Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 623 A New Use of Airburst Bombs, Shohoku's Aerial Melee
Fang Wen discovered that enemy planes were approaching, and the situation was urgent.

In this day and age, apart from Mount Tai, radar has not been used on the Asian battlefield, and airborne radio communication equipment cannot perform voice communication.

If you want to notify your allies of an emergency military situation, you have to follow the existing methods.

He piloted the plane with his left hand and activated the manual telegraph under the radio with his right.

The radio, with its frequency set in advance, was transmitted to Soviet military aircraft.

Although the Soviet planes had many problems with their radio equipment, the captain's plane had a Bodo telegraph system, and the receiver could automatically decode and print simple messages directly onto the paper tape.

This allows for basic wartime intelligence communication.

Captain Ivanov, who was in the midst of battle, heard a mechanical sound coming from the Bodo-style telegraph device on his right hand.

He tore off the printed strip of paper.

A brief warning message was printed on it.

[Japanese warplane formation spotted, Northwest 30]

Ivanov looked up sharply and gazed northwest through the cockpit window—the sky was still a clear, pale blue, with no enemy aircraft in sight, but Fang Wen's warning could not be ignored.

He then took out a signal gun, opened the hatch, and fired it into the air.

Two signal flares flashed in the sky and fell.

This was the "enemy alert" signal agreed upon by the Soviet air force.

Upon seeing this, the Il-16 squadron, which was bombing Japanese positions at low altitude, immediately abandoned their target and began to climb.

Subsequently, seven fighter squadrons assembled in the air.

In order to deal with the approaching Japanese warplanes.

At this time, Fang Wen had already turned the Qinyuan to the northwest. The radar detection device showed that the Japanese army was 50 kilometers away.

He climbed higher, slowed down, and waited at high altitude.

Five minutes later, through gaps in the clouds below, one could see dark shadows flying by.

Those were 12 Type 96 carrier-based fighters, flying in close formation at low altitude. They were the first Japanese fighter formation to arrive.

"Northwest direction, 12 enemy aircraft, 20 kilometers away!" Fang Wen pressed the telex button again, the text more concise and urgent than before.

Ivanov had just received the telegram and his expression turned serious.

This was the first operation his air force had carried out after arriving at Zhijiang Airport, and it was so intense, involving not only air raids but also engagements with Japanese warplanes.

He immediately adjusted the formation, and the seven three-machine echelons quickly converged to form a "V" shaped defensive line.

Five minutes later, the outlines of Japanese warplanes appeared on the northwestern horizon.

They charged directly at the Soviet fighter formation. The lead enemy plane fired before it even entered their range, and machine gun bullets from under its wings traced silver trajectories in the high sky.

But this time, the Soviet aircraft that the Japanese air force faced were different from those they had faced before.

This batch of Il-16s was equipped with RS-82 rockets.

Therefore, they were met with a series of rocket launches.

More than 20 RS-82 rockets were launched, radiating outwards in a scattering pattern over the northwestern airspace.

Moments later, the rockets exploded in mid-air.

Unfortunately, because the projectile spread out too much, the destructive power was far less than that of an explosion.

After their initial shock, the Japanese troops suddenly realized that only one of their planes had been hit, while the others were completely undamaged.

They immediately reverted to their frenzied state fueled by the 'war drug' and resumed their dogfighting and grappling attacks.

The two sides' fighter jets then engaged in a chaotic battle.

Soviet warplanes clashed with Japanese warplanes.

Fang Wen, however, did not join.

He knew through radar detection that two more groups of Japanese warplanes were about to arrive.

If these three groups of enemy aircraft were to converge, they would pose a tremendous threat to the Soviet air force.

Meanwhile, fifteen fighter jets are also on their way from the northwest.

Those were fighter planes from the direction of Chengdu and Chongqing, also from the Soviet Volunteer Air Force.

However, due to the distance, we will arrive a little later.

Therefore, Fang Wen had to create some obstacles for the Japanese troops behind him in order to create opportunities for his allies.

How to do it?

We will need to rely on the weapons on the Qinyuan.

The Qinyuan had two 20mm cannons in the nose and a rocket launcher on each of the left and right wings.

In addition, it carried 20 projectile airburst rounds.

In the current situation, airburst bombs seem to be more effective than air-to-ground rockets.

He then began preparations.

Fang Wen steadied the control stick with his left hand and fumbled under the cockpit instrument panel with his right hand to pull open the release trigger cover of the ejector-type airburst bomb.

As the operation proceeded, two rows of launch tubes were exposed at the rear of the cabin.

This is a unique weapon configuration of the Chinwon, which uses airburst bombs originally intended for gunships and aircraft in the fighter jet system.

The projectile has a built-in timed fuse, and the explosion altitude can be controlled by adjusting the launch angle, making it ideal for forming a temporary blockade line in the airspace.

However, the operation and locking of the hit area are very troublesome, and only Fang Wen, who has mechanical perception, can do it without any electronic equipment assistance.

From the perspective of a supernatural radar.

The second wave of Japanese warplanes had appeared 30 kilometers away and were flying in close formation toward the battle zone.

If left unchecked, they will join the first wave of enemy aircraft in a maximum of 10 minutes.

Immediately, Fang Wen flicked the adjustment knob on the projectile tube.

The projectile tube moves and aims at the northwest direction.

Just as the second wave of enemy planes was about to pass, Fang Wen suddenly pulled the launch trigger.

The sound of shells being ejected came from behind the cockpit, and five airburst bombs were ejected from the bomb bay and thrown diagonally upwards.

Eight seconds later, five blinding white lights suddenly burst open in the sky, accompanied by a muffled explosion. Countless hot shrapnel flew in all directions like a rainstorm, drawing fleeting silver trails across the blue sky.

The explosion occurred precisely in the flight path of the second wave of Japanese warplanes.

The sudden airburst threw the Japanese warplanes into disarray.

The two Type 96 carrier-based fighters at the front had no time to dodge; all they saw was a white flash.

The wing was then torn in several places by shrapnel, the internal engine was damaged, and the aircraft veered off course, trailing a long plume of black smoke.
The fighter jets behind were forced to disperse and their originally dense formation instantly turned into a loose echelon, and their flight speed was also reduced considerably.

Fang Wen captured this scene through mechanical perception, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. He then pulled the trigger again, releasing five more airburst rounds. This time, he lowered the explosion altitude to 3000 meters and aimed at the gaps after the enemy planes dispersed.

The newly assembled aircraft group was once again attacked by airburst bombs.

They had no choice but to disperse again.

Where exactly is the enemy?
The enraged Japanese pilots searched for the fighter planes that had attacked them.

Fang Wen lowered his altitude at the opportune moment and appeared in front of the enemy aircraft.

Immediately, three fighter jets took off, attempting to pursue and kill the Qinyuan. Since the objective was harassment, Fang Wen naturally wouldn't engage them in battle, but instead adopted a retreating posture.

The three Type 96 fighters were clearly outmatched, and another five aircraft attempted to encircle the Chinyuan from another direction.

They had no idea that all of this was planned by Fang Wen. The pursuit by the eight Japanese warplanes also disrupted the overall deployment of the enemy aircraft group, leaving the remaining enemy planes unsure whether to regroup or pursue together.

At this moment, Fang Wen, who was leading eight enemy planes in a zigzag pattern in the air, suddenly maneuvered and turned around, shaking off the pursuit and actually returning.

The 20mm cannon in the nose roared, and an armor-piercing round accurately struck the engine of an enemy aircraft that was trying to regroup. The fuselage instantly burst into flames and plummeted out of control toward the ground.

This single fighter jet dared to challenge the entire formation and repeatedly caused damage.

Without further hesitation, the Japanese warplanes all turned and chased after the Chinyuan, which had once again taken off.

Over the Xiangjiang River, more than a dozen fighter jets were engaged in a chase, gradually deviating from their original course.

While taking the enemy planes for a stroll, Fang Wen was distracted by observing the situation of the third batch of Japanese warplanes.

At this time, radar detection equipment showed that the third batch of Japanese warplanes had arrived 60 kilometers away, while the Soviet support warplanes from the Chengdu direction had also shortened the distance to 100 kilometers.

Fang Wen knew that time was still running out, so he adjusted the airburst bomb fuse again, setting the explosion altitude to 4000 meters. This time, he adopted a "trapezoidal deployment" strategy—first releasing 3 bombs to cover the left wing, then releasing 4 bombs to block the right wing, and finally using 3 bombs to form a buffer zone in the middle.

Immediately afterwards, the launch tubes behind the cockpit fired again.

Ten airburst bombs were launched in sequence, falling in a parabolic trajectory in the air and forming three intersecting fragmentation clouds at an altitude of 4000 meters in the target area, like three invisible barriers blocking the way for the third batch of Japanese warplanes.

This action, while not causing many losses to Japanese warplanes, successfully disrupted the formation of Japanese warplanes.

To avoid the debris cloud ahead, the Japanese warplanes scattered.

Fang Wen seized the opportunity and quickly turned the Qinyuan by rolling. When the nose of the aircraft was facing the pursuing enemy aircraft, the rocket launchers under the wings suddenly opened fire, and the remaining 14 air-to-ground rockets shot out with orange-red tail flames.

Under Fang Wen's control, the accuracy of his aerial rockets was far superior to that of the Soviet Union.

Fourteen of them exploded in the pursuing fighter jets, instantly causing another chain of explosions.

The two fighter jets crashed as a result.

After the other fighter jets flew out of the explosion area, they lost all trace of the Qinyuan.

Without their enemies, they were left bewildered and resentful.

It was only when the third wave of Japanese warplanes, which had regrouped, arrived that they were able to fly towards the Xiangbei battlefield as well.

Using airburst bombs, the rockets successfully held back the Japanese troops, and Fang Wen thus completed his assigned interception mission.

Now the plane has no more rockets, and most of its airburst bombs are gone, leaving only the 20mm cannon for combat.

Therefore, he decisively withdrew from the battle and returned to the skies above the Xiangbei battlefield.

Fifteen minutes later, the plane flew back over the battlefield.

The battle here continues.

Japanese warplanes are currently being surrounded and killed by a much larger number of Soviet warplanes.

Four have already been shot down.

Meanwhile, to the northwest, another Soviet air force finally arrived at the battlefield.

Subsequently, a belated Japanese fighter plane group also appeared in the northwest.

Dozens of fighter jets engaged in even more intense air combat in this airspace.

Faced with this situation, Fang Wen piloted a fighter jet to provide support from the perimeter.

As a veteran fighter pilot, he knew all too well that such a chaotic battle was not something to get involved in. If he joined in, not only would he be unable to coordinate, but he might also get hit by friendly fire.

However, providing support from the perimeter is more suitable for his current situation of fighting alone.

Soon a Japanese warplane flew out of the battle and was spotted by Fang Wen.

The Japanese Type 96 carrier-based fighter that had broken away from the battle had a large hole torn in its left wing skin by machine gun fire, and its engine was making intermittent "popping" sounds. It was clearly damaged in the melee and was trying to speed away from the battlefield and return to port.

A cold glint flashed in Fang Wen's eyes. The Japanese devils wouldn't get away from him. Even if it was an assist, he wouldn't mind.

Immediately, the mechanical sensors locked onto the enemy aircraft, and with a light press of the control stick, the Qinyuan followed like a black lightning bolt.

The enemy pilot noticed the rapidly approaching Qinyuan and hastily turned around, attempting to escape.

The Type 96 carrier-based aircraft is inferior to the Type 97 carrier-based aircraft. Fang Wen can easily deal with the Type 97, and dealing with the Type 96 is even easier.

With a speed of over 500 kilometers per hour, the Qinyuan easily caught up with the enemy aircraft. At a distance of 600 meters, with its nose directly facing the enemy's tail, Fang Wen pressed the button to fire the machine gun.

A barrage of 20mm cannon shells was fired, instantly hitting the enemy aircraft's tail.

Instantly, the entire tail section of the fighter jet was blasted to pieces by machine gun fire.

Without the tail section, the aircraft's balance was instantly lost.

It spun rapidly as it plummeted, crashing into the ground and exploding into a large burst of flames.

After easily taking down one, Fang Wen continued his outdoor hunting.

He was like a powerful and patient hunter, waiting for each hunting opportunity to come.

Not long after, another Japanese warplane took off.

There is a yellow stripe on the fuselage, which is the mark used by the Japanese Air Force to identify the main aircraft and its wingman.

But now, its wingman is no longer by its side, and it is preparing to escape alone.

Unfortunately, a killer was waiting in the direction it flew.

The Qinyuan flew at high speed and turned it into a fireball in the air.

The battle continued, with Fang Wen hunting from the perimeter until he shot down the fourth aircraft.

Both sides suddenly began to withdraw.

The intense air combat, coupled with the fuel consumption during flights, made the Soviet Volunteer Air Force's endurance inferior to that of the Japanese.

If the fighting continued, Soviet warplanes would face the situation of not having enough fuel to return home.

The Japanese fighter planes had no intention of pursuing, and both sides returned to base, using the Xiangbei battlefield as the dividing point.

Fang Wen naturally flew south of Changsha with the Zhijiang Jiangsu Joint Air Force.

All 21 fighter jets returned to base.

They landed one after another at Zhijiang Airport.

Fang Wen was the last to land, and after he landed, a group of Soviet pilots enthusiastically surrounded him.

They all spoke at once:
"Comrade Fang, you are an excellent pilot. Today's battle has shown us your capabilities."

"To celebrate our victory today, I suggest we all go to the cafeteria."

"Yes, we successfully shot down many Japanese warplanes without losing a single one ourselves. This is a very memorable victory."

Whether it was China or the Soviet Union, going through battles together was the best way to cultivate feelings.

Fang Wen smiled and said, "No problem, but I'll have to take a shower first. I don't want to eat something all sticky."

The pilots laughed and dispersed.

Captain Ivanov, however, was still alive.

He extended his hand and shook hands with Fang Wen.

"You are exceptional; you are the best pilot I have ever seen, both in terms of flying skills and tactics. It seems that the flight and combat examples I learned about you back home were not exaggerated. I hope that we can cooperate even better in the future."

(End of this chapter)