The battle ended after ten minutes.

The reason for the end was not that the "Cactus" air force could not withstand the Japanese anti-aircraft fire, or that it could not withstand the challenge of the six Japanese Zero fighters.

In fact, the Japanese anti-aircraft fire network was organized in a hurry, especially after the two aircraft carriers were damaged by the "Cactus" air force, and the more than 100 anti-aircraft guns on them basically lost their effectiveness, so the anti-aircraft fire was somewhat insignificant to the fighters, and the six Zero fighters ...... Although the Zero fighters can give full play to their advantages in low-altitude dogfights, the "Cactus" air force has 25 fighters, and under the huge disparity in numbers, the six Zero fighters are quickly defeated to only three, and if they continue to fight, they will only be completely wiped out.

The reason for the withdrawal was due to the fact that in those ten minutes the "Cactus" air squadron had already dropped all their bombs and torpedoes.

From this point of view, the planes hidden on Kuah Island should have more bombers and fewer fighters...... But who would know if this was the case? At that time, the U.S. Air Force was still trying to increase the proportion of escort fighters because of the prestige of the Japanese army.

"Colonel!" On the way back, Smith excitedly reported to Zhang Chi and Clifton: "We damaged two Japanese aircraft carriers, and we don't dare to judge the exact extent of the damage, but we destroyed at least forty of their fighters!" Having sunk them, one cruiser and two destroyers, we lost 7 aircraft. ”

"Good!" Zhang Chi nodded, very satisfied with the result.

As a matter of fact, the "Zuizuru" and "Shozuru" aircraft carriers are two "ideal" aircraft carriers built by Japan at a huge expense by absorbing the experience and shortcomings of the previous aircraft carriers. Zhang Chi has read its relevant information, and they are all equipped with protective armor, and the thickness of the hangar armor is 84mm. The ammunition depot is 132mm, the side side is 165mm, the engine room, boilers and other parts also have considerable armor protection, and the hull defense wall can defend against torpedoes with a charge of 450kg.

It is obviously difficult for these two aircraft carriers to sink them easily, and it is quite a good result to be able to destroy so many fighters.

"I can't figure it out!" "Why did the Japanese park their carrier-based aircraft on the deck at this time? ”

"Perhaps, they are preparing for a third wave of attacks!" Smith said.

"It can't be!" Manrum replied: "By the time they flew over our carrier, it was already dark!" ”

"Who knows!" Smith laughed, "Maybe they're trying to do a night raid!" The Japanese are a group of crazy people. They can do everything! ”

Maybe Smith was telling it as a joke, but what he didn't know was that he had inadvertently guessed correctly...... The Japanese army was indeed planning to carry out a night attack on the US aircraft carrier, which was the last killer weapon of Yamamoto Isoroku.

It is well known that the Japanese are good at night battles, the army is like this, the navy is like this, and the air force is also like this.

Everyone thought that fighters could not fight at night, especially at sea, because it was difficult for pilots to judge where the sea was and where the sky was in the darkness in front of them, so it was difficult to fly even at night. Not to mention fighting.

However, the Japanese trained a group of pilots who could fly on the sea at night using searchlights...... In order to allow the pilot to keep the plane at a certain height above sea level, the Japanese installed two searchlights in the nose and tail of the aircraft, and the lights of these two searchlights will converge into a point on the sea surface at a safe altitude, so that the pilot can judge the relative position of the aircraft to the sea surface according to the position and brightness of the lights.

However, this is easy to say, but it is very difficult and even dangerous to apply and train in practice, which naturally comes at the cost of life and blood. But the Japanese, who worship the spirit of bushido, certainly don't care about that.

This is the masterpiece of Isoroku Yamamoto, and his idea is: everyone thinks that airplanes cannot fight at night. Well, if the Great Japanese Empire had a group of pilots capable of fighting at night, then they would have played a decisive role in the war at a critical moment.

In this naval battle, Yamamoto 56 thought that it was time to use them, so he asked this group of pilots to prepare for battle on the deck, and only waited for the third wave of truly lethal night combat troops to set off again when the group of fighters that advanced to attack the US aircraft carrier were about to return.

It is conceivable that if this night combat unit really let them fly into the sky and find the US aircraft carrier, it is only afraid that it will really cause unexpected damage to the US aircraft carrier.

On the one hand, this is because the US aircraft carrier was bombed by the Japanese and was busy extinguishing fires and repairs. I never thought that there would be another wave of Japanese attacks, and this wave of attacks was still at night.

On the other hand, it was the U.S. military that thought it had an air search radar, so there was no need to worry about being attacked by the Japanese army. In fact, however, Yamamoto, who was familiar with the United States, had long ago learned through the intelligence department that the US military's radar could not detect low-flying fighters.

Even when the Japanese troops went to bomb the group of US ships during the day, they did not fly at low altitudes, and it was Yamamoto Isoroku who did this in order to paralyze the US troops. He just waited for the sky to get dark and then suddenly give the US troops a chance to win or lose the battle, who would have thought that his wishful thinking would be destroyed by the "Cactus" air force.

At this time, Yamamoto Isoroku looked at the mess of fire and smoke on the sea and couldn't help crying without tears: he was not only sorry for the "Zuizuru" that was seriously injured, but also for the dozens of fighters that were destroyed by the enemy before they took off, and what made him even more regretful was the pilot who died on the deck and in the plane...... That was one of the few well-trained pilots left in Yamamoto's hands, and in order to train their night combat ability, I don't know how many pilots were sacrificed and how many planes were lost, but I didn't expect that they didn't die honorably in the air, but were killed on the deck without honor.

"Your Excellency General...... "The staff officer wanted to say something to comfort Yamamoto Fifty-six, but he didn't know what to say when the words came to his lips.

After a pause, Yamamoto Fifty-six asked the staff officer coldly: "Have you found out where these planes came from?" Is it the third aircraft carrier of the American ghost beast?! ”

"No!" The staff officer replied: "According to our intelligence, the third aircraft carrier of the American ghost beast has returned to port to replenish fuel, and these aircraft ...... It should have taken off from Kuah Island! ”

"What?" Hearing this, Yamamoto Fifty-six couldn't help but turn his head to look at the staff officer in shock: "This is impossible, we have already launched a bombing of the Kuah Island Airport!" ”

"I've already asked Lieutenant General Maruyama!" The staff officer replied: "It is indeed a fighter plane that took off from Kuah Island, and it should be the Americans who took advantage of our inattention to hide a group of aircraft on Kuah Island and built several emergency runways in the jungle, and we don't know anything about it!" ”

Yamamoto fifty-six half-opened his mouth for a long time before he sighed: "I see! ”

(To be continued.) )