Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 339: 337 Mobile Armored Command Vehicle, Troop Departure, Battle of Xinkou
The radio command system of the Provisional 7th Division was extremely important, as it was related to Fang Wen's entire military operations system.

Those new recruits were courageous and spirited, and now, after training, they had also developed discipline. It could be said that they dared to fire their guns and fight the Japanese army on the battlefield. However, without a good command system, these soldiers could not play a significant role on the battlefield.

To prevent them from becoming cannon fodder and expendable resources on the battlefield, they need to receive Fang Wen's commands in real time so that they can attack wherever he commands.

To achieve this effect, Fang Wen contacted Yangon by telegram, asking Bai Zeshan, who was proficient in radio, to transport the modulated high-power radio to Taiyuan.

Accompanying the radio station were trained correspondents.

What we lack now is a military vehicle equipped with a radio.

In the Taiyuan war zone, the situation is urgent, and all participating troops have a great need for military vehicles. It is not easy to obtain a batch of military vehicles.

Since he couldn't get any ready-made military vehicles, Fang Wen decided to build them himself.

Many of the mechanics under his command were engineers from aircraft manufacturing plants, who had participated in aircraft manufacturing and the Taishan Pine Tank manufacturing, and had excellent experience and knowledge of power equipment and mechanical structures.

Fang Wen then gathered the group of mechanics and explained his requirements.

The mechanics, of course, had no objections.

But even the most skilled cook can't cook without rice. Building a car requires various parts, so where can you get them all at once?

Fang Wen explained in response to the mechanics' questions.

"There is a factory in Taiyuan that can manufacture cars."

This was something the mechanics hadn't expected; the Jin army actually had its own automobile industry, and even a military factory.

Fang Wen only heard about all this from the garrison command; he didn't know the specifics and needed to go and see for himself.

Immediately afterwards, Fang Wen led a group of independent regiment mechanics to Taiyuan City.

Two military vehicles stopped near the Xiaodongmen area of ​​Taiyuan City.

(Taiyuan City during the Republic of China era)

In the first military vehicle, Gong Xiuneng got out and started chatting with the owner of a roadside grocery store.

"I have a question. Do you know about the Northwest Industrial Company's auto repair shop?"

The grocery store owner smiled broadly: "Sir, what are you saying? I don't understand."

"A car factory, a place that makes cars," Gong Xiuneng asked patiently.

"Oh, you mean that one? We call it the Military Industrial Training Factory, where we make cannons. Later, the Marshal added a vehicle manufacturing factory, all in the same place. Just walk this way, turn the corner, and you'll see the gate and compound; that's it."

Gong Xiuneng returned, pointed out the direction, and the car went as he instructed.

Turn the corner and go 300 meters to the right, and you'll reach a large courtyard.

A new sign hangs at the entrance, but it reads "Jin-Sui Machinery Factory".

Gong Xiuneng asked in surprise, "Could it be that we've come to the wrong place?"

“That’s right. I heard from the garrison command that it was renamed this year. Let’s drive in.”

As Fang Wen spoke, he drove his car through the gate. The guards at the gate looked at the pass from the garrison command that Fang Wen had brought and did not stop him.

Two cars stopped in the yard, and the workers who were busy in the workshop stopped what they were doing and looked at the visitors.

Meanwhile, several people walked out of the office next door.

The leader approached Fang Wen, who had just gotten out of the car, and said warmly in Tianjin accent, "Commander Fang, I received your notice that you were coming, and I've been waiting for you since early this morning."

"Director Jiang, we've come here to use your factory's production materials to manufacture cars," Fang Wen stated his purpose directly.

"Building cars?" Factory Director Jiang looked troubled. "To be honest, although our factory has manufactured three cars over the years, most of the parts used were purchased from outside, which was extremely expensive. In the end, we were unable to mass-produce them, and the factory is now mainly engaged in repairs."

Factory Director Jiang was an honest man. He explained the situation clearly, but Fang Wen did not back down because of it.

He spoke carefully with Factory Director Jiang about the production materials in the factory's inventory.

The majority of the tires were rubber tires, which were purchased from Nanyang Chen's Rubber Company.

Three sets of internal combustion engines and transmissions were retained. They were purchased from the Changxindian Railway Factory. They were old-fashioned four-cylinder engines with simple structures.

The water tank, frame, windshield, light rings, wheel axles, and other parts are all made in-house, along with a number of spare parts left over from previous car repairs.

In addition, a full range of accessories such as various engine oils, ball bearings, rivets, and nuts are also available.

Fang Wen was very satisfied with what he had learned. The factory was most in need of internal combustion engines and transmission devices, but Fang Wen had better alternatives and did not need those old internal combustion engines at all.

He said to Director Jiang, "I'll have to trouble you these next few days. Please put down any things in the factory that I need, as well as the expenses for the tools in the workshop. I'll pay you all at once after I've finished."

"They're all broken and dilapidated, not worth much. The headquarters said you can use them as you like. But it might be a bit difficult to build a car with just these things. Those three internal combustion engines haven't been used for several years, and I can't guarantee they'll work properly."

"I have an internal combustion engine, so it's settled."

Once it was decided to borrow the Jin-Sui Machinery Factory to manufacture the cars, Fang Wen and the mechanics began to get busy.

The factory's workshop equipment was very rudimentary, so Fang Wen even transferred a universal milling machine from Yangon to manufacture the necessary special parts.

Also transported were 15 Pratt & Whitney R-1340 aircraft engines.

This engine was something that Director Jiang and the factory's workers and technicians had never seen before, and they all gathered around to watch it with curiosity.

"What is this?" a worker asked.

The mechanic from the Taishan Independent Regiment explained: "It's an aircraft engine, single-row, nine-cylinder air-cooled radial design, with a displacement of 22 liters and 450 horsepower."

Many of these technical terms were incomprehensible, but Director Jiang knew about aircraft engines and 450 horsepower.

"This is an airplane engine. No wonder it can fly. No, Commander Fang, you're planning to use it to build cars. Isn't that a waste?"

In response, Fang Wen smiled and said, "The situation is urgent. Even the best engine has to be used."

Actually, these R-1340 engines purchased from Pratt & Whitney were mostly idle resources, except for those used in civilian watercraft. Now that the War of Resistance against Japan has broken out, they are not needed for civilian use and can be used to build military vehicles and tanks.

Factory Director Jiang was moved by Fang Wen's words and said loudly, "Did everyone hear that? To fight the Japanese, Commander Fang even brought out such a precious aircraft engine. We should also do our part."

The factory workers and technicians all agreed.

"Yes, we can help too." "Just let us know if there's anything we can do for you."

With the factory's help, the car manufacturing process was accelerated.

However, Fang Wen still needs to design the specific construction method.

Fang Wen had never built a car using an aircraft engine, but he did build the Taishan Pine medium tank using the same aircraft engine.

Based on the design and manufacturing experience of the Taishan Pine Tank, there is a challenge in using the R-1340 engine in military vehicles.

That means the engine is too powerful, so the whole vehicle has to be heavy. Otherwise, after starting, the excessive power will cause it to float, which may lead to a rollover.

After some consideration, Fang Wen designed a military armored transport vehicle.

This military armored personnel carrier has a total weight of 6 tons when empty. The outer shell is welded from steel plates, and the chassis uses a thickened frame.

In order to support such a heavy weight, the tires were changed to double-row wheels, a total of 8.

This luxurious design consumes a lot of materials, but no one feels it's wasteful. On the contrary, people feel that such a simple configuration is not worthy of an aircraft engine.

After the design drawings were completed, the mechanics and the factory workers worked together to begin manufacturing.

The process is the same as when the Taishan Pine Tank was built. First, the chassis and wheels are made, and then the aircraft engine and matching transmission are installed on top of it. After this process is completed, the mechanics will conduct test drives, driving the bare chassis without the outer shell around the factory.

After confirming that the power system was working properly, they began installing the outer shell.

Compared to the exquisite craftsmanship of Songzhongtan in Taishan, this work was rather simple due to time constraints and a lack of materials.

Steel plates and bars are welded to the vehicle's base frame, completely covering the entire military vehicle.

The first military vehicle was completed in just two days, and testing began immediately afterward.

This is an ugly creature weighing 6 tons, with 450 horsepower and 10mm of steel armor.

Although ugly, it has strong bulletproof capabilities, with balanced armor on all sides, and can withstand the fire of Japanese rifles and machine guns of the current caliber.

However, it also has its drawbacks.

Problem 1 is that rubber tires are not bulletproof; once hit by a bullet, they will burst and lose their ability to drive.

Question 2: The power is more than strong, so it still feels a bit floaty when driving.

A weight of 6 tons is still too light. After all, this engine is used in Taishan Pine, which can run normally even with a weight of more than 20 tons.

Fang Wen prepared solutions to these two problems.

A spare tire is specially placed inside the carriage for emergency tire changing, and the engine power has been reduced to reduce power consumption to adapt to the current situation.

Generally speaking, this type of military vehicle is not used for charging into battle, but rather as a mobile command vehicle for battalion, regiment, brigade, and division levels on the battlefield.

With the successful manufacture of the first armored military vehicle, subsequent production proceeded even more efficiently.

With the help of more than 100 workers and technicians at the Jin-Sui Machinery Factory, 15 military vehicles were manufactured in ten days.

These simple yet sturdy and powerful ugly military vehicles, although they exhausted the production resources of the Jin-Sui Machinery Factory, gave them a sense of accomplishment.

By this time, it was already the end of October.

The Qikou defense line north of Taiyuan remains locked in a stalemate with the Japanese army.

In the northeastern Shanxi region north of Qikou, the Eighth Route Army deployed troops behind enemy lines to infiltrate and continuously recapture county towns occupied by the enemy.

For the first time, the Japanese army found itself in a passive position, and the battle became a stalemate.

Given the Taishan Independent Regiment's repeated victories in air force operations, the Qikou Frontline Command sent people to find Fang Wen.

The military post at Jinyang Lake, south of Taiyuan City.

A lively training scene.

The soldiers of the Provisional 7th Division were divided into 12 combat units, each equipped with an armored command vehicle affectionately named "Iron Turtle" by the soldiers.

They stood in the center of the armored command vehicle, awaiting further orders.

They were commanded by Fang Wen, who was piloting a fighter jet in the air.

In his mechanically perceptive state, Fang Wen had a complete overview of the 12 battalions of the Provisional 7th Division and the 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment.

In this simulated exercise, the hypothetical enemy was played by the 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment. To this end, the 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment also shut down its ground radio.

Seeing the Third Battalion of the Independent Regiment attempting to bypass the encirclement and escape, Fang Wen gave the order.

"The 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Regiment will march south at a 30-degree angle and intercept the enemy upon encountering them."

The two battalions marched according to his orders and unexpectedly encountered the 2rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment, which was breaking through the encirclement.

Under their interception, the 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment was tied down. Taking this opportunity, other battalion-level units also moved in this direction, completely surrounding the 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment.

The exercise has now concluded. Under proper command, the recruit division still demonstrated good combat effectiveness and eliminated the simulated enemy.

If they performed in the same way on the battlefield, Fang Wen believed they could inflict a significant blow on the Japanese army.

He instructed the onboard communicator to issue the order to end the exercise to all units, and then the plane landed at the Jinyang Lake water airport.

After returning to shore, officers from the garrison of the Third Battalion came over.

"Commander, the garrison command has arrived. They say they have important matters to discuss with you."

"understood."

Fang Wen had a premonition that it was likely the Independent Regiment and the Provisional 7th Division that would be sent into battle.

What was bound to happen would happen eventually. He quickly got into the military vehicle and drove towards the Independent Regiment's camp.

When the car arrived at the camp, Fang Wen met two officers who were waiting there.

One of them was from the Taiyuan Garrison Command, and the other must have come from the front lines.

Fang Wen smiled and said, "I was training just now. What brings you two here?"

An officer from the garrison command said, "Regimental Commander Fang, the forward command has ordered your unit and the Provisional 7th Division to depart immediately for the Xinkou area to assist the Central Army Group in its defense."

"What are the specific arrangements?" Fang Wen asked.

The officer from the garrison command looked at another one.

The officer replied, "Given that the Independent Regiment is a private army, it will be assigned to defend one of the positions along with the Provisional 7th Division. As for the specifics, you will need to go to the Garrison Command and consult with the forward command via telegram."

After explaining the situation, the other party took their leave.

Fang Wen watched the two leave, then called out loudly, "Call Wu Yingzong and William over here."

The communications soldier jogged away, and after a while, the two men arrived separately.

They now have new positions: Wu Yingzong is the acting commander of the Provisional 7th Division, and William is the acting battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment.

Fang Wen instructed, "The troops are about to depart for Xinkou. We don't know the exact area they will be stationed in yet; I need to go there. You all need to make marching preparations immediately, and replenish all kinds of supplies. If needed, report to the company's wartime committee immediately, and they will send them over."

"clear."

The two stood up straight, saluted solemnly, and left.

Fang Wenze drove his car into the city.

The car drove into the courtyard of the Taiyuan Garrison Command, and Fang Wen got out and went straight upstairs.

He was led into the telegraph room, where a military map was laid out and officers from the front were explaining it based on telegrams from the front command.

(Illustrative map of the Battle of Xinkou, showing the melee between enemy and friendly forces)
"Currently, our army is divided into the Left Area Detachment, the Right Area Detachment, and the Central Area Detachment, which are deployed at Zhangjiazhuang, Lingshan, Jiehepu, Dabaishui, and Nanyu respectively. The Japanese army is assembling on the east bank of the Hutuo River, ready to launch an attack at any time. However, there are currently no troops defending the lower reaches of the Hutuo River. The frontline command is worried that the Japanese army will break through from there. Therefore, your unit needs to move to this area to intercept any possible Japanese troops."

Looking at the map, Fang Wen was surprised to find that the area he was to defend was located directly below Fuping County.

If it's there, then Fuping's secret seaplane airport can be put into operation.

At that time, the Independent Regiment's fighter planes will be able to take off from Fuping multiple times to assist in striking the attacking Japanese forces across the river.

But who is the opponent?

Fang Wen couldn't help but ask, "Based on the information you have, which unit will the Japanese army send to attack from here?"

The officer replied uncertainly, "It might be a part of the Japanese 5th Division; they were just transferred here from Tianjin."

(End of this chapter)