At four o'clock in the morning on August 15, 1937, upon hearing the wake-up whistle, more than a hundred new Air Force pilot students gathered outside their rooms within ten seconds.
These are extraordinary times. In order to respond to the emergency at any time, all personnel at Jianqiao Airport sleep with their clothes on.
I have to admit that Chinese soldiers are completely superior to Western soldiers in terms of military discipline.
When Zhou Zhihan was at West Point Military Academy, every morning when he got up, the cadets were cursing and cursing each other so much that they didn't want to get up. Some would rather be punished than go back to sleep.
In China, as soon as the whistle is heard, within ten seconds, all the students will be doing exercises one by one.
As expected, children from poor families are the most obedient, and children from poor families are more willing to make progress.
On the runway of Jianqiao Airport, two rows of bonfires were lit, and many military vehicles turned on their lights, illuminating the runway.
Parked on the airport runway were two Heinkel He111 A medium bombers, a Martin 139WC heavy bomber, four Sherlock A-2E light bombers, three Chance Vought O3U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, and the escort Hawker. Gram 3, Hawk 2, Fighter MKI fighter.
At 3:30 in the morning, four Fw 44 trainer aircraft took off. The flight instructors of each trainer aircraft each took a student who was ready to fly on the aircraft. They took off under the weak light of several wind lamps and landed in Jianqiao, Hangzhou. The area around the airport is responsible for airborne early warning tasks.
In order to save aviation fuel, the Air Force dispatches trainer aircraft to serve as reconnaissance aircraft. This not only saves fuel, reduces the losses caused by the takeoff and landing of reconnaissance aircraft, but also trains rookie pilots, killing many birds with one stone.
In fact, this is also a helpless move by the Chinese Air Force.
Since the July 7th Incident, Japan has completely blocked military exchanges between China and Western countries. Many countries have also cut off military exchanges with China in order not to offend Japan.
Especially Germany.
Germany and Japan are allies. When China and Japan went to war, Germany not only cut off all military and civilian exchanges with China, but also the German advisers of the Training and Instruction Corps, the 88th Division, the 87th Division, and the 36th Division. All evacuate China.
Japan directly sent fighter jets to cut off all routes between China and Western countries.
China is now isolated and fighting the war alone.
The Japanese clamored to fully occupy China within three months.
The whole world believed that China could not survive three months in the face of the Japanese attack.
However, all foreigners do not know that the ancient Chinese nation has been able to stand for 5,000 years because it has countless outstanding sons and daughters.
From the moment the [Lushan Declaration] was announced, the Chinese nation was invincible.
The first to take off were the Martin 139WC heavy bomber piloted by Ding Jixu and two Chance Voight O3U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. Their main mission was to attack the Japanese Marine Corps headquarters stationed on North Sichuan Road.
The elite troops of the 88th Division were responsible for attacking the Japanese Marine Corps Headquarters. Over the past two days, they launched several strong attacks against the enemy to no avail, and the troops suffered heavy casualties.
Immediately afterwards, three Hawker 1 fighter jets took off. Their mission was to get ahead of the bombers and kick away the Japanese defensive artillery fire.
Due to their fast speed, the three Fighter MKI fighter jets responsible for aviation will take off from the airport twenty minutes after the departure of several bombers to perform escort missions.
The three Hawker 1 fighter jets will arrive in Shanghai at dawn and launch an attack on the Japanese naval headquarters first, attracting Japanese anti-aircraft fire.
In fact, to put it bluntly, these Hawker 1 fighter jets, which are no longer able to fight in the air, are now performing the task of cannon fodder. They are first used to attract the firepower of the Japanese army, and then bombers take advantage of the opportunity.
This is a helpless move by the Chinese Air Force. All the family members are here. Even though they know that these Hawker 1 fighter jets may never come back, they have to send them.
On the morning of the 14th, the bomber group led by the Heinkel He111 A medium bomber did not break down the defensive door of the Japanese Marine Corps. This was because the bombs carried by the Heinkel He111 A medium bomber were not powerful enough to explode the steel bars. If the Japanese Marine Corps headquarters made of cement had been replaced by a Martin 139WC heavy bomber yesterday, it would have sunk the Izumo and defeated the Japanese naval headquarters.
When building the Marine Corps headquarters, the Japanese army spent a huge amount of work. The thickness of the roof was almost two meters, and the four wall columns were stronger than the bunkers. Even the 150mm heavy artillery of the Chinese army fell on the roof of the Marine Corps. Only a small hole can be dug out.
Therefore, the Air Force Headquarters ordered at noon that the two Martin 139WC heavy bombers stationed at Zhoujiakou Air Force Base immediately flew to Hangzhou Jianqiao Airport to prepare for the important task of bombing the defensive fortress of the Japanese Naval Command.
Zhou Zhihan took the rookies to stand on both sides of the runway to watch fighter planes take off. Every type of military aircraft took off. He used the simplest and most understandable teaching method to explain to the rookies the principle of aircraft takeoff and the effect of airflow on aircraft takeoff. He gave practical explanations on the spot, and the students absorbed them very quickly, saving a lot of time compared to studying textbook knowledge such as "Basic Theory of Aerodynamics" and "Principles of Flight".
In the light of the campfire, the young rookies listened attentively. The chief instructor's explanation on the spot was simple and easy to understand. It was a hundred times easier to understand than the complicated theoretical knowledge they had learned before. It was easy to understand in one point and did not require too much mental effort. to think.
At this time of urgent need for employment, Zhou Zhihan decided to use the simplest and easiest-to-understand teaching methods to explain the theoretical knowledge that pilots must master, instead of asking pilots to memorize all theoretical knowledge.
That's just swallowing it whole.
Not fully understood, half the result with half the effort.
Now, there isn’t that much time left for students.
Next to take off were four Sherlock A-2E light bombers. They would also arrive in Shanghai before dawn. Two of them assisted the 87th Division in launching an attack on the Japanese troops stationed at Hujiang University. The other two assisted the 88th Division in attacking the Japanese troops stationed at Hujiang University. Japanese troops stationed at Wuzhou Cemetery, Baoshan Bridge, and Bazi Bridge were bombed.
Soldiers continued to add more firewood, and the bonfires on both sides of the airport runway burned even brighter. Three Chance Watt O3U-2 reconnaissance aircraft took off in the red light, assisting the 20th Independent Brigade in attacking the Patriotic Girls' School stationed in Shanghai. The Japanese troops at Chichi University launched an attack.
The Japanese troops at these three strongholds relied on solid defenses and huddled up for defense, causing the attacking Chinese troops to suffer heavy casualties.
Just last night, bad news came that General Huang Meixing, commander of the 264th Brigade of the 88th Division, died in battle.
General Huang led the 264th Brigade of the 88th Division in a life-and-death struggle with the Japanese troops stationed at Chichi University. He took the lead and went to the front line to command the operations. At 6 p.m., while attacking the Japanese stronghold at Patriotic Women's University, General Huang was unfortunately killed. He was hit by an artillery shell and died heroically at the age of 41. He became the first Chinese general to sacrifice his life for the country in the Battle of Songhu.
Before the Air Force set off, Mao Bangchu personally boosted morale and wanted to bloodbath the Japanese troops stationed in Shanghai and avenge General Huang Meixing.
