All air force pilots wiped away their tears and asked to fight, wanting to avenge Ren Yunge and the war.
The young pilots who did not participate in the battle this morning were clamoring that it was their turn to fly into the sky, kill a few more Japanese Air Force planes, and avenge the comrades who died today.
In the past, I felt very dissatisfied when I watched the little devils showing off their power over Chinese soil. Now I finally have the opportunity to destroy the arrogance of the little devils.
The young pilots have been waiting for this day for a long time.
Gao Zhihang, captain of the Fourth Battalion, also requested to take off again to support the navy.
Mao Bangchu said to the pilots who participated in this morning's air raid: "You have not rested since last night. You are very tired and need a good rest. I have reported your results today to Nanjing. Nanjing is very happy and will give you a good rest on another day." You reward me!”
Mao Bangchu said, his tone changed to a very solemn tone: "At the same time, Nanjing sent a telegram to bury the pilots who sacrificed their lives for the country and treat their families well."
Looking at the photos of Ren Yunge's family of five, the young pilots wiped away tears again.
Ren Yunge, 23, was the first Chinese pilot killed in an air battle against Japan on August 14, 1937.
In the photo, Ren Yunge's parents have white hair on their temples, his wife is young, virtuous and dignified, and their daughter is only two or three years old and innocent and cute.
Without its backbone, how will this family live in the future?
The young pilots at Mao Bangchu said: "The fighter planes supporting the navy this time need to be carried out secretly and cannot be made public. Only two of them will be used."
Hearing this, all the young pilots who did not participate in this morning's air attack on the Japanese troops in Shanghai were very disappointed.
Since it is a secret operation and there are only two aircraft, it means that basically there is nothing to do with them. The pilots who go there must be the elite among the elite.
Faced with the disappointment of the young pilots, Mao Bangchu smiled: "Today we air raided all positions of the Japanese Marine Corps stationed in Shanghai. We have achieved great results. How can we stop here?"
When the young pilots heard this, they immediately became energetic again. Since they became pilots, they had never fought with the Japanese with live ammunition in the air. At this time, their mood was both excited and nervous, with a little bit of fear.
This feeling is very subtle!
This is normal, no one goes into battle without being afraid.
"Order!" Mao Bangchu strode to the battle map, "The Ninth Squadron dispatched three Heinkel He111 A medium bombers and one Chance Voight O3U-2 reconnaissance aircraft to launch an air attack on the enemies at Mangshan Pier. The 24th Squadron of the Fifth Battalion sent five Hawker 3 fighter jets to escort, and the squadron leader Liu Cuigang personally led the team.
Each Hawker fighter plane hangs a 300kg bomb, flies to the attack site, and takes the lead in launching the first wave of attacks. It first kicks away the Japanese defensive artillery fire, and then takes off to cover the bombers to launch the second wave of attacks! "
Liu Cuigang, leader of the 24th Squadron, was overjoyed: "Sir Xie! I promise to complete the mission!"
Mao Bangchu said solemnly: "Remember, the Japanese aircraft carriers are participating in the war, and their carrier-based aircraft have longer legs than our fighter planes. If we are entangled by them, our fuel will be a big problem and we will be very passive, so you must not fall in love with the war!" The fighter plane dropped its bombs and returned immediately."
"yes!"
The combat pilots of the 9th Squadron and the 24th Squadron responded at the same time.
"When we get back safely, I'll ask you for credit!" Mao Bangchu said to Liu Cuigang and the others, "Act immediately!"
Squadron leader Liu Cuigang led the young pilots to take off immediately.
The remaining pilots were gearing up and waiting eagerly for the mission.
"Order, the 8th Squadron sent two Breda BR.27 bombing attack aircraft, and the 9th Squadron sent two Heinkel He111 A medium bombers to bomb the airstrip arranged by the Japanese army at the Gongda Cotton Mill again, led by Changle Yiqin of the 22nd Squadron Seven Hawker 3 fighter jets escorted the aircraft, and all Hawker 3s were also equipped with a bomb to launch the first wave of bombing."
"Yes! Sir!" Lieutenant Le Yiqin replied.
Mao Bangchu held a piece of intelligence in his hand: "According to reliable intelligence, the airstrip of the Japanese Army's Gongda Cotton Mill was severely damaged by our air force yesterday. It began to be rebuilt in secret yesterday afternoon, and today it has begun to take shape.
So you must bomb it and knock out the Japanese ground airport in Shanghai!
This morning, our army air raided the Japanese Navy Headquarters and the Third Fleet. Now the Japanese aircraft are mainly defending the skies above the Naval Headquarters and the Third Fleet. They never expected that we would bomb the airstrip of the Open University Cotton Mill again. "
Liu Cuigang led the pilots to take off into the air and rush toward the Shanghai Gongda Cotton Mill and the Japanese airstrip.
"Order! Three Fiat CR-32 reconnaissance planes of the 8th Squadron will fly out every ten minutes and deploy air defense warnings to Jiashan and Zhapu. Once they find that Japanese military aircraft are attacking, report them immediately! Remember, it is better to give a false alarm. No omissions!”
The pilots of the three reconnaissance planes took the order. Although they did not participate in the attack in the direction of Shanghai, they had a heavy responsibility.
The Japanese army suffered a big loss this morning and will definitely try their best to retaliate. These three reconnaissance planes are the most advanced reconnaissance planes of the Chinese Air Force at the moment. It is really rare to send three of them at the same time today!
Mao Bangchu then sent several waves of military aircraft to Shanghai to assist the 88th Division, 87th Division, and 20th Independent Brigade in attacking various parts of Shanghai.
According to relevant intelligence, the Japanese army is sending more troops to Shanghai in several directions.
Therefore, the Nanjing High Command ordered the Chinese Air Force to fully cooperate with the Japanese Marine Corps in attacking Shanghai, striving to wipe out all the Japanese troops stationed in Shanghai before Japanese reinforcements arrived.
Just then, the intelligence officer sent a telegram.
Mao Bang was first opened.
It is the "Declaration of the Nationalist Government on Self-Defense and Anti-Japanese War". The whole book announces the evolution of events since the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. It states that China is forced by Japan's endless aggression and has no choice but to practice self-defense and resist violence.
At the beginning of the Mao Gang, he solemnly recited the "Declaration of the National Government on Self-Defense and Anti-Japanese War".
Although everyone knows that China has fully entered the state of resistance, the release of the "National Government's Statement on Self-Defense and Anti-Japanese War" has greatly inspired everyone. This shows that at this time, the Chinese people are united and working together. Let’s fight against foreigners together!
After arranging everything, Mao Bangchu asked the pilots who participated in the battle in the morning to rest. After the mechanics inspected and repaired all the fighters, the fighters were filled with fuel and immediately turned towards Zhoujiakou. The Japanese army suffered a big loss today, and they would definitely send a fleet of aircraft to attack them. Hangzhou Jianqiao Airport launched a retaliatory strike. The Chinese Air Force should temporarily avoid the attack, take the initiative to retreat, and evacuate all important equipment from Hangzhou Jianqiao Airport, leaving the Japanese army with an empty airport.
Now, all the mechanics from Jianqiao Airport and those who came to support from Zhoujiakou are on the battlefield to inspect and repair all the fighter planes participating in the battle this morning as quickly as possible to prevent the Japanese army from coming for sneak attacks and bombings.
At this moment, another telegram came. Sure enough, not long ago, a large number of Japanese fighter planes attacked Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport and razed the entire Hongqiao Airport to the ground.
Everyone admired that the two commanders-in-chief moved all military aircraft and equipment from Hongqiao Airport in advance, leaving only an empty airport to waste Japanese aerial bombs.
The good news keeps coming, but there is also bad news.
During the morning air raid on the Japanese Marine Corps Headquarters and the Third Fleet on the Huangpu River, a bomb from a Chinese bomber dropped on the Huizhong Hotel, directly blowing up a big hole in the hotel. More than 20 people were killed or injured, including There were several people from the French Concession, which caused a big disturbance.
The other two bombs fell near the racecourse, which is an important traffic thoroughfare. In the morning, people came and went, and it was a very busy intersection. There were many businesses on both sides and it was overcrowded. When the two bombs fell, the entire street was blocked in half. , there were countless casualties.
A bomb weighing 500 kilograms fell at the entrance of the Big World, which was a crowded place. This bomb caused a huge disaster. The powerful explosive force almost flattened the entire Big World, causing more than 2,000 casualties. The large crater left by the bomb was four to five meters deep and an astonishing seven to eight meters wide in diameter.
The shapes of all the dead and injured were horrific, and the screams for help could be heard for miles. There were broken limbs and broken arms everywhere, plasma, internal organs, heads and brains everywhere, covering the ground, as if a rain had fallen on it. The blood-colored muddy road after a heavy rain was sticky, slippery, and untenable. Mucus was dripping everywhere. Broken walls were covered with broken limbs, broken flesh, and bones. It was miserable everywhere...
Another bomb fell on Nanjing Road, killing and wounding...
Among them, a Hawker 1 fighter jet was hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire and crashed into a residential area. The bomb on board caught fire and exploded, completely destroying the residential area. It was comparable to a major earthquake and caused countless casualties. …
Looking at the telegrams that kept sending negative news in his hand, Mao Bangchu could only shake his head. War is like this. In the end, it is ordinary people who pay the bill.
He doesn't blame the pilot, nor can he blame the pilot. No one would deliberately drop a bomb on the head of a compatriot. In an air battle, anything can happen. In an air battle, the pilot's reaction time is only a few tenths of a second. A few tenths of a second leads to either heaven or hell.
Except for Group Captain Gao Zhihang and several other squadron commanders who stayed in the war room, all the other pilots involved in this morning's air raid went to rest.
Zhou Zhihan felt that there was something wrong with the multi-aircraft formation when the Air Force took off this morning. This formation was easily hit by the opponent's carrier-based aircraft, and Chinese pilots lacked the awareness to spontaneously form two-aircraft or multi-aircraft combat formations during air combat.
The Chinese Air Force's solitary combat style can easily be defeated by the enemy in air battles. Moreover, stand-alone combat cannot bring out the potential power of the fighter aircraft, nor can it squeeze out the maximum potential of the fighter aircraft. This may be due to the short flight time of Chinese pilots. It has a lot to do with it.
The [Air Overlord] system once mentioned to Zhou Zhihan: When multiple aircraft participate in an air battle, never let your formation size drop below two. Partners are indispensable in an air battle. The power of two aircraft cooperation is definitely not 1+ 1=2, the power of dual-machine cooperation can even reach 1+1=4.
If you are alone in an air battle, or if your wingman or lead aircraft is shot down, your first reaction is to immediately find other fellow pilots to form a combat formation to increase your chance of survival in an air battle.
It is too late to get on the sedan temporarily and explain the dual-plane tactics to the pilots. The formation of this tactic does not happen overnight. It requires long-term running-in training between the two planes to achieve the power of 1+1=4.
After a while, Gao Zhihang and the others left to prepare for the next transition.
As the commander of the Fourth Battalion, Gao Zhihang had a very arduous task. Several other squadron captains helped Gao Zhihang prepare for the next transition with their eyes red.
When everyone left, Zhou Zhihan once again requested that at two o'clock in the afternoon, he would escort the Chinese Navy from another tragic shipwreck.
Mao Bangchu looked at Zhou Zhihan and shook his head: "The principal said that geniuses like you cannot go to the battlefield and can only stay as instructors. The Chinese Air Force needs more outstanding pilots like you."
Zhou Zhihan: "..."
"I know what you want to say." Mao Bangchu waved his hand to stop Zhou Zhihan. He looked gloomy, "Our Chinese Air Force, as the fulcrum of the army and navy, is used as a long-range artillery fire. It has a heavy responsibility and a greater danger! According to secret reports, the Japanese army is currently There are 2,300 excellent fighter jets, but we only have 220 that can take off. Excluding older models such as Hawker 1 and Hawker 2, there are no more than 160 that can actually take off for combat. As you can see in today’s first air battle, we The best fighter jets are completely at a disadvantage against the Japanese Type 95 and Type 96. If there were good planes, the war might not be fatal!"
When Mao Bangchu said this, his eyes were a little red. Zhanhuo had been following him for many years and was his proud disciple. Today he was flying a plane to command at high altitude, watching helplessly as Zhanhuo was buried in the enemy's artillery and was helpless.
Zhou Zhihan was also silent. Mao Bangchu was the deputy commander-in-chief of the Chinese Air Force and one of the founders of the Chinese Air Force. He knew the Chinese Air Force's family background well.
"In Japan, several lines can produce military aircraft at full capacity, and then continuously replenish them on the battlefield. If they lose one aircraft, they can replenish two, three, four, or even ten aircraft. But our army is One less fight, all the wealth is here, and there are only so many outstanding pilots." At this point, Mao Bangchu silently lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, and his expression became even sadder, "If one of you dies, there are only a few good pilots." One, we don’t have a good complement of pilots.”
Zhou Zhihan was also silent. He also lit a cigarette. He could hear the helplessness and sadness in Mao Bangchu's words.
If a familiar face dies, there will be one less outstanding pilot, rather than if one dies, one or two more pilots will be added.
The Mao Bangchu in front of him now is the real Mao Bangchu. Only at this moment can he dare and speak his true thoughts. If he leaves this door, he must show a confident and high-spirited spirit. He knew that his air force would only become less and less in fighting, but he had to face it with strength, and even said some words that went against his conscience to boost morale, so the pain in his heart was hidden deeper than anyone else.
The master and apprentice smoked cigarettes in silence for a while. Mao Bangchu put out the cigarette butt and said: "The Air Force has recruited a new group of students, and you will be their chief instructor for the time being. The war between China and Japan will never end overnight. This Once, the National Government led by the principal is determined to resist Japan, so in the days to come, we will need a steady stream of outstanding pilots, and this burden will fall on you."
"Isn't there Chennault and the others?"
Zhou Zhihan blurted out and asked.
"Chennault?"
Mao Bangchu asked doubtfully.
Zhou Zhihan knew that he had made a mistake. At this time, Chennault had not yet married his Chinese wife, Chen Meixiang, and was not yet called Chennault.
"Oh! I'm talking about Claire Lee Chenault, Huang Xinrui, Huang Panyang and the others!" Zhou Zhihan said with a wry smile, "Being an Air Force instructor is like teaching a new first-grade child. You must have enough experience. I Although my flying skills are acceptable, when it comes to teaching students, I am a rookie.”
Mao Bangchu said: "Claire Lee Chenault and others came to China to be instructors and signed a contract with our country, which means they are instructors hired by our country and we pay them.
Just this month, their contract period is coming up.
The principal's wife felt that it would be a bit immoral to force them to stay in China at this time. After all, China and Japan were at war, and Claire Lee Chenault and the others would take certain risks if they stayed in China.
Therefore, the principal’s wife believes that the wishes of Claire Lee Chenault and others should be respected whether to renew the contract. "
Zhou Zhihan said: "Where are they now? I met them once when I was in the United States. I want to talk to them. I hope they can stay and help us!"
"Just yesterday, several of them flew to Nanjing to negotiate with the Air Force Headquarters on this matter." Mao Bangchu said, shaking his head, "The strength of our Air Force and the Japanese Air Force are too far apart. Claire Lee Chenault and the others will definitely not Take the risk and stay.”
Zhou Zhihan nodded.
It is indeed immoral to force foreigners to stay when the Chinese nation is at stake.
Chennault and the others came out of friendship, and it was reasonable to leave. No one would be willing to pay for a war!
"Teacher!" Zhou Zhihan put out the cigarette butt, "This time the navy sank at the entrance of the Huangpu River to block the entry and exit of the Japanese aircraft carrier. It is a heavy responsibility and has a profound impact on the war. I request to fly to escort them!"
Mao Bangchu remained silent!
"Teacher!"
Zhou Zhihan requested urgently.
He knew that after the Japanese army suffered a defeat, they would definitely try their best to protect it frantically. This time the navy sank at the entrance of the Huangpu River. If the Japanese army learned the news, they would definitely send fighter planes to attack. The Chinese navy would lay many mines in the Huangpu River. Once A successful sneak attack by a Japanese plane had disastrous consequences.
At this time, Zhou Zhihan wanted to carry all the burdens of the Air Force on his shoulders. If he could, he was willing to fight on behalf of every pilot. He was willing to shed blood on the battlefield for the ancient Chinese nation!
He didn't want to see one outstanding pilot after another go without return.
He didn't want to watch the young faces disappear in front of him forever.
Every time he thought about more than 1,300 young Chinese pilots dying collectively in the Battle of Songhu, he felt a sense of suffocation that was so suppressed that he could not breathe.
Mao Bangchu was silent for a few seconds and nodded: "Choose a wingman yourself. Commander-in-Chief Chen Shaokuan told me that in order to work secretly, don't send too many planes. Too many planes will easily attract the attention of the Japanese army, but you must send the best pilots." !”
"I asked Second Lieutenant Zhang Mufei to be my wingman and form a two-plane formation!"
Zhou Zhihan replied.
"Zhang Mufei? You really know how to choose people."
Mao Bangchu smiled.
good taste!
Mao Bangchu looked at his watch: "It is now 10:32. The time to support the navy is set at two in the afternoon. You go and have a rest first. Then you will set off with Zhang Mufei at one in the afternoon. The main task this time is to provide air security. There is no need to Ground attack, so you can fly with the auxiliary fuel tank attached to increase the airborne time."
