The Rise of the Third Reich

February 10, 1943, Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Oahu.

A huge second-class boat roared down from the sky and landed on the Pacific Ocean near Waikiki Beach. Then it slid on the water for a while, and finally docked steadily next to a seaplane dock. .

Two Japanese navy generals were standing on the pier. One of them had an unkempt appearance, looked slovenly, and had an old and ugly appearance. He was none other than the immortal staff officer Kuroshima Kameto who didn't like bathing. He has now attained the rank of Rear Admiral, and was promoted to the Commander of the Air Force by Isoroku Yamamoto. However, he is not the commander of the five main air groups, but the commander of the two seaplane carriers Mizuho. and the commander of the 11th Air Force, with the Rijin as the main force.

The other one who looks cleaner and younger is Genda Minoru, who was formerly the aviation staff officer of the Combined Fleet and is now the chief staff officer. He has become the right-hand man of Admiral Koga Mine who replaced Isoroku Yamamoto as the commander of the Combined Fleet.

This Koga Mineichi is a Sanwu general who has no actual combat experience, no special merits, and has not served in the main force of the combined fleet for a long time. The reason why he was able to become the commander was mainly because he was senior enough, being a member of the 34th Marine Corps (Nagumo Chuichi was the 36th), and his gondola number was high enough, being No. 14 of the 34th Marine Corps and No. 15 of the Marine Corps. 4 people.

Moreover, before Yamamoto was promoted to Navy Minister, he happened to be the governor of Yokosuka garrison - one of the five positions qualified to take over as commander of the combined fleet.

However, after he took office as the commander of the Sanwu, he still wanted to do something great. After all, his predecessor Yamamoto Isoroku left him an extremely powerful combined fleet with extremely brilliant results.

And Koga Mine's first battle after taking office was the extremely large and complex "Yamaha Plan."

In order to effectively command the Combined Fleet to implement the "Yama Plan", Koga Mineichi moved the main anchorage of the Combined Fleet from Rabaul, near Australia, to Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands in late January 1943.

The second-type large boat had stopped at the dock, and the hatch was immediately pushed open. Several sailors guarding the dock also put up the gangplank. Then I saw a blond German naval aviation captain carrying a briefcase and getting out of the cabin. He was Hessmann's son Rudolf.

"Rudolph, you've had a hard journey!" Minoru Genda saw little Hersman and immediately went to greet him, asking in fluent English.

"It's not hard work, it's just dozens of hours of flying," little Hersman smiled, "Finally the trip was not in vain!"

There is no intention of running away in vain. Naturally, the German high command agreed to the joint combat plan proposed by Japan-German Ju288 will take off from Guyana to attack the Panama Canal. At the same time, the European Combined Fleet will also look for fighters near the Caribbean Sea. If the situation arises, It is beneficial, and there will be a decisive battle with the US Navy.

"Great!" Black Island Turtle Man clapped his hands happily, "Now we can let the American people know how powerful our Axis Powers are!"

"American people?" Little Hersman reacted quickly, and immediately found clues in Hei Dao's words, "Are you planning to attack the United States?"

This guess is not his own, but made by the General Staff of the German Wehrmacht. People on the general staff of the National Defense Forces believe that if Japan wants to fully attract the attention of the United States, it will not rule out attacking its homeland. However, the German General Staff could not guess what method Japan would use.

Kurojima Kameto seemed to realize that he had let something slip, and he looked at Genda next to him.

Hessman Jr. said: "Our country's headquarters hopes to understand the main content of your "Operation Mountain" and send observers. In this way, both of us can cooperate more closely. In the document I brought, it was formally proposed The request has been made and it has now been handed over to the Naval Command of your country.”

"That's how it should be." Kuroshima Kamikaze smiled. He knew that since Germany had made a formal request, the Military Command would not refuse. However, he has not yet received the order and cannot reveal too much to little Hersman.

"We will attack the mainland of the United States!" Hei Dao said to him in a very low voice when he pulled little Hersman into the car driving out of Pearl Harbor. "The targets of this attack will include American cities!"

"What?" Little Hersman was also startled by the Japanese's madness, "Are you really going to attack the United States!? Do you know how powerful the American P51 is?"

Minoru Genda, who drove the car himself, smiled and said: "No matter how powerful their P51 is, the United States will be bombed!"

"You're all going to be bombed?"

"Yes, we will attack in a way that Americans cannot defend against!" Genda Minoru said, "If the Americans still want to keep their cities on the west coast, then they must deploy a large number of advanced fighter jets on the west coast, so that they can attack Panama The defenses of the canal would be very empty."

Unable to defend? Are the Japanese so awesome? Little Hersman couldn't believe it, but he didn't ask any more questions. Because even if asked, Kuroshima and Genda would not tell unless they received orders from above.

After staying in the luxurious and comfortable "Yamato Hotel" for three days, little Hersman called out to Minoru Genda early in the morning on the 14th.

"Rudolph," Minoru Genda said, "take your luggage and let's go to the Mizuho."

The Mizuho seaplane carrier is the flagship of the 11th Air Force commanded by Major General Kuroshima Kameto. In addition to the Mizuho, ​​the 11th Air Force also has two seaplane carriers, the Risjin and the Kamui.

Although a seaplane carrier is also known as a "mothership", it is completely different from an aircraft carrier. In the Japanese Navy, he is just a handyman, not the main force.

However, when little Hersman boarded the Mizuho with his luggage and Minoru Genda, he found that the seaplane carrier was already preparing to set sail.

"Genda-kun, where are we going?" Little Hersman asked Genda Minoru.

"Go attack the continental United States!"

"What?" Little Hessman was shocked when he heard this, "The combined fleet is going to attack?"

Genda Minoru shook his head and said with a smile: "No, only the 11th Air Force, the 3rd Heavy Patrol Group, the 4th Driving Patrol Group, 2 supply ships and 1 tanker will form the 1st Eastward Fleet. Attack on the West Coast of the United States."

…

"Commander, the 1st Eastward Fleet has set off!"

The voice of Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Matoi Ugaki rang in the ears of Sanmu Commander Koga Mine. He was in his cabin at this time, looking down at two aircraft design drawings.

One of them was brought back from Germany by Hersman. It was a Fury fighter developed by a British aircraft company. Now the German Fokker Company is cooperating with the company to transform the Fury into a Fokker 636 (the number is 636). This means that there have been a total of 636 aircraft projects from 0-635 before it) carrier-based fighter (the British call it Sea Fury).

The other is the indicators and drawings of the "Seventeenth Test Ship Battle" modified by Fokker engineers.

Along with these two drawings, there was also a personal letter from the commander of the German Naval Aviation, General Richthofen.

Richthofen suggested that Japan abandon the "Seventeenth Test Ship Battle" and adopt the Fokker 636 (Sea Fury) as a new generation of carrier-based fighter jets. The meaning behind this statement is that Germany will abandon the "Seventeen Test Ship Battle" project and instead cooperate with the United Kingdom. This is of course, because the British aviation technology is not even a little bit ahead of Japan. Moreover, cooperation with the UK can revive a lot of British aircraft and engine companies, stimulate British employment, and secretly learn British technology, which has many benefits for Germany and the European Community.

"I got it." Koga Hoiichi's mind didn't seem to be on the eastward fleet that was about to attack the United States - as if this was a mission without any risks.

"Ugaki-kun, have you seen the Fokker 636 aircraft plan?" Koga asked.

"I've seen it," Ugaki Matoi replied, "The requirements for the engine are too high. We plan to use the 2,400-horsepower BMW801FT (F-type plus turbocharger) or the British Sagittarius Type 2 engine with greater horsepower..."

"It seems that the Sagittarius 2 can also be used in strong winds, right?" Kogamine has a lot of knowledge about aircraft and can tell the difference between the British Sagittarius 2 and the German BMW 802.

Although the latter has greater horsepower, it is also larger in size and weight and is suitable for installation on bombers or shore-based heavy fighters, rather than on carrier-based fighters. So the Germans planned to use the 14-cylinder BMW801FT with smaller horsepower but a turbocharger to make up the numbers.

However, the 14-cylinder air-cooling engine has a power of 2,400 horsepower and a turbocharger. The complexity of this engine is beyond the capabilities of the Japanese aviation industry. If you insist on launching a horse, you may not be able to build it for several years.

"You can ask the United Kingdom to provide technology." Ugaki Matou reminded, "We are currently discussing the peace treaty with Britain, and the empire can make requests for technology acquisition. If it can succeed, the Gale Project can definitely be accelerated."

"That's it." Koga nodded, "Oh, the 1st Eastward Fleet has set off?"

Matoi Ugaki said: "Yes, if everything goes well, we can enter the attack position on the night of the 22nd."

"It will succeed!" Koga Mineichi smiled and said, "The Americans have no way to defend themselves, unless they know the location of the 1st Eastward Fleet, but this is impossible! If they don't want to let bombs and burning If the bombs keep falling, then we will have to deploy a large number of aircraft on the west coast."

"Or... capture the Hawaiian Islands!" Ugaki Matoi said with a smile, "This is a once and for all solution."

Koga laughed, "This is also our chance to annihilate the U.S. Pacific Fleet!"