Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 590 The Cavalry Force Behind Enemy Lines, Military-Technical Cooperation, Nomonhan Military Observer Fang Wen
The transport fleet did not take off as planned, but instead waited for the airdropped supplies to be loaded.

The original supplies on the plane that Fang Wen was piloting were removed and loaded into other transport planes of the same crew, and the empty cabin was converted to load airdropped supplies.

To ensure the safe landing of the airdropped supplies, Fang Wen also organized the pilots and accompanying crew members to take out the spare airdrop parachutes from the transport aircraft and attach them to the supply boxes.

After all the supplies equipped with airdrop parachutes were loaded, Fang Wen led the transport aircraft formation into takeoff.

First and foremost, of course, is to safely deliver the transport aircraft formation to the base area.

Therefore, Fang Wen led the team to fly slightly north. After crossing the Yellow River, they flew up along the Lüliang Mountains until they reached the Qizhou area. Then they flew east across the basin between the Lüliang and Taihang Mountains and entered the base area controlled by the Taihang Mountains on the northern foothills.

At 1 p.m., the transport fleet landed safely on the water at Fuping Water Airport.

Sea transport planes arrived at the shore one after another, and the soldiers on the dock were busy. Some were busy securing the aircraft anchor ropes, while others had already set up gangplanks to unload the cargo.

Fang Wengang stepped out of the cockpit and jumped onto the shore via the wet gangway. He saw a figure in a gray military uniform walking quickly towards him—it was Bai Yunfei, who was in charge of receiving aerial supplies for the base.

"General Manager Fang, we've been waiting for you!" Bai Yunfei shook Fang Wen's hand, his voice filled with excitement. "This batch of airdropped supplies is just in time. The soldiers on the front lines are short of ammunition and medicine. Your arrival has solved their urgent problem!"

Fang Wen smiled and spoke to him, "How have you been lately?"

"The Japanese suffered heavy losses in the last ambush at Manshi Road, and their western front sweep also failed. They haven't launched any further encirclement and suppression campaigns against our base areas recently. However, they've been sending more and more spies; we've already arrested several, all of them gathering intelligence on our forces. To maintain secrecy, we've strengthened security around the air regiment and the Taishan Storm rocket convoy's base. In addition, we're also proactively launching attacks on the Pinghan Railway."

According to Bai Yunfei's description, the base launched a strong offensive, sending troops from multiple directions in the area near the Pinghan Railway to engage in a protracted war with the Japanese army.

Relying on the convenient 3-kilometer long-range communication capability of walkie-talkies, the guerrilla warfare coordination became increasingly skillful, causing the Japanese a great deal of trouble.

In order to ensure the passage of the Pinghan Railway, the Japanese army has now recalled one division to be stationed in towns, stations and strongholds along the route, together with the original defensive forces.

However, the Japanese army's pillbox tactics are no longer as effective as they used to be.

The guerrilla units, equipped with individual rocket launchers for assault operations, successively destroyed several strongholds, forcing the Japanese army to reduce its troop strength and abandon many small pillbox strongholds.

Hearing this, Fang Wen was delighted. He led Bai Yunfei to the unloaded cargo boxes next to them, opened one of the boxes, and took out a heavy-duty military bicycle. He then demonstrated the bicycle assembly to Bai Yunfei on the spot.

This military heavy-duty bicycle consists of several parts: the front, wheels, and frame. Once assembled and secured with rivets, it is ready to use.

Bai Yunfei and the soldiers were quite surprised to see that Fang Wen had assembled the bicycle in less than half an hour.

Fang Wen hopped on the bicycle and explained, "This thing has a load capacity of 200 kilograms and a weight of 26 kilograms. It's suitable for riding on flat ground, but it requires a lot of strength to pedal, so it's more suitable for soldiers."

As he spoke, he pedaled and rode the heavy-duty bicycle around once.

Bai Yunfei looked at the bicycle as if it were a treasure.

"This is great. In the plains, the Japanese army uses mechanized equipment to march, and we are often at a disadvantage because of the speed difference. If we have this, we can form a cavalry corps to carry out operations behind enemy lines."

"Battle by bicycle?" Fang Wen was surprised. In the history he knew, there was no large-scale battle fought by bicycle.

But upon reflection, this can also be adapted to local conditions.

Military transport bicycles can meet the mobility requirements of soldiers without the need for fuel or complicated maintenance.

The North China Plain is particularly well-suited to this type of motorized riding.

Its cost is also low; the resources required to build one tank can be used to build 1000 heavy-duty military bicycles.

Not to mention, its portability and ease of transport are features that tanks cannot match.

Taishan Airlines cannot currently airlift a tank weighing nearly 30 tons to the north.

But transporting 1000 bicycles is much simpler.

At this moment, Fang Wen clearly realized that while the technological advancement of military equipment was important, practical needs could not be ignored.

He solemnly declared, "Take these 100 heavy-duty bicycles and try them out first. If they work well, I can produce more in a short time and supply them to you."

"Okay," Bai Yun replied.

Subsequently, Baiyun organized several quick-thinking soldiers to learn how to assemble bicycles. After learning, they planned to transport the parts out of the mountains in batches by oxcart and distribute them to the enemy-occupied troops in Quyang.

Fang Wen didn't need to personally teach them how to assemble bicycles; the transport plane pilots and crew members happily came over, mingled with the soldiers, and started assembling bicycles together.

Fang Wenze and Bai Yunfei discussed the airdrop.

"Did you know about the airdrop?"

"I have received a telegram from Yan'an, and the Fourth Army Group has replied that it will be at 11 p.m. tonight. At that time, they will light guiding torches in the Zhongtiao Mountains northeast of Yuncheng."

Having confirmed the nighttime airdrop, Fang Wen inspected the aircraft, refueled it, and then waited.

Several hours later, at 9:20 p.m., he piloted the plane and took off into the dark night.

In the vast night sky, the moon was hidden behind dark clouds, with only a few stars bringing some light to the darkness.

The darkness not only causes loss of vision, but also blurs spatial perception.

In this day and age, flying in such an environment is extremely dangerous, especially in mountainous terrain, where a mishap could easily result in a collision with a mountain or getting lost.

Therefore, Fang Wen's nighttime flight and airdrops are unique skills that no one can imitate.

Under Fang Wen's control, with the mechanical sensing function activated, the aircraft flew directly south along the Taihang Mountains.
At an altitude of 4000 meters, airplanes, completely invisible from the ground, streak across the sky.

The mechanical sensing was like an invisible net, clearly feeding back to Fang Wen the airflow within a hundred meters around the aircraft, the outline of the mountains below, and even the scattered turbulent airflow in the distance.

The earth is black and white.

Although it's a bit blurry, you can still see various ground conditions.

The mountains were a pale black, and the clouds were a ghastly white.

And there was the roar of propellers.

Time is slipping away quietly.

Flight continues.

Below, the Taihang Mountains gradually descend in elevation.

However, an hour and a half later, after the plane entered the Zhongtiao Mountains, the terrain below became treacherous again.

Although the mountains are steep, the entire mountain area is much smaller than that of the Taihang Mountains, and there are low hills and mountains around it.

Fang Wen lowered his altitude and slowed down, using mechanical sensors to search for the guidance airdrop signal from the Fourth Army Group below.

where?
In the mechanical perception, there are steep mountains and white mist.

Humans are very small in the mountains and need to be very careful to see the signs.

Under Fang Wen's control, the plane circled over the mountainous area, searching.

Fang Wen saw it when it flew the third lap.

A light appeared on a high mountain in the northwest.

Fang Wen immediately piloted the plane to descend and approach that location.

As they drew closer, the situation below became increasingly clear. A hundred soldiers held aloft torches, providing nighttime guidance.

Fang Wen lowered the altitude again, and the plane was only a few hundred meters away from the mountaintop.

The roar of propellers echoed from high above.

The soldiers below all looked up.

Just then, the moon broke free from the cover of the dark clouds.

The plane's shadow was visible through the bright moonlight.

"We saw it!" the soldiers shouted, raising their torches.

Fang Wen maintained this altitude, circling on the mountaintop, and at the same time ordered: "Gong Xiuneng, prepare for airdrop."

"It's the regimental commander."

Gong Xiuneng and the other crew members began preparations for the airdrop.

Open the bottom hatch cover and turn the lever to raise the airdrop rail.

Subsequently, under Fang Wen's command, supply crates with parachutes attached were placed on the airdrop rails and slid out.

Small white flowers bloomed in the air and slowly fell down.

The vast majority landed on the mountaintop and mountainside, with only a few drifting away and landing in more distant places.

The soldiers of the Fourth Army below, led by their officers, began collecting the airdropped supplies, while Fang Wen piloted the plane back to base.

The nighttime airdrop was successfully completed, and Fang Wen returned to Fuping.

After a night's rest, the transport team took off again, heading to Yanchuan Airport.

There, boxes of transistor radios and Taishan brand cigarettes were loaded onto airplanes to be shipped abroad and sold in Europe.

After the shipment was loaded, Fang Wen remembered something.

The Battle of Nomonhan.

This was the largest air battle between the Soviet Union and Japan, and the first air battle to employ a swarm attack with air-to-ground rockets. Fang Wen was eager to experience it firsthand so he could gain valuable experience in large-scale air battles.

Therefore, Fang Wen, on a whim, used the airplane's high-powered transmitter to send a telegram to the Soviet Aerodynamics Research Institute.

Leningrad, Aerodynamics Institute.

Director Petrov is organizing a scientific practice activity.

In order to give researchers at the institute practical experience in aviation, the director required all technical staff to learn how to fly.

He believes that researchers who cannot fly and do not understand how to fly cannot develop new types of aircraft.

However, not all technicians are suitable for flying airplanes, and this scientific practice activity has drawn criticism from the institute.

He was also very troubled by this.

"Director, there's a telegram from Taishan Military Industry." The head of the institute's telecommunications department came in with a telegram.

"Taishan Military Industry?" Petrov knew the name. Not long ago, it was thanks to the technical improvement plan provided by Taishan Military Industry that the problem of high ammunition drop rate was solved.

Holding the telegram, Petrov's face showed surprise.

The telegram stated that Taishan Military Industry wanted to request a military technology exchange, and if they were allowed to send military observers to the Nomonhan region, Taishan Military Industry was willing to further share its air-to-ground rocket technology.

This is a very tempting offer.

The deployment of a million German troops on the Eastern Front put immense pressure on the Soviet Union, creating an urgent need to enhance the effectiveness of its existing military equipment.

Rockets are a key task for the Aerodynamics Research Institute this year.

Currently, Taishan Military Industry, a rising star, seems to have surpassed us in technology. If we can cooperate on technology, it will be of great help to the Aerodynamics Research Institute in completing this year's research and development tasks.

However, the director couldn't make the decision on this matter, so he reported it to his superiors.

After sending the telegram, Fang Wen piloted the plane and led the transport fleet south.

After a long flight, the transport fleet safely arrived at its base in northern Myanmar.

Fang Wen was a little disappointed not to receive a reply from the Soviet Union, but he quickly turned his attention to other things.

With the imminent arrival of Soviet cargo ships, the construction of new power plants and tank factories was about to begin.

Therefore, the base in northern Myanmar needs to be expanded.

After paying a sum of money, the nearby village happily sold the land and immediately began construction on the factory site.

Three days later, three Soviet cargo ships arrived at Yangon Port and unloaded a large amount of supplies.

Steam turbine generators that can generate electricity using heavy oil, tank castings, and special steels are all heavy and large-volume items.

These supplies could not be transported to the base in northern Myanmar by air alone, so most of the transportation was once again carried out by water.

The equipment and supplies arrived at the northern Myanmar base two days later, and the first thing to do was to install the steam turbine generator.

Coal-fired power experts from the Soviet Union and power technicians from Taishan worked together to develop the ВГ-1 type steam turbine generator. Ten of these generators, each with a capacity of 1250 kilowatts, were purchased. The generator sets can provide 12,000 kilowatts of power, which is sufficient for the current expansion needs of the base in northern Myanmar.

However, this type of generator requires a very large amount of heavy oil and coal, so it is essential to ensure the availability of these power-generating materials.

The heavy oil reserves at Taishan Chemical Plant are insufficient to support the consumption of the new generator units, and more heavy oil and coal are needed to replenish them.

Coal mines are not abundant in Myanmar today, but the British Burma Oil Company's refineries can provide some heavy oil resources.

Since Myanmar cannot guarantee its resource supply, it seeks resources domestically.

Therefore, Fang Wen sent someone from headquarters to Yunnan, while he went to Yangon to find the British to act as intermediaries and discuss the purchase of heavy oil with senior executives of the oil company.

Things progressed relatively smoothly. British Burma Oil Company suffered heavy losses last year due to a strike by Burmese workers, so it did not make things difficult for Fang Wen, a major customer, and directly negotiated a heavy oil supply contract.

Meanwhile, news came back from Yunnan shortly afterward.

Today, Yunnan has three coal mines: Yipinglang Coal Mine, Mingliang Coal Mine, and Xuanming Coal Mine.

The closest one is the Yipinglang Coal Mine in Chuxiong. Coal shipped from there can be transported directly to northern Myanmar via the Yunnan-Burma Road, which is quite convenient.

June 29th.

Fang Wen, who had just returned from the oil company, parked his plane on the water at the airport in northern Myanmar and prepared to go to his office to continue his work.

He arrived at the base's office building, and as soon as his assistant Zhao Junping saw him, he handed him a telegram: "General Manager, a telegram from the Soviet Union."

Finally, the Soviet Union replied, and Fang Wen was overjoyed to take the telegram and read it.

(End of this chapter)