Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 401, page 399: Franco's cavalry unit suffers a crushing defeat, resulting in a large order for gunboats and aircraft.

Due to a sudden change in the war situation, a large number of Nationalist Army cavalry units launched a surprise attack on the northern front.

As a result, the entire International Brigades stationed on the northern front had to be sent to the front to provide support.

This has resulted in the fact that the gunners on gunships are mostly non-professionals.

Of the five mechanics and four war correspondents from the international brigade, only Gong Xiuneng could hold his own.

Fang Wen had no idea what would happen next.

But the die is cast, and what needs to be done must be done.

He piloted the gunboat towards the National Army cavalry unit that was launching an attack.

A cavalry force of several thousand men densely covered the hillside.

They are launching an attack on the Republican army on the higher ground along the gently sloping grassland.

That's the problem.

The Republican army's positions faced the southern cities, with no defenses behind them.

In their haste, they had no choice but to fire down from their high vantage point, where there was no cover whatsoever.

Once the enemy cavalry charged up the mountain, there was no way to stop them.

Fang Wen vaguely understood that this was the turning point of the battle for Teruel, and that the Republican army in history was probably defeated because of this.

But now, he wants to change that.

Then he gave the order.

"Prepare for an attack on the left flank. Gong Xiuneng will instruct them."

These are combat terms for gunships, but only Gong Xiu in the cockpit knows them.

Others couldn't even distinguish left from right.

This "left" refers to the left-hand position when facing the cockpit.

Gong Xiuneng quickly pulled the man over and explained, "Come over here, tie on the safety rope, and put the machine gun on the gun mount."

Fortunately, the gun mount is designed to be very simple. You just need to insert the gun body and then you can aim and fire.

After helping the others complete the attack preparations, Gong Xiuneng was responsible for the heavy machine gun firing position.

He unlocked the latch, gripped the DShK heavy machine gun base with both arms, pulled it out with difficulty, and then turned to load it into the left firing position.

All of this was within Fang Wen's mechanical perception and focus.

At least, no problems have arisen during the battle preparation phase.

While observing the cavalry below, Fang Wen continued to issue orders.

"Fire on my command in a moment. Now, put the muzzle into the firing port and tilt it down at a 35-degree angle. Gong Xiuneng, please check if they are done."

Upon receiving the order, Gong Xiuneng ran to the first firing position and inspected the positions one by one.

After the muzzle is inserted into the firing port, the gun body can be adjusted by using the rocker arm on the gun mount to change the firing angle, thereby achieving different heights and firing positions.

Experienced soldiers don't need Fang Wen's guidance; they can adjust themselves according to the wartime situation. But these people can only use brute force.

Under Gong Xiuneng's inspection and guidance, each firing position completed the adjustment of its firing angle.

Next, all they have to do is pull the trigger at a specific time and fire the bullet.

As for aiming, that was left to Fang Wen to handle by controlling the aircraft's position and ordering the launch time.

And so, everything was ready, just waiting to be fired.

(Spanish National Army cavalry)
The cavalry charge on the northern front is underway.

A 25-degree slope is not a great burden for warhorses adapted to mountainous terrain.

The cavalry was rapidly approaching, facing the bullets overhead.

The 300 National Army cavalrymen at the forefront were the first to reach the top of the hill.

They drew their sabers and pistols and charged back and forth across the Republican army's positions, slashing with their sabers and firing their pistols.

For a time, the position on the northern slope was in chaos, unable to suppress the cavalry troops continuing their charge below.

It seems no one can stop a cavalry attack of this size; the northern front is in danger.

Just then, the black dot in the sky gradually grew larger, and an airplane swooped down.

The International Brigades soldiers on the mountain recognized the Taishan gunboat piloted by Fang Wen and quickly informed the Republican soldiers in the position, which restored their morale.

The Nationalist Army cavalry ignored this and continued their charge.

Suddenly, the gunboat lowered its altitude and began to fly sideways around the slope at a speed of 150 kilometers per hour.

The gunboats, flying at low speed, circled the cavalry halfway up the mountain in an arc.

Suddenly, the planes, facing the cavalry, spewed forth bursts of fire, and different types of light machine guns fired at a 35-degree angle at the cavalry on the slope.

Moreover, these bullets, as the gunships circled and flew, formed firing arcs, sweeping from left to right.

Instantly, the cavalry unit was cut in half, and warhorses fell after being shot. Some of the warhorses went berserk in pain, throwing their riders off their backs.

The sudden attack disrupted the rhythm of the charge.

Separate the cavalry units from the front and rear.

In response to this situation, the Republican Army on the mountain immediately reacted and quickly organized its troops to launch a fierce attack on the National Army cavalry.

The gunship aircraft completed the first round of circling firing.

Fang Wen is adjusting his camera position, preparing for the next round of firing.

He was also keeping an eye on the situation below.

The chaos caused by the strafing by gunboats and aircraft gave the Republican Army on the northern front an opportunity.

Their organized attack successfully annihilated the 300 cavalrymen who charged up the mountain.

But even more cavalrymen were charging.

This cavalry raid was likely an operation involving the entire Nationalist Army's cavalry, making it arguably the largest cavalry offensive of World War II.

It is unlikely that cavalry battles of this scale will occur again in the future.

They could have ended things perfectly, but they ran into Fang Wen and his gunboat.

I can only say I'm sorry.

Fang Wen, having completed the camera position adjustment, spoke again.

"Have you all learned how to adjust the firing angle?"

Having just completed a brilliant aerial fire suppression maneuver, everyone in the cabin was excited, and they all replied in unison, "Got it!"

"That's good. Now, adjust to the firing position 20 degrees below the target. When I give the next order to change the firing angle, you must adjust accordingly. Understand?"

"Understood," everyone replied in unison, even the four war correspondents were in a state of excitement.

Immediately, the planes descended again and launched a new attack.

This time, it was aimed at the cavalry units at the very front of the charge.

Bullets rained down, forming a deadly cross with the bullets from the Republican army on the hilltop. The bullets coming from the front and overhead wiped out a large number of the cavalrymen charging at the front.

The remaining cavalrymen were immediately overwhelmed with despair, and some of them turned their horses around and fled down the mountain.

They stopped their charge and fled, blocking the path of the charging cavalry behind them.

The scene became even more chaotic, with horses colliding and falling down the hillside, and some cavalrymen being forced to run down the mountain as well.

At this point, Fang Wen also responded.

Instead of taking off to adjust its position, the plane swooped down sideways.

As he made this difficult dive, he ordered, "Angle 40, fire at full power!"

"Fire at full power" means firing as many bullets as possible, regardless of the quantity.

Everyone in the cabin immediately complied, and after adjusting the angle, they pulled the trigger and fired wildly.

After running out of bullets, they would change the magazine, and they would never stop until they were told to stop.

The ground was covered with bright orange bullet casings, and the scene outside the observation hole was flashing by so quickly that it was impossible to see anything clearly.

Only the cavalry and Fang Wen knew the extent of the damage caused by the gunboats at that moment.

The gunboats, which were diving sideways down the mountain, fired a barrage of bullets that sliced ​​over the heads of the cavalrymen.

The dark shadows overhead and the hail of bullets cast a deep psychological shadow on the cavalrymen.

Its true impact is far greater than its actual destructive power.

In addition, there was the attack from the Republican army on the mountaintop.

Squads of cavalry abandoned their charge and fled down the mountain.

Thus, a meticulously planned strategy to seize the northern front lines through high-speed cavalry raids was thwarted by the appearance of gunboats.

The National Army's cavalry charge failed, but they did not leave; they were preparing to launch a second offensive.

However, this surprise attack relied on the fact that the defending troops were unprepared. Now that the northern troops have recovered, it is basically impossible to take them down again.

Therefore, the second cavalry charge failed, and the National Army cavalry, having suffered heavy losses, had no choice but to retreat.

In this final battle, Fang Wen's gunship only participated in the first half; in the second half, due to running out of ammunition, he had to return to base early.

The plane landed at the makeshift airport, the cabin door opened, and the weary passengers stepped out.

Except for Gong Xiuneng, everyone else's hands were shaking.

Hemingway leaned back on the ground beside the landing gear and remarked, "I fired 2000 rounds, and the barrel turned red."

Another war correspondent opened his hand, revealing several blisters on his palm: "Look at my hand, I can't even hold a spoon now."

The others were showing off the effects of excessive shooting; they had never fought so intensely before and felt they could brag about their experiences for a lifetime.

Gong Xiu found this amusing and whispered to Fang Wen, "Regimental Commander, no wonder you said fighting is what soldiers should do, and they'd be better off staying in the rear. Our regiment has this kind of battle all the time."

Fang Wen glared at Gong Xiuneng: "Don't say that. Without them, we wouldn't have won this battle today. This is their honor."

Gong Xiu touched the back of his head and awkwardly shut up.

The two then helped the five exhausted engineers and four war correspondents to their dormitory to rest.

Now, we can only wait for good news from the Republican military.

After all, the effectiveness of this gunboat-aircraft combat can definitely be considered a classic case in the Spanish Civil War.

One day later, the fighting on the northern front was completely over.

The temporary airport also welcomed the commander of the Republican Army.

This time, the commander showed great interest in the Taishan gunship aircraft.

Upon arrival, he immediately requested to experience live-fire shooting from a gunboat.

Not only him, but several other Republican generals also requested to participate.

Fang Wen, of course, accepted all comers, and the plane then took off again carrying senior Republican Army officers.

After takeoff, Hemingway, acting as a temporary narrator, explained to the officers how to install machine guns and heavy machine guns, as well as how to prepare for battle and adjust firing angles.

These senior officers are highly professional in military skills; they understood how to operate after listening to the instructions once.

Fang Wen then explained the attack and firing principles of gunship aircraft.

"When attacking a target, gunships adopt a flight attitude known as 'lighthouse circling.' This flight method refers to the gunship circling around the target. During the flight, the aircraft fuselage tilts towards the target, and the inner firing positions are also pointed at the target. This flight attitude allows the gunship to continuously fire at the target while maintaining a relatively safe distance."

He then led his officers in a demonstration of circling and side-firing.

After the firing session ended, a senior officer asked, "What are the advantages of this military aircraft compared to other military fighter jets?"

This is a crucial question. A good explanation can convince the Republican officers present and also serve as a tool for public relations.

Fang Wen thought for a moment and replied:

"Currently, military aircraft primarily engage ground targets through bombing and axial firing. In contrast, gunships have their weapons mounted on the sides of the fuselage. When a gunship is hovering in a lighthouse formation, its side-firing weapons can naturally point towards the target, thus enabling continuous firing at the target."

"Compared to the other type, aircraft equipped with axial-firing weapon systems may lose the target between target detection and firing, especially when the aircraft pulls up, turns, and re-enters the attack route for a second attack, requiring re-identification. In contrast, gunships use side-firing weapon systems, which can continuously fire at the target while circling, avoiding the situation of losing the target due to aircraft maneuvering."

Listening to Fang Wen's explanation, the officers nodded in agreement. Although the gunship aircraft was slow, it had high defense, continuous air fire suppression, and high accuracy, which were all good military insights.

Fang Wen then added, "Gunship aircraft have another advantage: the cost of their side-firing weapon systems is relatively low. As you can see, they can be equipped with various machine guns, making them suitable for replacing different types of weapons. They can complete weapon and equipment replacements even in complex military situations."

This is also a point that the Republican Army welcomes. After all, with the civil war going on for so long, all sorts of foreign military aid and equipment have appeared, and the adaptable aerial fire suppression method of gunships and aircraft is very suitable for the current situation.

The commander then asked, "If we were to procure one, how many gunship aircraft would be needed?"

Fang Wen was thrilled to have received the result so quickly.

He replied, "$6."

This price is based on the Hawk 75 fighter jet (P-36) recently launched by the United States.

The export version of the Hawk-75 is priced at $23000, while the cost is only $11,000, resulting in a profit margin of 52%.

The cost of the Taishan gunship was $29000, while the same profit margin was quoted at $6.

After making his offer, he thought that this new type of military aircraft might take time to be accepted by the militaries of various countries, and wondered if his offer was too high, so he prepared to wait for the other party to make a counter-offer.

Unexpectedly, the commander immediately expressed his opinion.

"We need four aircraft, and we require you to train the pilots and gunners. The cost of these personnel must also be included in the quote."

Fang Wen was secretly delighted. The training was his responsibility, otherwise the plane would crash a few days after delivery, and he didn't want to ruin his own reputation.

But appearances must be maintained.

He hesitated, saying, "Training would require sending your people to Asia, where there are comprehensive training facilities. If it were completely free, it would put a lot of pressure on us. But considering you are among the first buyers..."

Before I could finish speaking, the other party interrupted: "If you can complete the delivery and training within two months, we can increase the price by 20%."

Clearly, with the Spanish Civil War at this stage, they were under considerable pressure and wanted to change the situation with new equipment.

Therefore, the proposal to increase the price by 20% was put forward.

In response, Fang Wen decisively extended his hand: "Deal."

(End of this chapter)