April 1939.
Kakamigahara Airport in mainland Japan.
The famous test pilot Shima Katsuzo successfully flew the prototype of the "Type 12 Ship Combat".
Early July 1940.
After learning that the new fighter jet was successfully developed, the Japanese Naval Air Force on the Chinese battlefield immediately filed an application, requesting that the Type 12 ship-to-ship combat aircraft, which had not yet been finalized at the time, be put into the Chinese battlefield to conduct battlefield experiments for escorting bombers.
The reason why the Japanese Naval Air Force was so impatient was that at this time, the Japanese Army and Naval Air Force were conducting indiscriminate bombings on targets such as Chongqing and Chengdu in China's restoration of territory.
Due to the long distance, Japan's active fighter jets cannot escort the bombers, so the bombers can only carry out dangerous missions alone. As you can imagine, once the Japanese bombers enter the Sichuan Basin, they immediately become a living target for the Chinese Air Force's destroyers.
After losing a lot of troops and generals, the Japanese base camp finally woke up. After all, bombers need fighter escorts, so the Japanese military made up its mind to develop a long-range fighter, and the Type 12 Ship Combat was born.
The end of July 1940.
The Japanese military authorities dispatched 12 "Type 12 Ship Fighters". Under the guidance of the Type 96 Land Attack, they flew directly to mainland China from Omura Base in Kyushu and Yokosuka Base in Japan.
Although they are famous for their long voyages, for the sake of safety, under the guidance of Captain Hengshan, these "Type 12 Ship Battles" landed at two airports including Shanghai to refuel, and then followed Nanjing and Anqing to Hankou, where they joined the fire line. The main front-line force attacking Chongqing was the 12th Aviation Group stationed in Hankou. These "Type 12 ship battles" were the "Zero" fighter jets that later dominated the Chinese battlefield and displayed great prestige.
…
At dawn, the sea was very cold. Karen was wrapped in thick clothes and stood on the deck of a huge freighter sailing to Hong Kong, China, looking anxiously towards the UK. The sea breeze was strong, blowing her long golden hair and flying. Make her look charming.
After she arrived in the countryside that day, she found a remote hotel to rest. That night, the ambassador personally took her to the embassy and made proper arrangements.
Then the ambassador sent someone to arrange for Karen to "die". London, which was attacked by the Luftwaffe, was devastated. Countless people died, and many people were completely disfigured by incendiary bombs. No one would doubt that Karen's "death" was a golden cicada escaping its shell.
Last night, the embassy sent two smart staff members to send Karen to a cargo ship to Hong Kong, and told Karen that Zhou Zhihan would also return to China on this ship.
Two staff members of the Chinese Embassy, Liu Xianfu and Zhuo Zehua, accompanied Karen and looked at the sky together. Another person was fat, with two thick mustaches, wearing a vest, and hanging in the small pocket on his chest. Holding a pocket watch and a pipe in his mouth, he was the captain of this giant ship, Mr. Horton, an Englishman.
Mr. Horton’s wife is Chinese. Before the war between Britain and Germany, he sent his wife and children to Hong Kong. He is also very sympathetic to China’s current experience. He has long heard about the heroic feats of the Allies’ number one ace pilot, and he admires them very much. , hearing that someone wanted to frame Zhou Zhihan, Mr. Horton agreed to take Zhou Zhihan and the others back to China without hesitation, and swore in the name of God that he would always keep the secret.
"Why hasn't Colonel Zhou come yet?" Zhuo Zehua looked at his watch and frowned slightly, "We have left England for a long time. If Colonel Zhou doesn't come, he is afraid that his plane will not have enough fuel!"
"Mr. Captain! Can you stop and wait?"
Another staff member, Liu Xianfu, was also anxious.
Mr. Horton showed a look of embarrassment on his face: "We have not entered safe waters yet. God knows if there are German submarines and reconnaissance planes nearby. If we stop at this time, the ship will bear great risks."
Liu Xianfu and the other two knew that what Captain Zhi said was true. The freighter was carrying the flag of a neutral country and quietly departed from the British port for Hong Kong at night. It was about to enter the high seas. This location was also the most dangerous sea area, and there were German reconnaissance every day. The planes patrolled and blocked the area. Once discovered, the Germans would immediately send submarines to follow them, and they would be doomed.
Only after reaching the high seas can the cargo ship be considered safe.
It is not difficult to stop such a large cargo ship, but it is not so easy to speed up to the high seas after stopping.
"Coming!" Karen's face suddenly burst with joy, and the anxiety in his eyes was replaced by joy. He pointed to a black spot in the distance, then waved his arms and shouted, "Zhihan is coming!"
Captain Horton and two embassy staff looked along Karen's direction. Sure enough, a black spot appeared in the distance, and then the black spot grew larger and larger, and a Messerschmitt appeared in the sky.
Suddenly, Liu Xianfu, who was holding a telescope in his hand, shouted loudly: "I didn't see the blue sky and white sun flag. This is not Colonel Zhou's plane, this is a German reconnaissance plane."
According to the previous agreement, in order to facilitate identification, when Zhou Zhihan flew in the Messerschmitt, a blue sky and white sun flag would be hung on the fuselage.
Sure enough, this was a German Air Force reconnaissance plane. The pilot had already discovered this giant ship and was flying towards this direction.
Upon seeing this, Zhuo Zehua immediately covered Karen to the cabin. Before departure, the ambassador gave them a mission to ensure Karen's safety.
Seeing that it was indeed a German reconnaissance plane, Holden's face instantly turned pale. Being discovered by a German reconnaissance plane at this time was almost a dead end, because the British Air Force fighter jets had no time to take care of this place. After the German base camp knew about it, whether it sent bombers or The submarine and this cargo ship are doomed.
"There is another plane in the sky far behind, approaching quickly. It looks like it may be a Messerschmitt bomber." Liu Xianfu, holding a telescope, shouted, with panic in his voice, "This plane There is no blue sky and white sun flag on the plane, and it is also a German plane. Zehua, quickly take Karen to the boat and leave this cargo ship."
They had already made a plan before. If the freighter was discovered by the Germans before entering the high seas, the two of them would immediately take Karen back to the UK on a motorboat.
Because almost all freighters leaving the UK were rarely spared if they were targeted by the Germans.
The Messerschmitt reconnaissance plane flew quickly towards the cargo ship. He wanted to determine which country the cargo ship flying the flag of a neutral country belonged to and why it appeared in British waters.
For safety reasons, the Messerschmitt reconnaissance plane did not approach the giant ship at close range, but circled and observed from a distance, because the British were very cunning and would hide anti-aircraft weapons under the tarps on the decks of some freighters. Machine guns, several Imperial reconnaissance planes were shot down by the ship's anti-aircraft machine guns because they got too close, and some suffered a lot.
The pilot of a German reconnaissance aircraft was flying in a circle around the freighter to check which country the freighter belonged to. His navigator and transmitter suddenly discovered that there was an aircraft approaching quickly not far away. He thought it was the front of the Royal Air Force. To expel it, he quickly took out his binoculars while shouting a warning, then breathed a sigh of relief and shrugged, it turned out to be a new Messerschmitt, one of his own.
Just when the two German pilots on the reconnaissance plane confirmed that the person flying high in the distance was one of their own, Karen and the others standing on the deck of the freighter were shocked, because the Messerschmitt at high altitude began to dive. Rushed towards the freighter.
———
Recently, my physical condition has been too bad, my eyes have not recovered, and I have problems with my cervical vertebra... A middle-aged man is really worse than a dog. At least I do.
