Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 371 369 Air-to-Air Weapons: Airburst Bombs Unleash Their Power, Niushou Mountain Special Forces Decapitation Operation

As soon as Fang Wen gave the order, the five gunboats immediately responded.

Inside the cabin, the gunner and loader worked together to move the original operating weapon aside and set up a launcher at the firing port.

0.5 meters in length.

It weighs 4 kilograms.

45 mm in diameter.

It is loaded with 500 grams of airburst bombs.

It can be launched to a distance of 300-500 meters.

Because loading is simple and firing is quick, more than 20 airburst rounds can be fired per minute.

The weapon's principles originated from Fang Wen's proposal and were jointly developed by the Yangon Weapons Manufacturing Plant, the Chemical Research Department, and the Aircraft Manufacturing Plant.

Its launching device is similar to the Japanese grenade launcher.

The projectile is equipped with a delayed fuse to control the explosion time of the projectile, allowing it to detonate in the air at different distances. It also contains various substances such as smoke powder, thermite, aluminum powder, and explosives, which can explode in the air, creating a range of smoke, deflagration, and secondary explosion. Furthermore, the overheated aluminum powder can enter the aircraft's air intake and damage the internal engine.

It is an airburst weapon specifically designed for aircraft during the era of piston-engine fighter jets, and it is also a powerful tool for gunships to deal with harassment from enemy high-speed fighter jets.

Now all the firing ports on the sides of the gunboats have been replaced with airburst bomb launchers, and the crew members continuously fire airburst bombs in the direction of the Japanese attack.

At the same time, five Japanese Type 96 fighter planes rushed towards them and plunged into the airspace.

These enemy planes flew towards us and strafed the gunships.

Bullets struck the armor plating of the gunboat, making a constant clanging sound.

Fang Wen and the gunboat crew were used to this and didn't care at all, but the college student observer and Whitney in the cabin were extremely nervous.

In particular, they noticed the bulges on the cabin walls caused by bullets, fearing that the bullets might have penetrated the armor and caused damage to the interior.

They couldn't understand why they didn't use machine guns and cannons to fight the Japanese army, but instead fired those seemingly ineffective airburst bombs.

Does it really have no effect?

Of course not. After such a shell is fired, there will be a brief delay in its detonation process.

After being fired, the airburst grenade explodes in the air a few seconds later, releasing a large amount of smoke and luminous dust. This dust undergoes a secondary combustion in the air, instantly obscuring the entire airspace with its flames and smoke.

The Japanese fighter planes were instantly engulfed, and they lost their targets.

The smoke and flames not only impaired their observation capabilities, but also had other effects, with two fighter jets inexplicably malfunctioning and crashing to the ground.

Seeing this, the Japanese fighter planes had no choice but to abandon their attack and retreat.

An aerial battle that should have been thrilling came to an end.

Fang Wen picked up the microphone.

"Calling to the ground, the gunboat squadron is about to return to base, and the next round of support will be in 2 hours."

"Received. I've certainly learned something new today," Commander Li replied readily.

Fang Wen's air force proved with facts that cooperation was worthwhile, and Division Commander Li no longer had any doubts.

Immediately afterwards, the gunboat squadron returned to port and flew towards Nanjing Water Airport.

A few minutes later, five gunboats landed on the river. The planes docked, and the logistics personnel and mechanics on the pier immediately began maintenance.

During this break, Fang Wen led 10 university student representatives to the airport office area.

There, Fang Wen spoke with the student observers.

"Today you have seen the fighting style of our Taishan Independent Regiment. Unlike other troops, we arm ourselves with the power of technology. Therefore, although we are not many people, we can cause overwhelming damage to the enemy."

The student representatives were deeply moved by this.

“Yes, Commander Fang,” a student representative responded excitedly, “I had only read about these advanced weapons and equipment in books before. Seeing them in actual combat today is truly awe-inspiring. And your gunships and aircraft, they have air superiority, fierce firepower, and strong defense; they are practically air tanks.”

Fang Wen smiled and nodded. "Gunship aircraft are mainly used for ground combat. They are not very fast and their maneuverability is relatively worse than that of fighter jets. We usually arrange for them to be deployed in formation with fighter jets. Today was an unexpected day, but it was also a good opportunity to showcase our new air combat weapon. The results were quite good."

Another student representative said, "Yes, at first I was wondering why the airburst bombs didn't react. The Japanese soldiers' shooting in battle was terrifying. Then a large area exploded in the air, and all the Japanese fighter planes were covered. This kind of weapon is amazing."

Some students, curious about the function of the airburst bomb, asked questions.

Fang Wen smiled and shook his head: "The power of technology is boundless; it has changed the form of warfare. But once the enemy learns of this power, it will also harm us. Therefore, all the weapons used by the Taishan Independent Regiment are classified. Only if you become military technology researchers in the company in the future will you be qualified to know their secrets."

This is the intention that Fang Wen expressed to these patriotic students who were stranded in Nanjing.

He didn't want these students to perish here; it would be better for them to stay and contribute in another direction.

The student representatives were intrigued and expressed their intention to share their experiences with their classmates.

Fang Wen instructed them, "That's good. I'll have someone send you back. Students who have made up their minds can come directly to the airport. I'll set up a student zone there. But you need to be quick; time waits for no one. You must come to the airport within seven days at the latest, or you might not be able to leave."

After giving his instructions, Fang Wen saw the student representatives off to their car.

After the students left, Fang Wen immediately returned to the dock to check the aircraft and used the radio to contact the fighter squadron to take off.

After a two-hour rest, Fang Wen led the team into the air again.

This time, the gunboat squadron and the fighter squadron were merged to form a complete air formation for Mount Tai.

Fly to the Niushou Mountain position.

Two hours later, on the battlefield of Niushou Mountain.

The Japanese army launched a fierce attack.

On the front of Niushou Mountain, at least two regiments with several thousand troops launched a joint attack.

The 156th Division, which took over the defense of the western side of Niushou Mountain, fought a very tough battle.

Meanwhile, on the eastern side of Niushou Mountain, the 58th Division of the 74th Army also suffered another strong attack from the Japanese army.

Fang Wen, who observed all of this through mechanical perception, felt a chill run down his spine.

The pressure from the full-scale offensive by two divisions is immense.

I must do something to relieve the pressure on the troops below.

In a large-scale battle involving tens of thousands of people, the air force's primary task should not be direct confrontation, but rather to destroy the Japanese artillery positions behind enemy lines.

The most effective way to relieve pressure is to destroy the Japanese artillery positions.

Therefore, Fang Wen turned his gaze toward the enemy's rear.

The two divisions launched a full-scale offensive, but their rear was actually somewhat weak, with not many troops stationed there.

Meanwhile, as the offensive was underway, the artillery units of the two divisions continued to fire, and Fang Wen saw the muzzle flashes emerging from those concealed positions in the sky.

There are a total of six artillery positions.

They are located at different depths and arranged from far to near.

Various types of artillery, including mortars, small-caliber infantry guns, and mountain guns, fired at the Niushou Mountain area from these artillery positions.

The Japanese army never imagined that Fang Wen had already seen all the artillery positions of their two divisions.

Immediately afterwards, the Taishan air force launched an air raid on six artillery positions.

Five gunboats and five fighter jets launched an attack on ground targets simultaneously. The six artillery positions suffered heavy losses in the air raid and therefore ceased shelling the Niushou Mountain area.

At this point, Fang Wen picked up the microphone.

"Airborne call to ground, please respond." The response came quickly.

"Commander Fang, I just saw your plane fly by. Then the enemy's artillery fire stopped. Did you attack the Japanese artillery positions?"

"We bombed six artillery positions behind enemy lines in the hope of relieving your pressure."

"That's great. If the Nationalist Air Force had your level of capability, how could the Japanese have possibly reached this area?"

"Don't be too happy yet. The Japanese artillery positions have not been completely destroyed. Air raids can only suppress them. Before long, these artillery units will move to other places and continue to bombard you."

"What can we do then? We can hold out in a frontal battle, but the Japanese artillery fire is too intense. And the fortifications here are not yet complete; we simply cannot withstand their continuous artillery fire."

Fang Wen glanced at the setting sun and replied.

"I estimate that the Japanese artillery positions will not be restored today, and it's hard to say what will happen tomorrow. Tomorrow, you will send a unit to my command, and the communications truck must also come along so that we can maintain communication."

"Should we drive the car out?!" Commander Li hesitated, as this was the only way to maintain contact with the air.

But to destroy the Japanese artillery positions, something had to be paid for.

He eventually agreed and made arrangements immediately.

Fang Wen also led the team back to base.

As darkness fell on the Niushou Mountain position, the fighting paused, and all units secretly maintained vigilance.

Commander Li of the 156th Division found Commander Feng of the 58th Division east of Niushou Mountain.

The two division commanders discussed the day's battle.

Commander Li spoke with a smug look about the air support he received from the Taishan air force during the day.

After listening attentively, Division Commander Feng asked in surprise, "I know about the Taishan Independent Regiment. They are famous for their air force and have fought several tough battles in Shanghai and the north. But are they really as amazing as you say?"

“I saw it with my own eyes. You should also know that the two Japanese fighter planes that crashed during the day were shot down by them. Also, in the afternoon, the Japanese artillery fire was initially intense, but then it suddenly stopped. They were the ones who organized the air raids to destroy the Japanese rear artillery positions.”

"Then your coming here must be related to the Taishan Independent Regiment."

"Exactly. Tomorrow, Commander Fang of the Taishan Independent Regiment asked me to assign a unit to be commanded from the air, to launch a direct attack on the enemy's artillery positions behind enemy lines. I was thinking, your division can't just take the benefits without contributing anything."

"You mean, Commander Fang is directing the troops from the air to fight and attack behind enemy lines? How is that possible?"

"He got me a truck that can make real-time communications, and that truck will set off together."

Commander Feng found it increasingly intriguing, so he and Commander Li made a decision: the 58th Division would send 500 men to participate, and the 156th Division would also send 500 men. This 1000-man force would be led by Commander Li's adjutant.

The next morning,
The two division commanders bid farewell to 1000 assault soldiers.

"Brothers, you have only one goal: to infiltrate the area and blow up all of the Japanese artillery. Come on, everyone, drink this bowl of wine, and let's go."

The soldiers drank the wine in their bowls in one gulp, threw them on the ground, and left the rear of the position without hesitation.

To cover their attack, the soldiers on Niushou Mountain launched a fierce offensive against the Japanese troops.

A 1000-strong assault team, along with a communications truck, circled out from behind the mountain.

When the troops arrived near Zheng He's tomb, Fang Wen's voice came through the vehicle's radio.

"Attention ground troops, there is a Japanese troop in the village ahead. You should detour around to the west."

The officer in the truck immediately ordered his troops to detour according to the instructions.

They managed to bypass it without the other party noticing at all.

The 1000-person team below is marching.

Fang Wen piloted the Water Tiger 4 in the air, pointing them in the right direction.

Fang Wen, who had a thorough understanding of the enemy below, led his thousand-man team around one enemy unit after another, quietly arriving at the rear.

The first target for the attack is 1 kilometer ahead of the thousand-man team.

Fang Wen said, "Stay put and don't move."

The thousand-man team immediately stopped.

Fang Wen then ordered his troops to set sail.

Fighter jets from Fuyang Airport and gunboats from Nanjing Seaport Airport all took off.

Ten minutes later, the gunboat squadron arrived first. Fang Wen flew together with four gunboats and gave orders to the thousand-man squadron below.

"Advance immediately and launch an attack after the airstrike."

The thousand-man team that had infiltrated behind enemy lines immediately set off.

Meanwhile, five gunship aircraft launched an airstrike on the artillery position.

With five gunships circling and firing, the artillery positions below immediately fell into chaos.

The shooting lasted for 10 minutes, and the thousand-strong infiltration force that had rushed over also arrived.

Seeing the artillery position in ruins and the Japanese soldiers who only knew how to hide and forgot to fight back, the 1000 soldiers immediately launched an attack.

With the combined efforts of air and ground forces, the artillery position was completely destroyed. Subsequently, the artillery pieces and ammunition piled up on the position were detonated by soldiers with explosive charges.

The complete elimination of an artillery position greatly boosted the morale of this 1000-strong ground force behind enemy lines.

Before they arrived, they could never have imagined that they could so miraculously slip past the Japanese army without being detected, and then easily destroy the Japanese artillery positions.

The officer in the communications truck called out excitedly.

"Ground calls for air support: What is our next target?"

Fang Wen, in a state of mechanical perception, observes the surrounding situation.

The Japanese army had clearly realized something was amiss.

Three units have been redeployed from the front lines and are attempting to encircle this area.

Unfortunately, Fang Wen saw their movements clearly, even more so than their commander.

He picked up the microphone and responded.

"Keep moving forward, keep going, don't stop unless I tell you to."

The thousand-man unit below immediately advanced according to his orders.

This time, the target was no longer the Japanese artillery positions. Since the enemy had already detected them, it would be pointless to continue sending ground troops on a raid; it would be better to launch a larger attack.

His target was a village 2000 meters ahead, and he was even willing to abandon another artillery position along the way for this goal.

Because there were many military vehicles parked there, it seemed that the Japanese soldiers stationed there held high positions.

It appears to be a rear command post of the Japanese army.

If we could seize this opportunity to carry out a decapitation strike against the Japanese command center, it would have a very positive effect on this battlefield.

Time passed little by little.

To maximize the effectiveness of the attack, Fang Wen led the gunboat squadron to climb higher and conceal their positions.

A ground force of a thousand men is approaching the target.

The fighter squadron that flew from Fuping will soon join the gunboat squadron.

Only when the three parties converge can they launch an attack on the target.

(End of this chapter)