The chief of staff said with some dissatisfaction: "I have tried many ways, but I can't avoid a large-scale battle with the Japanese army. Do you think they can do anything about it?"
To be honest, Ding Wei couldn't think of any good way. If it was in Shanxi, it would be easier. Xu Dalong's men had bombers and could directly blow up the Japanese airport. But here, the only way to attack is from the ground. There were so many Japanese around the airport that there was no way to get close to the airport.
The only way he could think of was to launch a surprise attack from the airport side. However, not only will it be difficult to break through the enemy's position in a short period of time, but the attacking troops will also suffer heavy losses.
Ding Wei shook his head and said: "To be honest, I can't think of what the Dalong Brotherhood would do. But I firmly believe that he will be able to destroy the Japanese airport at a very small cost."
After thinking for a while, the chief of staff said, "Why don't I take a few staff members and go with Captain Xu and the others to study hard."
Ding Wei's eyes lit up and he said: "This is a good idea. Brother Dalong and the others haven't gone far yet, so hurry up and take the people to follow them."
The chief of staff immediately asked the correspondent to prepare his horse, and with three staff officers, he chased Xu Dalong and others.
Xu Dalong and others were on their way when they heard the sound of horse hooves coming from behind. They turned their heads and saw the chief of staff and his party, so they stopped on the roadside and waited for them.
The chief of staff caught up and said: "Captain Xu, we also want to follow you to the airport where the Japanese are fighting, and learn from you to improve our tactical level."
Xu Dalong readily agreed and expressed his welcome.
In order to avoid the Japanese army, Xu Dalong and others traveled day and night. The guides sent by the underground party played a great role. The advance detachment took lonely roads without disturbing the Japanese and puppet troops, and successfully arrived near the Japanese airport.
On the morning of the second day after their arrival, Xu Dalong and Wei Monk were going to see the terrain, and the chief of staff was also going to follow them.
They quietly came to a hillside about 1,500 meters away from the Japanese airport, and looked towards the airport from behind the bushes.
The chief of staff saw two barbed wire fences outside the Japanese airport. The barbed wire fences were filled with dense machine gun positions, and many Japanese soldiers were active there. Six three-story turrets are evenly distributed, and once fighting begins, crossfire can be formed.
The enemy's situation was so serious that the chief of staff really couldn't figure out how to break into the airport and destroy the Japanese plane. He thought about it for a long time, but couldn't think of a way.
Seeing the relaxed expression on Xu Dalong's face, he couldn't help his curiosity and asked: "Captain, what are you going to do? Are you planning to attack the airport at night? But the Japanese machine gun positions are so dense that it may be difficult to succeed in a night attack." .”
Xu Dalong didn't explain. He glanced at Monk Wei.
Monk Wei smiled and said: "Chief of Staff, it's nothing special. These little devils are not that troublesome. There is no need to attack at night. We can deal with them during the day."
The chief of staff was puzzled and asked: "What method should be used?
Monk Wei said: "I can't explain it in one sentence. You will know it tomorrow."
Xu Dalong and others stayed in this area for a long time, and the guerrilla artillery commanders who came with them observed the terrain and collected relevant data.
Everyone stayed for a whole morning and then returned to the temporary station of the advance detachment.
At two o'clock in the morning, the chief of staff was called up. Seeing that the advance detachment was ready to go, he called up several accompanying staff officers and set off with the advance detachment.
The chief of staff followed Xu Dalong and others to the hillside where they were scouting the airport during the day, and stopped. Then the chief of staff saw someone setting up a Type 92 infantry cannon, and someone else setting up an anti-aircraft machine gun there.
He asked doubtfully: "Captain Xu, what are you doing?"
Xu Dalong smiled and said: "This is the airport where we fight against Japanese invaders."
The chief of staff became increasingly confused and asked, "Are we going to fight here?"
Xu Dalong nodded and said: "Right here."
The chief of staff couldn't understand. Seeing Xu Dalong busy there, he was embarrassed to ask again. Then he decided to just wear his ears and not express any more opinions, so as not to look a little stupid.
Xu Dalong and others lined up the four anti-aircraft machine guns they brought with them on the hillside, and then deployed four Type 92 infantry artillery positions in front of the machine gun positions. Each artillery position contained four Type 92 infantry cannons. Two hundred meters in front of the Type 92 infantry gun position, a gun position was also deployed, which contained four 240mm heavy mortars.
500 meters in front of this artillery position, the officers and soldiers of the advance detachment were repairing the fortifications and setting up a blocking position. In front of the blocking position, ten sniper groups were dispatched. Each group had seven snipers. They each chose their positions and were very dispersed among themselves.
At 8:30 in the morning, the sun shines on the airport, and the field of vision is very wide. Even without a telescope, everything on the airport is clearly visible.
Xu Dalong looked at his watch, walked in front of an anti-aircraft machine gun, and aimed at the airport.
The Japanese army's precautions were very strict. In addition to the high alertness of the security forces around the airport, first-level combat readiness was also implemented at the airport. In addition to the two fighter jets on duty, there are six bombers that are fully fueled, equipped with aerial bombs, and ready to take off for combat at any time.
The chief of staff was very horrified. He knew that once the battle started, Japanese bombers would take off and bomb the advance detachment. He really didn't understand why Xu Dalong chose to attack the Japanese airport during the day.
At this moment, the chief of staff heard the crisp sound of an anti-aircraft machine gun being fired. He really didn't understand why Xu Dalong and the others opened fire at the Japanese army from such a long distance. Isn't this simply exposing the target?
The next scene shocked him. He saw the fighter jets and bombers on duty parked at the airport. Under the attack of anti-aircraft machine guns, black smoke soon appeared. Then, some planes caught fire, and one The plane even exploded violently.
The legal anti-aircraft machine gun used by Xu Dalong has a maximum range of 2,600 meters and an effective range of 1,800 meters. The Japanese airport is completely within the firepower range of the four anti-aircraft machine guns.
After destroying the Japanese aircraft on duty, the anti-aircraft machine guns fired at other aircraft parked at the airport.
Almost at the same time, the Type 92 infantry guns in the four artillery positions also shelled the Japanese airport.
The Japanese army was attacked and did not panic. The officers and soldiers immediately entered the position. They saw that the attackers were far away and their machine guns and rifles were of no use at all, so they hurried to set up the Type 92 infantry cannon.
The artillerymen of the advance detachment had been staring at them for a long time. When they saw the Japanese setting up artillery, they started bombarding them. The Japanese's Type 92 infantry artillery could not be set up at all, and most of them were directly destroyed.
The Japanese were also very cunning. Two Type 92 infantry cannons hid behind a bunker made of sandbags and began to fire back at the advance detachment.
The gunners operating the 240mm heavy mortars quickly discovered them and fired shells there. The 240mm heavy mortar was too powerful. Several shells were fired at it, but did not hit directly. The nearest shell was almost five or six meters away from the Japanese artillery position, but it still hit the Japanese Type 92 infantry cannon. It exploded, and the Japanese artillerymen were also killed and injured.
Without the threat of Japanese artillery, the task force's anti-aircraft machine guns and Type 92 infantry artillery calmly bombarded the Japanese airport. The 240mm heavy mortar also adjusted its muzzle to shell the buildings on the airport.
The heavy mortar positions and anti-aircraft machine gun positions of the advance detachment were too far away from the Japanese defenses. The Japanese machine guns and rifles were simply out of reach. They also had mortars in their hands, and they couldn't hit that far either. , completely in a passive position of being beaten.
The Japs were frightened, and the commander directed the Japs to rush out of the defensive position and rush towards the guerrillas.
Only then did they realize that those trenches and barbed wire fences had become a burden to them. Some of the Japanese went to destroy the barbed wire fence, while others found ladders to lay on the trenches. As a result, they all became targets for the snipers. After struggling for a long time, they could not even get past the barbed wire fence.
The Japanese commander was very helpless and had to order to run back, trying to go around from other places and attack the Eighth Route Army.
The artillerymen of the advance detachment seized the time and kept firing artillery shells at the Japanese airport. Anti-aircraft machine guns were also constantly firing at the planes parked at the airport. Some of the planes were riddled with holes, and some were directly blown into scrap metal. Many planes were on fire.
The 240mm heavy mortar is worthy of being called a building demolition expert. One shell will destroy a Japanese building. The Japanese command tower was hit by two artillery shells and was completely destroyed.
Because the distance was relatively long and they did not understand the layout of the airport, the artillerymen did not know where the ammunition depots and oil depots on the airport were located, so they carried out carpet bombardment of the buildings on the airport.
Soon after, an artillery shell hit the Japanese oil depot, and a fire burst into the sky.
Two minutes later, a 240mm heavy mortar shell hit the Japanese ammunition depot, and then a violent explosion occurred on the airport.
When the battle lasted 20 minutes, there was no longer a complete aircraft or an intact building in sight at the airport.
The Japanese who were guarding the airport rushed out. There were about 200 of them. They rode motorcycles and trucks and took a detour from the airport gate.
They were soon blocked by the advance detachment. A large number of mortars were set up on the blocking position. Groups of artillery shells flew over, and many vehicles were directly blown into scrap metal by the shells.
The Japanese jumped off motorcycles and trucks in panic. In the violent explosion of mortar shells, there were heavy casualties, and only about 100 Japanese soldiers survived.
This group of guys was very fierce. Facing the defensive position held by nearly a thousand Eighth Route Army soldiers, they still launched a charge. As you can imagine, no one was left alive in a short time.
The chief of staff and the three staff officers he brought were stunned and didn't know what to say.
Xu Dalong saw that the Japanese airport had been destroyed and decisively issued an order to retreat.
After the airport was attacked, the Japanese army in Kaifeng City organized troops to pursue it and ordered other troops to intercept along the way.
However, the advance detachment was all cavalry, and the retreat route they chose was very remote. Even if the Japanese and puppet troops discovered it along the way, it would be too late to organize an interception.
On the way, the advance detachment encountered a small group of Japanese and puppet troops. They had no effect at all and only added some achievements to the advance detachment in vain.
The advance detachment passed through the Japanese defense zone almost without any hindrance and returned to the Funiu Mountain Anti-Japanese Base Area.
This battle completely destroyed the Japanese Kaifeng Airport. Although the results cannot be counted, no less than 100 Japanese fighter planes were destroyed. In this combat operation, the total number of casualties in the advance detachment did not exceed 20.
The chief of staff witnessed the power of the advance detachment with his own eyes, learned their tactics, and was envious of the weapons the advance detachment had.
He found Ding Wei and reported to him what he saw. He discussed with Ding Wei, hoping to keep the advanced weapons in the hands of the advance detachment.
Ding Wei was very embarrassed and kept toasting to Xu Dalong at the celebration banquet.
Taking advantage of the drunkenness, Ding Wei said: "Brother Dalong, this time we know the tactics you used to fight the Japanese airport, and we can fight ourselves, but the guy in our hands is a little bit worse. Can you see if you can?" Support us."
Xu Dalong has completed the task of opening up a base assigned by his superiors and is preparing to return to the Mawushan base. He also hoped that Ding Wei and the others could deal with the Japanese air force independently.
Xu Dalong said: "No problem, the four anti-aircraft machine guns and the four 240mm heavy mortars will be left to you. When we leave, you will send a transport team to follow us and support you with a batch of artillery shells."
Ding Wei and others were very moved and kept toasting to Xu Dalong and others.
On this day, Zhao Gang sent a telegram and asked Xu Dalong how many oceans they had obtained in Henan this time? He said that everything was working normally in the Mawushan base area now, and asked Xu Dalong and the others not to be in a hurry to come back, not to go to Henan in vain, and to come back with more overseas work.
When Xu Dalong and the others came this time, they also confiscated a lot of Japanese and puppet assets. So far, they have obtained more than 300,000 yuan. Xu Dalong originally thought that it was almost done, but after hearing what Zhao Gang said, he also felt that it would be a bit of a disadvantage to go back all the way to Henan and not make more money.
Xu Dalong then decided to stay here for another week and do some more ocean work.
Ding Wei and others wished that Xu Dalong and the others could stay here for a while, and also wanted to follow them to make some money. So he served them with good wine and meat every day, and at the same time, he took the time to formulate a battle plan, hoping to fight another battle before Xu Dalong and the others left.
Among the Iron Triangle in the northwest, Kong Jie's character is down-to-earth and honest. Although Li Yunlong's character is a bit cunning, he is very righteous. In comparison, Ding Wei seems to be very scheming. The reason why he wanted to seize the time to fight another big battle was to drag Xu Dalong into the water.
(End of chapter)
