Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 577 Individual Rocket Launcher vs. Type 92 Infantry Gun, Eastern Front War

After annihilating the Japanese Sasaki Regiment at Jinqiangou, the soldiers of the 717th Regiment have begun to tally up their spoils.

The captured Type 38 rifles were piled up like a small mountain, along with several usable Type 96 machine guns and a lot of ammunition.

The prisoners were then gathered together and kept under guard.

Company Commander Zhang of the paratrooper company kicked the warped cannon barrel and laughed at the guerrilla captain beside him, "Old Zhou, this iron lump used to be a hot commodity, but now we don't even care about it!"

He and Lao Zhou were old comrades-in-arms who had fought together during the Long March, so their conversation was much more casual. Lao Zhou showed an envious expression: "You've really risen from humble beginnings to become a phoenix. Back when we were selecting paratroopers, I was just a little short; otherwise, this paratrooper company commander position would have been mine."

"Haha. That's because I'm lucky."

At this moment, five gunship aircraft are flying over the battlefield and heading southeast back to base.

The soldiers below all looked up at the sky and stood at attention.

Taihuai Town Command
A newly arrived telegram was on the table.

The chief of staff pointed to Tongqian Gully, circled in red on the map: "In this battle, we annihilated over 1000 Japanese soldiers and captured enough equipment to equip a battalion. More importantly," he held up the telegram, "this 'aerial reconnaissance + precision strike' tactic, combined with our army's mountain warfare and flanking maneuver capabilities, can produce very good tactical results."

The deputy commander suddenly interrupted, "The Tianjin underground party just sent a secret telegram: the Japanese North China Command has urgently dispatched a division to Baoding." He tapped his finger heavily on the Pinghan Railway line. "They're probably not only launching an attack on Wutai."

"You mean, the Japanese launched their attack from both the east and the west because they knew we were incapable of fighting on two fronts?"

"Correct."

"They have a plan, and we have a countermeasure. I think that air-ground coordinated operations are a good way to break the deadlock. We can quickly infiltrate and first wipe out the other four Japanese armies in the Wutai area to the west, and then launch a blocking attack on the Japanese army to the east in Quyang County."

"There's also the Mount Tai Storm, a weapon with immense power. If used properly, it can be incredibly effective on the eastern battlefield."

"The most urgent task now is to eliminate the enemy forces in the Wutai area as soon as possible."

After a brief discussion, the command headquarters ordered all units to take action.

"

Water airport
Fang Wen was stopped by Yan Wenwu as soon as he got off the plane: "Headquarters has ordered a full-scale operation to begin in two hours. Our flight regiment will launch multiple sorties to coordinate the operation. Your air command capabilities are beyond my reach. I hope you will temporarily take command of the flight regiment and continue to lead it in directing the upcoming operations."

"You want me to perform your duties?" Fang Wen asked in surprise.

“Yes, you know my men well; they were all trained by you. Operations are more important, so I hope you can accept this request,” Yan Wenwu pleaded.

"Okay, I accept."

Immediately, Yan Wenwu summoned all the officers and soldiers of the flight regiment to assemble on the airfield.

Yan Wenwu stood in front of the team and said loudly, "It is an order from higher command, and I am personally very willing to accept it. Fang Wen, the commander of the Taishan Independent Regiment, will temporarily take over the duties of the flight regiment commander and be responsible for the upcoming continuous air-to-ground coordinated strike operations. Does anyone have any objections to this?"

No one in the group spoke.

Then Yan Wenwu said, "Then please let Commander Fang talk to everyone."

Fang Wen walked up to the group and said, "Most of the officers and soldiers here were trained by me, and you are all familiar with me. Furthermore, I have commanded a flight regiment in a long-range airborne strike operation. We have a foundation for cooperation. However, the upcoming operation will be very intense, and I hope that everyone will strictly follow my orders and not act on their own. This is the only condition for my temporary control. Answer me loudly, okay?"

"can."

The officers and soldiers of the flight regiment responded in unison.

Fang Wen nodded, "Alright, all aircraft shall immediately begin maintenance and prepare ammunition. I require them to be ready for combat in one hour."

This order also included the two new gunboats he brought, and all the aircraft crews immediately began to work.

Fang Wenze and Yan Wenwu went to the telegraph room of the flight regiment headquarters to have follow-up communication with the command center.

According to the telegram communication, Fang Wen had a full understanding of the next steps.

Currently, the Eighth Route Army's forces deployed in the Wutai area are mainly composed of the 717th Regiment stationed locally, as well as local guerrillas and paratrooper companies from the air regiment.

The next plan is to launch an attack from the direction of Jingugou, targeting the nearest Japanese troops.

This way, they could attack from the tail to the head, gradually wiping out the various Japanese forces and leaving them with nowhere to escape.

However, to achieve this, continuous support from air power is essential.

These all require adaptability based on the battlefield situation, and Fang Wen is probably the only one who can do them with 100% certainty.

Time passed slowly, and the flight group's seaplane base was bustling with activity.

Pilots were adjusting communication equipment in the cockpit; machine gunners and ammunition handlers were running between the fighter jets carrying ammunition boxes, preparing large loads of 12.7mm machine gun ammunition and 20mm cannon ammunition.

The mechanics were carefully inspecting the aircraft; the ground crew were pushing refueling trucks, filling them with fuel from the fuel depot, and refueling each fighter jet.

After Fang Wen finished inspecting the aircraft he was piloting, he conducted troubleshooting for abnormal malfunctions on the other aircraft.

Through mechanical perception, he identified some potential hazards, but none of them were major problems and would not affect subsequent actions.

An hour later, preparations were complete, and the crew members waited outside their aircraft for the sortie order.

An officer from the flight regiment's telegraph office jogged over, holding a telegram, and shouted, "Regimental Commander Fang, we've received news that the 717th Regiment has encountered the Fujita Battalion and is currently engaged in combat. Command has ordered us to proceed immediately to provide support."

Fang Wen's eyes sharpened as he took the telegram and glanced at the landmarks on it.

It is located in Shizui Village, which is 3 kilometers away from Jingugou.

This place is connected to Tongqian Gou by the Tongqian Gou River. The Sasaki squadron that was previously annihilated was preparing to go from Tongqian Gou down the river to this place to meet up with another Japanese army.

The reason for being here is that there is a clear river here, and by following the clear river, one can reach Taihuai Town, the central area of ​​their current encirclement and suppression operation.

Now, it's impossible for Sasaki's team to come.

The 717th Regiment is engaged in battle with a battalion of the Japanese army.

However, from Fang Wen's perspective as an aviation officer, the 717th Regiment's enemies were not limited to this one Japanese army unit.

Another Japanese battalion is approaching Shizui Village. Once the two Japanese forces join forces, the 717th Regiment will be attacked from both sides.

Fang Wen immediately picked up the microphone and switched the walkie-talkie frequency.

"Airborne call to 717, please respond."

"This is July 17th."

"To your southwest, near the Qingshui River, another group of Japanese troops is approaching. I can send four gunship aircraft to strike them with air power and prevent them from getting closer. The rest of the aircraft will cooperate with you to deal with the Fujita Battalion."

"Okay, I'll send a company to assist in the interception."

After a brief exchange in the open, both sides immediately began their respective command operations. The four gunboats then adjusted their course, tilting their wings and diving southwestward, searching for traces of the Japanese army along the Qingshui River.

They quickly located the Japanese troops on the riverbank and began a circling aerial strafe around them.

Four gunboats circled overhead, raining bullets down, making it impossible for the Japanese troops to break through the layers of bullets and advance.

Fang Wen led the remaining six fighter jets and continued flying towards the main battlefield of Shizui Village.

Through mechanical perception, he clearly sensed that a company of soldiers was running rapidly along the river, and that it was the blocking force dispatched by the 717th Regiment.

What was the situation of the battle taking place here?
Fang Wen's perspective swept across the battlefield.

The soldiers of the 717th Regiment built a defensive line using the mud-brick houses at the entrance of the village. The Japanese army's Type 92 infantry guns were bombarding the walls of the houses, and each blast sent up a large amount of mud.

Several soldiers braved artillery fire to move through the broken wall, stopping just before reaching the enemy and launching their grenades into the air.

The grenade was launched over the broken wall and landed among the charging Japanese soldiers. After an explosion, they abandoned their comrades' bodies and retreated.

The 717th Regiment was the main attacking force, and the Japanese troops also wanted to break out of the village. The two sides engaged in fierce fighting at the village entrance.

Although the 717th Regiment lacked heavy firepower, it still managed to repel the Japanese charge using grenades and grenade launchers.

Fang Wen also saw soldiers of the 717th Regiment carrying individual rocket launchers on their shoulders, setting off together during their own offensive to launch rocket attacks on the Japanese army's fortified targets.

The rocket troops' target turned out to be three Type 92 infantry guns that the Japanese army had positioned at the entrance of the village.

The Type 92 infantry gun was a light artillery piece weighing only 200 kilograms. It could be fired directly or by volley and was the most widely used short-range artillery piece in the Japanese army.

However, it is not very powerful and is mainly used to attack close-range machine gun positions.

Fang Wen had previously planned to produce this type of infantry gun, but with the development of man-portable rocket launchers, he abandoned the idea.

This time, weapons from two different eras clashed.

As the Type 92 infantry gun fired its shells, agile Eighth Route Army soldiers, carrying individual rocket launchers on their shoulders, used one hand to brace themselves against the broken wall and then skillfully maneuvered around the infantry gun's firing range to reach behind another wall.

After a brief pause, he checked the position of the infantry gun through the gap in the wall, then suddenly stepped out from behind the wall, shouldered the gun, and aimed in one smooth motion.

The man-portable rocket, trailing its exhaust flame, struck one of the infantry guns, exploding in a burst of light and blasting the entire vehicle frame away.

Faced with this situation, the Japanese army launched a frenzied attack, rushing towards the rocket troops.

At this moment, Fang Wen also led the gunboats to launch an attack.

Gunships and aircraft descended from the sky, launching a fierce barrage of fire against the Japanese positions at the village entrance.

The 12.7mm machine gun fired a dense hail of bullets, and one by one, the charging Japanese soldiers fell to the ground like a string of candied hawthorns.

The bullets swept across the Type 92 infantry gun, and the barrel was hit by machine gun fire, producing a piercing metallic clang.

The subsequent 20mm machine gun fire wiped out both infantry guns along with the Japanese artillerymen operating them.

"Well done!" The commander of the 717th Regiment, seeing the gunboats circling and firing from the air, immediately gave the order, "Have the 3rd Battalion launch an immediate assault and take the position at the village entrance while the Japanese are suppressed by air fire!"

The soldiers of the Third Battalion immediately leaped out from behind the broken wall and nimbly rushed towards the Japanese position.

The Fujita Battalion soldiers, already suppressed by the air attack, were unable to cope and their position was taken away. They retreated into the depths of the village, leaving behind a trail of corpses.

Unbeknownst to them, their every move was being monitored by Fang Wen, who was in the air.

Fang Wen picked up the microphone: "Calling 717, the Japanese army is gathering in the west of the village. We can coordinate to take them out in one go."

"That's great. I'll organize the troops to attack in that direction right away."

After a brief exchange, the 717th Regiment crossed the village entrance and headed west of the village.

Prior to this, Fang Wen also led the gunboat squadron to launch a second round of fire strikes against the Japanese troops who had gathered in the west of the village.

The Japanese troops who had just arrived were unable to stick together due to the air fire that followed, and could only scatter among the houses in the west of the village to avoid the air fire.

Not long after, the 717th Regiment attacked and systematically defeated the disorganized Japanese troops.

Meanwhile, on the banks of the Qingshui River to the southwest, under the obstruction of four gunboats and aircraft, a ground force of the 717th Company suddenly appeared and intercepted the Japanese troops, preventing them from joining forces in time. The plan of the two Japanese battalions to attack from both ends thus failed.

The consequences of the defeat were severe; the Japanese army battalion in the village was annihilated.

Next, we'll have to deal with another Japanese battalion.

After leaving behind a small number of soldiers to search for fleeing Japanese troops, the 717th Regiment marched southwest towards the battlefield along the Qingshui River.

Under the fierce aerial firepower of 11 gunboats, this Japanese battalion was completely routed.

At this point, the Japanese army's five-pronged attack on Wutai Mountain had largely failed.

The remaining two troops are on their way to Taihuai Town. They have no reinforcements, no way to retreat, and no logistical supplies, making their defeat inevitable.

The ensuing battle became very easy.

In the mountainous terrain, the two Japanese units experienced air fire suppression and attacks from base area soldiers appearing from all sides.

They were eventually annihilated.

The counter-encirclement campaign at Wutai Mountain was a great success.

5000 Japanese troops entered the Wutai area, resulting in over 2000 deaths, over 1,000 missing, and hundreds captured.

This major military victory made the Japanese army in Taiyuan no longer dare to underestimate the Jin-Cha-Ji base area in the Taihang Mountains.

Meanwhile, in the east, another battle was not halted by the victories in the Wutai region.

Large numbers of Japanese troops set off from their strongholds along the Baoding-Pinghan Railway and marched toward Quyang County.

Meanwhile, Fang Wen, who had just finished the battle at Wutai, urgently piloted an aircraft carrying the Taishan Storm rocket launcher to Quyang.

The plane landed at a temporary airport outside Quyang County. As soon as it came to a stop, Fang Wen immediately got off the plane and organized people to unload the equipment.

Subsequently, Yan Huaixun and the Eighth Route Army trainees who had learned how to install and launch rocket launchers began assembling them together.

While they were assembling, Fang Wen also led two Taishan engineers to inspect the truck parked at the airport.

Although these three Japanese military vehicles were riddled with bullet holes, their engines were still functioning properly, and their tires had been replaced.

In this case, it can be used as long as the rocket launcher base is fixed inside the carriage.

(End of this chapter)