Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 553 World's First Airborne Rocket in Combat: New Fourth Army Air Regiment
A total of 10 Japanese warplanes are conducting an air raid below.

The next wave of airstrike aircraft is expected to arrive in 40 minutes.

This gap is the perfect opportunity for Fang Wen to make his move.

In his extraordinary state, he controlled a high-speed fighter jet as it swooped down from an altitude of ten thousand meters.

The target was a Japanese warplane.

The pilot of that fighter jet was the one Fang Wen saw using the air-launching incantation.

The Japanese air force, caught up in a frenzy, dropped all their bombs in the demilitarized zone, clearly doing so intentionally.

An inexplicable rage amplified Fang Wen's extraordinary abilities once again, causing all the items in the cockpit to float.

His perception was integrated into the television fire control system, incorporating it into the overall mechanical vision.

It was as if a window had been opened in the mechanical perception perspective, and that window displayed the television camera aiming scene separately.

8000 meters, 7000 meters, the altitude is decreasing rapidly.

Fang Wen, in his superhuman state, was performing calculations at high speed.

The Soviet-made Type 82 rocket has a maximum range of 6000 meters, which is high enough to allow for pre-aiming.

However, many factors need to be considered to ensure that an 82mm air-to-ground rocket hits its target.

The first generation of air-to-ground rockets without guidance used fixed tail fins, which were susceptible to uneven air resistance during flight, causing them to roll or yaw and resulting in "drifting" of their trajectory.

The thrust stability of the rocket engine is also crucial. Although the maximum range of the 82mm air-to-ground rocket is 6 kilometers, the trajectory dispersion will expand to tens of meters after 3 kilometers, making it difficult to hit small targets (fighter jets).

In addition, flight time and attenuation must be considered. It takes several to more than ten seconds for a rocket to travel from launch to impact with the target. During this time, the speed continuously decreases due to air resistance (the initial velocity of an 82mm air-to-ground rocket is about 300 meters per second, and it drops to below 150 meters per second after flying 5 kilometers). The trajectory drops significantly, and the amount of trajectory drop must be predicted in advance, otherwise "deviation" is likely to occur.

There are also environmental factors such as wind resistance and air turbulence.

It can be said that the hit rate is determined by a great many factors, and even Soviet pilots could not guarantee the hit rate.

But Fang Wen can, in his superhuman state, combine various factors to make predictive estimates.

The brain processed the data at high speed and arrived at the result.

He then controlled the aircraft to continue its dive, and only began to make minor adjustments to the rocket control stick when the fuselage reached an altitude of 5000 meters.

With his maneuver, the first rocket mounted under the right wing was adjusted to its firing angle.

Right now, Fang Wen pressed the first launch button on the right side of the joystick.

As the mounting catch releases, the rocket instantly detaches from the fuselage. Almost simultaneously, the tail propellant ignites, spewing flames that propel the rocket toward its target below.

An initial velocity of 300 meters per second allowed it to quickly close the distance to the target, reaching the target's altitude in 3 seconds.

At an operational altitude of 3000 meters, 10 Japanese warplanes are conducting an air raid.

The Jiangmen garrison's air defense capabilities are weak, allowing them to wreak havoc in the air with impunity.

Suddenly, a dark shadow flew by at high speed and instantly struck the right wing of one of the fighter jets.

The explosion occurred instantly, tearing the entire wing apart and affecting the interior of the aircraft.

The damage to the wing, combined with the shockwave, caused the fighter jet to flip over instantly, spinning and crashing towards the outskirts of Jiangmen City.

This sudden turn of events left the other Japanese warplanes bewildered.

Despite the absence of ground-based anti-aircraft fire, the weapon appeared to have been launched from the sky, judging from the angle of impact.

Moreover, this weapon is extremely powerful; a single hit can destroy a fighter jet.

They reacted immediately, abandoning the airstrike and organizing their formation to deal with the high-altitude attackers.

A single shot hit, taking down an enemy plane, filling Fang Wen with joy.

What pleased him was that the air-to-ground rockets in his hands had become as powerful as guided rockets, turning them into deadly weapons far more powerful than machine guns.

But then he was surprised to find that the remaining Japanese warplanes had quickly adjusted their formation.

He immediately used his X-ray vision to examine it.

Inside the enemy aircraft cockpit, an airman is using a radio communication device to conduct air communication.

Japanese warplanes were even equipped with airborne wireless communication devices!

Fang Wen's face turned cold; this was not a good sign.

But then he discovered the problem.

The airmen were shouting hysterically into the microphones, as if only in this way could they convey their voices to their allies.

Clearly, there was a problem with the equipment's performance. Fang Wen immediately used his X-ray vision to penetrate the enemy aircraft's wireless communication device to check.

He discovered that this thing was manufactured using quartz crystal oscillation and vacuum tube technology, which was very primitive.

In the confined space of an aircraft, the communication effect is very poor due to the engine, and it cannot be compared with Taishan's semiconductor wireless communication device at all.

Relieved, Fang Wen immediately began to deal with the Japanese warplanes below.

He steered the plane to the right, changing course to evade the pursuing enemy aircraft.

Nine Japanese warplanes quickly dispersed, with three climbing to a higher altitude, three maintaining a distance of 3000 meters, and the other three pursuing the plane piloted by Fang Wen.

Clearly, they realized they were facing no ordinary pilot, and from the very beginning they went all out, directly imposing a space blockade in an attempt to strangle their opponent.

This tactic, with nine against one, creates an aerial cage that seems difficult to break.

Fang Wen had encountered the same air blockade a few years ago.

At that time, he fought a duel with a Japanese noble pilot over the Bohai Sea. After the opponent was defeated, he actually sent 12 fighter planes to pursue and kill him, and also used air blockade.

At that time, Fang Wen could break free from the blockade of 12 aircraft, and he could also deal with the blockade of these 9 aircraft.

In his superhuman state, he transformed the entire airspace into a three-dimensional structure, quickly identifying the opponent's weaknesses.

He maneuvered the aircraft to roll and move horizontally, and by the time the fuselage was straightened, it was already outside the enemy's blockade.

But this is just the beginning; breaking out of the blockade is only to better target enemy aircraft.

From this position, Fang Wen was face-to-face with a fighter jet.

The Type 97 carrier-based aircraft charged head-on, attempting a desperate head-on firefight.

Fang Wen would never do that.

He quickly aimed at his opponent, adjusted the rocket's trajectory using the control stick, and launched a second rocket when the opponent was still more than 1000 meters away.

The second rocket on the right wing detached from its mounting, flames erupted from its tail, and it shot towards the enemy aircraft.

The two collided head-on, and within just two seconds, the rocket hit the other aircraft.

Flames erupted from the entire nose section of the aircraft, and the exploding rocket completely destroyed the enemy aircraft's cockpit.

After dealing with the enemy aircraft, Fang Wen immediately climbed to a higher altitude, shaking off the enemy aircraft's attempt to flank him from above, and used his superb flying skills to maneuver around to the rear.

20mm cannon shells were poured at the tail of the enemy aircraft.

They shot down yet another enemy aircraft in mid-air.

Destroying three enemy planes in a row was not Fang Wen's limit, but only the beginning.

In his superhuman state, he transformed into an aerial killing machine, wreaking havoc on Japanese warplanes.

A Type 97 fighter jet, attempting a flanking maneuver from the right, thought it could succeed by exploiting a blind spot. However, just as it entered its attack path, Fang Wen had already locked onto its trajectory using three-dimensional airspace perception. Instead of immediately turning to evade, he charged towards another enemy aircraft.

Using its speed advantage, it easily shook off the attacker behind it and shot down its wingman.

Then, he controlled the plane to turn sideways and face the attacking enemy aircraft.

In the moment of the enemy aircraft's surprise, the rockets under its wings had already been angled. The rockets shot out, trailing orange-red flames, and struck the enemy aircraft's landing gear on its belly.

The explosion destroyed not only the landing gear but also damaged the aircraft's fuel lines, causing the plane to crash amidst flames.

The remaining six enemy planes were completely panicked. Two of them tried to stick together for defense, but due to the pilots' excessive tension, they almost collided while turning in unison.

As a result, the two planes flew erratically to the left and right.

This mistake was fatal.

Fang Wen seized this opening, piloted his fighter jet to catch up with one of them, quickly aimed, and pressed the trigger of the machine gun. A barrage of 20mm shells instantly enveloped the fighter jet's engine compartment, the propeller abruptly stopped, and it plummeted into the clouds below, billowing black smoke.

The remaining five enemy planes finally realized that the formation was no longer effective and that the enemy was a super-skilled fighter in the air force.

They then abandoned their formation and began fighting independently.

One of them turned directly towards the coast, abandoned the plane, and one person escaped.

After it started, the other four planes all turned and fled at the same time.

Facing 10 opponents, they achieved a record of shooting down 5 aircraft. This terrifying adversary caused the Japanese air raid squadron to collapse.

This was a situation Fang Wen hadn't anticipated.

He was considering whether or not to give chase.

But the battlefield is always changing rapidly, and his thirty minutes of combat had already prompted the Japanese air force commander to change his response.

According to the radar detection system, a formation of 20 aircraft, the next wave of air strikes, is accelerating towards the surface from the sea.

If they pursue them, they will be surrounded by even more aircraft.

Fang Wen didn't want to do something so reckless.

But the purpose of this mission to support Jiangmen is to test air-to-ground rockets, so we can't just take the remaining three rockets back with us.

His gaze fell upon the ground battlefield.

Outside Jiangmen city, Japanese troops were equipped with mortar positions and six Type 6 tanks for combat support.

These direct-fire air-to-ground rockets are highly dependent on the pilot's skill; they can be used to hit anything.

Why don't you try using it against tanks?!
Fang Wen acted immediately upon thinking of it, controlling the aircraft to dive down, quickly aiming at the tanks below, and launching three rockets simultaneously. He then climbed to high speed and quickly withdrew.

Outside Jiangmen city, the Japanese army is intensifying its attack on the city.

Although the situation in the air was unexpected, the advantage on the ground remained, and the Japanese soldiers believed that capturing the city was inevitable.

The Type 97 medium tank led the way, advancing under fire from the Nationalist army's machine guns, its cannons rotating, seemingly about to fire at the Nationalist army's positions.

At that moment, three dark figures flew rapidly from the sky.

Two of the six tanks were hit directly in the frontal and top armor, while the other was hit in the side track.

After the violent explosion, cracks appeared in the frontal armor of the tank.

The Japanese soldiers inside the tank had been knocked unconscious by the explosion.

Although explosive rockets do not penetrate armor, they can still damage tanks like howitzers.

Therefore, the Japanese tanks hurriedly rearwarded, fearing that the strange warplane in the sky would continue to attack them.

But then, the fighter jet just left.

Five minutes later, a large Japanese air formation appeared over Jiangmen.

Air support for Jiangmen has ended.

Fang Wen piloted the plane back to northern Myanmar.

He did what he could.

To resolve the crisis in Jiangmen, the 12th Group Army still needs to send troops to provide support.

Only in that way can the Independent Regiment coordinate its operations.

But now, the 12th Army Group is holding back, and the Independent Regiment is unable to face so many Japanese troops.

Therefore, Fang Wen had no choice but to keep the Independent Regiment on high alert.

The plan for late March remained unchanged: to go to the New Fourth Army to form a flight regiment.

After contacting them by telegram, Fang Wen learned the location of the New Fourth Army's air regiment.

It is located within the territory of Jinxian County, Jiangxi Province.

Located south of Poyang Lake, the area has two lakes: Junshan Lake and Qinglan Lake, which are ideal for building a seaplane airport.

Immediately, preparations began at the base in northern Myanmar.

Ten gunboats were taken off from the No. 2 aircraft manufacturing plant and moored on the water, waiting to take off.

Shao Sishen led the New Fourth Army aviation cadets from Yangon, waiting to board the plane for departure.

In addition, we need to prepare some supplies to take with us.

Various repair parts, engine oil, compressed military rations, bullets, communication equipment, etc.

Fang Wen was busy on two fronts, supervising the renovation of Taishan No. 1 on one hand, and preparing supplies on the other.

Even so, problems still kept coming to them.

3 month 23 day.

The flight team is scheduled to depart tomorrow.

Fang Wen also stopped supervising the construction of Taishan No. 1 to check whether all materials were complete and whether there were any potential problems with the 10 gunboats.

At that moment, someone from the confidential telegraph room of the base in northern Myanmar passed by with a telegram.

"General Manager, there is a telegram from abroad with a very strange format."

Fang Wen stopped what he was doing and took the telegram to check it.

It was a Soviet telegram. They found it strange because they had never used Russian Morse code before.

Fang Wen found the Russian code and translated the telegram.

[Aerodynamics Research Institute: We have learned that you conducted an air combat operation south of Guangzhou, during which you used air-to-ground rockets. We hope you can write down the details of your rocket-propelled combat experience and share it with us.]

After reading the telegram, Fang Wen pondered.

I can consider myself the first pilot to use air-to-ground rockets in combat.

This process certainly has research and teaching value.

It would be better to write it down, both to give a copy to the Soviets to enhance relations and to leave it as a teaching case for aviation schools.

He still had time today, so after finishing his inspection work, he went to his personal office at the research institute to think about how to start writing.

What should I write?

I definitely can't write about using superpowers; I have to write about things that are useful to ordinary pilots.

He then picked up his pen and began to write.

82mm air-to-ground rocket, launching techniques:
[My personal summary in 16 characters]

[Shorter firing range + target prediction + environmental adaptation + tactical compensation]

[By compressing the attack range (usually within 2 kilometers) to reduce ballistic deviation, utilizing salvo fire to cover the target area, and combining this with the pilot's prediction of target movement and the environment, effective hits can be achieved despite technological limitations.]

(End of this chapter)