...It wasn't until the momentum of the Japanese army's initial attack weakened and all the bombs and incendiary bombs carried by the bombers were almost lost. The air defense forces secretly deployed by the Eighth Route Army in Licheng showed up and began to counterattack.
But in fact.
From the Inner Mongolia region to the Taihang region, the Japs conducted a series of air raids, speculated on the air defense capabilities displayed by the Eighth Route Army, and collected intelligence.
The Japanese army is basically familiar with the combat mode of the Eighth Route Army's air defense units and related anti-air weapons and equipment, as well as corresponding parameters, etc.
For example, based on the information collected by the relevant Japanese military intelligence departments:
The main air defense weapons possessed by the Eighth Route Army are Oerlikon 20mm anti-aircraft guns, Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns, Type 96 25mm anti-aircraft guns, Type 88 75mm anti-aircraft guns, etc.
These are the main anti-aircraft weapons against the Eighth Route Army.
The Japanese army made special preparations and reconnaissance, and the Japanese had a clear understanding of the shooting height, shooting range, rate of fire, etc. of these anti-aircraft artillery of the Eighth Route Army.
Some Japanese military professionals even speculated on the general air defense model of the Eighth Route Army.
This time the Japanese army launched a large-scale air raid against Licheng. They had already taken this into consideration, and they were also on guard against the counterattack of the Eighth Route Army's air defense mode.
According to the speculation of the old Japanese man Okamura, if nothing unexpected happens, even if the Eighth Route Army does hide its air defense force in Licheng, it will not have the expected effect at all.
This point can be referred to Chongqing.
The Japanese army organized many air raids on Chongqing. The national government was basically unable to defend it every time. Every time, the air defense positions basically fired anti-aircraft cannons.
One reason is that the detection technology is backward, there is no early warning radar, and it is impossible to detect the Japanese aircraft group from a long distance.
Another reason is that spies have long disclosed the distribution of Chongqing's air defense positions, the parameters of anti-aircraft guns, shooting heights, etc. to the little devils.
The Japanese army thus formulated a targeted bombing plan.
Jiang Jun had no resistance at all.
However, in Licheng, the result of the ensuing battle between the Eighth Route Army's air defense troops and the Japanese flying troops was far beyond Okamura's expectations.
After the anti-aircraft firepower secretly deployed by the Eighth Route Army in Licheng was suddenly exposed.
The anti-aircraft artillery used and the combat mode of artillery strikes completely exceeded the Japanese army's expectations.
As a result, under the sudden display of anti-aircraft firepower, the Japanese flying team soon suffered casualties, and six or seven fighter planes were destroyed.
Almost the sky was filled with barrages of anti-aircraft shells.
The Japanese fighter jets and bombers whizzing past in mid-air were like small boats traveling in huge waves that could be overturned by the waves at any time.
The Japanese flying troops suffered heavy losses as a result.
Especially the Japanese flying troops reinforced from Central China and East China.
The air raids launched by these Japanese pilots against Licheng were based on the relevant intelligence provided by the North China Front Army and were carried out against the air defense system that the Eighth Route Army might secretly deploy in Licheng.
As a result, the Eighth Route Army did not fight back at all as the intelligence predicted.
The Japanese pilots were caught off guard.
The high altitude that was thought to be safe was directly covered by artillery shells fired by the enemy.
It was originally thought that the airspace during the dive bombing was in the Eighth Route, a blind spot for anti-aircraft firepower, but then there was a sneak attack from the Eighth Route hidden firepower.
Under such intelligence errors.
The casualties of the Japanese flying troops spread rapidly, and fighter planes continued to crash.
So much so that the Japanese pilots who hurriedly flew their fighter planes out of the range of the Eighth Route Army's anti-aircraft fire, and then began to curse the North China Front Army and the Commander-in-Chief Okamura Neiji just as they were in shock.
If it weren't for the stupid information given by this confused commander.
The flying troops will not suffer such heavy losses!
Licheng.
In the former enemy air defense headquarters of the Eighth Route Army, Kong Jie had a smile on his lips.
This little son of a bitch, does he really think our old Kong is stupid?
If you ask around, no one will know that I, Kong Jie, have always been the one to trick others, and no one has ever been able to trick me?
This time.
In response to the air combat in Licheng.
Through special channels, Kong Jie purchased a large number of Soviet-made m1938 76mm anti-aircraft guns, m1939-type 37mm anti-aircraft guns, and m1939-type 85mm anti-aircraft guns, disrupting the previous inherent air defense system model and re-establishing it. An air defense system was established.
It incorporates a series of air defense equipment such as Type 97 air defense commander, Type 98 air defense commander, fire control radar, and air search radar, and has developed special supporting applications.
As for the anti-aircraft artillery that the Japs were familiar with previously exposed, it was just to paralyze the Japanese army's judgment.
After deceiving the main force of the Japanese aircraft into the airspace set up in advance, they launched a counterattack.
The little devil really fell into the trap and suffered a big loss.
Kong Jie first commanded to expose 1/3 of the air defense force, and after severely damaging the leading Japanese flying force, the main force of the Japanese flying force in Central and East China were all put into combat.
Only then did the enhanced and improved air defense forces deployed in Licheng come into full play.
Inside the Licheng Frontline Air Defense Command.
There were not only air defense experts from Yan'an, but also air defense trainees from the field units of the 120th Division and the 129th Division.
The generals gathered here this time to learn a team's new air defense combat system during the actual air combat in Licheng.
Seeing a team's newly constructed air defense system, the Japanese flying force was caught off guard.
The soldiers applauded non-stop and called it wonderful.
The confrontation between the two sides intensified.
A fierce ground-to-air battle was staged in Licheng.
Until according to the speculation of the Eighth Route Army, the Japanese fighter planes had almost exhausted their ammunition and were preparing to return to the aviation base to replenish ammunition.
The first fighter formation of the aviation force, secretly built by a detachment of the Eighth Route Army, appeared with thunderous momentum and launched a surprise attack directly from the flank against the Japanese bomber formation.
——Immediately push the ground-to-air confrontation between the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese Army in Licheng to a climax!
Looking up at the roar of enemy and friendly aircraft and the exchange of firepower in mid-air, many Eighth Route Army generals were so excited that they even burst into tears.
"In my lifetime, I will finally see the combat of our Eighth Route Army aviation unit!"
The generals shouted excitedly.
Then there was concern about the fate of the Eighth Route Army's fighter planes.
Over Licheng.
The appearance of the Eighth Route Army aviation unit really frightened the Japanese pilots.
Although the headquarters had already had intelligence that the Eighth Route Army's aviation unit was likely to make a surprise attack, they had also been wary of all this.
Until they watched the fighters belonging to the Eighth Route Army appear, they were still shocked in their hearts.
The two sides then engaged in a hasty confrontation.
Air Force versus Air Force.
This is a world of fighter jets that are more maneuverable and more suitable for air strikes.
The various types of Japanese bombers, from light to heavy bombers, which focus on air strikes against the army, are basically of no use. Instead, they are now being protected.
Seeing the appearance of the Eighth Route Army aviation unit, the Japanese escorted the fighter units on both wings of the bomber formation, quickly opened up a counterattack formation, and launched an attack on the emerging Eighth Route Army fighter planes.
The order from the headquarters is very clear:
Once the Eighth Route Army's secret aviation force appears, all enemy fighters must be destroyed in the shortest possible time.
Peiping, the headquarters of the Japanese North China Front.
Suddenly, news was received that the secret aviation unit of the Eighth Route Army appeared in the sky above Licheng, and the old Japanese man Okamura's face was filled with ecstasy.
He has been waiting for this moment for a long time.
The bomber formation invested in Licheng was used as a bait to induce the appearance of the Eighth Route Army's secret aviation unit.
However, the Eighth Route Army was very patient. Until now, the Eighth Route Army's aviation units had not yet seen an attack.
Okamura was almost giving up.
The Eighth Route Army's secret aviation force appeared again at this juncture.
In Licheng, although the Japanese flying troops suffered heavy losses due to the secret adjustment of the air defense system by the Eighth Route Army, the Japanese bombers basically ran out of ammunition.
However, the number of Japanese fighter jets still occupies an absolute advantage, and the aviation machine guns carried by the fighter jets still have plenty of ammunition.
Okamura thinks so.
It would be effortless to destroy the Eighth Route Army's aviation units.
Over Licheng.
More than a dozen Japanese fighter jets spread out their formation and roared toward the Eighth Route Army fighter jets, accompanied by a downpour of aviation machine gun fire.
The face of the Japanese squadron leader who led the team was full of confidence. He even believed that all the small number of Eighth Route Army fighter jets that appeared could be destroyed in just one attack.
Until the two sides quickly approached, a sharp-eyed Japanese pilot suddenly noticed that something was not right. Although those Eighth Route fighters were captured Imperial Japanese fighter planes, there seemed to be something extra on the fuselage.
Boom dong dong——
A large number of artillery shells were fired from the Eighth Route Army's fighter jets in an instant.
The artillery strike power of the Eighth Route Army fighter jets that had been modified and improved by a detachment of the Eighth Route Army was fully revealed at this moment.
The first few Type 2 Zhongkui fighters had all four aviation machine guns modified into belt-fed 20mm aviation cannons.
The Type-1 Falcon fighter at the rear is also equipped with multiple aviation cannons.
The Eighth Route Army suffered from a firepower scarcity syndrome.
I wish I could transform all the fighter planes into high-altitude mobile turrets with cannon holes all over their bodies.
As for spending some money, that doesn't matter. Our Eighth Route Army doesn't have many fighter planes anyway, so just spend money on these few planes.
Although the Japanese have a strong family background, they have too many fighter planes to be so extravagant and wasteful.
After the two sides started fighting.
What is this equivalent to?
It was equivalent to the Japanese army using outdated machine guns to engage in bombardment with the Eighth Route Army's artillery.
I saw a large number of artillery shells fired by the Eighth Route Army's fighter planes, covering them head-on. The barrage of artillery shells directly completely drowned the oncoming roaring Japanese fighter planes.
The devil shoots bullets.
Eighth Route Army directly hit them with cannons.
How can we fight this battle?
After a face-to-face confrontation, the Eighth Route Army relied on the fierce artillery installed on a small number of fighter jets to destroy six Japanese fighter jets.
Such efficient air combat.
Not to mention the surviving Japanese pilots who were confused, even the Eighth Route Army officers and soldiers on the ground in Licheng who looked up at all this were a little dumbfounded.
Then he was enveloped in great excitement.
——This is the strength of our Eighth Route Army aviation unit!
It's just cheating with ordinary combat power!
Chu Yunfei, Commander Tang and Chief Yan who were in the observation post were all dumbfounded.
Is this the Japanese flying unit?
How could he appear so vulnerable in front of the Eighth Route Air Force?
Of course, in this wave of confrontations, the Eighth Route Army fighter squadron mainly used the large number of aerial cannons installed on the fighter planes to catch the little Japanese off guard.
This took advantage of it.
When the Japanese came to their senses, they deliberately distanced the fighter planes from the aviation cannons, and then used the flexibility of the fighter planes and the suppressive numerical advantage of the fighter planes to launch a battle.
I'm afraid it will be impossible to achieve such unexpected and crushing results again.
But in fact, after this wave of confrontations, the Eighth Route Army's first fighter group has successfully completed its mission.
"withdraw!"
In the command plane, Captain Jackson decisively issued orders through the radio.
Several fighter jets immediately turned around and roared away.
The Japanese pilots who had just come back to their senses at this time were filled with anger when they saw such a big loss. How could they let the enemy go? Even some fighter jets organized as escort bombers roared towards the escaping Eighth Route Army aviation units. and left in pursuit.
But where is the end?
The fighter force escorting the Japanese bomber formation was lured away. This was just one of the combat plans formulated by Kong Jie.
Then other fighter units belonging to the Eighth Route Army's first combat group appeared again, and followed the previous pattern, leading away some of the fighter jets escorting the Japanese bomber group.
At this time, seeing fewer and fewer escorting fighter jets, the Japanese squadron leader who commanded the bomber formation also noticed something was wrong.
In addition, the ammunition carried by the bombers was basically exhausted, and they were attacked by the Licheng Eighth Route Army air defense force. Many fighter planes were damaged.
He immediately ordered to return.
Where to run?
The damaged fighter jets that needed to make an emergency landing made a temporary landing at HD Chengnan Airport.
The remaining bombers are preparing to return to their base camp, the large military airport in Shanghai, and completely withdraw from the Licheng battlefield.
As for the air raid launched by the Japanese army against Licheng, it can basically be said to have come to an end.
As for the Japanese flying team, they will never rashly launch air strikes against Licheng again before they have found out the specific situation of the air defense system deployed by the Eighth Route Army in Licheng.
As time goes by.
The last wave of large-scale bombing by the Japanese was originally in the evening.
At this time, the sky was getting dark.
The Japanese bombers returned in an orderly manner toward the large military airport in the direction of Shanghai according to the existing routes.
As for the escorting Japanese fighter jets that were lured away by the Eighth Route Army fighter jets, they were gradually thrown away by the faster Eighth Route Army fighter jets during the pursuit along the way. In desperation, they had no choice but to return to the nearby airport.
A secret air base.
Major Davis was so excited that he could finally rush to the battlefield.
Just now, he received the order from the headquarters and immediately led the bomber group to secretly move towards the target area according to the pre-plan.
And just when Major Davis and the pilots were preparing to board the plane, an uninvited guest with a big head found him.
Not long after, in the cockpit of the Swallowing Dragon bomber piloted by Major Davis himself, a big head on the side held a telescope and looked excitedly at the night sky under the fuselage.
"Haha, this is so exciting! This guy Lao Kong still wants to stop me. If he stops me, won't I be able to get on the plane?"
"We, Lao Li, are going to have a good time this time, flying a bomber to bomb the Japanese airport in Shanghai. Damn it, it's so fun!"
…
(End of chapter)
