The P-51 Mustang fighter was developed by North American Airlines, which is a light fighter and the best single-engine fighter.

When it first came out, because of the performance problems of the engine, it could only be used at low altitudes.

But when these Mustang fighters were replaced with Rolls-Royce's latest Merlin engines, its high-altitude combat performance was greatly improved.

Because the engine is equipped with a two-stage two-speed supercharger, which fully improves the power output of more than 15,000 feet, the P-51B used by the US military today, and the P-51C and P-51D fighters in the future continue to use this type of engine.

The P-51B Mustang fighter is the fighter with the longest range and the most powerful combat performance for the current US military.

However, most of these P-51B Mustang fighters, which had just been released, were killed by the Germans and their servant air forces, as well as the Japanese kamikaze drones, in the Battle of Sicily.

More than 200 P-51B Mustang fighters, and now there are less than 50 left.

For such a big loss, Eisenhower was bleeding in his heart, because he did not expect that when he played the hole cards of this type of advanced fighter; The Germans, however, also deployed their advanced fighters, bombers, and carrier-based aircraft groups to meet them.

Moreover, in terms of the number and number of new fighters, they are greatly superior and much better than them.

Eisenhower and his Allied air force in the Mediterranean were taken by surprise and suffered heavy losses.

Because their aviation units were shot down not only by the most advanced P-51B Mustang fighters, but also by the P-38 Lightning, which had been in large-scale use for many days, and by the P-47 Thunderbolts, hundreds of which had been destroyed.

Even the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber, and the B-29 Super Flying Fortress four-engine propeller bomber were not spared, and a large number of them were shot down.

So now, when the German air force launched a surprise attack, Eisenhower could only deploy less than 80 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers to meet them.

However, the B-25 Mitchell medium bombers were equipped with 18 12.7 mm M2 heavy machine guns and 75 mm tank guns.

Because the result of this is that the B-25 can attack horizontally like a fire broom, spraying shells all over the sky and sinking enemy warships with weak defense capabilities into pieces and sinking the sea.

And this method of warfare originated from the World War II period, the legendary American pilot Paul . Evan. Gan modified the B-25 combat performance to strafe the combat situation of Japanese ships, and was famous all over the world.

Malta is made up of five small islands: Malta, Gozo, Comino, Cominoto and Fairfra, with a coastline of 180 kilometres.

Malta is the largest naturally beautiful port - located between the capital Valletta and the three ancient cities of Birgu, Senglea and Cospigua, the port area has a wide and beautiful coastline, and there are many deep-water docks in the port, which can accommodate a large number of ships for loading and unloading goods, and refueling, as well as storing grain.

However, the port of Malta, which is usually lively and lively, was subjected to a large-scale sudden air raid by the German army for a long time this morning, so that the whole port and the whole city were shrouded in the sound of roaring artillery fire and the huge explosion of buildings being blown up by heavy bombs; And since the Germans also dropped a large number of incendiary bombs from high altitudes, the entire port city of Malta; There are many places that have been bombed by incendiary bomb groups, and the method is like the end of the world, which is shocking and shocking.

When the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber began to attack, Eisenhower also gathered the few remaining P-38 "Lightning" fighters and P-47 Thunderbolt fighters to gather 120 to take off in full swing to meet the German fighter and bomber groups.

Unfortunately, the remaining P-51B Mustang fighters, a large number of P-38 "Lightning" fighters, and P-47 Thunderbolt fighters, as well as B-17 Flying Fortress bombers, and B-25 Mitchell medium bombers, and B-29 "Super Flying Fortresses" are returning from Sicily.

However, their return voyage was also intercepted by the German F8D new carrier-based aircraft group and fighter group, so there was no way to return to the aid as quickly as possible.

In response, Eisenhower was anxious to receive the telegrams of battle that poured into his headquarters like snowflakes at the temporary headquarters in the city of Veloliosa.

The city of Veloriosa is an ancient city in eastern Malta, located on a small peninsula south of Valletta, bordering the Grand Harbour, the most famous of the three sister cities and the earliest habitat of the "Knights of St. John" in Malta.

"Your Excellency, Commander! The current situation is terrible! Come with us to the bomb shelter and take refuge! It's too dangerous here! ”

While Eisenhower was irritably flipping through the pile of telegrams in his hand and browsing the current state of war, a chief of operations staff hurried into the headquarters with a face full of soot and shouted at Eisenhower worriedly.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! Boom ......"

"Boom! Thundered! Rumble ......"

As soon as he finished speaking, in the vicinity of the city of Veloriosa, there was a sudden deafening sound of bombardment; The earth shook and shook the earth, as if it were an earthquake, and it was terrifying and terrifying.

"Nope! It's not safe there now, the whole country of Malta is being bombed by German bombers, we're going to be bombed by carpet when we go there, and now we can only pray that our fighter groups and bomber groups can drive all these damn Germans away, or wipe them out! ”

"And I'm going to stay in the headquarters and calmly command the battle! For the sake of victory, I can't leave here now, because our Sicilian campaign has ended in defeat, and we have lost enough battles to the Germans recently! I can't let myself lose anymore! Otherwise, our soldiers will suffer more casualties and lose more morale! ”

In the face of the indiscriminate bombardment of the German bomber group, Eisenhower said fearlessly as he quickly flipped through the telegrams.

"Nope! Your Excellency, Commander! We can use the field telephone to direct operations in the bomb shelter, so whether you want to leave now or not, I will take you away, or I will not be able to explain to Admiral Marshall! ”

But the chief of operations staff who rushed in was uncompromising and forcefully opposed.

"Come in quickly, take Commander Eisenhower to the dugout, and make proper arrangements, and you must not let him be harmed!"

Before Eisenhower could continue to respond, the chief of operations staff immediately waved his hand decisively at a group of heavily armed guards behind him, and gave an order.

"Chief of Staff Bauer! Let's do it now! ”

Captain of the Guard, Ridley, immediately agreed.

"I'm sorry! Commander Eisenhower! For the safety of your life, offended! ”

Immediately he led his men to Eisenhower, saluted a standard military salute, and said.

"What are you doing! Is it necessary to disobey the command of the weapon? I said I wouldn't leave if I didn't go! Get out of here! Or I'm going to take you all to court-martial!" ”

Seeing this, Eisenhower roared angrily.

But no matter how much he hurled insults and roars, Captain Ridley and his men quickly escorted Eisenhower to the bomb shelter outside.

Chief of Staff Bauer took all the telegrams and important documents in the temporary headquarters to the other guards, and brought them into the bomb shelter where Eisenhower was housed, so that Eisenhower could continue to read them and think about the battle plan. [.]