Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 36, Shanghai Falls, Bombing of the Izumo

Fang Wen, who was sleeping fully clothed, got up and strode towards the hangar, which was only 200 meters away.

Jianqiao Airport was quiet at night, with military aircraft parked along the runway.

This constituted most of the Nationalist government's air force assets.

Turning his gaze away, Fang Wen walked into the hangar.

Gui Hongyuan was waiting inside when he took out a map.

"We have already notified them by radio that they will be dropping and igniting a circular torch pattern around 1 a.m. The exact location is here."

Looking at the marked location on the map, it's the Miaohang area. There are several high-rise buildings there that require extra caution.

Fang Wen recalled the terrain in his mind, closing his eyes and remaining silent.

Gui Hongyuan didn't disturb them. He walked over to the two corporals and directed them to carry the supplies onto the plane.

An hour and a half later, everything was ready.

Fang Wen and two corporals boarded the plane and began their operation.

The plane took off under the cover of night and flew north along the coastline.

A bright moon hung high in the sky, and the dark shadow of an airplane swept across its surface.

Everything was so quiet. No enemy planes came out to cause trouble, and no friendly forces accompanied them. The Rheinland NYP-2 flew alone.

In a state of mechanical perception, Fang Wen merged himself with the airplane, transforming into an iron bird. Using the moon as a coordinate and the coastline as a secondary line, he easily found the flight route to Shanghai.

An hour later, the Rheinland NYP-2 arrived in Shanghai smoothly.

Looking down from the air, scattered sparks erupted along the west bank of the Huangpu River, indicating that the war was continuing even at night.

Fang Wenjiang piloted the plane, circling high in the sky, searching for a drop point.

After circling twice, he saw it.

A circle of firelight is located in the northwest.

Comparing that location with the terrain in my mind, it was indeed the drop point on the map.

The current problem is how to descend to an altitude below 1000 meters and complete the airdrop accurately and quickly.

By flying at a low altitude of a few hundred meters, a large transport aircraft like the Rheinland NYP-2 would definitely be detected and easily become a target for machine guns.

Even at a distance of several hundred meters, a machine gun can still cause damage.

Therefore, completing the operation in one go is the key to this mission.

Fang Wen took a deep breath and controlled the plane to descend.

After completing two turns, the aircraft reached an altitude of over 800 meters.

He leveled the fuselage, and the next circle would mark the point of airdrop.

With complete concentration, the plane flew toward the target drop point.

To prevent the ropes from getting caught on the top of the building, a starting point without tall buildings was specifically chosen.

"Prepare."

The two sergeants dropped the rope without hesitation.

As the rope loops inside the cabin decreased, the long ropes fell into the air, only tens of meters above the ground.

Less than ten seconds had passed.

Fang Wen then issued new instructions.

"start."

The brief instruction, however, became a mechanical response in the two corporals.

Without thinking, the two instinctively threw the rattan baskets filled with supplies out of the cabin.

After the rattan baskets flew out of the cabin, they swirled and fell downwards along the ropes because of the loops.

A series of rattan baskets were then airdropped to the ground.

The location was right near the airdrop point. The rattan basket that fell to the ground was slowed down by the rope, and the rattan basket itself had shock absorption capabilities. Although it caused the wooden crate inside to crack, it did not cause much damage to the supplies inside.

After the airdrop was completed, Fang Wen used his mechanical senses to roughly determine that it should have been successful.

He ordered two corporals to cut the ropes, close the hatch, and then climbed to high altitude to return to base.

Another hour passed, and the plane arrived over Jianqiao Airport.

Two rows of lights illuminated the ground, indicating the location of the running track.

This wasn't Fang Wen's first time making a nighttime landing. He skillfully found the descent direction, and the plane slowed down and landed precisely on the runway.

As soon as the Rhein NYP-2 came to a stop, Gui Hongyuan came over and asked eagerly.

"Fang Wen, did you succeed?"

"It's a success!" Fang Wen announced the good news as he stepped off the plane, making Gui Hongyuan extremely happy.

"Lend me some money."

"Huh?" "I came in such a hurry that I didn't bring any money with me. Can you lend me some? I'll pay you back in a few days," Fang Wen replied.

The nighttime airdrop was officially confirmed, and Fang Wen was given a long-term mission in this war.

Every night, he would drive the Rheinland NYP-2 back and forth, delivering some scarce supplies to the front lines.

This kind of thing, which is dangerous and uncertain for others, has become his special strength.

The nighttime airdrop mission ended only after Jianqiao Airport was subjected to a large-scale bombing by the Japanese army, and the Rheinland NYP-2 also perished.

By then, it was already March.

Both sides need a special victory to end this war.

March 2nd.

The runway at Jianqiao Airport is riddled with craters after being bombed, and workers are filling in the craters for emergency repairs.

Fang Wen was strolling on the other side of the airport, followed by two corporals who were always by his side.

He went to the airport dormitory and knocked on the door of the third room on the second floor.

Gui Hongyuan opened the door and saw Fang Wen. He smiled and said, "Are you here to return the money? I gave you all my allowance last month."

"Aren't you going to invite me for a cup of tea?" Fang Wen took out a silver coin, which he had brought through Yue Jinping's connections.

"No tea, I don't drink that stuff." Gui Hongyuan counted the silver coins carefully before putting them in his pocket. "Come on, I'll treat you to a meal, as a celebration of your good fortune."

"I'll treat you," Fang Wen agreed.

The four of them walked out of the airport and found a restaurant with decent food to eat at.

They ate their meal while talking about what happened that day.

“Fang Wen, I didn’t believe in fate before, but after what happened that day, I do. If it weren’t for God’s protection, how could you have survived the bombing?”

"Yes, God bless us."

Fang Wen nodded in agreement, but that wasn't what he really thought.

Jianqiao Airport was close to the coast and was a key location for the Nationalist government's air force, so it was bound to be bombed by the Japanese army.

Based on his bombing experience, he judged that the most vulnerable places to bomb an airport, besides the runway, were the hangars.

So when the bombing started, he immediately ran out of the hangar with two corporals.

That's how they escaped a disaster.

It's a pity about that Rheinland NYP-2. I flew it to Northeast China, bombed warships, and even did nighttime airdrops. You could say I still have an emotional attachment to that plane.

Feeling a bit sentimental, Fang Wen poured himself a glass of rice wine, drinking alone since no one was there to drink with him.

After the meal, the four returned to the airport. Gui Hongyuan was called away, while Fang Wen continued his aimless stroll.

Not long after, Gui Hongyuan rushed over.

"Fang Wen, come with me, it's important."

"What's important?"

"It's a military secret; you'll find out when you get there."

After following Gui Hongyuan to an office at the airport, several officers sat there with serious expressions.

Upon seeing Fang Wen enter, he immediately stated his purpose.

"Due to the Japanese army's surprise attack on the Liuhe landing, our army was attacked from both sides and was forced to retreat to the second line of defense."

"What? Shanghai has fallen?" Gui Hongyuan was utterly astonished.

“It’s just a temporary withdrawal.” The officer glared at Gui Hongyuan and continued, “Currently, Britain and France are sending people to mediate. The Japanese army has been very aggressive. We need a victory to gain more bargaining chips.”

Fang Wen felt a chill in his heart. Was this another time they were going to abandon China's interests?

The War of Resistance against Japan was gradually reduced to its current state by the Nationalist government's retreat.

"Fang Wen, the main reason I'm here is to involve you in a very important plan. Here's what's going on: the 19th Route Army is planning to send a suicide squad to bomb the Izumo. Our idea is to go big and send the air force to bomb the Izumo. If we can severely damage the Izumo, the Japanese will definitely take the initiative to cease hostilities."

"Bomb the Izumo?" Fang Wen was stunned. "The Izumo is at sea, protected by a fleet. How can it be bombed?"

"Because our army has temporarily withdrawn from Shanghai, there is no ground force that can threaten it. It has already sailed to the waters near Shanghai, which is a rare opportunity. Your talent in high-altitude bombing would be extremely important to our plans if you could participate in this operation." The officer said, his face showing some excitement.

"What kind of plane is it this time?" Fang Wen asked.

"It's still a Rheinland NYP-2. There's another one in Guangzhou. We can have it flown over there immediately."

"You want me to bomb again? I refuse." Fang Wen felt a chill in his heart. The matter was already settled. Whether or not the Izumo was bombed wouldn't change much. Besides, even in coastal waters, facing a large number of carrier-based aircraft, bombing with transport planes would be suicidal, even for those with mechanical senses. They wouldn't be able to escape after the bombing.

The officer was somewhat surprised to see this.

"You're an aerial hero! How can you refuse?"

Why should I rush to do something that means I'll die? Unless...

Fang Wen paused for a moment and looked at the airport runway outside the office.

(End of this chapter)