A meticulously adjusted imported aircraft, renowned as a divine veteran mechanic's masterpiece, whose reliability far surpasses that of domestically produced ones. In the rear seat equipped with the same controls as the front, an instructor with top-notch skills from the Imperial Navy sat, prepared for any emergency with a tense expression. However, such considerations had long been blown away from Prince Fushimi's consciousness.
The biplane he piloted soared freely through the vast sky. It took quite some time since overhearing a conversation among certain young aviation officers, but even so, his efforts paid off. He was granted permission to grip the control stick, under the condition that an instructor would occupy the rear seat. The first time he flew in the rear seat of a two-seater, it was undeniably exhilarating. Yet, the excitement of piloting oneself and merely being a passenger is entirely different. Why do those aviation enthusiasts joyfully ascend into the sky, facing the unknown danger of potential crashes?
This question dissolved as he took hold of the control stick himself.
The sensation of floating when the legs leave the ground.
A liberating feeling similar to omnipotence, being able to freely soar through the vast sky.
An exhilaration satisfying the desire for conquest when looking down at the world below from great heights.
The battleships and cruisers anchored off the coast of Yokosuka appeared like tiny specks.
"This is addicting."
Everything was perfect.
Along with that, the words of young officers, whose names and faces he didn't know, replayed in his mind.
"Both battleships and airplanes are nothing more than means of transporting bullets and bombs to the enemy. Can't they even imagine what would happen if airplanes equipped with bombs or torpedoes capable of destroying battleships were deployed?"
"The day when battleships will be defeated in front of airplanes is just around the corner."
"In the near future, naval battles won't be limited to exchanges between surface striking ships; we'll have to fight enemies in the sea and sky. Looking at the extraordinary evolution of submarines and airplanes, it's already clear."
It is now, at this moment, that Prince Fushimi finally understands the meaning behind the words spoken by those young officers.
"Don't be too fixated on battleships."
He understood this because until just the other day, he was a staunch advocate of the big-ship, big-gun doctrine. Battleships are powerless against airplanes. Battleships, not only Japanese ones, are well-equipped with main and secondary guns to sink enemy ships. On the other hand, however, their armament for shooting down airplanes is poor at best. Even the newest ones like the Nagato and Mutsu, are equipped with only four single-mount high-angle guns of 7,6 centimeters. Moreover, there is practically no weaponry to shoot down airplanes that maneuver freely in three dimensions, especially aiming at fast and small targets. Even if battleships like Nagato and Mutsu were attacked by a considerable number of B1M torpedo bombers.
"I'll have to give it a try."
Most of it can be imagined, but there are still many things that won't be understood until actually tried. Also, Prince Fushimi had another idea to search for submarines with airplanes and attack them. Submarines don't always submerge deep into the sea but mainly navigate on the surface. Submerging without a reason only depletes the battery, and unnecessary water pressure on the hull is absurd. Diving is necessary only for reconnaissance or ambush actions when approaching or evading enemies, or during escape maneuvers. Airplanes are much faster than destroyers, which are considered the natural enemy of submarines. Even if they dive rapidly, as long as the depth is shallow and the sea isn't turbid or rough, visibility should be possible.
"Airplanes may have the potential to become natural enemies of submarines."
With each new idea flooding in, Prince Fushimi experienced intellectual excitement.
He briefly informed the instructor in the rear seat to land and directed the nose of the aircraft toward the airfield. Already, the exhilaration of his first flight had become a thing of the past for him.