Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 294, Part 293: The Last Flight to Beiping, the Battle of Lugou Bridge

1937 October.

People from all walks of life in the south are still working together to rescue members of the National Salvation Federation who were arrested and imprisoned last year, causing quite a stir.

Now that the situation has improved, everyone believes that these patriotic anti-Japanese activists can come out.

After all, the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party has already been put on the table, so what else can't be resolved?

Meanwhile, in the north, war raged on.

7 month 6 day.

Fang Wenlai took his last flight to Beiping.

He was picking up a physics expert who said he had something very important to take away, but it had to be transported separately.

This matter was specifically requested by the professors of the Physics Department of Tsinghua University. Fang Wen realized the importance of the item from this, and therefore personally flew the plane here.

Furthermore, it was also the moment when we were preparing to witness the start of the full-scale War of Resistance against Japan.

The plane landed at Qinghe Airport, and Fang Wen took Wu Yingzong to see his senior first.

The senior students at Qinghe Airport were packing their bags when they saw Fang Wen arrive, and they immediately stopped what they were doing.

"Junior Brother Fang, what are you doing here at this time? The Japanese are about to invade Beiping, and our airport is about to close."

"One last flight, to pick someone up."

“Perfect timing, I’ll leave Beiping on your plane.”

"No problem, senior brother. Do you still have your car? I need to go to the city."

After a conversation, Fang Wen took the car keys and drove into the city with Wu Yingzong, while two mercenary soldiers and his senior brother stayed at the airport to guard the plane.

The car drove through the road next to the Summer Palace and into the city.

Along the way, families were heading out of the city.

These people had no money or connections to flee south, so they simply went to the nearby countryside to seek refuge with relatives and friends.

Seeing this scene, Wu Yingzong couldn't help but worry, "General Manager, isn't it too dangerous to go into the city now?"

“I know. Be on high alert on the road. We’ll head back once we find them,” Fang Wen replied.

He drove to the campus of Tsinghua University and went straight to the Physics Department.

The teacher who stayed at the school told him the address of the person he was looking for and took him there.

Upon arrival, a teacher who had stayed at the school knocked on the door: "Mr. Zhao, General Manager Fang from Taishan Airlines has come to pick you up."

The door opened, and the thin man said apologetically, "I'm sorry, there's a reason why I chartered the plane alone. Please come in, I can explain."

Fang Wen and Wu Yingzong entered the room and saw two large leather suitcases filled with books and documents, as well as a box.

There's something wrong with the contents of this box.

Fang Wen suddenly felt a headache.

He only glanced at it, but his mechanical senses automatically activated, and he sensed the presence of a terrifying and deadly substance inside the box.

"Is this what it is?" Fang Wen asked, looking at the box from afar.

"Yes, that's it, fifty milligrams of radium, a radioactive substance. Long-term exposure can be very harmful to the body, which is why I chose to travel alone by plane," Professor Zhao explained.

This is an important material for future nuclear physics research. He brought it back from abroad, but seeing that something was about to happen in Beiping, he had no choice but to leave with it.

They went to Changsha in the south; Tsinghua University has now relocated to the city of Changsha.

After hearing what he said, Fang Wen finally understood what the deadly threat in the box was.

Unexpectedly, he was able to sense the presence of substances with strong radiation.

However, judging from the current situation, it's not reliable for Professor Zhao to use this kind of box to store things.

"Professor, I've heard about this kind of thing abroad. It's said that only lead can prevent radiation. Why not use a lead box to store it?" Fang Wen asked.

"I originally wanted to make one, but the city is in chaos right now, and I'm afraid I'll get into trouble and won't be able to come back. In that case, the radium element would become a disaster. So I didn't go to get it and can only use this box instead."

Upon hearing Professor Zhao's words, Fang Wen offered to help him retrieve the custom-made lead box.

To retrieve the lead box, Fang Wen drove off again.

Only craftsmen who make tinware have access to that stuff; it's from Wanchang Craftsmanship, located in the polishing factory outside Qianmen in Beiping.

That is, the area around Qianmen Street, which is the central area of ​​Beijing.

As the car drove south, the closer it got to the city, the quieter the streets became.

The people walking on the street were either in a hurry or had shifty eyes, looking for opportunities to swindle money.

Along the way, Fang Wen witnessed several robberies, which he couldn't possibly manage; the order in Beiping had fallen into chaos.

When we drove to Qianmen Street, a place that used to be very lively, it was now deserted.

He parked his car on the side of the road, got out, and went into a shop that was open for business.

The shop's signboard is called 'Fushoutang,' which sounds like a place that sells opium, but it's actually a movie theater.

Fang Wen glanced at the movie poster, walked straight in, and talked to the old man who was alone in the store.

"Shopkeeper, do you know how to get to Damochang outside Qianmen?"

The old man put his hands in his sleeves and tilted his head: "Out-of-towner, huh? This is just a polishing factory. Just tell me which one you want to go to."

"Wanchang".

"It's just past five storefronts. You must have ordered something from them. You need to hurry, or they'll be closing soon."

"Thanks."

Fang Wen turned and went out, driving the car forward for several dozen meters before arriving at the Wanchang.

There, Fang Wen took out Professor Zhao's pickup slip and retrieved the heavy lead box.

Just then, an alarm sounded outside, and a waiter ran in shouting, "Boss, the Japanese have opened fire! The 29th Army is sending troops towards Wanping, and there are soldiers everywhere at Nankou Station."

Has it started yet?
Fang Wen, carrying a lead-lined suitcase, got into the car. After hesitating for a moment, he said to Wu Yingzong, "I want to go to Wanping City to take a look."

"No, General Manager, it's too dangerous over there." This time, Wu Yingzong firmly objected.

A moment later, Fang Wen regained his senses and decided against the risky behavior. He then drove back to Tsinghua University.

There, Professor Zhao carefully removed the container containing radium and placed it into a lead box.

Only then did the deadly sense of danger that Fang Wen had felt disappear.

The group drove to Qinghe Airport, where the last plane took off, leaving this place of trouble behind.

After the plane took off, Fang Wen activated his mechanical senses and observed the city of Beiping.

In the southwest of Beiping City, on the east bank of the Yongding River, there is a small town.

That was Wanping City, the garrison town of Beiping.

This is the only military stronghold in the isolated city of Beiping that is controlled by its own army. Once it falls, there will be no more National Army garrisons around Beiping, and Beiping will be completely surrounded by the Japanese army.

This is also the result of the Japanese troops stationed in North China gradually encroaching on the territory over the past few years.

Soldiers of the 29th Army stood on the city wall, on guard against the Japanese troops on the west bank of the Yongding River.

And on this river, there is a very famous bridge: Lugou Bridge.

On the east side of the bridge, sandbag fortifications had already been built, and soldiers of the 29th Army were on guard behind the fortifications.

Once the Japanese troops crossed the Lugou Bridge, it would mean they were at the gates of Beiping, tearing away the mask they had maintained for the past few years. Withdrawing his mechanical senses, Fang Wen piloted his plane to Changsha to deliver the last Tsinghua University professor evacuated from Beiping.

He immediately returned to Jinan Airport.

Today, Jinan Airport is the front-line base of the Taishan Volunteer Army. Once the battle begins tomorrow, everything will proceed as planned.

Octover 7st

The soldiers of the 29th Army stationed in Wanping City kept a close eye on the situation across the Yongding River.

(Soldiers of the 29th Army on Wanping City)
(Defensive fortifications on Lugou Bridge)

Meanwhile, at Lugou Bridge over the Yongding River, soldiers of the 29th Army observed the situation on the other side of the bridge from behind sandbag fortifications.

The Japanese troops opposite are assembling; it looks like they're about to conduct another military exercise.

The soldiers of the 29th Army were indignant about these military exercises that targeted them every day. They often discussed it and said that if a real battle broke out, they would teach the Japanese army a lesson.

After all, the 29th Army had fought bravely against the Japanese army during the Great Wall Resistance War, and they were not afraid of these invaders at all.

Time passed slowly, but the Japanese troops on the other side still made no move.

The stalemate continued until 11 p.m.

The Japanese army suddenly mobilized, demanding to enter the city to search for a missing soldier. After being refused by the Chinese garrison, the Japanese army from another direction surrounded Wanping County.

After this incident, the deputy commander of the 29th Army immediately stepped forward to negotiate with the Japanese side, attempting to persuade the Japanese troops to withdraw.

This was of course impossible. On July 8, the main force of the Japanese army climbed the Lugou Bridge and advanced towards the east side of the bridge.

The platoon leader of the 10th Company of the 3rd Battalion, 219th Regiment, 37th Division of the 29th Army jumped out of the defensive fortification and demanded that the Japanese retreat. However, the Japanese troops still forced their way forward and opened fire.

The 10th Company platoon leader was killed on the spot, and the Marco Polo Bridge Incident broke out as a result.

Next, the Japanese army captured Lugou Bridge and launched an attack on Wanping City.

After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, the Japanese army launched several attacks on Wanping City. The Japanese troops stationed in North China around Beiping were transferred to this area to participate in the siege of Wanping.

Meanwhile, the 29th Army was also holding this only strategic military location, and the fighting was fierce at one point.

In response to this situation, Fang Wen remained at Jinan Airport and requested assistance from the 29th Army in combat operations.

The communications used the Nationalist government's military telegraph frequency, which Nanjing was aware of, but neither stopped nor encouraged it.

The telegram did not receive a response until July 11.

Fang Wen was delighted when he saw the brief telegram from the 29th Army.

The fighting has escalated, with Japanese aircraft conducting reconnaissance and strafing operations in Wanping, Changxindian, Langfang, Yangcun, and other areas, posing a threat and harassment to our local garrisons.

[Please request the Taishan Air Escort Team to participate in the operation and prevent Japanese harassment from the air.]

This is exactly what we wanted. From now on, the Taishan Air Force can officially participate in domestic air combat.

Fang Wen immediately assembled the escort flight team members.

He explained the situation seriously.

"Not long ago, the Japanese army launched an attack on Wanping City. Our side established contact with the 29th Army and participated in wartime military assistance under the guise of military borrowing. Our goal was simple: to intercept Japanese warplanes over Beiping and protect the 29th Army."

Upon hearing this, the pilots of the Taishan Elite Flight Team were immediately excited. They had been back in China for so long, and the time to go to war with the Japanese had finally come.

In response, the pilots actively requested to participate in the war.

Fang Wen made the arrangements.

"Wanping City and the nearby Huilong Temple are important military strongholds of the 29th Army, and also the most intense area of ​​the current battle. Du Jiahuai and I are in a team responsible for this area. Qi Baoqian and Deng Zhongyu are in a team to intercept enemy aircraft around Langfang. Shao Deqing and Zhai Xiaojun are in the second echelon, taking over our team's sustained fire interception. Rao Minghe and Fan Bosheng are also in the second echelon, taking over Qi Baoqian's team's sustained fire interception in Langfang."

After the arrangements were made, the four planes took off from Jinan Airport in two directions.

Fang Wen's team flew directly to Beiping. After arriving over Wanping City, they encountered two Japanese aircraft.

It is the Type 95 biplane fighter, the main fighter aircraft of the Japanese Kwantung Army in Northeast China.

Fang Wen had previously come into contact with this type of fighter jet, and he knew its weaknesses.

Immediately, combat orders were sent to the wingman.

Upon receiving the coded telegram instructions, the wingman immediately coordinated with Fang Wen's actions.

The two planes suddenly accelerated and flew towards the Japanese warplanes.

Faced with this situation, two Japanese Type 95 fighter planes were not to be outdone and actually flew straight at them.

They were actually thinking of engaging in aerial firefights, a life-for-life exchange.

Unfortunately, this crude tactic was completely foreign to Fang Wen and his people.

The elite pilots of the Taishan Air Force would not be foolish enough to exchange fire for their lives; they had already learned how to deal with this during the Spanish Civil War.

The Shrike and Il-16 suddenly made left and right arc turns, nimbly maneuvering behind the enemy aircraft.

Such maneuvers were simply beyond the comprehension of these Type 95 fighter pilots.

They couldn't even do the same thing; they could only try to change direction to get away.

The Type 95 fighter jet, which was inferior in both speed and agility, was successfully rear-ended by Fang Wen and his wingman Du Jiahuai in an explosive chase.

Fang Wen aimed and fired in the shortest time possible. The 20mm cannon shells fired a series of deadly flashes and hit the tail of the enemy plane in a moment.

The explosion occurred at the tail of the enemy aircraft, and the entire tail fin broke off instantly. The enemy aircraft, which lost its balance, immediately fell to the ground.

With a whooshing sound, the Type 95 biplane fighter crashed outside Wanping City, exploding into a cloud of fire and black smoke.

Meanwhile, things took a slightly more complicated turn with wingman Du Jiahuai.

His first shot was fired at the wrong time, and the machine gun shell drifted past the enemy plane from behind.

Du Jiahuai did not give up; he kept a close watch on the enemy aircraft and continued firing.

During the sustained fire, the enemy aircraft was hit in the abdomen, and the fuel tank exploded instantly, causing the fighter jet to disintegrate in mid-air.

In a two-on-two situation, the Taishan Air Force's fighters achieved a complete victory, winning their first battle over Beiping.

This greatly boosted the morale of the soldiers who were holding out in Wanping City.

They fought bravely against the Japanese troops outside the city, displaying tremendous fighting power.

How could Fang Wen not help in this situation!
He sent a secret telegram to his wingman, Du Jiahuai.

Two planes took over the mission from the two Japanese planes, but this time their targets were the attacking Japanese forces.

Fang Wen took the lead, piloting the Shrike down from the air and launching an air-to-ground strafing attack on the Japanese troops on the ground.

He chose the area from Wanping City to Lugou Bridge, where the Japanese troops were most concentrated.

The swooping down of the Shrike brought unprecedented terror to the Japanese army. 20mm machine gun shells swept past, and these machine gun shells, which could tear through aircraft armor, were extremely terrifying when they hit people.

Instantly, a trail of blood exploded, and more than twenty Japanese soldiers were reduced to mangled limbs.

The terrified Japanese soldiers immediately dispersed and dared not regroup.

Even so, Fang Wen did not give up harassing the ground and launched another dive-bombing attack.

Under the air-to-ground harassment of two fighter planes, the Japanese army finally experienced what they had done to the Nationalist army.

This was just the beginning. After Fang Wen and Du Jiahuai returned, the second echelon of flight teams took over, providing continuous air suppression on the battlefield.

On this day, the skies above Beiping City were under the control of our Chinese nation.

(End of this chapter)