Chapter 297: 296 Delayed Coordinated Air Combat Action, Taishan Aviation Team Acts Alone, Era’s Only Early Warning Aircraft
Inside the Zhoujiakou Airport canteen, freshly stir-fried hot dishes were served. Captain Gao and Fang Wen used tea as a substitute for alcohol to settle their dinner.
While they were eating, a group of people arrived from outside.
It was the pilots from Aviation Regiment 4.
They walked over eagerly, and Lu Pengtao spoke, “Captain, President Fang promised us before that he would talk with us when he had free time in the evening.”
“Talk about what?” Captain Gao’s eyes widened, looking quite imposing.
However, the pilots he led didn’t seem very afraid of him.
Fang Wen was well aware of this. Even those like Yue Jinping and Fei Yizhen, who had studied flying abroad, didn’t have the chance to join the Central Aviation Team, which showed how fierce the competition was.
It wasn’t just about skill; connections, personal conditions, and background were also very important.
Captain Gao had certainly earned his position through his exceptional flying skills, but he couldn’t command the same unconditional obedience from his “young master soldiers” as he could from ordinary soldiers.
Fang Wen’s aviation team, however, was different. All pilots were hand-picked by him, with no connections. Obedience to orders was their top priority.
At that moment, Captain Gao’s words broke his train of thought.
“President Fang, it’s a rare occasion for us to gather with you tonight. We’ve all been looking forward to it, so let’s talk?”
Fang Wen certainly had to give Captain Gao face. Moreover, besides discussing business cooperation, he also wanted to build rapport with these colleagues.
He smiled and asked, “Talk about what?”
The pilots chimed in with their questions.
“Tell us about the air combat in Shanghai in the 20th year of the Republic of China, especially the bombing of the Izumo.”
“I want to hear President Fang tell us about his rise to success. How did he build such a large enterprise in just a few years?”
“Let’s talk about monoplanes. Europe and America are upgrading their fighter jets, and the future is definitely with monoplanes.”
“What about Taishan’s aircraft manufacturing? Have you considered building your own fighter jets?”
Facing these questions, Fang Wen couldn’t answer them all. He said tactfully,
“We are all in the same profession, so let’s talk about professional matters. Let’s chat about airplanes. Everyone sit down, and let’s discuss it together.”
Immediately, a group of people arranged stools in a circle in the canteen and sat down together. The chefs in the canteen were quite surprised by the young masters’ unusual obedience today and watched from the doorway of the back kitchen.
Fang Wen began.
He organized his understanding of aircraft over the years and spoke comprehensively.
“I was in the last batch of flight cadets at Nanyuan Aviation. Because the school closed, I graduated early without completing my courses. Afterward, I entered society and struggled. I’ve traveled nearly half of this world and seen aircraft from various countries, so I understand this field quite well. The current era is also a time of aircraft revolution; the replacement of biplanes by monoplanes is an inevitable trend. The United States began research in this area several years ago and has developed the P-26. The Shrike Hao I flew here is a model from the P-26 series, but its internal structure has been completely modified and upgraded by me.”
“Then what models are those fighter jets at Jinan Airport?” Lu Pengtao asked.
“The I-16, a Soviet monoplane. Before this, they used the I-15, which was a biplane.”
Fang Wen began to recount the process of fighter jet evolution from biplanes to monoplanes in various countries.
The Soviet Union replaced the I-15 with the I-16.
The United States’ Curtiss Hawk P-36 fighter jet replaced its previous biplanes.
Germany developed the Bf-109 fighter jet, replacing the He 51 biplane.
Britain’s Supermarine 300 fighter jet would replace the Gloster G.37 “Gladiator” biplane fighter.
France’s D.510 fighter jet also replaced biplanes, becoming the new choice for the air force.
His words captivated the pilots.
Only then did they learn about the mainstream fighter jets in the outside world.
Captain Gao, who had some understanding of this, added, “And Japan. From what I understand, their Navy and Army have each introduced a monoplane model: the Army’s is the Type 97 fighter jet, and the Navy’s is the Type 96 carrier-based fighter jet. Currently, all countries with fighter jet production and research capabilities have begun transitioning to monoplanes.”
A pilot lamented, “Our Air Force is advertised to the outside world as the pillar of the nation, the eagles soaring over China. In reality, we are using outdated models from several years ago.”
Once this topic was broached, complaints began to pour out.
“The Hawk III we fly is no longer produced in the United States; it was shipped to Hangzhou for assembly.”
“Last year, 40 million Legal Tender was invested in the Air Force, and I don’t know where that money went. The airports were built years ago, and the planes are still the same. Where did the money go?”
“It’s more than 40 million. Combined, it’s over 80 million, and many mouths were fed in the process.”
“On Chairman Jiang’s birthday last year, it was said that donations would be collected to buy planes to celebrate his birthday. The money arrived, but only 10 Hawk III planes were acquired. I heard that the money was used for suppressing the communists. To quell public doubts, they even repainted the planes and flew them around Nanjing and Shanghai to show that we had new aircraft.”
Hearing these complaints, Captain Gao felt embarrassed. After all, Fang Wen was an outsider, and this was essentially airing dirty laundry.
“Why are we talking about this? President Fang, let’s end our chat for today. I’ll take you to your resting place.”
The conversation thus concluded, and Fang Wen left with Captain Gao.
Upon reaching the residence, Captain Gao finally expressed his true feelings.
“President Fang, I am just a soldier who loves flying and combat. No matter how rotten this system is, we can only do our best. We fight the Japanese in the skies, shedding blood and sacrificing our lives, seeking only a clear conscience.”
Watching Captain Gao’s retreating back, Fang Wen couldn’t help but feel emotional.
If it weren’t for a group of people who were serious and driven within the National Government, it would have collapsed long ago.
It was a pity that tens of millions of funds for air force development were so wasted.
Furthermore, as someone in the industry, Fang Wen had learned a thing or two over the years about the irregularities in aircraft procurement.
Take the Hawk III fighter jet, for example.
This fighter jet, no longer produced in the United States, sold for around $15,000 a few years ago.
However, the domestic procurement cost was over $30,000.
It was nearly double, and the process involved certainly many people.
The Hawk III was relatively better. Later, nearly a hundred were purchased and assembled in China, becoming the main fighter jets of the National Air Force.
The rest were a patchwork of older models and trainer aircraft.
This brought the total number to 300.
Yet, even so, last year’s expenses amounted to 40 million Legal Tender.
At a fixed exchange rate of 1:3, this equated to an expenditure of $13 million on air force construction last year.
With so much money, based on the international market price of $30,000+ for monoplane fighter jets, 300 to 400 monoplane fighters could have been acquired.
In short, this makeshift organization was too corrupt, with people everywhere seizing opportunities to make money.
Fang Wen sighed and closed the door to sleep.
After a night’s rest, Fang Wen returned to Jinan from the Zhoujiakou military airport.
In the following days, the situation changed drastically compared to before.
More Japanese troops were gathering in the Tianjin concession areas.
In just a few days, warships and various military trains entered the pass.
In the vast North China region, after years of gradual encroachment, there were no longer any large-scale anti-Japanese forces to hinder them.
According to intelligence Fang Wen received, the Japanese forces entering the pass numbered 5 divisions, with approximately 100,000 troops.
Fang Wen also clarified the movements of the Japanese Air Force, which he was most concerned about.
A total of 18 squadrons from various types of aircraft of the Japanese aviation forces were deployed to the Shanhaiguan, Jinzhou, and Dalian regions.
The Japanese North China Garrison Army organized the aircraft arriving in Tianjin into an “Integrated Aviation Regiment,” with Colonel Kamijo Nao, former commander of the Kwantung Army’s 15th Aviation Regiment, as the regimental commander.
These approximately 200 aircraft would cooperate with the ground troops in their offensive.
During the aircraft assembly and training period, there was even an incident where an aircraft strafed a civilian train.
Subsequently, the Japanese army launched a fiercer offensive against North China.
The forces were divided into three routes.
One route, consisting of 2 mixed brigades of the Kwantung Army, advanced from Rehe towards the northern area of Beiping.
Another route, the 20th Division stationed in Korea, advanced from Shanhaiguan towards the southern area of Beiping.
The third route, based on the Kawabe Brigade of the Pingjin Garrison Army, was deployed to the eastern area of Beiping, creating a three-sided encirclement of Beiping.
Additionally, the 5th Division, newly transferred from Japan, would join the Imperial Japanese Navy in attacking the defending troops in Tianjin and Tanggu.
In this situation, the Nanyuan Detachment and Tianjin Detachment, established by the National Government, should have provided air support to relieve the pressure on the ground forces.
However, the coordinated combat Fang Wen had anticipated never materialized.
For this reason, he had to fly to Zhoujiakou again to understand the situation.
Upon returning to Zhoujiakou, the bustling scene was still the same, but Fang Wen was not in the mood to appreciate it.
He disembarked from the aircraft and was led by Lu Pengtao to the airport office building.
Upon seeing Captain Gao, Fang Wen got straight to the point.
“Over 100,000 Japanese troops have been assembled in North China, and the offensive has begun. Beiping and Tianjin are in danger. When will air support be deployed?”
Captain Gao stood up guiltily, walked over to Fang Wen, and explained the situation.
“The 30 fighter jets that were originally planned have not all arrived yet, and higher command has ordered us to hold our positions for now.”
“Is it because the Japanese have too many fighter jets, and they fear losses?” Fang Wen pointed out the situation without mincing words.
Captain Gao did not reply.
The truth was indeed so; he had the will to fight the enemy but lacked the power to act.
Fang Wen knew that it was useless to put Captain Gao in a difficult position.
For instance, regarding the matter of using Taishan Airlines’ large transport aircraft to carry aerial bombs, as mentioned last time.
Captain Gao had specifically inquired about it, but the officials in logistics management rejected this idea, which could save time and improve efficiency.
The reason given was that the transportation process involved secrets and could not use external transport.
Therefore, the aerial bombs were still being delayed on the road.
Did they have to wait until August to mobilize?
By then, North China would be irrecoverable.
Fang Wen looked at Captain Gao, said no more, and turned to leave.
He understood that some things could not be forced. Since the high command of the National Government was still dithering, he would make a start himself.
Two hundred Japanese fighter jets were dominating the skies over North China.
How could the Taishan Airlines Escort Team, with only seven fighter jets, disrupt this situation?
As Fang Wen made this seemingly impossible plan, he wasn’t entirely without confidence.
The air force of this era relied on pre-arranged plans for operations, and real-time in-air coordination was inconvenient.
The Taishan Airlines Escort Team possessed encrypted telegram orders for real-time tactical air deployment, making them more agile.
This was the first point.
The Japanese Air Force primarily used Type 95s and earlier biplane fighters. These aircraft were stable in level flight but inferior to monoplanes in multi-dimensional combat.
The superior performance of their fighter jets and the corresponding coordinated tactics gave the Taishan Aviation Team an advantage against biplanes.
This was the second point.
The air force of this era lacked enemy-seeking equipment.
Let alone future early warning aircraft that could conduct three-dimensional reconnaissance from the air, constantly notifying individuals within the combat system.
This future aerial combat tactic, derived from Fang Wen’s knowledge of his era, would normally require complex supporting technology that was impossible to implement in this era.
However, Fang Wen could achieve it. When he crossed the Pacific, in the East China Sea region, Fang Wen relied on this not-yet-perfected combination of onboard radar and mechanical perception to detect enemy aircraft within a 300-kilometer range.
Therefore, this early warning aircraft function, achievable only by him, became a decisive factor for success.
This was the third point.
Confident in the operation, Fang Wen began preparations.
He summoned the members of the aviation team for an internal discussion.
“The Tianjin Detachment had originally invited us to participate in the operation together. Currently, due to internal reasons, the operation has been postponed to August. If that happens, the optimal window for North China will be lost. Therefore, I plan to act independently and intercept the enemy aircraft in the skies over North China.”
In response, the pilots of the aviation team expressed their unconditional obedience to Fang Wen’s command.
This trust and obedience had been cultivated after the Spanish air battle. Having gone through trials of life and death together, they trusted Fang Wen’s decisions.
However, the atmosphere was somewhat somber, and they could feel the pressure.
After all, it was seven fighter jets against two hundred. It would be strange not to be nervous.
In response, Fang Wen explained further.
“It’s not as you imagine. From what I understand, the Japanese air operations in North China are primarily bombing missions. Each time they act, they dispatch Type 95 fighter jets to escort the bomber formations. Generally, it’s a 20-plane escort formation. In operations of this scale, there will be 10-15 Type 95 fighters for escort and 5-10 bombers for air raids. Can seven planes handle over twenty? Do you have confidence?”
Hearing Fang Wen’s explanation, the pilots of the Taishan Aviation Team responded loudly, “Yes.”
This scene reminded the pilots of the battle over Valencia, Spain.
At that time, five German Condor Legion aircraft had launched a surprise attack with fewer numbers.
Now, they were the ones launching the surprise attack, facing the Japanese, which made them excited.
After confirming the plan to intercept the Japanese bomber formations, Fang Wen immediately began modifying the Shrike Hao.
The range-finding radio previously installed in Taishan One and Shui Yun No. 1 could not be fitted into the Shrike Hao due to its weight and size.
To solve this, he transferred Bai Zeshan from Yangon and brought two professors who participated in the design of the onboard enemy-seeking radio to Jinan by aircraft.
Bai Zeshan was originally a radio professional who had specialized in further studies in Europe. Due to work needs, he became a manager at the Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant.
He was very happy to return to his original field.
After discussing with the two Huaqing professors for a long time, he gave Fang Wen a suggestion.
Reduce the power by half and abandon the omnidirectional radio wave transmission method, opting instead for a fan-shaped wave transmission.
This significantly reduced the equipment’s size and volume.
However, the drawback was that the search area would always be limited to the region directly in front of the aircraft’s nose.
Fang Wen could accept this. In the air, quickly adjusting the aircraft’s direction was not difficult for him, so as long as it could be used in war, it was feasible.
Subsequently, the modified equipment was installed in the lower part of the Shrike Hao. A fixed fan-shaped radar wave transmission and reception device extended from the bottom, housing the receiving equipment and a warning signal generator connected to the cockpit instrument panel.
In the eyes of Bai Zeshan and the two professors, this device served as a warning of the appearance of aerial objects, albeit inaccurate. It would generally alert them to the presence of suspected flying objects in the vicinity.
However, they did not realize how valuable this equipment was to Fang Wen.
With this equipment,
he immediately began practicing.
Starting that day, he flew the Shrike Hao alone to the north, searching for Japanese fighter jets operating in the skies over North China.
His aim was to practice accurate enemy detection in this way, so it could be used for the collective operations of the Taishan Aviation Team.
