Chapter 39: 39, First Aerial Combat, Composite Tactics
Bombing Izumo mission complete.
As planned, there will be a full retreat.
After the bombs exploded, the fighter jets responsible for interception began performing various tactical maneuvers to shake off the enemy forces, flying south along the coastline.
Three K47s flew toward the southwest.
This was also the most dangerous situation Fang Wen was about to face.
As early as the last time bombing warships on the Huangpu River, he had realized that during the retreat, their own military aircraft had no cooperation at all.
Let alone himself as an outsider.
In a chaotic dispersal, friendly forces with poor flying technique and poor performance were in the most dangerous situation.
That time, he piloted the Rhein NYP-2 relying on ultra-low altitude flight over the urban area, and at that time the Japanese Army had not yet launched a full-scale attack, with ground threats from the 19th Army, before successfully escaping.
And this time, he had become isolated and alone, having to fight desperately for himself.
He turned the fuselage and flew toward the shoreline, which was the angle between the two teams of retreating military aircraft and also his fastest flight path to disengage from the battlefield.
But at this moment, the Japanese Army Aviation Corps, because Izumo had been bombed, was frantically pursuing in full force.
Almost every friendly aircraft had two enemy aircraft tailing behind, determined to avenge Izumo.
Through mechanical perception, Fang Wen also discovered two enemy aircraft tailing behind him.
They were Type 3 carrier fighter jets.
Although they were also biplane fighter jets, this airplane improved its air combat power in an extremely simplified way.
The airplane could only carry one pilot.
Fuselage length only 6.5 meters.
Wingspan 9.7 meters.
A veritable short, small, wide-winged combat sparrow.
But this design also made its tare weight only 882 kilograms, maximum takeoff weight 1375 kilograms.
The equipped Nakajima Sakae Type 2 air-cooled engine had 450 horsepower.
This was a short-range, high-speed small fighter jet.
In comparison, the Potez 25 was a big guy.
Observing the distance of the two aircraft behind through mechanical perception, Fang Wen made a judgment.
His retreat flight path was open terrain with no assistance at all.
To dive low-altitude flight like last time would absolutely fail to shake off the opponents.
It was also very likely that during the dive flight, the opponent would successfully tail and aim, suffering shooting.
To tangle with them, he needed a relatively complex tactical combination.
“Come on.” He pulled the control stick, the fuselage pitched up, actually performing a climb maneuver.
After completing the bomb drop, the Potez 25 had changed from a bomber back to a reconnaissance aircraft. Although its speed was slightly less than the Type 3 fighter jet, its overall performance was not much worse.
It could even be said that its performance was very balanced in all aspects.
After pulling up the fuselage at a small angle, the airplane’s speed did not decrease much. The two Type 3s behind also hurriedly climbed to pursue, biting tightly.
But next, the Potez 25 actually completed a coherent high-difficulty flight maneuver of climb followed by rapid descent.
The airplane followed a roller coaster-like arc, climbing to over 4000 meters altitude, then diving down.
This rapid flight change left the two Type 3 aircraft completely unable to react. Before they could adjust their fuselages, it had already pulled ahead by over a thousand meters.
The two Type 3s were unwilling to lose the target just like that, and after adjusting their fuselages, they also dived.
They pushed their speed to the limit, actually closing the distance with the Potez 25.
Fang Wen’s mind raced like lightning.
Performing these complex tactical maneuvers was not just to shake off the enemy pursuit.
More importantly, to create an opportunity for himself.
The Potez 25’s air combat weapons were only forward-facing rotary machine guns. This machine gun had high rate of fire and great power, but was hard to aim.
It had to be behind the enemy aircraft to shoot.
Therefore, the climb-rapid descent tactical maneuver was just to change the relative positions between the two sides.
Learning through mechanical perception that the two Type 3 aircraft behind had caught up again, Fang Wen took the third step action.
He actively slowed the propeller rotation speed, shifting the fuselage sideways.
Under deceleration and increased air resistance, the Potez 25’s speed suddenly dropped greatly. The two small Type 3 fighter jets rushed past.
This was the moment.
Fang Wen focused intently on aiming, right hand on the machine gun control grip.
The enemy fighter jet streaked past, and only three seconds later formed a shooting angle with the Potez 25 fuselage. One second later, Fang Wen pressed the machine gun control grip.
Bullets fired ahead, drawing a chain of death on the enemy aircraft’s inevitable path.
Two seconds later, one Type 3 enemy aircraft rushed into it, hit by the dense bullets from the rotary machine gun.
In an instant, the Type 3 fighter jet was turned into a beehive.
Its 6-meter-long fuselage was full of bullet holes everywhere. The internal tight structure now became a fatal weakness, with the engine and fuel tank hit by bullets.
The airplane actually detonated directly during the shooting.
Fang Wen was stunned. The Type 3 fighter jet’s defense was like paper, too fragile. A single burst from the rotary machine gun could take it down.
The people piloting this airplane should all be daredevils who weren’t afraid of death.
Perhaps not all of them. The other Type 3 enemy aircraft, upon seeing its companion shredded and detonating, decisively turned its fuselage and fled.
The fleeing Type 3 fighter jet was fast, with a small fuselage, really hard to pursue. Fang Wen had no intention of continuing and flew directly toward the predetermined return to base flight path.
More than an hour later, the Potez 25 safely flew back to Jianqiao Airport.
Getting off the airplane, Fang Wen handed back control of the Potez 25.
He walked toward the action command headquarters. The temporary command headquarters was a mess, with paper scattered on the ground. Soldiers and officers were packing things.
Lieutenant Colonel Liu saw Fang Wen come in, laughed heartily, and came over to shake hands vigorously.
“This action was great. Watch, it won’t be long before we end this war. You’ll definitely get rewarded then. If you want to join the Air Force, I can figure something out for you.”
“Thank you, I don’t want to join the Air Force.” Fang Wen had no intention of joining the National Air Force. He didn’t want to pilot aircraft and bomb his own people under military orders.
Lieutenant Colonel Liu’s face cooled slightly, but he smiled again: “No problem, to each their own. You’ve already done a lot for the country and the people. By the way, per higher command, all aviation teams can return to base for rest. You don’t need to stay at the airport anymore. Shall I send someone to take you to Nanjing?”
“No need, someone will come pick me up.”
“Good then, rest easy. There shouldn’t be any more major battles next.”
“Okay, see you later.” Fang Wen said goodbye and left the temporary command room.
With the National Air Force ceasing operations, this warfare also meant Fang Wen had nothing to do.
He bid farewell to Gui Hongyuan and the two corporals, packed his luggage, then made a telephone call.
The next day, Fang Wen carried his small leather suitcase out of Jianqiao Airport and waited outside the main gate.
Not long after, a brown sedan drove up and stopped in front of him.
The driver side door opened, and Yue Jinping, wearing a qipao, got out from inside.
“Nice car.” Fang Wen’s gaze fixed on the sedan. For some reason, he now had a inexplicable fondness for any machinery.
“Studebaker, a friend’s car. I borrowed it to drive. It’s just inconvenient to drive in a qipao. Want to drive?”
“Sure.”
Fang Wen took the key and handed the suitcase to Yue Jinping.
Sitting in the pilot seat, the moment he inserted the key and started it, that mechanical perception actually appeared.
Perhaps this was enhancement after long-term use of mechanical perception. Besides airplanes, cars could also be used.
Through mechanical perception, Fang Wen easily understood the car’s structure and performance. Plus, he had previously owned a car, so operating it was not difficult.
After a brief familiarization, the car started and steadily drove away from the airport.
