It was still dark at this time, and I couldn’t see the whole picture of Wuhan clearly from the plane.
Although Wuhan today is the military, political and economic center of China, its degree of industrialization is not high after all. It cannot be compared with the Wuhan of later generations, and there are not many lights below.
The entire formation is very large, with 10 Yi-16 fighter jets and 24 CB-2 bombers.
The CB-2 is a first-class Soviet bomber with a cruising capacity of 1,200 kilometers, a top speed of 412 kilometers per hour, a ceiling of 9,510 meters, can carry 600 kilograms of bombs, and has three self-defense machine guns.
The Type 95 and Type 96 fighters used by the Japanese army at this time were not as fast as the CB-2 and could not intercept.
The CB-2 bomber and the Japanese Army's 96 Land Attack each have their own advantages and disadvantages.
The former has a high ceiling and fast speed, but its cruising capability and bomb load are not as good as the Japanese 96 Land Attack.
Therefore, the CB-2 bomber cannot perform long-range bombing, but it has no problem taking off from Hankou to bomb Nanjing.
Coupled with its high speed, even the Japanese Type 96 carrier-based fighter jets could barely catch up. If they couldn't defeat them, they could at least run away.
But Jiu Liu's land attack is not good, he can't beat him, and he can't run away.
In fact, it would be no problem even if no fighter jets were sent to escort this bombing, but if only the Soviet air fleet went to aid China, it would undoubtedly be a loss of face for the Chinese Air Force.
Because this escort mission will not be too dangerous, the 23rd Squadron is allowed to go there so that the 23rd Squadron can get some exercise. In addition, the presence of experienced pilots such as Li Hang, Lu Jichun, and Liang Tiancheng can also ensure the safety of pilots who have just joined the army.
The further east we go, the brighter the sky becomes.
"Li Hang, Chaohu is ahead of us. Should we land in Hefei?"
Just as the formation flew out of the Dabie Mountains, the wide Chao Lake in the distance appeared in front of everyone's eyes. Although it was still dozens of kilometers away, everyone could still see the wide lake surface thousands of meters above the ground.
When you see Chaohu Lake, you will naturally know the location of Hefei.
"Captain, don't you want to land in Hefei to refuel?" Seeing what Lu Jichun wrote on cardboard, Li Hang took out his own cardboard and started writing.
This is the disadvantage of not having a radio. Communication is really inconvenient and can only be done by writing.
At an altitude of several thousand meters, you have to control the plane and write, which is undoubtedly very challenging.
Enduring the cold wind, Li Hang raised the cardboard he had written on so that Lu Jichun could see it clearly.
"I think it's easy to be exposed when you land to refuel. It's better to go to Nanjing first and then go to Hefei to refuel when you return."
"Yes, this will indeed help us reach Nanjing faster!"
As the squadron leader and deputy captain, the two naturally decided on the matter after discussing it.
Then we communicated with the bomber formation and quickly finalized the matter.
Although according to the plan, the pursuit aircraft formation had to refuel in Hefei, this would undoubtedly delay at least twenty minutes.
Hefei is too close to Nanjing, and no one can guarantee whether there are Japanese spies watching near the airport. A delay of twenty to thirty minutes will undoubtedly be fatal. Once the Japanese army is prepared, this operation may fail.
That's why Lu Jichun wanted to change the process.
As long as the task can be completed, who will pursue it, whether to refuel first or refuel last?
Other pilots of the 23rd Squadron also received this order and agreed. After all, it was more important to reach Nanjing first.
As they flew over Chaohu, Nanjing was only a hundred kilometers away from them, and everyone began to get serious. Both veteran pilots and new pilots were very excited.
It's just that these people are excited for different reasons.
. . . . . .
Nanjing, International Security Zone, Jinling University.
After the fall of Nanjing last year, a group of foreigners established the International Committee for the Nanjing Safety Zone. The designated Nanjing Safety Zone is based on the location of the U.S. Embassy in China and Jinling University, Jinling Women's College of Arts and Sciences, Jinling Theological Seminary, Jinling Middle School, and Drum Tower. Centered on hospitals and other church institutions, it covers an area of about 3.86 square kilometers and has a total of 25 refugee shelters.
Before the fall of Nanjing, many civilians did not evacuate. Perhaps they thought that if the Japanese came to kill them, they would just change their rule. But no one expected that the Japanese would be so frantic.
Civilians and trapped troops who had no time to evacuate took refuge in the safe zone.
However, the Japanese army has an ambiguous attitude towards the safe zone. It does not admit it, but it does not deny it either.
The main reason is that there are many foreigners who have established the safe zone. The Japanese are not easy to offend, including expatriates like Rabe who belong to their ally Germany.
Although the Japanese army acquiesced to the existence of the safe zone, it did not mean that the Japanese army really left the safe zone alone.
Although many Chinese troops surrendered and were then killed by them, they knew that many Chinese defeated troops also hid in the safe zone.
Exactly how many, no one knows.
Maybe a few thousand, maybe tens of thousands.
However, there are 200,000 to 300,000 people in the safe zone. Who knows how many of them are defeated soldiers who have laid down their weapons.
Moreover, the Japanese army often used this reason to break into safe areas and arrest people, mostly women.
Because the foreigners in the safe zone are ordinary people, they cannot stop the Japanese army.
However, there was a safe zone, which still protected many people, including some high-ranking members of the national army.
In the secret room on the top floor of the Jinling University Management Building, there is a senior general of the national army, a major general, Qiu Crazy, who teaches the Corps.
Crazy Qiu has not always been crazy. Strictly speaking, he only started in the past month.
Although he hid in the secret room, he also saw some atrocities committed by the Japanese army. As a senior general of the national army, he could only watch in the secret room. Who can understand the feeling of weakness and aggrieved in his heart.
As for going out?
It can't stop the Japanese massacre, so it's better to hide here and wait for the right opportunity to escape.
Early in the morning, Madman Qiu woke up early.
However, his expression was very embarrassed and his whole person was unkempt. Who would have thought that this would be a senior general of the national army. As for the military uniform that could prove his identity, he was not wearing it at this time.
He came to the window of the secret room and looked at the dilapidated Nanjing City in front of him. He felt a little uncomfortable in his heart.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, there was a knock on the wooden door of the secret room.
"who?"
The soldier's conditioned reflex made him quickly put his hand on his waist, but he missed it because the gun was not on his body.
"Mr. Qiu, it's me!"
A familiar English voice came from outside the door.
Crazy Qiu then came to the door and opened the locked door bolt. A middle-aged white man wearing a priest's clothing appeared with food in his hand.
"Principal Bei."
With that said, Madman Qiu moved away from the door.
The white priest came into the room carrying a plate with food and immediately placed it on a small table nearby.
When he stood up and looked at Madman Qiu, who was in a bad mental state, he said in a comforting tone, "Mr. Qiu, the Japanese claim that order has been restored in Nanjing City and require the refugees in the safe zone to go home."
Upon hearing this, Madman Qiu's movements suddenly froze.
