afterglow

Chapter 473 Never mind the Air Force nonsense; power-enhanced tactical cart

During the Battle of Tarawa, the U.S. military in the Southwest Pacific also followed Admiral Hasband-Kimmel's intentions and continued Operation Searchlight.

The 5th Marine Regiment easily landed ashore and established a firm foothold, looking for favorable terrain to build defensive positions, and continued to strengthen them over the next month.

On February 2, after careful advance reconnaissance and escorted by several destroyers, 17 destroyer transports (APDs) of the L high-speed transport group moved the Army's 13th Regimental Combat Team to a lightning-fast rearrangement at an average speed of 21 knots. Caledonia delivered to Guadalcanal.

Its speed was so fast that none of the several Ming submarines stationed in the nearby waters achieved results and all failed.

The army officers and soldiers on the ship suffered greatly because of this. Many of them were so dizzy due to seasickness that they couldn't even stand firm when they landed ashore.

Three days later, the Army's 120th Tank Battalion and engineering vehicles also arrived relatively smoothly.

However, this time the Ming army was even more vigilant. The U.S. high-speed transport group was bombed and sunk by Ming Air Force bombers midway through an APD, and several M2A4 light tanks and D4 bulldozers were lost.

So far, the US military has deployed more than 7,000 troops to Guadalcanal and has accumulated a considerable amount of supplies.

They immediately began to build the airport at the selected place. Because there was no fighting, the soldiers could serve as laborers, and with the assistance of many engineering vehicles, the construction of the airport progressed very quickly, almost every day.

During this period, the Second Light Bombing Detachment of the Ming Dynasty Air Force stationed in Rabaul visited the airport every day without interrupting air strikes, but the effect was not obvious. The staff estimated that the airport would be put into use in ten days to half a month.

This efficiency is nothing, because the US military has not yet applied the time-saving and labor-saving Marston mat-that is, a prefabricated runway.

After noticing the perforated steel plate prefabricated runways used by the Ming Army, the American Carnegie Steel Company also designed the same thing.

This perforated steel plate, shaped as an M8 prefabricated track component, has now passed testing and is about to be mass-produced.

It turned out that the Ming army left Guadalcanal alone to avoid being disrupted, and it was useless to have thousands of people trapped on the island.

But now they are building an airport, and the threat has increased significantly.

Once the airport is completed and put into use, Rabaul, Moresby and Cairns will all be within the combat radius of US bombers.

These changes were actually expected by the General Staff Office of the Metropolitan Governor's Office. At that time, they were divided into two situations. One was that the US military was doing nothing and just hunkered down on Guadalcanal, and the other was that they tried to build an airport as a counterattack fulcrum.

Several senior advisers in the staff office leisurely formulated a plan to deal with the second situation.

"Where is it? Let me see if I can apply it directly." Zhou Changfeng scanned the labels of the files in front of the large cabinet shelf.

"Did you see the column on the 28th?" Luo Fu replied while pouring himself tea.

It was too inconvenient to have a plaster on his left hand. Zhou Changfeng, who had temporarily become a one-armed general, fiddled with it several times before finally opening the waterproof kraft paper document bag.

组织一支由1艘战巡为旗舰、1艘重巡、2~3艘轻巡、6~7艘驱逐舰和若干辅助舰艇的分遣舰队封锁所罗门海域，击退可能到来的美军TF-27特遣舰队。

The landing force was a mixed regiment - the 113th Regiment of the 38th Division plus the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 38th Artillery Regiment of the division. The landing point is at Point Españes in the northwest of Guadalcanal. The landing force will annihilate the U.S. troops entrenched in Guadalcanal with the fire support of the naval squadron.

The idea of ​​this plan has no bright spots and is quite satisfactory. It is in line with the style of the old-fashioned senior staff members in the staff office.

But after all, this is a plan formulated last month and has not been updated yet, so the plan cannot keep up with changes.

Judging from the current situation, the Army's mixed regiment alone is not enough to deal with the U.S. military that has received secondary reinforcements.

In addition, due to the Battle of Cairns and the Battle of Johnstone, the three infantry divisions participating in the battle all suffered heavy losses and were in urgent need of repairs. Therefore, the 38th Division was about to be transferred to Cairns to change defenses, and it was impossible to transfer its troops to Guadalcanal.

In this way, the most suitable unit became the 1st Marine Brigade which was resting in Moresby.

"Zhou Kexing, you are too unlucky. There are really no troops around you." Luo Fu looked at Zhou Changfeng with a helpless expression and enumerated: "The 38th Division is going to Cairns, and the 4th Division is still here. Java is waiting, the 27th Division still has a group of soldiers to fill up... The closest field unit to Guadalcanal is the 1st Marine Brigade."

To be honest, Luo Fu felt that Mr. Zhou had been working overseas for most of the year and was really dedicated, and he could be called a model worker among the senior generals of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhou Changfeng didn't feel that he had worked too hard, but he felt a little apologetic for not being able to see his wife and daughter for so long.

He put the plan file back and closed the cabinet door. "The timing is quite coincidental. I originally planned to take a break until February."

"So what should we do? Are you going? Sooner or later?" Luo Fu asked three questions in a row.

"What else?" Zhou Changfeng yawned, "But don't worry, the Americans have been digging a hole for a month. If you rush there, you will definitely suffer a loss. Please prepare carefully before talking."

Although the current situation on Guadalcanal is very different from that in history, and the overall situation is completely different, considering that this place had caused the Japanese to suffer a lot in the original plane, Zhou Changfeng felt that it was better to be cautious.

I hope everything goes well and strive to eat up this unscrupulous U.S. military!

That afternoon, he called the General Staff Office of the Governor's Mansion.

Cheng Han was not surprised to learn that someone from Zhou volunteered.

He said on the other end of the phone: "I was making a bet just now on whether your kid would call today or wait until tomorrow. I won."

"Ah? I can only say that Master Tongzhi understands me very well."

After saying that, both of them laughed.

Cheng Han fiddled with a square personal seal and explained quickly:

"Okay, let's get down to business."

"According to aerial reconnaissance photos, the airport runway built by the Americans is relatively typical, about 3,000 feet long and 200 feet wide, and can be used for the takeoff and landing of pursuit aircraft and light bombers."

"After the airport is completed, it will be able to take off and land bombers, with a total capacity of about 80. It is also suspected that a diagonal auxiliary runway is under construction. The threat is not small and it should be seized as soon as possible."

Zhou Changfeng objected bluntly: "Senior, I have read the strategic plan from last month. Won't the Navy send aircraft carriers to support it? In that case, we can't be in such a hurry."

"Aircraft carrier? It's okay if the navy is willing."

"Rabaul is two thousand miles away from Guadalcanal and is not within the combat radius of our fighter planes. Without air superiority, this battle will be difficult to fight."

"Are you saying that landing is not easy or that there will be subsequent battles?"

"The actual impact on combat is not big. The main reason is that landing is difficult, and how to ensure supplies in the future is also a problem."

Cheng Han hesitated for a few seconds and asked: "The Air Force claims that it can bomb enemy airports to temporarily paralyze them. Is this feasible?"

"No." Zhou Changfeng still decisively refused, "The bomber will be intercepted, and the Air Force cannot issue a military order. I will definitely not take the risk."

A distance of one thousand kilometers is beyond the combat radius of the Type 36 fighter and cannot provide escort for the bomber.

This means that the Air Force's bomber formation can only go alone to bomb the Guadalcanal Airport, and it will inevitably suffer heavy losses.

Heavy bombers like fire hedgehogs swarmed in groups and suffered countless battle losses. Forget about the light bombers, there was no hope at all. Even if a few bombers successfully drop their bombs, they won't be able to paralyze the entire airport. Bulldozers can fill the craters and resume operations immediately.

The promise of the Ming Dynasty Air Force was seen by Zhou as an extremely irresponsible performance. By then, all air supremacy would be in the hands of the enemy, and all our own supplies would be blown up by US aircraft on the beach. We would run out of ammunition and food, and everyone would be shocked. , It’s too late to regret it anymore.

Cheng Han then asked Gao Shen, a colonel from the Air Force Department who was reporting to him, to take the call.

"I think you are overly worried, Commander Zhou. We are also testing new methods to deal with the airport, such as time bombs, decoy bombs, and some landmines..."

"Do you think these are useful? Can you guarantee that unescorted bombers can successfully bomb other people's airports? You don't know what the consequences will be when the time comes. The supplies transported by the transport ships will be piled on the beach, and they will all be blown up!"

"Uh... Commander Zhou, it is also possible to supply your subordinates with airdrops. About eighty to one hundred metric tons per day."

hiss!

Guaranteed airdrop supplies? Why do these words sound familiar?

Zhou Changfeng didn't want to talk anymore, so he asked him to return the phone to Cheng Han, and then said that he would think about it again.

After hanging up the phone, he complained a few times that the Ming Dynasty Air Force was unreliable, and then made another call to the Navy Department.

"Hello? Oh, it's Zhou Daizhao. Please wait a moment. Xia Jinbo has just woken up and is still washing up."

"Okay, let's not hang up for now."

Song Zhongkai returned to the capital overnight, and as the leader of the navy, he worked until early morning when he returned to the navy, and then slept until the afternoon.

After understanding Zhou's thoughts and the previous situation, Song Zhongkai said disdainfully: "You don't have to worry about this. Cheng Han had an argument with me last time and was too embarrassed to speak. Then you can ignore those people in the Air Force." , what you say is better than what you sing.”

He thought for a few seconds and then said in deep thought: "The Tianshi Youyuan will be repaired and undocking immediately, and will be transferred to support Solomon's side."

"Thank you, Uncle Xia Jin!" Zhou Changfeng said with a sigh of relief as the stone in his heart fell to the ground, "I was still thinking about how to fight this battle if there is really no aircraft carrier to help."

"I'm serious. It's better to be cautious in military and national affairs. If you have difficulties, don't hide it and say nothing."

"Yes."

Facts have proved that being under the naval system has its benefits.

A few minutes ago, Zhou Changfeng was brainstorming how to supply and fight in the absence of air superiority, but he ended up worrying too much.

The Tianshi Youyuan has been repaired for several months after being damaged by the kamikaze in the Battle of Darwin, and is now finally able to return to the battlefield.

With the support of one's own aircraft carrier, half of the battle has been won before it even begins.

Zhou Changfeng returned home in a good mood, and the joy on his brow made Xia Xiaoshi a little curious.

She looked him up and down, relaxed slightly, and asked with a smile: "Is there any good news today? I'm so happy."

The latter casually replied: "Do you remember what I told you before about the war? It was the Americans who secretly transported a troop of troops to Guadalcanal. Now they have almost repaired the airport. We can’t delay any longer and prepare to kill them all in one go.”

Xia Xiaoshi did not ask further questions, but complained a little lonely: "Then sir, aren't you leaving again..."

"No, let's say at least ten days and a half month."

"Oh, then...Zhou Kexing, let's go watch a movie tonight."

"See a movie?"

"Yes, I asked Lin Xi to buy the tickets." Xia Xiaoshi held Zhou Changfeng's right hand and said softly: ""Longzhong Dual" was released just a few days ago. Come on, sir, we haven't gone to the movies together for a long time. .”

"A long time? Are you sure?" The latter laughed dumbly and looked at her sideways, "Then what did we go to see last month?"

After getting used to flirting, Zhou Changfeng, who wanted to stay at home, was still no match for his wife, so he went to the cinema with her on a late winter night.

"Longzhong Dui" is very familiar to the Chinese. It comes from "The Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms - The Biography of Zhuge Liang" and tells the story of Liu Bei's conversation when he visited Zhuge Liang three times in his thatched cottage.

The theme of the Three Kingdoms has always been relatively popular and attracted a large audience. This hugely expensive movie was carefully shot for many years and has been long-awaited.

However, the reviews of this movie are highly polarized, and Zhou Changfeng feels that it is not good because the time span of the movie is too large. There is a gap of more than thirty years from Liu Bei's troops stationed in the new country to Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition, which leads to hasty and sparse plot jumps. broken.

When watching the last half hour, Zhou Changfeng, who was concentrating on it, suddenly found that Xia Xiaoshi beside him had fallen asleep.

This woman is here purely to enjoy the time of watching movies together...

At this moment, the scene where Zhuge Liang discovered a wooden cow and a flowing horse appeared on the screen.

"The land of Shu is mountainous, rugged and difficult to travel, and it is difficult for ordinary carriages and horses to transport grain. In the ninth year of Jianxing, Zhuge Liang returned to Qishan and provided wood and cattle and horses for the Northern Expedition..."

Divergent thinking came into play at this moment. Zhou Changfeng had a flash of inspiration and instantly thought of the sky-high-priced handcarts of later generations of Americans.

The Americans found that it was difficult for standard transportation vehicles to pass through complex terrain such as jungles and hills, and ammunition, food, and equipment could only be carried by soldiers, which greatly affected combat efficiency.

To this end, the Americans spent US$8 million to develop the Strength Enhanced Silent Tactical Trolley (STEED), with a purchase price of "only" US$17 each.

This cart weighs 86 kilograms, while silver of the same quality costs $6.3.

【Picture】

Interestingly, Zhou Changfeng believes that this kind of auxiliary power trolley is very suitable for the current combat environment of the Ming army.

Today's conventional trucks have low off-road capabilities and poor transportation efficiency in complex terrain. The Ming army is far from being able to equip a large number of half-track vehicles as luxuriously as the US military.

Taken together, this kind of power trolley is quite suitable for the national conditions of the Ming Dynasty. It would be great if a cheap similar thing could be developed.

Zhou Changfeng had no intention of watching the remaining clips of the movie. He spent the next half hour thinking about how to piece together a power trolley that was convenient for mass production under the existing technical conditions.

Electric motors are not considered, the range of brushed motors and lead-acid batteries is too low.

If you choose between internal combustion engines, gasoline engines are relatively mediocre, and the torque of small gasoline engines may not be impressive enough to pull heavy objects.

Ever since, the remaining choice became...a horizontal-bar diesel engine.

The torque is unknown, but it becomes stronger when it is strong!

　Chapter recommends a book, interested book friends can read it.

　　

　

(End of this chapter)