Chapter 294: 293 Beiping’s Final Flight, Lugou Bridge Air Combat
July 1937.
People from all walks of life in Southern China were still working together to rescue members of the National Salvation Association from All Walks of Life who were arrested and imprisoned last year, causing a huge uproar.
Now that the situation has improved, everyone believes these patriotic anti-Japanese people can be released.
After all, even Kuomintang-Communist Cooperation has been brought to the table, so what can’t be resolved?
Meanwhile, Northern China was in a state of war and chaos.
July 6.
Fang Wen came to Beiping for the last flight.
This time, he was to pick up a physics expert who had something very important to take away, but it had to be transported separately.
This matter was specially requested by the professors of Tsinghua University Physics Department, so Fang Wen understood the importance of the item and personally piloted the airplane to come.
And he was also prepared to witness the moment when the War of Resistance began.
The airplane stopped at Qinghe Airport, and Fang Wen took Wu Yingzong to see his senior student first.
The senior student at Qinghe Airport was preparing his luggage, and upon seeing Fang Wen, he immediately stopped what he was doing.
“Junior Student Fang, why are you here at this time? The Japanese are about to enter Beiping City, and our airport is going to close.”
“One last flight to pick up someone.”
“Perfect, I’ll take your airplane out of Beiping.”
“No problem, Senior Student, do you still have that car? I need to go into the city.”
After some conversation, Fang Wen took the car key and drove into the city with Wu Yingzong, while two mercenary soldiers and the senior student stayed at the airport to guard the airplane.
The car passed through the road by the Summer Palace and entered the city.
Along the road, people were fleeing outside the city with their families.
These people had no money or connections to flee to the south, so they simply went to nearby countryside to stay with relatives and friends temporarily.
Seeing this scene, Wu Yingzong couldn’t help but worry: “General Manager Fang, isn’t it too dangerous to go into the city now?”
“I know, stay alert on the road, and we’ll go back once we find the person.” Fang Wen replied.
He drove the car to Tsinghua University campus and went straight to the Physics Department.
The teachers who stayed behind told him the residence of the person he was looking for and went with him.
Upon arriving there, the teacher who stayed behind knocked on the door: “Mr. Zhao, General Manager Fang from Taishan Airlines is here to pick you up.”
The door opened, and the thin man said apologetically: “Sorry, renting the airplane separately has its reasons, please come in, I can explain.”
Fang Wen and Wu Yingzong entered the room and saw two large suitcases of books and information, plus one box.
There was something wrong with the contents of this box.
Fang Wen suddenly felt a headache.
He had merely glanced at it, but mechanical perception automatically activated, sensing a terrifying and deadly substance inside the box.
“Is this the thing?” Fang Wen asked from a distance, looking at the box.
“Yes, that’s it, 50 milligrams of radium element, a radioactive substance. Long-term exposure is very harmful to the body, so that’s why I chose to fly alone.” Professor Zhao explained.
This was an important substance for future nuclear physics research, which he had brought back from abroad over a long distance. With Beiping about to be in trouble, he had no choice but to take it away.
The destination was Changsha in the south, where Tsinghua University was relocating as a whole to inside Changsha City.
Hearing this explanation, Fang Wen finally understood the deadly threat in the box.
But he hadn’t expected that he could sense the presence of strongly radioactive substances.
However, from the current situation, Professor Zhao’s use of this kind of box to hold it wasn’t reliable.
“Professor, I’ve heard about this kind of thing abroad; it’s said that only lead can prevent radiation. Why not use a lead box?” Fang Wen asked.
“I originally planned to make one, but the city is very chaotic now. I was afraid something might happen if I went to get it and couldn’t return, turning this radium element into a disaster. So I didn’t go to pick it up and had to use this box instead.”
Hearing Professor Zhao’s explanation, Fang Wen offered to help him pick up the custom-made lead-lined box.
To pick up the lead-lined box, Fang Wen drove the car again.
That thing was only available through tinware craftsmen, at Wanchang Hao in the polishing factory outside Qianmen in Beiping.
That was in the Qianmen Street area, the central region of the old city.
The car headed south, and the further into the city, the quieter the streets became.
The people walking on the streets were all in a hurry or looking sneaky, like ruffians seeking opportunities to take advantage.
Along the way, Fang Wen saw several robbery incidents; it was impossible to manage them all, and order in Beiping had already broken down.
When they reached the Qianmen Street area, the usually bustling place was now deserted.
He parked the car on the roadside, got out, and entered a shop that was still open for business.
This shop was called ‘Fushoutang’; the name sounded like it sold opium, but it was actually a cinema.
Fang Wen glanced at the movie poster and walked straight in to talk with the old man alone in the shop.
“Shopkeeper, may I ask how to get to the polishing factory outside Qianmen?”
The old man had his hands in his sleeves and tilted his head: “You’re from out of town, right? This is the polishing factory. Just tell me which shop.”
“Wanchang Hao.”
“It’s five doorways ahead. You must have ordered something there; go quickly, or they’ll close too.”
“Thanks.”
Fang Wen turned and went out, drove the car forward a few dozen meters, and arrived at Wanchang Hao.
There, Fang Wen showed Professor Zhao’s pickup slip and took the heavy lead-lined box.
But at that moment, alarm sounds came from outside, and an employee ran in shouting: “Shopkeeper, the Japanese are shooting. The 29th Army is sending troops toward Wanping, and the station at Nankou is full of soldiers.”
Has it started?
Fang Wen took the lead-lined box, got in the car, hesitated, and said to Wu Yingzong: “I want to go take a look at Wanping City.”
“No, General Manager, it’s too dangerous there.” This time Wu Yingzong firmly opposed.
Moments later, Fang Wen’s reason returned, and he no longer considered that risky action, then drove back to Tsinghua University.
There, Professor Zhao carefully took out the implement containing the radium element and placed it into the lead-lined box.
Now, that deadly danger sensation that Fang Wen could feel finally disappeared.
The group drove to Qinghe Airport, and soon after, the last airplane at the airport took off, leaving this place of trouble.
After the airplane took off, Fang Wen activated mechanical perception to observe Beiping City.
In the southwest of Beiping City, on the east bank of the Yongding River, there was a small city.
That was Beiping’s fortified city, Wanping City.
This was the only military stronghold controlled by their own army in Beiping, this isolated city. Once it fell, there would be no more National Army garrison points around Beiping, and Beiping would be completely encircled by the Japanese Army.
This was also the result of the Japanese North China garrison forces continuously encroaching over these years.
Soldiers of the 29th Army stood on the city wall, on guard against the Japanese Army on the west bank of the Yongding River.
And on this river, there was a very famous bridge: Lugou Bridge.
On the east side of the bridge, sandbag defensive positions had been built, and soldiers of the 29th Army were on alert behind the position works.
Once Japanese soldiers crossed Lugou Bridge, it would mean they were at the gates of Beiping City, tearing off the false mask maintained these years.
Retracting his mechanical perception view, Fang Wen piloted the airplane to Changsha, delivering the last Tsinghua University professor evacuating from Beiping.
He then immediately returned to Jinan Airport.
Jinan Airport was now the frontline base of the Taishan Volunteer Army, and once the war started tomorrow, everything would proceed according to plan.
July 7
Soldiers of the 29th Army stationed in Wanping City kept a constant watch on the situation across the Yongding River.
(29th Army soldiers on Wanping City)
（Defensive positions on Lugou Bridge）
On the Lugou Bridge over the Yongding River, 29th Army soldiers observed the situation across the bridge from behind the sandbag defensive positions.
The Japanese Army troops opposite were assembling, looking like they were about to conduct military exercises again.
For these daily military exercises targeting them, the 29th Army soldiers were very indignant. They often discussed it, saying that if it really came to fighting, they had to give the Japanese Army a harsh lesson.
After all, in the Great Wall Campaign, the 29th Army had bravely fought the Japanese Army, so they had no fear of these invaders.
Time passed bit by bit, and the Japanese Army opposite still showed no movement.
In this stalemate, it reached 11 p.m. at night.
The Japanese Army suddenly moved out, demanding to enter the city to search on the pretext of a missing soldier. After being refused by the Chinese garrison, Japanese Army from another direction encircled Wanping County.
After this incident, the deputy commander of the 29th Army immediately stepped forward to negotiate with the Japanese side, trying to make the Japanese Army withdraw.
Of course, this was impossible. On July 8, large Japanese Army forces advanced onto Lugou Bridge and marched toward the east side of the bridge.
The platoon leader of the 10th Company reserve team of the 3rd Battalion, 219th Regiment, 37th Division of the 29th Army jumped out of the defensive positions, demanding the other side retreat, but the Japanese Army still forced their way forward and opened fire.
The platoon leader was killed on the spot, and the Lugou Bridge Incident thereby erupted.
Next, the Japanese Army captured Lugou Bridge and launched an attack on Wanping City.
After the Lugou Bridge Incident, the Japanese Army launched multiple attacks on Wanping City, and Japanese North China garrison forces around Beiping were transferred to this area to participate in the siege of Wanping.
At the same time, the 29th Army also held firm on this only military stronghold, and the battle was intense at times.
Regarding this situation, Fang Wen stayed at Jinan Airport and requested to assist in combat from the 29th Army.
The communication used the National Government’s military telegram frequency, and Nanjing was aware but neither stopped nor encouraged it.
The telegram received feedback only on July 11.
Looking at the brief telegram from the 29th Army, Fang Wen showed joy.
【The war has expanded, Japanese Army dispatched airplanes to reconnoiter and strafe places like Wanping, Changxindian, Langfang, Yangcun, etc., posing a threat and harassment to our local garrison forces.】
【Request Taishan Airlines Escort Team to participate in assisting combat, stopping Japanese Army harassment from the air.】
This was exactly what was needed; from now on, Taishan Aviation Team could formally participate in domestic air combat.
Fang Wen immediately assembled the escort flying team members.
He solemnly explained the situation.
“Not long ago, the Japanese Army attacked Wanping City. We have established contact with the 29th Army and, under the pretext of military temporary assignment, will participate in wartime military assistance. Our goal is simple: intercept Japanese Army fighter jets over Beiping and provide escort protection for the 29th Army.”
Hearing this, the pilots of the Taishan Elite Flying Team were immediately excited. Having returned to China after so long, they had been waiting for the moment to fight the little Japanese, and it had finally arrived.
In response, the pilots actively requested to join the battle.
Fang Wen made the arrangements.
“Wanping City and nearby Huilong Temple are important military strongholds of the 29th Army and currently the most intense combat area. My team with Du Jiahua will be responsible for this area. Qi Baoqian and Deng Zhongyu’s group will intercept enemy aircraft around Langfang. Shao Deqing and Zhai Xiaojun as the second echelon will relieve our team’s sustained interception. Rao Minghe and Fan Bosheng as the second echelon will relieve Qi Baoqian their team’s Langfang sustained interception.”
After the arrangements, 4 airplanes took off from Jinan Airport in two directions.
Fang Wen’s team flew straight to Beiping and, upon reaching above Wanping City, encountered two Japanese Army airplanes.
They were Type 95 Biplane Fighters, the current main fighter jet model of the Kwantung Army in the Northeast.
Fang Wen had encountered this type of fighter jet before and knew its weaknesses.
He then sent combat orders to his wingman.
The wingman, receiving the encrypted telegram order, immediately cooperated with Fang Wen’s actions.
The two airplanes suddenly accelerated toward the Japanese Army fighter jets.
Faced with this, the two Japanese Army Type 95 fighters were not to be outdone and actually flew head-on.
They actually intended a head-on engagement, trading life for life.
Unfortunately, such crude tactics were nothing to Fang Wen and the others.
The elite pilots of Taishan Aviation Team would not foolishly trade shots for lives; they had long learned the countermeasures in Spanish air combat.
Shrike Hao and the Il-16 suddenly turned in left and right arcs, flexibly circling to the rear of the enemy aircraft.
Such maneuvers were completely beyond the comprehension of these Type 95 fighter pilots.
They couldn’t even perform the same maneuvers and could only try to turn to escape.
The Type 95 fighters, inferior in both speed and flexibility, were successfully tailed in the explosive chase battle by Fang Wen and his wingman Du Jiahua.
Fang Wen aimed and fired in the shortest time, 20mm autocannon shells shooting out a series of deadly light spots, quickly hitting the enemy aircraft’s tail.
An explosion occurred at the enemy aircraft’s tail, the entire tail fin breaking off instantly. The unbalanced enemy aircraft plummeted toward the ground.
Amid the whistling sound, that Type 95 Biplane Fighter crashed outside Wanping City, exploding into a ball of fire and black smoke.
Meanwhile, wingman Du Jiahua’s side was a bit more winding.
His first shot missed because he didn’t grasp the time difference, with the autocannon shell drifting past the rear of the enemy aircraft.
Du Jiahua didn’t give up; he stuck tightly to the enemy aircraft and continued shooting.
In sustained shooting, the enemy aircraft was hit in the belly, the fuel tank exploding instantly, disintegrating the fighter jet in the air.
In a two-on-two, Taishan Aviation Team’s fighter jets achieved complete victory, winning their first battle over Beiping City.
This greatly boosted the morale of the soldiers holding out inside Wanping City.
They fought bravely against the Japanese Army outside the city, unleashing extremely strong combat power.
How could Fang Wen not help with this!
He sent an encrypted telegram order to his wingman Du Jiahua.
The two airplanes took over the mission of those two Japanese aircraft, but this time the target was the attacking Japanese Army.
Fang Wen took the lead, piloting Shrike Hao to dive from the air, launching air-to-ground strafing against the Japanese Army on the ground.
He targeted the densest concentration of Japanese Army between Wanping City and Lugou Bridge.
The whistling Shrike Hao diving down brought unprecedented terror to the Japanese Army. 20mm autocannon shells strafing over—shells that could tear through airplane armor—were extremely terrifying when hitting people.
Instantly, a path of blood exploded open, turning over twenty Japanese soldiers into limb fragments.
The terrified Japanese soldiers immediately scattered, no longer daring to cluster together.
Even so, Fang Wen did not stop the ground harassment and conducted dive strafing again.
Under the air-to-ground harassment of the two fighter jets, the Japanese Army finally tasted what they had done to the National Army.
But this was just the beginning. After Fang Wen and Du Jiahua returned to base, the second echelon flight group took over, providing sustained air suppression to the battlefield.
That day, the skies over Beiping City were under China’s control.
