Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 469 Transport planes encounter enemy on their return home; Taishan's first-generation fighter jet puts into combat.
After inspecting Taishan Aviation School, Fang Wen was very satisfied with the learning progress of the 100 students.

These people are full of fighting spirit and have always maintained a positive attitude.

Furthermore, they are very disciplined. After being divided into classes, each class will spontaneously elect a class leader to organize and coordinate class affairs.

This collective learning atmosphere was something Fang Wen had never seen before; it wasn't a competitive environment, but rather a collaborative effort to help each other and make progress together.

This is something rarely seen elsewhere; it's a unique style passed down from the Red Army.

Therefore, Fang Wen was relieved about their studies.

Next, we will go to the industrial base in northern Myanmar to organize the relocation of semiconductor factory production lines.

He went to the seaplane airport to wait, and a seaplane came from the north and landed on the water.

After the plane landed, Kuang Anming got off the plane.

Upon seeing Fang Wen, he asked anxiously, "How is my sister?"

“She’s recovered and is resting at home. I’ll take you to see her later, and bring Xie Yuelan with you,” Fang Wen said.

Xie Yuelan was a blind date arranged by Kuang Anming's sister, Kuang Mingzhu, in Wuhan. The two had known each other since childhood, and after meeting again through the blind date, they hit it off immediately and became boyfriend and girlfriend.

Xie Yuelan is currently working as a cashier in the finance department of Taishan headquarters. Fang Wen's idea is to have both Kuang Anming and Xie Yuelan take leave to accompany their wives.

Kuang Anming did not refuse, and Fang Wen then drove him back to the company. In his rooftop apartment, he explained to his wife that he had to go out and get busy again.

He then set off for northern Myanmar.

Two seaplanes landed at a seaport in the middle of an industrial park in northern Myanmar.

Fang Wen disembarked from one of the planes and went straight to the semiconductor factory to learn about the progress of the industrial relocation.

Bai Zeshan, who was in charge of the management of the entire semiconductor plant, took him to visit several branch plants.

At the semiconductor plant, apart from the polysilicon plant and the component plant, all other production lines have been dismantled and packed up along with the first batch of production materials.

Bai Zeshan then expressed his concerns: "If all sixteen tons of supplies are transported by plane, it will probably require many flights."

Fang Wen nodded, agreeing that the current payload capacity of the seaplane is 1.2 tons, and its internal space is limited, so it cannot transport the full weight of cargo on every flight.

It is estimated that it will take 15 flights to transport all of them.

But it's worth it. The market demand is huge, and the transportation costs are negligible compared to the profits of semiconductor radios.

Never underestimate the appeal of electronic products. Fang Wen predicted that semiconductor radios would generate astonishing profits in the absence of competitors.

The earlier production begins, the larger the supply to the market can generate profits, thereby stimulating market expansion.

Therefore, he insisted on using airplanes to transport all the supplies back to China as quickly as possible.

Since the general manager has made the decision, no one else has any objections.

Fang Wen then contacted the domestic authorities by telegram to inquire about the specific factory location for the industrial relocation.

Bai Yunfei, as Fang Wen's contact person, informed him of the arrangements via telegram.

The factory was located in Yan'an, not in the Jin-Cha-Ji base area.

This decision was indeed appropriate. Yan'an was located in the heart of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, in a relatively remote location, separated from the Yellow River, and was not the main direction of the Japanese army's attack.

According to Fang Wen’s memory, the Japanese army did not launch any large-scale ground offensives against the remote Yan’an during the entire war.

Therefore, Fang Wen immediately began loading and transporting the supplies.

Everyone loaded the packed supplies onto the seaplane.

Small items of supplies are fine, but the troublesome ones are the large pieces of equipment.

These devices can only be loaded through the rear hatch, and often after loading one piece of equipment, only some miscellaneous supplies can be loaded.

Larger installations, however, require transport by large transport aircraft like the Taishan-1.

In the end, a total of 18 aircraft were deployed, including 17 seaplanes and one large land-based transport aircraft, Taishan-1.

There are enough planes, but it would be a bit troublesome to fly them all the way back to China in one trip.

The main concern is that when transiting through the Yunnan-Guizhou-Sichuan route, especially when transiting through Sichuan, we might encounter difficulties.

After all, the Nationalist government has now completely moved to Chongqing, and the situation there is becoming increasingly complicated.

Fang Wen didn't want to be sabotaged by those high-ranking Nationalist government officials who planned to seize his assets during his layover in Chengdu.

With so many flights, intercepting just one or two would be enough to give Fang Wen a major headache.

Ultimately, Fang Wen decided not to go through Sichuan, but to transit through Xiangxi Airport.

The flight from Xiangxi Airport to Yan'an is 850 kilometers, which is no problem for a seaplane equipped with auxiliary fuel tanks.

The problem is that these aircraft are completely unprotected, and as a precaution, they must be escorted to ensure their safety.

Therefore, he telegraphed back to China, requesting escort from the Yan'an Air Force.

Pan Jiafeng was brought back to drive Taishan No. 1.

Everything was ready, and 17 seaplanes loaded with cargo were prepared for takeoff.

At the temporary land-based airfield next door, the Taishan-1 transport aircraft, a modified F.220 night strategic bomber, was also ready.

This flight brought together a large number of outstanding pilots from Taishan Airlines, including those from civil aviation and gunboat squadrons. Even Pan Jiafeng came to pilot the Taishan No. 1.

What about Fang Wen?
He piloted the Taishan high-speed fighter jet (the first prototype) to provide escort throughout the entire journey.

Sitting in the cockpit, Fang Wen issued commands through the microphone.

"Pan Jiafeng, you take off first in Taishan No. 1 and lead the flight."

"The remaining seaplanes took off in sequence after the Taishan-1 took off."

After receiving his order, Pan Jiafeng piloted the Taishan No. 1 into the sky, and seaplanes followed suit.

Led by Taishan-1, they formed a transport aircraft group and flew north.

At this moment, Fang Wencai started the aircraft engine, took off rapidly, and flew into the air.

The first-generation aircraft had an average speed of 450 kilometers per hour, and quickly caught up with the group of aircraft.

It was precisely because the speed was too fast that he was not suitable to be the lead plane leader, which is why Pan Jiafeng was chosen.

Fang Wen then acted as an escort.

As the first-generation aircraft flew over Taishan-1, Pan Jiafeng spoke over the radio, his voice full of envy: "Master, our first-generation aircraft is really fast. When can I fly it too?"

Fang Wen picked up the microphone: "If you want to fly, you have to take the exam. Even the Yan'an Aviation Team members have to relearn. You just have a higher foundation than others, which does not mean that you can fly a high-speed aircraft with an average speed of 450 kilometers per hour without training."

His words, though harsh, were reasonable. The Il-16's top speed was close to 400 kilometers per hour, while the Taishan's first-generation fighter had a top speed of 550 kilometers per hour. The difference was too great, and even elite pilots would have to adapt.

Even if Pan Jiafeng had test-flown it once under his guidance, it wouldn't be enough.

Pan Jiafeng responded over the radio: "Understood, Master. I will apply for training after I finish this flight."

"It's not time yet, let me finish this first. Alright, Pan Jiafeng, I'll scout ahead, you lead the team."

After Fang Wen finished speaking, he piloted the plane and sped off at a normal speed of 450 kilometers per hour, leaving the transport planes far behind.

It's almost twice as fast.

While flying at high speed, Fang Wen activated his mechanical senses and used radar to survey his surroundings.

However, no suspicious aircraft feedback was detected.

The transport planes flew into the country without incident.

The transport aircraft departed from the airport in northern Myanmar and flew to the airport in western Hunan.

Because all the aircraft were equipped with auxiliary fuel tanks, they flew directly to Xiangxi Airport, 1300 kilometers away, without stopping at any transit airports, despite having a large fuel load.

The journey seemed to have been uneventful.

At least that's what Fang Wen thought; his mechanical senses hadn't detected any suspicious enemy activity. But not everything was under his control.

More than a dozen planes flew overhead, and they could be seen from the ground.

Every time it flew over an area, it attracted the attention of people below.

One of these places is located deep in the mountains of Yunnan and Guizhou.

The mule caravan stopped, and everyone looked up at the sky.

Most of these people were locals, dressed in local clothing, while a few others were clearly from outside the mountains, dressed in a way that suggested they were from elsewhere.

The leader of the mule and horse caravan said to two of them, "Young Master Lin, Master Lin, look at the planes in the sky. Those are seaplanes from Taishan Airlines."

"What are all these planes for?" Young Master Lin asked, puzzled.

"I don't know either. I heard they flew their planes overseas. They must have something important to do when they come back this time," the team leader replied casually.

The Lin father and son exchanged a glance and immediately announced a temporary break.

They set up camp with the mule caravan, while they themselves led their men to the other side.

There, the two stopped communicating in Chinese and switched to Japanese.

“Inoue-kun, there must be something important about these planes. We must report it immediately.”

“What Yokono-kun is right. Taishan Airlines is becoming an increasingly serious threat to us, and anything that can be used to strike it down is important. Go and send the message.”

They then took out a telegraph machine and reported the situation of the aircraft.

These people, disguised as merchants traveling through the Ten Thousand Mountains, probably had other purposes in mind.

It took the transport fleet four hours to reach the airspace over Zunyi, and it was still nearly 300 kilometers away from Xiangxi Airport.

That is, a flight of just over an hour.

Fang Wen relaxed somewhat in response, since Xiangxi Airport was located in the rear area, and the Japanese army's main attack direction was currently Wuhan. The nearest military airfield in the war zone was estimated to be 6 to 700 kilometers away. It was unlikely that they would cross hundreds of kilometers to attack civilian aircraft here.

But then, to his surprise, he discovered from the radar detection device that there was feedback from an aircraft in the 300-kilometer edge of the detection limit.

Located to the east, the number of aircraft is constantly increasing.

And its course was directly aligned with the transport aircraft group.

At this rate, they will probably intercept the transport planes in 40 minutes.

What the hell? Which side's aircraft is that?

Fang Wen couldn't help but feel puzzled.

Could they be warplanes that the Nationalist Air Force withdrew from the front lines?

Impossible. After the fall of Zhoujiakou Airport, the Nationalist Air Force's operational bases were moved to Wangjiadun Airport in Hankou and military airports in Xiaogan. In addition, there was also an air force base in Nanchang.

It's impossible to fly this way from either of those directions unless we've gotten lost.

But they were clearly flying in formation, how could they have gotten lost together?

A flight path map quickly appeared in Fang Wen's mind.

Judging from the flight paths of these aircraft, they came from the area between Wuhan and Nanchang.

That area is currently a fiercely contested zone, and Japanese frontline fighter planes are taking off from that direction to launch air raids on Wuhan and Nanchang.

It seems that my flight has been targeted by the Japanese air force.

Fang Wen's expression turned cold, but he did not become nervous or flustered.

He picked up the phone.

"Pan Jiafeng, you need to temporarily change your flight path and fly 30 degrees west. Wait for my notification before returning to base."

"Master, has something happened?" Pan Jiafeng asked anxiously.

"There might be enemy planes coming. You're too slow. It's best to avoid them first. I'll act according to the situation."

"Yes, Master, please be careful."

Pan Jiafeng immediately piloted the Taishan No. 1 westward, and the seaplane behind him also turned accordingly.

He had absolute confidence in Fang Wen, but he was worried that the transport plane might be overtaken and suffer losses.

Fang Wen also made this judgment.

He could easily deal with the incoming enemy aircraft, but he couldn't afford to worry about so many slow and undefended seaplanes.

Now, by anticipating and evading the enemy's movements, Fang Wen can get the transport planes to bypass him in advance and have a proper fight with them.

Fortunately, the first-generation Taishan aircraft had not yet been tested in actual combat, so this would allow us to obtain some combat data.

He entered combat mode, conducted a comprehensive check of the aircraft's performance using mechanical sensing, and after confirming that there were no problems, flew towards the direction of the approaching enemy.

The fighter jet, with its speed increased to 500 kilometers per hour, quickly approached the enemy aircraft.

Through mechanical perception, Fang Wen accurately determined the other party's location even before they appeared in his line of sight.

At high speeds, the distance between the two sides is constantly decreasing.
10 km, 5 km
At a distance of five kilometers, several black dots appeared in the distance.

From this position, the enemy could not see it, but Fang Wen could clearly see the Japanese flag pattern on the enemy plane.

Having confirmed that they were undoubtedly enemies, Fang Wen immediately entered combat mode.

The plane's speed increased again, reaching 540 kilometers per hour.

The enemy was traveling at 400 kilometers per hour, while Fang Wen was traveling at 540 kilometers per hour. They were flying head-on, and after a short while, they came into view.

The seven Japanese Type 7 fighter planes were startled when they suddenly saw the unidentified Chinese fighter planes appear in front of them.

Before they could react, Fang Wen had already made his move.

The Taishan first-generation aircraft, flying at high speed, veered and flipped.

At the same time, all eight machine guns on the left and right flanks fired in unison.

The barrage of bullets formed a swirling vortex, engulfing the enemy aircraft.

The sudden burst of firepower was too intense!

Two Type 97 fighter jets were caught in a storm of bullets, being strangled by the spinning, sweeping bullets.

The wings, fuselage, and cockpit were riddled with bullet holes.

In just a few seconds, Fang Wen's plane soared into the sky, separating itself from the enemy fighter group.

This surprise aerial combat resulted in two enemy fighter jets being riddled with holes and crashing to the ground amidst black smoke.

This strike, just as described by ancient assassins, was swift and deadly.

At this point, the enemy had five Type 5 fighter planes left.

After losing two fighter planes in a single encounter, the Japanese pilots finally figured out what was going on.

There was only one enemy, whose aircraft was far superior to the Type 97 and whose weapons were much more powerful.

But in the end, there was only one person. The remaining five Japanese pilots communicated with hand gestures in the air, and the planes split to the left and right.

They wanted to use a pincer movement tactic to prevent Fang Wen from covering both ends.

This was indeed very effective for other lone pilots, but it was useless against Fang Wen.

In his mechanical perception state, he becomes one with the aircraft, possessing a global perspective, meaning no enemy can escape his perception, no matter where they are.

He sneered. Since the Japanese wanted to play, then let's play a game of hide-and-seek in the air.

(This image is a spoiler; the first-generation machine gun, the improved second version, features an external Gatling automatic machine gun, which is the future Vulcan cannon, greatly increasing its firepower.)

(End of this chapter)