Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 625 Air Raid on the 4th Cavalry Brigade, the Eastern Support Battle of Changde, and the Progress of the National Salvation Air Force

Zhijiang Airport.

After sending the telegram, Fang Wen began to integrate into the wartime training of the Soviet air force.

He proved himself with his abilities and was welcomed by the Soviet Air Force.

Every day at dawn, the roar of fighter jet engines cuts through the morning mist.

Fang Wen piloted the Qinyuan, forming a formation with Soviet pilots, and conducted wartime patrols in the airspace north of Hunan to achieve rapid integration in a state of combat readiness.

In an encounter battle, a Soviet air force pilot crashed along with his fighter plane. Based on his own abilities, he was temporarily appointed by Captain Ivanov to take over the pilot's lead position and became the squad leader of the Soviet-made basic three-plane squad.

To do this job well.

The first thing to adapt to was the Soviet air force's habitual use of the "three-plane wedge formation".

This was the tactical basis of the Soviet Air Force, also known as the three-aircraft strike group.

It was also the basic tactical formation commonly used by the Soviet Volunteer Air Force in Il-16 fighter formations, with the core characteristics of "main force leading auxiliary force, dense attack" and "concentrated firepower breakthrough".

The Soviet air force did not expect that Fang Wen would quickly master this flight tactic and lead two wingmen to carry out the mission with great skill.

September 27, Zhijiang Airport Command Center.

A new operational meeting is underway.

Major Wu Youdong explained the situation while holding up a telegram.

"Currently, the vanguard of the Japanese 6th Division has arrived at Laodao River, only 30 kilometers from Changsha; at the same time, the Japanese 4th Cavalry Brigade is flanking from the flank, attempting to seize key points on the outskirts of Changsha. Our mission today is to block the Japanese 4th Cavalry Brigade, preventing this mobile force from supporting our main force. Supporting us are the garrison troops on the Changsha side."

Captain Ivanov asked, "Where is the Japanese 4th Cavalry Brigade located? Where should we coordinate with the ground forces for an air raid?"

Wu Youdong pointed to the map: "They have now crossed the Miluo River and have repeatedly harassed our defenders in the area south of the Miluo River and north of the Liuyang River, posing a great threat to our flank. Our mission is to bomb the Japanese 4th Cavalry Brigade as much as possible and cooperate with ground troops to prevent them from approaching the main battlefield at Laodao River."

After some explanation, everyone understood the requirements of this operation and immediately began preparations.

Half an hour later, Fang Wen stepped into the cockpit of the Qinyuan, started the engine, drove onto the runway, and accelerated into the air.

Two wingmen followed him into the air.

They were Ivan and another pilot, Peter.

The three aircraft formed a basic three-aircraft squadron, which was then incorporated into the air squadron and flew towards Xiangbei.

Once the plane was 200 kilometers away from Changsha, Fang Wen activated the radar target acquisition device to scan the area ahead.

Fighter jets appeared in the north and west, but not in large numbers.

In the course of days of air combat, both sides have changed their tactics, no longer launching swarm attacks, but instead conducting multiple airstrikes on the combat zone and intercepting enemy aircraft.

The fact that the entire Zhijiang Joint Air Force was mobilized at once was probably unexpected by the Japanese army.

Thirty minutes later, the air force arrived over the Liuyang River, east of Changsha.

According to intelligence, the Japanese 4th Cavalry Brigade was operating in the area north of the Liuyang River.

However, this area is quite large, and even aerial reconnaissance makes it difficult to detect.

In order to locate the enemy as quickly as possible, Fang Wen used his mechanical senses to observe the area below.

North of the Liuyang River, areas were scanned by the supernatural senses. This area was not an alluvial plain, but rather hilly and mountainous.

The area where the Japanese cavalry could operate was not large; it should be located in the western part of the territory.

Immediately, Fang Wen flew over those mountainous areas and looked westward.

He quickly located the target's trail.

Nearly 3000 cavalrymen are marching westward along a small river north of the Liuyang River.

That river is the Laodao River, and if you go further west, you'll reach Changsha.

Fang Wen's heart tightened; he absolutely could not allow this force to get close to Changsha.

What about the troops responsible for blocking them on the ground?

Fang Wen moved the mechanical perception perspective to search and quickly found it.

There was a long trench on the west side, where Nationalist soldiers were waiting.

Upon seeing this, Fang Wen immediately sent a telegram to Captain Ivanov.

The Bodo-style telegraph device next to Captain Ivanov received the telegram and mechanically printed out a piece of paper.

After reading it, the captain immediately opened the canopy and fired a signal flare.

The signal flare is yellow.

This means that the air force will follow Fang Wen's combat squad.

Immediately afterwards, Fang Wen, piloting the Qinyuan, led Ivan and Peter, his two wingmen, to turn and fly northwest.

It didn't take long for the plane to reach the Laodao River area.

At this time, the Japanese cavalry brigade was not far from the National Army's defense line and was launching an attack.

The cavalry charge, though outdated, was still a formidable force, prompting the Nationalist army to immediately set up machine guns and open fire.

The Japanese cavalry in the front row also picked up their rifles and fired back, bullets flying everywhere on the battlefield.

At this time.

A group of fighter jets suddenly appeared in the sky.

Because it was so sudden, neither side knew whose fighter jet it was.

However, the fighter jets subsequently revealed their identity through their actions.

The wings of the Qinyuan swept across the surface of the Laodao River. Fang Wen gripped the control stick tightly, his eyes fixed on the charging Japanese cavalry below.

The khaki-colored cavalry column, like a vicious snake, was approaching the Nationalist army's trenches, the bayonets on their rifles gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

He picked up the microphone: "Ivan on the left, Peter on the right, and I in the center. We'll start with a dive-bombing attack to give the rest of the battle instructions."

In the wingman's cockpit, Ivan and Peter received Fang Wen's instructions via the Taishan walkie-talkie. Although there was some background noise, they could still hear it clearly.

Immediately, the Qinyuan took the lead in diving, and at an altitude of 700 meters, the 20mm cannon in the nose of the aircraft spewed fire, and the cannon shells blasted a bloody trail through the cavalry formation.

The wounded warhorse fell to the ground with a thud, and the Japanese cavalrymen who fell were trampled into a bloody pulp by the warhorses behind them. Then more warhorses were tripped and fell, instantly colliding into a heap.

Ivan's Il-16 followed closely behind, skimming at an angle past the flank of the Japanese cavalry charge, machine gun fire sweeping across the area.

Peter then flew his plane to the other side of the cavalry and strafed them, creating chaos among the Japanese cavalry due to the three-way attack.

Then, a larger air raid began.

The Soviet air force carried out continuous air raids in formations of three aircraft each.

Faced with such a fierce air raid, the cavalry was no longer able to launch an effective charge.

Cavalry, as a mobile force, relies on the ability to quickly close the distance in combat through charges. If a charge is interrupted, they cannot immediately organize a new charge.

Therefore, the Japanese commander issued a retreat signal, and a large number of cavalrymen turned their horses around and moved eastward.

These cavalrymen were fast enough to keep the National Army from pursuing them.

But the fighter planes in the sky were faster. Soon, the Soviet Volunteer Air Force pursued the retreating Japanese cavalry brigade and continued to carry out air strikes.

When the bullets were almost used up, Captain Ivanov fired a blue signal flare, and the air force ceased its air raid and returned to base.

An hour later, the group of planes flew back to Zhijiang Airport and landed one after another.

After the plane landed, Fang Wen went to the command post. According to the rules of the air force, a group meeting would be held after the battle.

He entered the conference room, greeted the other Soviet pilots, and then found a seat.

Ivan and Peter then arrived and sat down beside him. Ten minutes later, Captain Ivanov and Major Wu Youdong arrived.

Captain Ivanov said seriously.

"Comrades, there is another combat mission tomorrow, which is also a team reorganization operation. Major Wu Youdong will now explain it."

The excitement that everyone had just felt over the successful air raid quickly subsided.

Major Wu Youdong explained the situation.

"We have been supporting the operations in the Xiangbei war zone, but the Japanese army also has a unit that has launched an offensive into the Xiangxi region. They have now reached the Nanxian and Anxiang areas and are currently engaged in combat with the 27th Army Group."

Fang Wen's heart tightened immediately. Further west from Nanxian and Anxiang was Changde.

His fourth sister did not go to the United States because she had to accompany her brother-in-law; instead, she stayed in Changde.

Although we had previously notified Taishan Airlines to evacuate, we don't know if they've actually left.

Therefore, after the operational meeting, Fang Wen immediately returned to the aircraft.

He used the airplane's telegraph equipment to send a telegram to the Xiangxi Airport.

Soon after, the Xiangxi Airport called back, saying that my fourth sister and brother-in-law had just arrived by boat, which put my mind at ease.

9 month 28 day.

The air force set off again, heading towards the defense line east of Changde.

Forty minutes later, the air force arrived in Hanshou, and then crossed the Yuan River into the combat zone.

There, the 27th Army Group deployed a long defensive line and was engaged in battle with the Japanese army.

The Japanese Type 97 medium tanks led the way, followed by dense infantry, and launched an attack on the trenches of the 27th Army.

Chinese soldiers in the trenches set up Maxim heavy machine guns and fired Type 24 rifles, raining down bullets that only produced sparks when they hit the tank's armor.

Only a small number of infantry guns pose a threat to these medium tanks.

Due to the lack of anti-tank weapons, several trenches have been breached by tanks, and Japanese infantry are pouring in through the breaches.

With Captain Ivanov's order to launch an air raid, the various combat echelons began to operate freely.

Fang Wen, piloting the Qinyuan, was the first to adjust his attitude, tilting the wings slightly as he swooped down.

His target was a tank that had already broken through the defensive perimeter, and under its cover, dozens of infantrymen were following it deeper into the enemy lines.

As the distance closed, he pulled the trigger of the machine gun, and 20mm armor-piercing rounds, with a sharp whistling sound, swept along the tank tracks from back to front.

The tank tracks snapped instantly, and the frontal and side armor deflected the armor-piercing projectile, but the top armor was penetrated.

The tank, which was moving, suddenly veered off course and drove into a ditch on the side of the road. The tank then sat tilted to one side and stopped moving.

After taking down a tank, Fang Wen immediately increased the altitude while simultaneously observing the situation of the two wingmen.

Because it was a free air raid, Ivan and Peter had already flown away and were attacking on their own, and it seemed impossible to call them back.

He then observed the battlefield and prepared to find his next target.

There was unusual activity on the left flank of the defense line—three Japanese tanks bypassed the main battlefield and attempted to break through the weak point of the 27th Army's defense line. There were only a few soldiers in the trenches there, who were desperately resisting with grenades and explosive charges, but they were about to give up.

Immediately, the aircraft was steered to the south.

Upon reaching the target area, he pushed the lever sharply, and the Qinyuan swooped down like a falcon, its machine gun aimed at the turret top of the tank in the middle.

Armor-piercing shells hit repeatedly, and machine gun shells that penetrated the top cover caused horrific damage inside.

Moments later, the tank's engine compartment caught fire instantly, billowing thick smoke and accompanied by ammunition explosions.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the other two tanks tried to turn around and retreat.

Now that they're here, there's no way we can let them go.

Fang Wen quickly gained altitude and then swooped down again.

This time, to deal with two at once, using machine guns, which require hitting the top of the turret, is not suitable; he plans to use air-to-ground rockets.

While diving, Fang Wen simultaneously operated the control sticks for both rocket launchers with his right hand.

Using this unreplicable technique, he simultaneously adjusted the firing direction of the rocket launchers on both the left and right sides.

Once within range, he quickly pressed the fire button.

Two rockets were launched from each of the left and right rocket launchers, which flew rapidly toward the target.

In an instant, two tanks were hit, and a huge explosion sent up a mushroom cloud.

After completing the launch, Fang Wen also controlled the aircraft to fly into the sky and then observed the situation below.

When the smoke cleared, he saw that the two tanks had been reduced to scrap metal due to the high temperature, explosion, and impact.

The air raid on Changde East lasted for one hour.

As the captain's signal light went up, the aircraft regrouped and headed back to Zhijiang Airport.

After two consecutive days of intense air combat, the squadron leader announced that all pilots could rest for half a day after a brief combat meeting.

Upon receiving his leave, Fang Wen immediately sent a telegram to Yangon to inquire about the progress of the establishment of the National Salvation Air Force in the United States.

After the telegram was sent, the headquarters in Yangon quickly replied.

There's a lot of content, mostly original telegrams from the United States.

Fang Wen received and compiled the document for review.

It was a telegram from his wife, Kuang Mingzhu.

[To the Sir/Madam: Preparations for the Taishan National Salvation Flying Team in New York and San Francisco have commenced in due course. Details are provided below.]

[In New York, after receiving your telegram, Brother Shuiwang immediately convened a meeting of the company's Chinese employees in New York. Everyone was filled with patriotism and enthusiastically offered their support. Soon after, a preparatory office was set up in downtown New York City, and the first step was to place recruitment advertisements in best-selling newspapers such as The New York Times and The Chinese Daily News, clearly stating the recruitment conditions: no restrictions on Chinese descent, retired US military pilots or skilled civilian pilots, but only those who "are willing to resist Japanese aggression and protect the country and have flying qualifications" are required.]

On the first day, dozens of overseas Chinese visited for consultation, among whom a few already held pilot's licenses and registered on the spot; some young overseas Chinese, despite having no experience, were willing to pay for their own flight training and then join the team after completing their training.

Brother Shuiwang has also coordinated the funding, with Taishan International initially covering the preparatory expenses, from renting and furnishing the premises to printing documents; everything is in place. It was recently reported that two retired officers who served in the US Air Force have inquired, expressing their willingness to use their skills to help China resist Japanese aggression. Brother Shuiwang is currently negotiating the details of their employment with them.

On the west coast, after Mingzhu Deshui Wang forwarded the telegram, he immediately invited the Fang and Kuang families, Zhao Jiu and John Harvey to gather at the Taishan Paradise Villa to discuss matters.

The father and mother donated all their family property, and the two elder brothers also donated money. Jia Yue donated three fighter jets and went to the San Francisco Chinese Chamber of Commerce to ask them to help spread the recruitment information. Zhao Jiu was transferred to the park's security personnel to assist with miscellaneous tasks in the preparation office, such as registration, telegram sending and receiving, and site maintenance. He also used the park's advertising wall to post "Defend the Motherland's Airspace" posters to attract passersby. John Harvey, on the other hand, used his old acquaintances to contact three flight schools in San Francisco and negotiated preferential training grounds. He also promised to recommend senior instructors to the students.

The organizing committee has set up a signboard in a street-facing building in San Francisco, with a banner on the door to show its sincerity and hand-drawn illustrations of fighter jets on the walls. The illustrations were created overnight by the park's artists, depicting participants piloting aircraft to fight the enemy. On the first day, more than fifty people registered, including young Chinese Americans, overseas Chinese businessmen, and two retired U.S. Army pilots. Among them, Mr. Wang, an overseas Chinese businessman, even offered to provide two private planes free of charge for the team members' training.

Both places now prioritize "recruitment and training in parallel": all applicants are first verified for their qualifications, those with experience are arranged for tactical debriefing exercises, and those without experience are sent to flight schools for intensive training.

In terms of funding, there are no problems as the head office has promised to continue to allocate funds to ensure the needs of training and equipment, and with the generous donations from all sectors of society.

In terms of personnel management, it is planned to refer to the regulations of the U.S. Army Air Forces, and initially set up positions such as instructors, captains, and mechanics in the team. The organizational structure will be finalized once the personnel are gathered.

Today, both sides of the ocean are working together to resist Japanese aggression. Overseas Chinese are united and foreign friends are helping each other. The Taishan National Salvation Flying Aviation Team is beginning to take shape.

Mingzhu and his American colleagues will resolutely defend this line, carefully selecting each team member and handling every preparatory matter meticulously. Once the team is fully trained, they will be dispatched to China to assist you in defending China's airspace, driving out the Japanese invaders, and recovering our lost territories.

Fang Wen felt relieved after reading it.

The US side is doing a great job; the preparations for the National Salvation Air Force should be fine.

The question now needs to be considered: what type of aircraft should be used for the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Air Force?

And if the US Neutrality Act is bypassed, the personnel recruited by the air force can be sent back to Asia ahead of schedule.

The American who organized the Flying Tigers should know more about this.

Fang Wen wanted to communicate with him to obtain some information.

(End of this chapter)