April 18th was an unforgettable day.

A year ago today, the US aircraft carrier "Hornet" bombed Tokyo, Japan, carrying B25 bombers, causing panic throughout Japan.

Also today, it will be another special day.

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Zhang Chi summoned Michelle and other eighteen pilots for a short meeting before dawn.

"Gentlemen!" Zhang Chi said to Michelle and the others, who were still sleepy-eyed: "Now, you will go on a mission!" ”

"Did you send us to see the sunrise?" One pilot quipped.

This caused a burst of laughter from the other pilots.

If this was in China, I am afraid that such behavior would be regarded as "great disrespect" to the chief, but Zhang Chi knew that Americans were used to ridiculing him like this, so he didn't feel anything wrong.

"You're right!" Zhang Chi replied: "But the sunrise you went to see was a little special, because it was the sun flag of the Japanese!" ”

"You mean to send us to fight?" Hearing this, Michelle couldn't help but look at Zhang Chi suspiciously: "But I didn't see other pilots......"

"Just eighteen of you! Eighteen warplanes! ”

"Only us?" Michelle was keenly aware that this mission was a little different from the usual.

"Are we going to fight with the Navy?" Some pilots asked.

"No!" Zhang Chi replied: "Maybe you've all heard the name Yamamoto Fifty-six!" ”

"Yes!"

"Of course!"

……

The pilots answered one after another.

"Your mission here is to kill him!"

Hearing this, the pilot couldn't help but be stunned.

After a long while, Michelle looked at Zhang Chi with an incredulous expression: "Colonel, you're not joking?" ”

"Of course not!" Zhang Chi replied: "A few days ago, we deciphered the Japanese code and mastered Yamamoto Fifty-six's itinerary!" Now is the time to deal with him. ”

"Colonel!" Michelle said anxiously: "You should have told us earlier, so that we can be a little prepared!" ”

"Major!" Zhang Chi replied: "If I had told you earlier, would you still be able to sleep well?" ”

Hearing this, Michelle couldn't help but nodded: "You're right!" What do we do now? ”

"First of all, this!" With a wave of his hand, Pete handed out a bag to each pilot.

The pilot opened the bag and said, "British pounds? ”

"Yes. It's the pound! Zhang Chi replied.

"What do we need this for?" Michelle said: "Do you want to use it to buy the Japanese Zero fighter?" ”

The pilots let out another burst of laughter.

"No!" Zhang Chi replied: "It's used to buy off the local aborigines, and they only recognize British pounds!" Of course you know when you'll need it! ”

Hearing this, the pilots couldn't help but be silent.

Many of them have had the experience of being shot down, so they know what Zhang Chi meant...... When their planes are shot down or malfunction and they are alive, these pounds may well be their last straw.

At the same time, it is also telling them about the danger of this operation, that is, they have a high chance of being shot down.

On the other side, Rabaul, Yamamoto Isoroku is a man with a great sense of time, and early this morning, he was dressed in a grass-green military uniform, with the general's badge hanging on his left and right chests. Wearing white gloves and carrying a sword, he came to the airport majestically...... This is to inspect his subordinates, and he has to dress up in good spirits, so as to boost the morale of his subordinates.

Accompanied by Yamamoto on his inspection, a total of eight crew members flew in two Type 1 land-based attack aircraft.

The reason why he flew on the "Ichi" land-based attack aircraft was because this fighter was famous at the time and was called a "flying cigar" by Japanese pilots. What's more, it has two engines with a power of 3000 horsepower, and the twin engines make it even safer...... This is important because the vast majority of the way from Rabaul to Balaire Island is flown by sea. If it is a single-engine fighter, as long as the engine fails, it almost means that the game is over, and no one can save Yamamoto Fifty-six on the landline.

Before getting into his plane, Yamamoto turned around and told Vice Admiral Kusaka, the commander of the Navy Rabaul, who had come to see him off: "I will return tomorrow morning and arrive at dusk." Don't forget to wait for me for dinner! ”

"Yes!" Lieutenant General Grass Deer Ren stepped forward to answer.

Then, as the telegram said, Yamamoto Isoroku set off on time at six o'clock in the morning...... The Japanese concept of punctuality may be a good habit, but this habit often becomes their fatal weakness in war.

Yamamoto fifty-six when he set off. Michelle and other pilots were still waiting at Henderson Airport.

This was due to the time difference between the two, the Japanese had to be in the air for three hours to reach Balair, and the speed of the American P38 was much higher than that of the Japanese fighters. If it goes well, it will only take an hour to reach Balaire......

But Michelle found it difficult to do so, mainly because they had to maintain radio silence after they were in the air, which meant that they had to use a compass and speedometer to navigate, and they had to calculate the time as much as possible during this time, and arriving at Balair Island too early or too late would bring uncertainty to the completion of the mission.

Therefore, whether or not the peacock can be "smoked to death" depends largely on luck.

At this moment, Zhang Chi's order suddenly came from the walkie-talkie: "All fighters take off urgently, all fighters take off urgently!" ”

A question flashed through Michelle's mind: "What's going on?" Didn't you say that you would take off in an hour and a half? ”

But as a pilot, he also knew what time meant to them, so he didn't say anything and ran to his plane.

At the airport, the eighteen pilots made a short formation, Halsey made a special trip to the airport, and he gave the last order to the pilots with a solemn face: "Young men, don't encounter any difficulties, you all have to resolutely complete the task, even if you hit it, you will knock that bastard off Yamamoto, understand?" ”

"Yes, sir!" The pilots replied in unison.

Orders like Halsey are rare, and the most common words from superiors to the air force are: "It doesn't matter if the plane breaks, we can build hundreds of them a day." It doesn't matter if you don't knock the enemy down...... As long as you save your life, you will have a chance next time! ”

Therefore, Michelle and his colleagues once again felt the special nature of this mission.

"Let's go!" With Halsey's order, the pilots climbed onto their planes and started their motors, and with the roar of the motors, the P38s flew into the air one after another. (To be continued.) )