Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Yan'an Airport.

Today's airports, due to the increase in the number of aircraft in the fleet, are equipped with two runways.

This allows for simultaneous takeoffs during emergency military flight missions.

Today, one of the runways was specially cleared out, and the air force and airport personnel were waiting.

At 3 p.m., a black dot in the southern sky gradually grew larger, followed by a huge roar.

"It's so big!"

"Is this the old Taishan No. 1? It looks completely different."

Amid the pilots' discussions, the ground control tower received a landing request from Fang Wen.

The plane then landed with a roar, its massive fuselage taxiing a short distance before coming to a steady stop on the runway.

As soon as the plane came to a stop, the pilots rushed over to take a look.

At this moment, the side door opened, and Gong Xiuneng lowered a folding boarding ladder, which Fang Wen then stepped down.

He looked at the pilots of the Yan'an Air Force.

In that year, the Yan'an Air Force not only increased the number of aircraft, but also the number of pilots.

In addition to Qi Baoqian, Du Jiahuai, Shao Deqing, Deng Zhongyu, Zhai Xiaojun, Rao Minghe, and Fan Bosheng from the original elite aviation team, there are also outstanding individuals from two aviation trainee training courses.

Fang Wen smiled; all of this was an intangible honor for him.

Squadron leader Qi Baoqian spoke up, "Sir, please tell us about this aircraft."

The other pilots also looked at Fang Wen expectantly; for aviation professionals, large aircraft represent a belief.

Fang Wen also had a desire to share with like-minded people, so he smiled and replied, "Sure."

He then instructed Gong Xiuneng to open the rear cabin door of the aircraft.

"This strategic bomber has a payload of 8.5 tons. The side door is for personnel boarding, and the rear door is for loading and unloading. Let's go inside and take a look together."

Led by Fang Wen, the pilots of the Yan'an Aviation Team entered the aircraft through the rear cabin door.

The space inside is very large.

Fang Wen continued, “It can carry 8 tons of bombs for long-range bombing, with a round-trip range of 5,000 kilometers. It can also be used as a large military transport aircraft to transport important military supplies.”

Pilot Deng Zhongyu couldn't help but ask, "It's only about 2000 kilometers from Yan'an to the Japanese mainland, doesn't that mean we can bomb the Japanese mainland?"

Fang Wen nodded: "It is indeed possible, but due to technical reasons and the lack of perfect navigation conditions, such flight missions are difficult to achieve."

What he didn't say was that he could do it himself.

The pilots from the elite air force vaguely guessed that Fang Wen was capable, but they tacitly kept quiet about it.

Afterwards, Fang Wen led the pilots on a tour of the other areas inside the aircraft, explaining them one by one.

After learning how powerful the aircraft was, everyone got off the plane with satisfaction.

At this moment, Qiu Shanhe came over.

"Mr. Fang, we would like to invite you to a meeting."

Although it wasn't specified what kind of meeting it was, Fang Wen knew it must be related to the Hundred Regiments Offensive.

Immediately afterwards, he and the flight squadron leader Qi Baoqian left to attend a meeting.

"

A long wooden table was placed in the conference room, covered with a military map of North China, with flight routes and strongholds clearly marked in red and blue pencils.

The meeting began after Qiu Shanhe brought Fang Wen and Qi Baoqian in.

Fang Wen listened in.

This is precisely the latest strategic layout targeting North China.

For this strategic operation, troops in all enemy-occupied base areas north of the Yellow River were mobilized to launch a full-scale offensive to strike the Japanese army's supply lines and major garrison cities in North China.

At this point in the meeting, someone suggested, "We also have an old friend here today, Mr. Fang Wen from Taishan Airlines. He just returned from Europe and is more familiar with the situation abroad than any of us. Now, let's ask Mr. Fang Wen to talk about the current international situation."

Do you want to speak up?
Fang Wen felt inexplicably uneasy.

He suppressed his emotions, stood up, and organized his thoughts.

"The current situation in Europe is that Germany is the only dominant power, and only Britain is still resisting across the entire continent. I believe that Germany's next target is the Soviet Union. Once the Soviet Union is defeated, the Nazis will have no more rivals."

After a pause, Fang Wen continued, "Given the current situation, this also means a major shift in the world order. European powers will lose control of their overseas colonies as a result. Even if Germany takes action against its overseas colonies, its primary targets will be Africa and Asia. The enormous advantage Germany has gained in Europe has also spurred Japan. According to the intelligence I have obtained, Japan is likely to take this opportunity to launch an attack on Southeast Asia in order to seize the overseas territories of France and the Netherlands, the two surrendered nations."

His words sparked a discussion.

The general consensus is that Fang Wen's assessment is correct.

The meeting then continued, and in the final stage, the topic of Fang Wen was raised.

This operation required the organization of a large-scale air strike.

This involved 14 aircraft from the Yan'an Air Force and 20 aircraft from the Eighth Route Army's gunboat squadron.

Air strikes need to be arranged according to the requirements of the military region command.

The one who was in charge of all of this was originally Qi Baoqian.

However, Qi Baoqian suggested that Fang Wenlai be the commander of the entire air raid operation.

Fang Wen did not agree to this. Being a behind-the-scenes commander was not his forte. He would rather fly planes to the front lines to fight or bomb, or command gunboat squadrons to coordinate with ground troops in combat than participate in the Hundred Regiments Offensive.

8 month 20 day.

The first phase of the Hundred Regiments Offensive has begun.

9 o'clock at night.

Fang Wen, who was stationed at the air raid command post at Yan'an Airport, also received the order to take action.

He gave the order loudly.

"This is a nighttime bombing operation. Board the planes immediately."

Fang Wen sat in the cockpit of Taishan No. 1, and the bomber crew members who had arrived by Taishan seaplane also entered the strategic bomber together.

Inside the cabin, all crew members reported loudly.

"Port machine gunner in position."

"Starboard machine gunner in position."

"Forward machine gunner in position."

"Rear machine gunner in position."

"Bombers in position."

"Loader in position."

"Telegraph operator in position."

After the report was finished, Fang Wen instructed Gong Xiuneng to close the hatch.

The engine was then started, and the Taishan-1 was driven to accelerate and take off from the runway.

On the eastern section of the Zhengtai Railway, the sounds of battle shook the heavens below Niangziguan Pass.

Taking advantage of the darkness and the cover of the mountains and forests, the soldiers of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region launched a three-pronged attack on the Japanese stronghold.

Relying on the fortifications left over from the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Japanese army set up light and heavy machine guns on bunkers and city walls, forming a dense fire net that tightly blocked the main routes of attack.

The soldiers bravely climbed the ladders, but were repeatedly suppressed by fire, and casualties continued to rise.

"Charge again! Follow me!" the platoon leader roared, leading several demolition experts to circle around to the side of the stronghold, attempting to blow open a breach in the city wall. At that moment, the attacking commander's walkie-talkie lit up, and after answering, he immediately shouted, "Cease the attack!"

Why? The soldiers were puzzled.

A soldier shouted, "Listen, what's that sound?"

The roar grew louder and louder, but the steel flying behemoth hidden in the dark night sky was completely invisible.

In the sky, Fang Wen activated his supernatural ability to observe the situation below.

Niangziguan has been a strategically important pass since ancient times, and taking it would have come at a great cost.

Even a night raid is no different.

But now, it doesn't have to be so troublesome.

Let's just send those Japanese devils in the pass to their doom with aerial bombs.

He used his supernatural abilities to scan the area below and made a prediction about an airdrop.

He then ordered: "Bombers, prepare to drop six high-explosive grenades, awaiting my command."

"Yes." The prone bombardier stared intently at the bombing camera, his right hand resting on the bombing lever.

The loader immediately followed Fang Wen's instructions, opened the control panel, and moved six high-explosive shells from the magazine into the bomb bay.

One minute later, as the plane was about to reach the airspace above Niangziguan, Fang Wen called out: "Drop the bombs."

At his command, the bombardier pulled the grenade launch lever.

Six aerial bombs fell from the sky.

Twenty seconds later, the bomb landed at Niangziguan.

A huge explosion lit up the sky, followed by a mushroom cloud rising into the air, and a deafening roar echoed in all directions.

The shockwave from the explosion inside the pass stunned a large number of Japanese soldiers, and those directly hit were completely obliterated.
The city wall was also breached by explosives.

Immediately, the Eighth Route Army soldiers sprang into action, pouring through the gap and engaging the remaining Japanese troops in hand-to-hand combat.

The air raid on Niangziguan Pass is complete.

The capture of this place is a foregone conclusion.

But this is just the appetizer; two more airstrikes are yet to come.

Fang Wen turned the plane around and returned along the same route.

A few minutes later, the plane arrived over Yangquan.

At Yangquan and Yuci stations on the western section of the Pinghan Railway, the 129th Division's night raids were equally swift.

Yangquan Station was a key stronghold of the Japanese army on the western section of the Zhengtai Railway, where a large amount of ammunition and supplies were stockpiled.

The soldiers of the 129th Division split into two groups: one group besieged the station barracks, and the other group headed straight for the railway tracks and bridges.

The Japanese troops put up a stubborn resistance, firing wildly from their fortified positions on the platform, and a tug-of-war ensued between the two sides inside and outside the platform.

At that moment, Fang Wen's Taishan-1 flew over.

Hearing the roar of airplanes in the sky, the Japanese soldiers excitedly waved at the sky, thinking that they were their warplanes.

Unfortunately, they guessed wrong this time.

Fang Wen completed the pre-aiming assessment and directed the bombardiers to drop bombs one by one on the area where the Japanese troops were located.

The explosions continued, destroying Japanese fortifications and railways.

After the explosion, the 129th Division launched an attack and annihilated the Japanese troops in the chaos.

Then, the soldiers carried crowbars and explosive charges and rushed to the railway tracks, prying over the sleepers and blowing up the rails, instantly turning the once smooth railway line into a mess.

At this moment, the supply warehouse at Yuci Station was targeted by strategic bombers. Two heavy bombs fell, and the warehouse was instantly engulfed in flames, turning the ammunition stockpiled by the Japanese army into ashes.

At this point, only one target remains for tonight's bombing: the area at the northern end of the Tongpu Railway.

On the northern section of the Tongpu Railway, the 120th Division's operations became even more covert.

Using the cover of night, the soldiers stealthily approached the Japanese outposts along the railway line, quickly dispatched the sentries with swift strokes of their knives, and then launched a raid.

Some squads were responsible for cutting communication lines, severing and confiscating the Japanese army's telephone lines piece by piece; other squads used explosive charges to destroy bridges and tunnels, cutting off the Japanese army's communication between the north and south.

After the Japanese troops stationed along the railway discovered the commotion, they used machine guns mounted on the pillboxes to fire downwards.

In response, the soldiers picked up individual rocket launchers and fired them at the pillbox.

The rocket, trailing a plume of fire, hurtled towards the pillbox. After the explosion, it blasted a large hole in the pillbox but did not destroy the entire structure. The machine guns continued to fire.

Rockets are more effective against armored vehicles and tanks, so using them on pillboxes would be a waste.

The commanders and soldiers immediately changed their offensive strategy and prepared to use explosive charges made from hand grenades to blow up the pillbox.

But then, the radio in the commander's hand lit up.

He turned on the walkie-talkie, and Fang Wen's voice came through.

"This is a night bomber. I will be conducting a sweeping bombing raid along the railway line. Please keep your troops away from the railway line for the time being."

The commander immediately ordered the troops to temporarily retreat.

Suddenly the gunfire in the darkness stopped, leaving the Japanese soldiers bewildered and unable to understand why.

In the darkness, they dared not leave their stronghold and could only stay in the strongholds along the railway line.

At this moment, Fang Wen also completed the pre-aiming in the air and issued the order.

"Next is a series of bomb drops, 12 high-explosive bombs, prepare immediately."

Upon receiving the order, the loader immediately prepared to load the 12 high-explosive rounds from the ammunition depot into the bomb bay.

This continuous bombing mode requires manual operation by the bomber.

The bombardier adjusted the grenade launcher to single-fire mode and then waited quietly.

After a while, Fang Wen adjusted the aircraft's course, flew along the railway, and gave the order: "Drop the bombs."

The bombardier immediately executed the order, pulling down the single-shot release lever with his right hand. One aerial bomb fell, and he immediately pulled it a second time. By repeating this operation, 12 aerial bombs fell one after another from the sky onto the railway line.

The first aerial bomb landed next to the largest Japanese stronghold, a pillbox, by the railway. The dark night sky was instantly illuminated by a blinding flash of light, and the huge explosion shook the ground violently.

The shockwave, carrying rubble, wood chips, and the cries of the Japanese soldiers, spread outwards. The pillbox, which had just withstood a rocket, was slammed into by the blast wave. The walls cracked instantly, and the Japanese machine gunner on the top floor was thrown into the air along with his machine gun. The soldiers on the lower floors were buried under the collapsed bricks and stones, with only intermittent groans coming from the ruins.

The second and third bombs landed on the railway sleepers.

Flames shot into the sky, the steel rails were twisted and deformed by the high temperature, and sections of rails along with sleepers were blasted several meters high, crashing heavily to the ground and breaking in two.

The once smooth railway line was blasted open, creating a gap several meters wide. Gravel and burning sleepers covered the tracks, completely blocking the possibility of train passage.

Subsequent bombs fell along the railway line, some hitting temporary warehouses where Japanese troops stored ammunition, detonating grenades and shells inside. The chain reaction of explosions was even more powerful than aerial bombs, instantly leveling the warehouses and turning half the sky red with flames. The scorching heat could be felt even a hundred meters away. Others accurately hit the piers of railway bridges, causing them to collapse. The bridges that once spanned the ravines broke into several pieces and plunged into the valley, kicking up clouds of dust. Two more bombs landed on Japanese strongholds along the line, shattering the camps and setting them ablaze. The remaining Japanese soldiers fled from the strongholds.

On the distant hillside, the commanders and soldiers of the 120th Division watched the bombing with excitement in their eyes.

The commander ordered an attack, and the soldiers rushed toward the railway line.

With this, Fang Wen returned to base after the first nighttime air raid of the Hundred Regiments Offensive.

Meanwhile, troops in enemy-occupied base areas across North China also launched simultaneous attacks, fiercely assaulting the Pinghan, Jinpu, Pingsui, and Beining railway branch lines and highways controlled by the Japanese army.

Along the Pinghan Railway, soldiers blew up highway bridges and destroyed roadbeds, cutting off the Japanese army's transportation route in half.

Along the Jinpu Railway, militiamen cooperated with regular troops to harass Japanese patrols and burn Japanese transport vehicles.
Communication lines along the Ping-Sui Railway were completely destroyed, paralyzing communication between various Japanese strongholds.

Under the cover of night, battles broke out in multiple locations north of the Yellow River. Caught off guard by the sudden, all-out offensive, the Japanese army was left only able to defend passively and was utterly unable to mount an effective counterattack. (End of Chapter)