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Text Chapter 924 Japan¡¯s Counterattack (2)

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    "Turn off all lights! Attention everyone, prepare to fight!"

    At the same time as the alarm sounded, Colonel Luo Yong, the captain of the light cruiser Heilongjiang, which was piloting fifty kilometers ahead, had already begun to issue orders.  The four twin 155mm/L50 naval guns quickly pointed to the northeast, and the two Yongxing-class destroyers next to them also raised their muzzles.  The sailors were busy selecting ammunition types for the artillery and filling torpedoes into the launch tubes.  "Five reflected signals were found, bearing 22 degrees northeast, distance 32 nautical miles, speed 28 knots!" The radar operator stared at the screen nervously, relying on experience to filter the clutter signals above, and stared at the five approaching in the snowflakes.  Highlights.

    At this time, the radar cannot distinguish the target type, so the electronic officer must first report the situation to the navigation bridge, and then the gunnery commander orders to strengthen visual investigation in the direction of the target.  But even with all its shortcomings, the emergence of radar allows the navy to no longer have to worry about annoying night battles, and it can also provide early warning.  Because they did not know the type of the incoming ship, the Heilongjiang formation quickly slowed down while preparing. The battleship Ninghai behind, accompanied by the light cruiser Xiangjiang, accelerated to 31 knots with four destroyers and rushed in.  The battleship Dinghai and the remaining ships protected the two aircraft carriers as they turned eastward into the deep sea.  This is a small radar-matching tactic that takes advantage of the Japanese Navy's lack of radar. It uses light cruisers and destroyers as guidance, deliberately slowing down to induce and drag the enemy, so that the capital ship can quickly insert from behind to launch an over-the-horizon attack.

    Fight preparations have begun here, but on the Furutaka heavy cruiser over there, the Japanese lookouts are still using binoculars to search for targets with the naked eye.  Although he ate cod liver oil every day until he vomited and practiced the world-famous Moon, Moon, Water, Fire, Wood, Metal, and Gold style, vision could not replace radar waves. Therefore, Colonel Shikaoka Haruhira did not know that the 23rd Fleet, which he had been searching for for half a night, was on the opposite side.  , not to mention that a battleship was rushing towards them under the sea level in the distance.

    "Report the number!"

    "35,000 yards, bearing 220, enemy ship speed 31 knots. Southeast wind 6 knots"

    "Release smoke to disrupt the enemy's line of sight!"

    "30,000 yards, entering night visual range in two minutes!"

    "Turn sideways! Full right rudder!" Because both sides exceeded 28 knots and would be within visual distance in at most ten minutes, Luo Yong first ordered the release of smoke, and then let the Heilongjiang turn sideways to seize the T-position most suitable for artillery tactics.  .  Because of the large amount of black smoke, the Furutaka heavy cruiser formation was still unable to detect its opponent immediately after entering the night vision range until it entered 25,000 yards.  Only then did I see the black smoke curling up on the sea level.  "22,000 yards, aim at the first target, focus fire!" Just as the Furutaka's lookout opened his eyes to distinguish the type of black smoke, Luo Yong shouted and waved his hand heavily.  Following his order, the eight 155mm main guns simultaneously sprayed out huge fireballs. The two Yongxing-class destroyers next to them also fired at the target with three twin 120mm semi-automatic high-level dual-purpose naval guns.

    An orange-red fireball suddenly flashes in the smoke.  The Japanese lookouts were so frightened that they repeatedly shouted that the enemy was attacking.  The screams caused chaos on the deck of the Furutaka. Before the barrels of the three twin 230mm main guns were raised, the faster-firing 155mm and 120mm shells from the opposite side continued to hit the surroundings of the hull.  The shells fell into the sea, forming a dense forest of water columns. After the explosion's rippling aftermath collided with the waves, they shattered into pieces of white dots.  "Left full rudder, fire! The destroyer is preparing to launch a lightning strike." Shikaoka Yuanping saw the Heilongjiang ship on the other side, which had already turned sideways.  The words "radio wave detector" came to mind.  Because only radar can see further than the human eye, it can set up an offensive formation early.

    In fact, the emergence of Japanese radar technology is not late. Shortly after the breakthrough in radar technology in the Republic of China, Japan also developed the key magnetron technology on its own.  Even earlier than Europe and America.  However, Japanese high-level officials did not pay attention to this and missed the opportunity to purchase radars from American engineers.  This went back and forth for several years in vain until the Republic of China Navy landed in the Persian Gulf and generously installed radars on ships for the first time.  Japan then began to strengthen radar development.  But as of today, there are only a few samples, and we don¡¯t know how far away we are from the equipment.  So Hirota Hongyi visited Su De this time.  While establishing the Axis Alliance, it also shoulders the important task of purchasing radar and other advanced weapons and equipment samples from both countries.  The samples hadn't come back yet, so Shikaoka Genpei had to use thicker armor to fight back against gunfire.  Fortunately, the Furutaka is a heavy cruiser. Even if it cannot be compared with the new heavy cruisers from various countries, it is much better than the Tumenjiang-class light cruiser Heilongjiang opposite. Therefore, relying on his rough skin and thick flesh, he also ordered to turn.  , in order to get the best angle for the six main guns.  "Boom, boom, boom." Heilongjiang maintained fierce firepower, but because it did not install the latest fire control radar, it needed to constantly correct its trajectory during shooting.  "The coordinate adjustment is completed! Each unit records the new bombardment elements and aims at the first ship with all its strength!" After a few rounds, the Heilongjiang fire control team calculated the new fire control elements based on the impact point, and adjusted the guns one after another.  , the shells finally hit more and more accurately.

    "Shoot!" At this time, the Furutaka was finally completed.Turning around and maneuvering, six 203mm main guns sprayed out intense fire at the same time.

    As soon as the Furutaka opened fire, Luo Yong immediately recognized that it was a Furutaka-class heavy cruiser, because only the Furutaka-class in the Japanese Navy was equipped with three twin 203mm naval guns (the Aoba-class was built because the Taiwan Island-class was launched, so  Adjusted to eight main guns).  But the Furutaka's turn came too late. Just after firing a salvo, several 155mm shells landed on the front deck at the same time.  In the violent explosion, the exposed Japanese sailors suffered heavy casualties, and even the armor of the bridge was shot.  Fortunately, the armor here is very thick, so the command brain was not taken away as soon as the battle started.

    Seeing Furutaka being hit one after another by artillery shells, the three Fubuki-class destroyers took the lead in speeding up preparations for a torpedo attack.  The Fubuki-class is a special type of destroyer built by the Japanese Navy based on the idea of ????small and big. In order to pursue high speed and night combat, the hull shape and tonnage are very small, resulting in insufficient hull strength and a high center of gravity.  It was not until after the "Fourth Fleet Incident" that Japan realized that the small tonnage was easy to capsize in wind and waves and had poor seaworthiness, so it increased the tonnage again, reduced the speed to 34 knots, and enhanced the lightning strike capability.  Like all Japanese destroyers, the Fubuki-class has a powerful lightning attack capability, with three triple-mounted 610 mm 93 Lance oxygen torpedo launchers.  "Change the target! Point the No. 3 and 4 gun positions and destroyers at the enemy destroyer! Watch out for the torpedoes on the starboard side. Guns, fire at full speed!" So when he saw the Japanese destroyer rushing towards him, Luo Yong immediately changed his tactics and ordered the No. 3 and 4 turrets to use  Abandon the first target and cooperate with the two destroyers to attack the three Fubukis with all their strength.

    The Chuxue, which was rushing ahead, was hit by a string of shells on the bow before it entered the optimal firing range of the Type 93 oxygen torpedo.  But it finally completed the torpedo launch together with the other two ships.  With a few soft "chichi" sounds, twenty-seven oxygen torpedoes quickly entered the water.  Since no trace could be seen after the oxygen torpedo was launched, Luo Yong kept asking people to pay attention to the launcher. After the lookout reported seeing the white smoke when launching, he immediately ordered to turn and avoid.

    Shikaoka Genpei did not expect his opponent to be so cunning. He immediately evaded the torpedo as soon as it was launched. He was so angry that he wished he could close the distance immediately.  At this time, the Furutaka finally received the first result of the bombardment. A 203mm shell accurately hit the Yongxing-class destroyer Treasure Island on the left side of the Heilongjiang.  The Yongxing class is the product of post-European naval expenditure reduction. It is equipped with three twin 120mm high-level and flat dual-purpose naval guns and a quadruple 550mm quadruple launcher.  However, the standard displacement is only 1,450 tons, and its seaworthiness is very poor like the Fubuki class.  The advantage is that the cost is quite cheap, so the Navy, which was short of funding and in urgent need of destroyers, ordered sixteen ships at once.

    The flaming Treasure Island became an obvious target, and even the three Fubuki-class ships aimed their 127mm naval guns at it.  After being hit several times in succession, the unarmored USS Treasure Island finally couldn't hold on and sank in the Philippine Sea shortly after the captain ordered the ship to be abandoned.

    Even Yang Guochang didn¡¯t expect that with the help of radar, he would be the first to lose.

    "Accelerate, close the distance!" Sinking a destroyer gave Shikaoka Genpei a great confidence. Just when he was about to take the initiative to close the distance and prepare to eat the Heilongjiang in one bite, a huge black shadow slowly emerged from the southwest level.  "Bearing 43, distance 28,000 yards, abattleship!" After seeing the black shadow and calculating the approximate length, the Japanese lookout suddenly took three breaths of air.

    "Battleship?!"

    Luoka Yuanhei and all the officers were also startled, but soon became ecstatic.  Because they came out this time to find the main force of the enemy fleet, and then deliberately exposed it to lead it to Okinawa.  Now that the battleship has appeared, it means that the main force of the Nanyang Fleet, which has been looking for more than half a month, is on the opposite side.  "Boom!" After entering visual distance, the Ninghai launched an attack without any delay.  But what made everyone depressed was that the Furutaka hurriedly turned and retreated just after entering the firing range.  "Position 74, leave, leave!" The thunderous roar frightened the Japanese naval officer to turn pale.  They know too well how big the gap is between a battleship and a heavy cruiser.

    "Report! The Furutaka released smoke and fled to the northeast. Colonel Luo Yong of the Heilongjiang asked whether to pursue." On the Dinghai, the staff asked in a low voice whether to pursue.  "Chase, follow him! You will definitely find the Japanese aircraft carrier." Yang Guochang was a little worried that this was a trap, but he was unwilling to give up this good opportunity to find two Japanese aircraft carriers. After thinking about it, he immediately slowed down the two aircraft carriers and the Dinghai and kept a distance.  , and at the same time ordered the light patrol to continue pursuing Furutaka.

    After receiving the order, the light cruisers Heilongjiang and Xiangjiang took the lead. As the two sides launched a pursuit battle at sea, both Yamaguchi Dawen and Yang Guochang also opened their big mouths at the same time, trying to swallow their opponents in one bite.

    (To be continued)
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