Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Fang Wen picked up the microphone and contacted Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire, the ground convoy commander, via radio.

“Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire, there is a Japanese ambush force 100 kilometers ahead of the convoy, at the northwest section of the highway. They may have laid a large number of landmines on the highway and also set up long-range fire ambushes.”

The convoy was traveling on a narrow and rugged road near Loiku, with dense tropical jungle on both sides.

This is a simple paved road built by the British colonial government. The core road network is mainly composed of the north-south trunk line of Taunggyi-Loiku-Mochi-Taungoo and the east-west branch line of Loiku-Hopung-Ryeem.

The convoy will travel through the road network here to reach the border between Myanmar and Laos.

Lieutenant Colonel Lemaître gripped the walkie-talkie tightly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His voice was extremely tense: "Mr. Fang, are you sure? Our reconnaissance troops, who set off ahead of time, drove through that section of the highway and found nothing unusual. Moreover, there's only one main road along the Myanmar-Thailand border; taking a detour is simply out of the question!"

“Confirmed!” Fang Wen replied with absolute certainty, his words forcing Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire to reconsider whether to allow the convoy to continue.

"So what should we do now?" Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire asked.

“I spotted an abandoned road from the air; we should be able to get around it. Call the British guide over and ask him. I’m heading back now. If we can find a way around it, let me know, and I’ll provide air support for your flanking maneuver,” Fang Wen replied.

The call ended immediately, and Fang Wen piloted the plane back to base.

Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire then ordered the convoy to stop and summoned the guide who was leading the way.

The guide was from the British Burma Roads Authority and was very knowledgeable about the road conditions in Burma.

When Lieutenant Colonel Lemaître asked if there was a way to bypass the pass, he confirmed that there was an old road, but it had been abandoned because the roadbed had been washed away by previous floods.

But over the years, the locals have made some repairs to make it suitable for their oxcarts.

He didn't know whether light tanks could pass.

In order to cross the road safely, Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire immediately summoned the British infantry company commander, the French commander, and the American instructors to explain the flanking plan.

"Gentlemen, the Japanese have laid an ambush 100 kilometers ahead. Charging through will only cause the ammunition on the vehicles to explode, and we will all perish there! The detour is our only chance. We will split into two groups: one will flank and encircle them from behind, while the other will advance slowly from the front to hold them off. The flanking force will have air support from Mount Tai to wipe out these Japanese troops in one fell swoop!"

The American instructor immediately stepped forward, his tone firm: "Lieutenant Colonel, I request to lead half of the tank drivers to cooperate with the British infantry in flanking maneuvers! These trainees have been training for two days and are already proficient in operating the M2A4, fully capable of carrying out assault missions. I will command them in combat!"

"Agreed!" Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire immediately approved the order and quickly assigned tasks. "Eighty men from the British infantry company and fifty men from the French will ride in two military vehicles, while the rest will stand on tanks. I will send ten light tanks, led by American instructors, to circle around along the western dirt road, making sure to proceed covertly. Once behind the ambush point, wait for air support signals before launching the attack. The remaining 20 tanks, British infantry, and French troops will continue to guard the convoy, slowing down and causing an accident to stop midway, so as not to arouse suspicion from the Japanese."

Once deployed, 10 tanks separated from the convoy, and British and French soldiers quickly climbed onto them.

The first tank was driven by an American tank instructor, and inside the vehicle were a British guide, an English translator sent by Taishan Air Force, and a reserve driver to serve as the gunner.

He was excited and turned on the walkie-talkie, shouting, "Let's go! Let's give the Japanese a good kick in the ass!"

Taishan's English translator was a little embarrassed, but still translated verbatim, shouting into the walkie-talkie: "The American instructor said we're off, and he's going to lead you guys to kick the Japanese asses."

The nine light tanks behind each had a driver and a reserve driver serving as the gunner. Upon hearing the translator's words, they couldn't help but laugh.

Ten M2A4 light tanks then slowly drove onto the makeshift dirt road on the west side, followed by two military vehicles full of soldiers.

The dirt road was indeed narrow, only wide enough for one tank to pass through. The bushes on both sides scraped against the tank's body, making a rustling sound.

Fortunately, the road conditions were acceptable, and no road collapse occurred even with a light tank passing through.

At a speed of 20 kilometers per hour, this unit will arrive behind the Japanese ambush point in more than five hours.

Meanwhile, the convoy also set off.

However, the speed was slower than before, and after a while, the two cars in front suddenly broke down, so the convoy had to stop temporarily and wait for the cars to be repaired before continuing on the road together.

The aviation school located within the aircraft manufacturing plant 1 of the Yangon Thames Industrial Park.

Fang Wen, who had just landed, drove over, parked his car, and went straight upstairs to the aviation school's office.

The school office was not divided into the principal's office and teachers' offices, but rather one large room with a desk for each person.

Principal Wang and Dean of Students Bai Yunfei were both inside.

"General Manager, is there something you need?" Principal Wang quickly stood up and asked.

"Summon the trainees immediately; there's an emergency flight mission," Fang Wen said.

Immediately, Principal Wang and Bai Yunfei gathered all the aviation students and lined them up on the playground.

There were still two queues, one for the Kuomintang and one for the Communist Party.

However, when they were lining up, it was clear that the flight cadets on the Nationalist government's side were no longer as hostile as before.

It seems that Bai Yunfei's work has been effective, Fang Wen thought to himself.

He shook off his thoughts and stood in front of the students.

"Classmates, we once worked together to transport a large number of foreign military personnel across the strait from Europe. That flight delayed your studies, and you are only now able to graduate. If anyone has any complaints about this, I can accept it."

The trainees answered in unison, "No."

Fang Wen nodded and continued, "That cooperative flight was conducted in a civilian mode, without any combat. I know everyone is eager for a real combat experience to bring their studies to a proper close. Now, there's a good opportunity. I need to select a group of students to participate in an air support strike against the Japanese army. Those who are willing to participate, please raise your hands."

As soon as he finished speaking, the students all raised their hands.

Faced with such enthusiastic participation, Fang Wen simply said, "Then let's all participate."

He looked at Principal Wang and Bai Yunfei.

How many gunboats does the school currently have?

“Five,” Principal Wang replied.

"Is the ammunition stockpile sufficient for a single saturation air strike?" Fang Wen continued to ask.

“That’s enough. The base in northern Myanmar receives a monthly supply of ammunition,” replied Bai Yunfei, the director of training.

Fang Wen nodded: "I'll have the base in northern Myanmar send over five more gunships. As for how to allocate them, you can figure that out yourselves. I need to see the results in three hours, and I'll lead the team out in four hours."

Immediately, Principal Wang and Bai Yunfei took action.

Fang Wen also used the school's telegraph room to send a secret telegram to the base in northern Myanmar.

The secret telegram frequency, known only to him, became the best means of verifying his identity. Upon receiving the secret telegram, the base in northern Myanmar immediately organized and deployed personnel.

Five newly modified gunboats were taken out of the depot, fully equipped with ammunition, and flown to Yangon by pilots from the No. 2 Aircraft Manufacturing Plant.

Meanwhile, the school has already begun assigning combat units.

Fang Wen watched from the side.

Under the arrangement of Bai Yunfei, the director of instruction, the students from the Nationalist government and the Communist Party were deliberately separated and mixed into 10 flight combat teams.

These people, free from their previous barriers, quickly got into the swing of things, gathering in small groups to exchange ideas.

Fang Wen walked around and listened to what they were saying; it was all about coordination in air combat.

A flight combat team consists of only one pilot, but the crew members include a communicator, gunner, and ammunition handler. Each position is important, so the team members constantly check with each other to make sure they are in their proper positions.

Fang Wen appreciated the students' spirit and did not disturb them.

Two hours later, the gunboat arrived at the Yangon Aviation School seaplane base.

Fang Wen gathered the trainees again, his tone solemn: "I know this is your first time participating in actual combat, and it's understandable that you're nervous. But remember, our mission is to provide air support, cover ground troops, strike Japanese ambush points, and protect munitions. During the flight, you must obey orders and not act on your own. This way, you can complete the mission while protecting yourselves." "Understood, Commander Fang!" the trainees responded in unison, their voices loud and clear, echoing across the entire drill ground. Their unified and resolute spirit filled Fang Wen with immense satisfaction.

"Alright, let me see how well you've learned at the aviation school. All students, board the plane."

The trainees lined up in groups and headed to their assigned gunboats.

As they boarded the plane, Fang Wen used the radio to communicate with the motorcade.

The radio signals went back and forth, and the convoy reported that progress was going smoothly, with the flanking tank convoy expected to arrive behind Japanese lines in an hour.

This timeframe coincides with the time when gunboats fly from Rangoon to the target area.

Fang Wen immediately walked out of the telegraph room and drove away.

He boarded his seaplane at Yangon port and took off immediately.

After takeoff, I picked up the microphone and switched to the pre-set combat frequency. "Communication confirmed. All gunships and aircraft shall report their numbers according to their temporary numbers."

"Unit 1 reporting." "Unit 2 reporting."
After the 10 gunboats finished counting off in turn, it was confirmed that the wireless communication was working properly.

Fang Wen then allowed takeoff.

Gunships and aircraft took off one after another, forming a flight formation in the air, following the main engine piloted by Fang Wen, and flew towards the northeast.

An hour later, the aircraft arrived over the highway pass northeast of Lei Gu.

Fang Wen immediately used his special ability to sense the situation below.

He saw 10 tanks driving through the dense jungle. The road below was covered by leaves, and without a guide, he would have no idea that it was a road.

It was thanks to the tanks leading the way that the vines growing on the road were broken by the tanks, allowing the two military vehicles behind to pass without obstruction.

The tank convoy was only 5 minutes away from the Japanese ambush point.

The commotion has already alerted the Japanese troops who were recently there.

A small squad of Japanese soldiers stood up, bent over, and went to scout ahead.

Fang Wen picked up the microphone: "Airborne call to ground, please respond if you hear me."

A voice in English came through the radio: "General Manager, this is Yarus."

Yarus is the name of the American tank instructor, who was also the temporary commander of this tank squad.

Fang Wen instructed, "The Japanese ambush point is to your southeast. They may have already spotted you. Immediately prepare for battle."

"Yes."

The tank instructor immediately notified the other tank drivers, and the convoy drove off the old road and onto the highway. Soldiers in the following military vehicles jumped off and quickly ran behind the tanks.

A few minutes later, the flanking force successfully reached the rear of the Japanese ambush point and ran into the Japanese reconnaissance team.

"Fire!"

The tank instructor shouted excitedly, and the translator quickly yelled in Chinese, "The Americans said to start the war! Bombard those bastards with cannons!"

The tank's cannon moved, aiming at the group of Japanese soldiers. Orange-red flames shot out, and instantly, the area where the Japanese soldiers were located was covered by a series of explosions.

Firing all 10 cannons at once was really a waste; that reconnaissance team of Japanese soldiers was wiped out.

Now that the fighting had begun, there was no need to hide any longer. The 10 tanks spread out and launched an attack on the rear of the Japanese ambush point.

The Japanese troops in the dense forest reacted hastily, trying to turn the grenade launchers, which were set to fire at pre-set angles, towards the tank units attacking from the rear.

But in a hasty adjustment, the firing angle of a grenade launcher is not so easy to adjust.

Not to mention that with tanks advancing rapidly, the grenade launchers simply couldn't hit their targets accurately.

Therefore, the Japanese ambush troops immediately abandoned their ambush positions and retreated deeper into the dense forest.

At this moment, Fang Wen also issued an order.

"All gunboats and aircraft, intercept and fire from the east to prevent them from retreating in this direction."

Upon receiving the order, the 10 gunboats immediately took action, opening their side firing ports and unleashing a barrage of bullets at the Japanese troops below.

Bullets rained down from the sky, carving a deadly line across the eastern side.

The Japanese troops, who were trying to escape this way, ran right into them.

A 12.7mm machine gun bullet can cut a person in two, while a 20mm cannon bullet is even more powerful against soldiers.

Seeing the Japanese soldiers at the front being blown to pieces, the Japanese soldiers behind dared not retreat to that side any further.

They turned southeast, intending to escape back to the border of the Kingdom of Thailand.

During that time difference, the tank convoy had already charged over.

The British and French soldiers following behind the tanks were in high spirits, and they worked together with the tanks to reap the lives of the Japanese soldiers.

Of the 200 Japanese marines, only 100 remained after suffering multiple blows.

These guys actually wanted to put up a fight. With no way to retreat, an officer led the charge, brandishing a military knife and charging out from behind the woods.

"What are these idiots doing?"

The American tank instructors were puzzled.

Taishan's translator explained to him: "They are preparing to pledge allegiance to the Emperor; such scum deserve to die."

"Then let them die," the tank instructor replied.

Taishan's translator immediately translated, shouting into the walkie-talkie, "The commander said to kill them all."

This is a good order; all tanks execute it immediately.

The machine guns on the emplacement spat fire, mowing down the Japanese soldiers who rushed out of the woods like wheat being cut down.

The British and French troops behind them were stunned and stopped firing.

After a while, the machine gun fire stopped.

There wasn't a single Japanese soldier standing in front of us.

The tank instructor peered through the observation slit in horror at everything outside.

Why are you so cruel?

The translator disagreed: "No, these guys committed heinous crimes in China. They deserved to die here. If you had seen what they did, you would understand why we hate them so much."

The tank instructors did not understand this.

Not wanting to see the corpses strewn across the ground, he turned the vehicle around and used the onboard telegraph to report the battle situation to the convoy. (End of Chapter)