Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 338-336: Air Raid on Yangmingbao Airport, the First Battle in Cooperation with the Eighth Route Army

As the saying goes, speed is of the essence in war. From planning to execution, there was only one night. Fang Wen immediately piloted the Water Tiger No. 4 gunboat back to Xi'an from Taiyuan.

The plane landed at the Weihe River water airport north of Xi'an City. After disembarking, Fang Wen immediately assembled all the personnel of the Second Aviation Battalion.

At the same time, someone was sent to notify the pilots of the First Aviation Battalion stationed at Xiguan Airport in the west of the city to come over for a meeting.

After both sides met, Fang Wen explained the situation.

"There is a new combat mission. We will depart at 3 a.m. tomorrow to cooperate with a part of the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army to launch an air raid on the Japanese airfield."

Upon hearing about the combat mission, the soldiers of both air battalions were very excited.

Ever since the Taishan Independent Regiment displayed its strength in the Battle of Dezhou, they had been holding back their energy, preparing to inflict even greater damage on the Japanese army.

Among them, two people have different sentiments.

Those are Du Jiahuai and Shao Deqing.

Especially Du Jiahuai, who came from the Second Front Army. The 120th Division was formed by drawing personnel from the Second Front Army, and many of his comrades were in it.

Now that I finally have the opportunity to fight alongside my former comrades, how could I not be happy?

Fang Wen waited for a while, letting his emotions build up, before continuing.

"Let me explain the situation and the operational plan. The target this time is Yangmingbao, located north of the Qikou defense line, within Daixian County. After the Japanese army captured this place, they immediately built an airfield to transport military supplies to the front line. The 120th Division discovered this airfield while conducting infiltration operations behind enemy lines to disrupt the Japanese army's supply lines. Our operation this time is to cooperate with the 120th Division's ground raid to destroy all the aircraft in the airfield."

After explaining the objective of the operation with the help of a map, Fang Wen began to formulate the details of the operation.

"Considering the speed of the gunboats, they will depart in two batches. At 3 a.m. tomorrow, four gunboats will depart first, led by me, and are expected to arrive at Yangmingbao around 4:40 a.m. Pan Jiafeng, Du Jiahuai, Shao Deqing, and Fan Bosheng, the four of you will depart at 4:10 a.m. tomorrow, led by Pan Jiafeng. We will meet over Yangmingbao, and you will follow my command for the subsequent operations."

After the arrangements were completed, the two air battalions got busy. Ground crew and mechanics carried out emergency repairs and then moved and installed the ammunition and aerial bombs stored in the warehouse onto the aircraft.

Although the Xi'an base does not currently have a large stockpile of ammunition, it is more than enough to carry out airstrikes.

By 8 p.m., everything was ready.

To ensure that all pilots, gunners, bombardiers, and onboard communicators involved in the operation are in good spirits for tomorrow's combat, Fang Wen ordered them to rest immediately.

Under duress, the operatives set up makeshift beds on the floor in the hangar, covered themselves with blankets, and made do with sleeping.

Time passed little by little, until 2:40 a.m.

Fang Wen said, "Get up, get ready to board the plane."

In an instant, they all sprang to life and headed to their respective gunboats.

At 3 o'clock sharp, Fang Wen took off first, followed by three gunship aircraft, which formed a V-formation and flew north.

Meanwhile, at Xiguan Airport in the west of the city, four fighter pilots were also preparing.

As the Taishan Independent Regiment's fighter jets took off, the 120th Division's night raid force also arrived at Yangmingbao.

Under the cover of night, the soldiers lay in ambush not far from Yangmingbao Airport.

They lay motionless behind a small slope, their eyes fixed ahead.

Not far from the airport, there is a barbed wire fence surrounding the area, and searchlights are installed on the guard towers at the four corners. Every 30 minutes, the searchlights are turned on to illuminate the area outside the airport.

However, this vigilance was merely a formality; the sentries did not notice any ambushes outside the airport.

Everything was so quiet. For the Japanese troops at the airport, it was just an ordinary day, but they had no idea what they were about to face.

Time passed slowly, the moon gradually disappeared, and a white tinge appeared on the distant horizon.

Meanwhile, the exhausted Japanese airport sentries also abandoned their patrols and went into their guard posts to rest.

One of the lurking soldiers turned and crawled backward to report what he had observed.

"They've let their guard down, Commander. Let's attack. This is the best time to strike."

The regimental commander in charge of the operation whispered, "No, we've been told that the air force will support us. We have to wait for the planes to arrive before we take action; that way, we can minimize our combat losses."

These words prompted the other officers to join the conversation in hushed tones.

"Are there really any planes? We've been in northern Shanxi for a month and haven't seen a single one of our country's fighter jets."

"I heard they've all been transferred to fight in Nanjing and Shanghai. I'm afraid they won't be able to fight in the Central Plains."

"There were planes. In September, the Japanese army attacked Taiyuan. I heard that seven Kuomintang planes came and shot down one Japanese warplane. But later I heard that they were all transferred to Nanjing and Shanghai to fight."

"I see. So where did the planes that are fighting alongside us come from?"

"Have you heard of Taishan Airlines? It's a private military force funded by the big boss of this company, with several new military aircraft."

"Taishan Airlines? Of course I know them. We even saw their seaplanes when we crossed the Yellow River. They're doing really well; even people in Yan'an know about this company. After the war, I'm going to take one of Taishan Airlines' seaplanes back to my hometown."

"That's right. I've heard that flying is a lot of fun. You get food and drinks while you're flying. In the past, only rich people could afford to fly, but now that Taishan Airlines has launched, we can afford it too."

"Really? How much does it cost per trip?"

"It depends on where you're going. If it's just one stop, it'll cost about 30 yuan or 2 silver dollars."

"It's really not expensive, I'll wait until I have the money."

The commander immediately stopped the conversation: "Quiet down, everyone. Don't let the Japanese find out."

Suddenly, the darkness returned to calm, and the Night Raid warriors eagerly awaited the arrival of their nation's fighter jets.

5 points.

Gunboat squadrons arrived in Qizhou.

It's about 6 or 70 kilometers away from Yangmingbao.

Fang Wen used mechanical perception to become one with the aircraft, observing the situation in this area through radar detection devices.

Not far behind, four flying objects responded; those were four fighter jets from the Taishan Independent Regiment.

However, no such findings were found in other areas.

This indicates that the airstrike will be very safe.

He instructed the onboard communicator to send coded messages to the four fighter jets behind him.

Moments later, four fighter jets flew in and formed an attack formation on the right flank of the gunboat squadron.

At 5:40, the air raid squadron arrived at Yangmingbao.

Fang Wen immediately used the mechanical eagle eye to observe the situation at Yangmingbao Airport below.

This is a temporary airport, not very big, with more than 20 planes parked inside.

At this moment, the Japanese troops below were still asleep, and no one could be seen walking around, making it the perfect time for an air raid.

Therefore, Fang Wen issued the air raid order.

The first to launch the attack were four fighter jets: Pan Jiafeng and Du Jiahuai in one group, and Shao Deqing and Zhai Xiaojun in another. They swooped down and carried out a dive bombing attack on the two rows of fighter jets on the ground.

Fighter jets roared past, dropping bombs at low altitude. The two bombs carried by each aircraft exploded one after another on the runway.

The loud explosion woke up the Japanese troops inside the airport. They rushed out of their rooms, some searching for the enemy, others busy putting out the fire.

They quickly discovered that they were under air attack, and pilots immediately attempted to take off in their fighter jets to fight.

Meanwhile, soldiers from the 120th Division outside the airport launched their attack. The soldiers who had been lying in ambush outside the airport charged forward. The first ones to reach the airport cut through the barbed wire fence or simply covered it with a cloth and climbed over it.

Fang Wen, who was directing the operation from the air, closely monitored the 120th Division's surprise attack on the ground forces.

The 120th Division's raiding force was not equipped with ground radios and could not maintain real-time communication, so we had to coordinate with them in a targeted manner to carry out the operation.

He learned about the other party's movements through mechanical perception.

The opposing team split into two groups.

A team carrying grenades and explosive charges blows up enemy aircraft on the runway.

The other team set up machine guns on the spot to form a blocking position and fired at the Japanese soldiers who tried to run out of the barracks.

The Japanese troops had no choice but to retreat to their barracks and use the barracks as cover to launch a counterattack against the 120th Division soldiers in the open area.

Upon learning of this situation, Fang Wen immediately issued a follow-up combat order and took the lead in piloting the gunboat to fly down.

"Prepare to fire, target Japanese houses, destroy them."

The gunner in the cockpit immediately went into aiming mode, his eyes fixed on the observation port.

As the aircraft turned, the shooters, under Fang Wen's control, pinpointed the target.

They pulled the triggers, and the 12.7mm M2 machine guns and 20mm autocannons rattled violently, unleashing a deluge of bullets.

The dense barrage of 12.7mm bullets and 20mm machine gun shells destroyed everything in front of them; the wooden barracks simply could not withstand such firepower.

Wood chips scattered, explosions and flames erupted, and four gunboats strafed the barracks in a devastating barrage.

This scene showed the Eighth Route Army soldiers something completely different from any war scene they had ever seen before.

After a round of sweeping fire, the barracks began to collapse and burst into flames.

Even so, no Japanese soldiers came out from inside.

In other words, all the Japanese soldiers hiding inside were killed.

"What are you all standing there for? Bomb the planes and wipe out the remaining enemy!" The regimental commander's shout snapped the soldiers out of their daze, and they immediately turned to their new targets.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the airport, five Japanese pilots, under the cover of 20 Japanese soldiers, ran quickly toward the nearest few fighter planes.

Whether they want to take to the air to fight or escape, Fang Wen will not allow it.

He then piloted the gunship aircraft toward the target.

Meanwhile, the four fighter jets that had completed their dive bombing and taken off also adjusted their positions and carried out a second dive strafing.

Under the combined air firepower of both sides, Japanese warplanes exploded one after another, and Japanese pilots who attempted to take off were also destroyed along with their planes.

By this point, the defending troops at the airport had suffered more than half their losses, and a third of their aircraft had been destroyed.

Fang Wen turned to the airport as his next target.

That area houses the airport's fuel depot and military supply warehouse.

These things could not be taken away by the 120th Division, nor could they be left for the Japanese army to continue transporting to the front lines.

Immediately, the gunboat squadron launched a second wave of attack. Under intense aerial strafing, the fuel depot exploded, sending a mushroom cloud into the sky. The adjacent supply depot was also ignited and engulfed in flames.

Meanwhile, with the continuous bombing by ground troops, all the remaining fighter jets were also destroyed.

Even more remarkably, soldiers from the 120th Division managed to capture several surviving Japanese prisoners of war from a corner of the airport.

Forty minutes had passed, and the Yangmingbao Airport operation was successfully completed. Fang Wen led the air strike squadron in a circle in the air before returning to Taiyuan.

The 120th Division's raiding force also left immediately, taking with them the supplies and prisoners captured at the airport.

Just after they had all retreated, the Japanese fighter squadron that had come from Tianjin finally arrived.

These fighter jets circled over the ruined airport before returning to Tianjin with devastating news.

At 7 a.m., the Taishan air raid formation landed in Taiyuan, where it refueled before returning to Xi'an.

Only Fang Wen remained in Taiyuan. He immediately contacted Bai Yunfei by telegram to confirm the other party's successful withdrawal, thus bringing the operation to a close.

This air raid destroyed Japanese rear bases, damaged their supply depots, and annihilated all Japanese short-range air raiding units, greatly assisting the National Army's defense line at Qikou.

Soon, the National Army discovered that the Japanese army had stopped its attack and even retreated 2 kilometers.

The Taiyuan Garrison Command then arrived at the Jinyang Lake Independent Regiment camp and inquired about the situation from Fang Wen.

"Commander Fang, I saw your plane flying back from the north early this morning. What's going on here?"

Fang Wen smiled and replied, "You've come at the right time. I was just about to go to the garrison command to explain to you. Here's what happened: Our Independent Regiment and the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army conducted a coordinated operation behind enemy lines. Just over an hour ago, our air raiding squadron, together with the ground troops of the 120th Division, attacked the Japanese military airfield at Yangmingbao. More than 20 military aircraft parked there were destroyed, most of the airfield's garrison was killed, and there should be a few surviving Japanese soldiers who were captured."

"Really? This is a big deal. Commander Fang, please come with me to the garrison headquarters. I need to organize the information you've provided so I can write a report for the commander."

“I’m just coordinating the air raids; the Eighth Route Army is the main force. You should confirm this with them,” Fang Wen replied.

The director of the Taiyuan Garrison Command's office looked hesitant.

It's clear he doesn't want to deal with the Eighth Route Army, but the Eighth Route Army's destruction of Yangmingbao Airport has greatly helped the Jin Army, so it wouldn't be right for him to do nothing.

"Yes, yes, I will contact the 120th Division. Commander Fang, let's go to the garrison headquarters."

Immediately afterwards, Fang Wen drove a military vehicle, accompanied by his bodyguard Gong Xiuneng, and followed the other party to the Taiyuan Garrison Command.

There, Fang Wen explained the general situation.

Subsequently, the other side confirmed with the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army before reporting the great victory at Yangmingbao to Commander Yan and the Nanjing authorities.

The achievement of destroying more than 20 Japanese warplanes in one go was a rare major victory during this period.

Even though the Eighth Route Army was the main force in the war, it still became a story reported nationwide.

Of course, the Taishan Independent Regiment also appeared in the report, once again demonstrating its outstanding air combat capabilities.

In response, the military commanders of the Taiyuan War Zone were very interested in the Independent Regiment. Some even came to get acquainted with the regiment, hoping to cooperate with it on the battlefield.

Fang Wen responded politely to these questions, but did not offer any reply.

After all, the Independent Regiment only has so many fighter jets, and its stockpile of ammunition and aerial bombs is also limited, so it cannot be used indiscriminately.

He is now focusing all his energy on training the Provisional 7th Division.

Eight thousand new recruits will soon be sent to the battlefield. In order to prevent them from dying in vain, they must be taught how to cooperate with the Independent Regiment.

The simplest solution is to have the Provisional 7th Division join the Independent Regiment's real-time joint air-ground command system.

This system has been fully implemented in the Independent Regiment. The 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment relies on this system to cooperate with the Air Force in combat.

Now, in order to ensure that the Provisional 7th Division can also keep up with his overall command, Fang Wen plans to deploy a set of wireless command equipment in each battalion-level unit of the Provisional 7th Division.

This isn't something you can just do casually.

To achieve this, you would need a high-performance military vehicle, a high-powered vehicle-mounted radio, and a communications officer.

Fang Wen had prepared a high-powered vehicle-mounted radio and a communications officer, but the military vehicle was a bit of a problem.

(End of this chapter)