Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 556 Airborne Multiple Rocket Launcher: Successful Air Combat Return

Battlefield in Wucheng Town.

Both air and ground battles were exceptionally intense.

This place served as a strategic defensive position in the lower reaches of the Gan River. If it were lost, the Japanese army could advance directly into Nanchang along the Gan River, thus bringing Nanchang into the stage of ground warfare.

At the same time, it will also lose the excellent defensive terrain of Poyang Lake.

Therefore, even the 4th Air Group, which had been supporting the airspace over Changsha, was mobilized to engage the Japanese air raiders.

But the most dazzling aspect of today's battle was the two gunboats.

Through sustained firepower, they actually caused enormous damage to the Japanese rear artillery positions, giving the National Army a brief respite on the battlefield.

Air strikes continued, but relying solely on aircraft was insufficient to achieve devastating damage to ground forces.

This is also why Fang Wen has been vigorously developing air-ground coordination tactics.

But now the New Fourth Army's air regiment is newly established, and air-to-ground training has not yet been carried out, so where would the paratroopers come from to cooperate in combat?

As ammunition continued to be consumed, Fang Wen used his mechanical senses to observe the surrounding situation.

Japanese troops at the front were returning to provide support, and what particularly caught Fang Wen's attention were two teams of Japanese soldiers carrying anti-aircraft weapons on their shoulders.

This thing is like an enlarged version of the Hotchkiss machine gun (the Type 96 machine gun), but its caliber is similar to that of a 12.7mm aircraft machine gun.

It was a Japanese Type 13mm anti-aircraft machine gun.

When Fang Wenfei flew over the front line, he deliberately bypassed the air defense positions, but he did not expect that the other side would bring air defense weapons.

If it were placed near the range of artillery positions, it would pose a huge threat to gunboats and aircraft.

Of course, that's not acceptable.

Fang Wen picked up the microphone: "Shao Sishen, you guys continue the attack. I'll take care of some of the troublemakers."

"Received. Be careful," Shao Sishen replied over the radio.

"Ok."

After putting down the microphone, Fang Wen gave the order: "Cease fire and begin preparing ammunition. We are about to engage the next target."

After receiving the order, the three gunners stopped and began preparing ammunition with the ammunition handler.

Fang Wen then steered the plane toward the area where anti-aircraft guns were approaching.

There, Fang Wen also spotted a group of Nationalist soldiers sneaking up on him.

However, this behavior could not escape the observation of the Japanese army. They were discovered by the Japanese army in the nearby positions and forced to hide in a gully.

Fang Wen decided to lend them a hand while he was at it.

The gunboat engines roared low as it swooped down toward the ravine where the trapped Nationalist soldiers were located.

Soldiers on nearby Japanese positions hastily raised their guns and fired, bullets raining down on the gunboats and sending sparks flying across their fuselages.

In his mechanical sensing state, Fang Wen categorized the target area below, including the Japanese positions and two squads of Japanese soldiers carrying Type 2mm anti-aircraft guns.

"Thirty seconds to reach the attack zone. Stop reloading ammunition. Shooters, adjust your firing direction to 25 degrees below the horizon. Once adjusted, stand by!" Fang Wen shouted.

The three shooters immediately stood up, adjusted their guns and firing aiming cylinders, and followed orders to adjust the scales. Then they gripped their weapon grips, stared at the aiming devices on their guns, and looked outside.

The ammunition handler squatted to the side, nervously checking the spare ammunition beside him, ready to replenish it as soon as the ammunition belt was used up.

As time passed, they soon reached the attack zone.

Fang Wen steered the plane sideways, aiming it at the position below, and ordered, "Fire!"

Without hesitation, the three shooters pulled the triggers, and a large number of bullets poured out.

In the ravine, the Nationalist soldiers huddled together, bullets whizzing overhead, leaving small craters in the dry soil.

The company commander gripped his rifle tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. He quickly peered out and then pulled back, the approaching Japanese troops filling him with despair.

He regretted his greed for merit and his rashness. It would have been one thing if he had died here, but he had also implicated his brothers.

He thought of his hometown in Shanxi, his mother in Fuping, and his military career.

In recent years, I have been serving in the military outside the country, from the Jin-Sui Army to the 32nd Army. I started fighting the Japanese two years ago, fighting and retreating along the Pinghan North Line, retreating across the Yellow River, participating in the Battle of Xuzhou, and then retreating to Changsha. Then I went to Nanchang to participate in the Battle of Wuhan.

Now he has returned to Jiangxi and is stationed there, but he is in dire straits.

Besides his soldiers, he was also worried about his elderly mother at home, whom he hadn't seen for several years. Little did he know that his mother was almost going to take a Taishan Airlines flight to Henan to find him.

Just then, a roar came from above. He looked up sharply and saw the gunboat flying towards him.

Suddenly, flames shot out from the sides of the gunboat's wings, and bullets rained down on the Japanese troops like a storm.

The Japanese troops, who were advancing towards Tu'ao, were stunned by this sudden attack and fell to the ground one after another.

Meanwhile, planes circled overhead, firing at the two squads of Japanese soldiers carrying anti-aircraft machine guns, the bullets continuing to sweep downwards.

The Japanese squad was thrown into disarray. Some tried to put down the anti-aircraft guns, while others wanted to carry them away. They were unable to set up the guns in time, let alone fire them into the air.

One of the squads was hit by heavy air strikes, along with their machine guns, resulting in a bloody mess.

Without thinking twice, the Nationalist army company commander in the mountain valley grabbed his gun and shouted, "Brothers, we also have planes to help us, charge!"

After shouting, he was the first to leap out of the ravine, and the other soldiers followed closely behind, charging towards the Japanese army.

The aerial firing, personally directed by Fang Wen, was highly effective, striking two targets in one go.

This impressed Commander Li of the New Fourth Army's Flying Regiment. He was indeed the strongest pilot in China, not only with top-notch flying skills but also with unparalleled command and control capabilities in the air.

The battle is still ongoing.

The Japanese soldiers on this side and two squads carrying anti-aircraft weapons were unable to resist the air attack. They were then attacked by a company of Nationalist soldiers who rushed out from the ravine, and were immediately routed.

As a result, the National Army company not only suffered no losses, but also captured a position and seized some supplies.

At this moment, Fang Wen became nervous.

Two Japanese fighter planes managed to break free from the 4th Squadron's pursuit and headed towards the gunship aircraft.

He immediately ordered: "Enemy aircraft are attacking. Cease fire on the ground immediately and await orders to adjust the firing direction. Gong Xiuneng, go to the rear cabin and set up the special weapons."

As firing ceased, the ammunition handler immediately got up to change the ammunition belt, and Gong Xiuneng also ran to the rear compartment.

Fang Wenze picked up the microphone and called out, "Shao Sishen, enemy planes are attacking. Cease ground attacks and prepare for battle. I'm coming to your side." "Roger that."

After ending his call with Shao Sishen, Fang Wen piloted his plane toward the artillery position.

The two places were not far apart, and they arrived in a short while. The two gunboats flew side by side, forming a pincer movement.

But how could they deal with the Japanese warplanes, which were much faster and more agile?
Gunships posed a significant challenge in dealing with high-speed Japanese aircraft. While armored steel plates could withstand machine gun fire from Japanese aircraft, hitting a fast-moving enemy plane was not easy.

To address this, Fang Wen developed airburst bombs to prevent enemy aircraft from getting close, but this method mainly interfered with enemy aircraft and was not very destructive.

To solve this problem, the Taishan Research Institute developed a new type of aerial weapon: the 'Airborne Multiple Launcher Rocket Launcher'.

Of the New Fourth Army's 10 gunboats, only the No. 1 had this weapon, so it was a good opportunity to see its effectiveness in live ammunition during this air battle.

Gong Xiuneng, who had run to the rear cabin, pushed out a multi-barrel rocket launcher with a four-wheeled support frame and placed it at the rear cabin door.

This is the Taishan airborne rocket launcher.

It has a caliber of 82 mm and can fire 82 mm air-to-ground rockets with a range of 6 km and an effective range of 3 km. It can be fired horizontally or vertically.

Furthermore, this 82mm air-to-ground rocket has been specially modified, with its internal explosive section filled with a high-explosive projectile containing hundreds of steel balls. After being fired, it is detonated by a delayed fuse, creating a diffuse rain of steel balls with an blast radius of 20 meters.

By firing a large number of these explosive shells at the enemy aircraft's predetermined course, a blocking zone can be formed to attack the invading Japanese fighter planes.

Of course, this requires the pilot to accurately point out the firing direction to the gunner; otherwise, it will be impossible to hit the enemy.

Therefore, Fang Wen gave the order: "Gong Xiuneng, I will open the rear hatch. You adjust the elevation angle to 10 degrees and reach the optimal firing position. I will then give the order to fire. You will fire 10 rounds in quick succession. Understand?"

"clear."

Gong Xiuneng quickly adjusted the mortar's elevation angle, turned on the launch switches for 10 rockets in sequence, then opened the rear hatch and waited for the launch order, facing the strong winds rushing in.

The aircraft turned under Fang Wen's control, and after a moment, the firing angle was correct.

"Launch now."

Upon hearing the order, Gong Xiuneng pressed down the launch lever.

Ten rockets, ready for launch, were fired simultaneously, their flashes illuminating the cabin.

The launch was completed in an instant.

However, the smoke from the launch also filled the entire cabin.

A series of coughs rang out.

Fortunately, the rear hatch was open, and the smoke quickly dissipated under the strong wind.

Launching multiple rocket launchers from a confined cabin is not feasible.

For at least other pilots, using this weapon was far too risky.

But this time, under Fang Wen's command, they did a very good job.

Ten rockets, trailing orange-red flames, shot through the air toward two enemy aircraft three kilometers away.

Sunlight pierced through the steam trails formed by the contrails, casting ten distorted streaks of light across the azure sky, resembling ribbons from afar.

At a distance of 500 meters from Japanese warplanes, the delayed fuse of the first rocket was triggered precisely on time.

A muffled explosion resounded high in the sky, and a blinding white light burst forth from the center of a pale gray smoke cloud. More than a hundred steel balls, propelled by the blast wave, formed a rapidly spreading silver-gray fan shape.

Nine rockets followed, detonating in quick succession within seconds. The combined blast radius of each rocket, 20 meters, was considerable, creating a deathly barrier gleaming with the cold light of metal along the path the enemy aircraft were bound to take.

Two Type 96 fighter jets flying at high speed were caught off guard and crashed into the steel ball rain.

The lead fighter jet's wing was instantly torn open with dozens of holes, sparks flew from the engine cowling, and the pilot didn't even have time to react before being hit in the face by a steel ball that came flying at an angle. Blood gushed down the windshield, and the fighter jet tumbled and fell like a kite with a broken string.

It was lucky.

The second fighter jet flew into the core explosion zone, only to be struck by a hail of steel beads from all directions.

The wings and fuselage were instantly riddled with bullet holes. The machine gun pods under the wings were destroyed, and the fuel leaking from the punctured fuel tank atomized into oil mist in the strong wind.

The plane was riddled with holes and eventually exploded into a ball of fire before crashing to the ground.

At this point, Fang Wen announced, "Alert lifted. The two enemy planes have been destroyed."

He picked up the microphone and said, "Shao Sishen, the alert is lifted. We can return to base now."

"receive."

Shao Sishen's radio responses remained concise and clear, but the joy of victory permeated the air between the two gunboats.

The air support for Wucheng Town ended, and the two gunboats returned to base and landed at the sea airport.

As this is the first real-world exercise, timely summarization is the best way to learn.

Therefore, the officers of the flight regiment that participated in the operation held a debriefing meeting after disembarking, which Fang Wen and Shao Sishen also attended.

During the meeting, Commander Li started the discussion.

"Comrades, in our first combat operation, although only two gunship aircraft were deployed, we achieved a brilliant result: the destruction of an artillery position, a Japanese front-line position, and two enemy aircraft. This battle was entirely due to Comrade Fang Wen's command. His superb flying skills and command abilities were the key to the success, but it also demonstrated the advantages of gunship aircraft in war. Now, let's hear from Comrade Fang Wen."

Fang Wen stood up: "This operation, from departure to combat, has been conducted in accordance with the gunship flight procedures for the most part. Please remember that without rules, there can be no order. In my opinion, if we strictly follow the gunship flight procedures, the rest depends on the wartime performance of the pilots and crew members. Both are indispensable."

The code of conduct for gunboat pilots was formulated with Fang Wen's participation and is strictly enforced in the Taishan Independent Regiment and the Eighth Route Army Flight Regiment. Fang Wen brought it up this time to make Commander Li and the others understand its importance.

Commander Li nodded and stood up voluntarily.

"The rest of us in the regiment have a strict requirement: we must memorize the flight guidelines for gunship aircraft. Now I will recite them on behalf of everyone."

Commander Li recited a lot of content, which can be summarized as follows: gunboat flights must strictly adhere to safety standards, verify the compatibility of weapons with the airframe before takeoff, control load balance, and avoid unfavorable airspace; weapons use must follow standardized procedures, including preparation before firing, accurate target identification, and standardized ammunition management; tactical coordination is crucial, with aircrews using encrypted communication, reasonable formation coordination, and clear damage contingency plans; personnel must fulfill their respective responsibilities, with pilots maintaining flight stability and providing target prediction, gunners handling post-firing procedures and ammunition verification, and reasonable division of labor in emergencies; battlefield response requires proper authorization, allowing self-defense firing when necessary, controlling the impact zone, and timely evacuation as required.

He used recitation to show the regiment's emphasis on this matter.

The meeting then proceeded with a more detailed discussion.

Fang Wen answered their questions one by one, and reiterated: "Shao Sicheng is the best flight consultant. He knows everything I know. You can get answers to any questions you have in the future from him."

Commander Li nodded seriously: "We will learn from Advisor Shao, but there is still one problem. The weapon that was launched from the rear of the plane earlier seemed to be very powerful, but it is not very suitable for use on an aircraft. Can it be used on the ground?"

Fang Wen nodded: "It can indeed be used on the ground. I have already signed contracts with the military headquarters on both sides, and they will supply this kind of weapon and ammunition in the future."

(End of this chapter)