than 4,000 nautical miles left. If you want to take some anti-submarine routes, it will take nearly 5,000 nautical miles, and you will have to take 250 hours for the 20th festival."

"It must be too late," Ugaki said. "It is impossible for Americans to take Christmas Island in more than a dozen days."

...

"What? Christmas Island has not been air strikes yet?"

At 4 pm on September 27th (11 AM on the 26th of Hawaiian time), Koga Fengichi, the commander of the Yamato battleship, discovered that the situation was unexpected.

The air battle that should have happened in the early morning still showed no sign of happening until 11 a.m.

"Where is the American fleet?" he asked again.

"There are still 600 nautical miles away from Christmas Island... I only walked about 300 nautical miles in more than 30 hours."

"So slow?" Koga was stunned. "What the reconnaissance planes discovered was the supply formation and landing formation, right?"

"It's possible," Ugaki said, "but the reconnaissance planes did not find other U.S. fleets."

"Didn't find it?" Koga Feng shook his head, "Did the Americans form a large formation and sail slowly towards Christmas Island?"

"It's possible..." Ugaki smiled, "The way Americans fight war is a bit strange."

It's really strange!

The navy does not fight like this, the navy must be speedy! In this era, the aircraft carrier special mixed formation can run at high speed for more than 30 knots. Where can there be 10 knots and 12 knots slowly drifting within the strike range of local shore-based aviation troops?

"Why don't we send shore-based aircraft to air strike?" Ugaki Chan suggested.

"600 nautical miles are still a bit far away," Koga Feng looked at the chart, "I suggest that the 10th aspect fleet wait a little longer."

600 nautical miles is equivalent to 1,110 kilometers, while the rated range of Japan's latest windfighter is only 1,745 kilometers, and the combat radius is about 700 kilometers and up to 800 kilometers. The comet dive bomber's bomber's range is only more than 1,000 kilometers, and the meteor torpedo bomber has a larger range, but it is difficult to reach the target 1,110 kilometers away.

So Koga Fengichi's suggestion was quickly adopted by the commander of the 10th Fleet, Takijiro Oshiki. But beyond Koga and Oshi's expectations, they waited for 24 hours!

The American fleet moved forward slowly, only 300 nautical miles in 24 hours. When it was almost noon on September 26, Hawaiian time, the fleet was still on the ocean 300 nautical miles northeast of Christmas Island.

And what is even more strange is that the Americans never launched air strikes.

"Baga! Did you forget to bring the bomb when you left the port?"

On Christmas Island, the commander of the 10th Fleet, Lieutenant General Takiji Oshiki, felt that he had fallen into the fog.

300 nautical miles are only 555 kilometers, and American carrier-based bombers can definitely get them!

So from the early morning, the Japanese army on Christmas Island was as if they were facing a great enemy. All anti-aircraft artillery pointed to the sky and covered the planes and took off. The other fighter pilots were on standby at all times. They were just waiting to beat the American planes that were coming to their door.

But after waiting, American planes just won’t come!

"Commander, the Americans may want to shell Christmas Island?" The chief of staff of the 10th aspect of the fleet was the immortal staff member, the Turtle Man of the Kuroshima. This stinking Japanese Admiral looked at the chart with his arms in his arms for a long time and came up with the most unreasonable, but the only possibility.

"But... why didn't they raid airplanes?" asked Takijiro Oshiki. "Now is the era of aircraft, and Americans have very good carrier-based aircraft!"

The Kuroshima Turtle thought about it and said very seriously: "They didn't bring a bomb!"

"ah?"

Black Island shrugged: "Although it's unreasonable, it's the only explanation!"

"So...will they're going to shell Christmas Island?"

The Black Island Turtle Man nodded and said, "According to information, the US fleet should have 10 battleships, including 3 super battleships with 406mm main guns. The fortifications on Christmas Island cannot resist, and there are no armored turrets that can be used against battleships. So we cannot let the US fleet break to a distance that can be bombarded, otherwise the airport on the island will be destroyed."

Takijiro Oshiki was stunned, then thought about it carefully, and nodded. Although Christmas Island is very important, it is a very flat and narrow coral island after all, and it is not very large in area. It is impossible to be defended like the Hawaiian Islands. Moreover... Japan does not have so many resources to make Christmas Island as solid as Oahu.

Therefore, the defense of Christmas Island relies heavily on the support of aviation and fleets, and the airports on the island are the key to the decisive battle. Because Christmas Island is only 2,080 kilometers away from Hawaii, most Japanese shore-based aircraft can directly transfer. Therefore, after occupying Christmas Island, Japan built a large number of airports and large oil depots and ammunition depots so that after discovering that the US fleet is approaching, it can immediately transfer the shore-based aircraft to Christmas Island.

"Baga!" The fleet sect of Takijiro Oshiki couldn't help but curse, "Are the US Navy all stupid fleet sects? You don't need to use a good plane, you have to use battleships to shell the battleships! This battle is too stupid."

"Commander, send planes to bomb." The Black Island Turtle made a suggestion, "Considering that the US fleet has very strong air defense capabilities, we should send as many large aircraft groups as possible to overwhelm the enemy with its numerical advantage. In addition to covering the fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft at the airport, and also a type of land attack, everyone should launch an assault!"

"That's certain!" Oshiki Takijiro's expression suddenly became extremely serious. "Now the order is issued, the 14th Air Fleet (actually the shore-based aviation force, with Oshiki Takijiro also serving as the commander), and the entire attack! The Army Air Force also launched an air strike at the same time! In this battle, more than 10 American aircraft carriers must be sunk!"

"Hayi! The Emperor is on board! The Great Japanese Empire, on board!"

With the order of Takijiro Oshiki, the Japanese 14th Air Fleet and Army Air Force stationed on Christmas Island immediately entered combat. At the six large airports on the island, various types of fighter jets that had been ready were launched one after another.

At 12:15, the first attack wave sent by Christmas Island had been assembled. 336 aircraft, including 55 Wind Fighters, 58 Zero Fighters, 86 Comet Diving Bombers, 67 Tianshan torpedo bombers, and 80 Meteor torpedo bombers (all torpedoes are mounted on bombs), formed several large formations, covering the sky and the sun, generally heading towards the American fleet less than 300 nautical miles away.

Subsequently, almost the same number of aircraft formed a second attack wave. After the first attack wave set off, they gathered and rushed towards the US fleet roared. Oshiki Takijiro and Kuroshima Turtle only left less than 100 fighter jets to perform air defense missions for Christmas Island. In order to expand the results after the first and second attack waves succeeded, Oshi ordered a one-style land attack on Christmas Island to standby and prepare to send out to "find" the injured American ships.

Seeing that all the huge fleets of aircraft left, Oshiki Takijiro asked with a serious face: "When can the mobile fleet launch an attack?"

Ozawa Shisaburo's mobile fleet was previously hidden near Palmyra Atoll. After confirming that the US fleet was approaching Christmas Island, it immediately assaulted eastward and prepared to launch an air strike.

"Two attack waves can be sent before 3:30 pm," Kuroshima Turtle reported. "Then the mobile fleet will retreat westward, and the destination of the plane sent from the aircraft carrier is Christmas Island."

"Haha, it's another shuttle bombing, and the time to set off is also very good." Oshiki Takijiro nodded in admiration, "I really deserve to be Admiral Ozawa!"

Ozawa Shisaburo's deployment was indeed very clever. The attack wave sent before 3:30 can find the American fleet at about 5 o'clock. At this time, the battlefield near the equator was almost dusk, and it was almost dark after the bombing. The Americans could not launch a counterattack at all. Moreover, the carrier-based aircraft sent by Ozawa was shuttled and bombed, and they immediately retreated after sending the plane, without giving the Americans a chance at all.

The carrier-based aircraft landed on Christmas Island can fly to an aircraft carrier that is already far away from the battlefield after being filled with fuel, so as to launch a new attack the next day.
Chapter completed!