Chapter 209: Meeting The Enemy
“Woo… woo… woo…”
The shrill and piercing air raid siren, like the roar of the Grim Reaper, suddenly tore through the tranquility over the airport by the Jiuqu River!
The siren’s penetrating power was extremely strong, like an invisible sharp blade that ruthlessly pierced into everyone’s eardrums, instantly dragging the airport from its daily calm state into the vortex of war!
The pilots, who had been gathered in twos and threes in the simple rest area—some smoking and chatting idly, some wiping their holstered pistols, some resting with eyes closed—were all momentarily stunned when they heard this sudden alarm signaling the highest level of threat, their relaxed expressions instantly freezing on their faces.
The next second, everyone bounced up from their seats like rabbits with their tails on fire! They reflexively dropped everything in their hands and, using the fastest speed of their lives, recklessly dashed toward the fighter planes standing quietly on the apron!
Heavy flight boots thudded on the ground paved with dirt and gravel, producing a rapid “thud thud thud” sound, kicking up clouds of dust.
While running, the pilots instinctively checked their gear… whether their flight helmets were on, whether their oxygen masks were properly attached, whether their pistols were in their holsters.
At the top floor of the airport control tower, in the command room.
Colonel Jimmy Doolittle was on the phone with Su Yaoyang, who was far away in the county seat, discussing the next steps for pilot training plans and airport defense deployments.
The sudden shrill alarm made even this experienced legendary American pilot’s heart skip a beat! He instantly judged that this was no drill—it was a real air raid alert!
“What happened?!” Doolittle asked gravely into the microphone, his sharp gaze sweeping toward the window outside.
On the other end of the line, Su Yaoyang’s voice also became noticeably urgent: “General Doolittle! I’ve heard the alarm here too!
Intelligence just received an emergency report from the radar station… West! West, a large formation of Japanese aircraft detected! Extremely numerous! Approaching us at high speed!”
Almost as soon as Su Yaoyang finished speaking, the communications operator in the tower removed his headset, turned pale-faced toward Doolittle, and reported in a trembling voice: “Colonel! Emergency call from radar station! Confirmed! Large-scale enemy formation in western airspace! Distance 160 kilometers… speed 400 kilometers per hour, estimated arrival in 20 minutes!”
“Damn it!”
Doolittle muttered a curse under his breath, a flash of anxiety in his piercing blue eyes. He knew the worst had happened! The Japanese retaliation was faster and fiercer than anticipated!
“Boss… order all ground units to immediate highest combat readiness!
I’ll personally lead all fighters to take off and intercept! Ground anti-aircraft fire prepare to engage!” Doolittle said decisively into the microphone, his tone brooking no argument.
“Understood! I’ve given the order! The airport is yours, Jimmy… hold the line!” Su Yaoyang’s voice was equally resolute.
Hanging up, Doolittle grabbed his flight helmet and bellowed to the other staff in the tower without looking back: “Activate highest-level air raid contingency! Notify all anti-aircraft positions! Order all pilots, per first combat sequence, emergency takeoff! Target, intercept western intruders!”
With that, he strode toward the gangway leading downstairs, his heavy military boots clanging loudly on the metal steps. This legendary pilot in his forties was once again personally taking to the skies to battle the enemy!
The airport was already a scene of tense yet orderly bustle.
Though the pilots’ movements were already fast, the ground crew and mechanics waiting on the apron were even faster!
The moment the piercing alarm sounded, these men in oil-stained work clothes burst out from every corner like they’d been injected with adrenaline. Some quickly removed the canvas covers from the cockpits and engines, some swiftly pulled the wheel chocks from under the landing gear, others expertly helped pilots don parachute packs, connect radios and oxygen lines.
“One-Eyed Jack” and Tom, the partners who had just shot down two reconnaissance planes—by rights they had already flown their mission today and didn’t need to go up again—still rushed to their respective aircraft at top speed like everyone else.
“Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Get that engine started for me!” One-Eyed Jack bellowed at the ground crew beside him while nimbly climbing into the cockpit. His one good eye gleamed with excitement, like a beast about to be unleashed.
The ground crew hurriedly helped them buckle seatbelts and connect various lines. One mechanic deftly turned the inertial starter, while another coordinated with the pilot from outside the cockpit.
“Bzzz… bzzz… putt-putt-putt… BOOM!!!”
Accompanied by a heart-pounding startup roar, the P-47’s powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 “Double Wasp” eighteen-cylinder radial engine awoke like a giant beast, unleashing a deafening bellow! The massive four-bladed propeller spun rapidly, whipping up powerful airflow that scattered dust and debris around.
“Clear prop!”（Propeller area clear!）
With the pilots’ roars, one by one the P-47 “Thunderbolt” fighters, under the ground guides’ flag signals, taxied from the apron to the main runway.
Wing-mounted drop tanks and full loads of .50 caliber machine gun ammo made these normally somewhat ponderous “big milk bottles” bristle with lethal menace.
In their cockpits, the pilots focused intently on checking instruments, adjusting flaps, preparing for the imminent fierce battle.
“Tower to ‘Thunderbolt’ formation! Cleared for takeoff! Repeat! Cleared for takeoff! Good luck! Godspeed!”
Doolittle’s voice came clearly through the radio into every pilot’s headset. He himself was already in a P-47 cockpit, preparing to taxi to the runway.
“‘Thunderbolt One’ acknowledged! Taking off!” One-Eyed Jack responded first, slamming the throttle to max and releasing the brakes.
“BOOM!!!”
The P-47 let out an even more ferocious roar, its heavy fuselage accelerating down the runway. The immense thrust pressed One-Eyed Jack firmly into his seatback, scenery on either side of the runway blurring past.
When speed hit takeoff threshold, One-Eyed Jack yanked back the stick!
The P-47’s massive nose lifted proudly, its heavy frame seemingly shrugging off gravity as it howled into the blue sky!
Close behind, Tom’s aircraft, Doolittle’s, and over a dozen other P-47 fighters roared and bellowed one after another like arrows loosed from the string, leaping from the Jiuqu River airport runway straight into the heavens!
The formation’s nose pointed toward Wuta County; they had to intercept the Japanese planes before they reached Wuta County—who knew if the Japanese target was the county seat, the airport, or both.
………..
Colonel Jimmy Doolittle led two squadrons, a total of twenty-four P-47 “Thunderbolt” fighters in tight formation, flying at six thousand meters altitude.
Sunlight baked the canopies, but no pilot paid it mind; all stared intently ahead. This was their first large-scale air battle against the Japanese Army Air Service since arriving in China—no one knew the outcome.
“Tower to ‘Thunderbolt’ leader, Tower to ‘Thunderbolt’ leader! Latest enemy position, 170 bearing（, approximately eighty kilometers from us, altitude unknown!
Enemy count preliminary: about twenty-plus bombers, escort fighters unknown but at least fifteen! Repeat…”
Ground radar updates relayed via tower kept sounding in Doolittle’s headset. This priceless intel from “Thousand-Mile Eye” gave the P-47 formation crucial battlefield awareness.
“‘Thunderbolt’ leader acknowledged!” Doolittle replied steadily, his sharp eyes scanning below and ahead.
The twenty-four P-47 “Thunderbolts,” under Doolittle’s command, cleverly used cloud cover to maintain altitude advantage, circling like high-altitude eagles patiently awaiting prey in optimal attack range.
About ten minutes later, the tense search bore fruit.
“Target sighted! Eleven o’clock, below! Distance about fifteen kilometers!” One-Eyed Jack’s raspy excited shout exploded over the radio in the formation channel.
Following One-Eyed Jack’s direction, all pilots spotted the Japanese formation pressing forward like a dark cloud!
In airspace around five thousand meters, dozens of dark green Japanese aircraft in relatively tight formation flew aggressively toward Jiuqu River airport.
Up front were massive Type 97 heavy bombers, like mobile aerial fortresses bristling with defensive machine gun turrets. Circling around and above the bomber formation were over ten more agile Type 97 fighters, their close escorts.
“All units, this is leader! Target confirmed!” Doolittle’s voice was calm and decisive, clear over the radio to every pilot.
“We’ll use ‘high-speed dive, hit and run’ tactics! Maintain altitude advantage! Two-plane elements attack! Hit hard, disengage fast, then climb and repeat! Don’t get dragged into dogfights by Japanese Nakajima fighters!”
After days of contact and multiple flights, Doolittle deeply understood the P-47 “Thunderbolt’s” traits: superior power, rugged airframe, ferocious firepower, excellent high-altitude speed—while its turning was a relative weakness.
Thus, high-altitude high-speed dive attacks, hit and away, reclimb for altitude, was the best tactic for P-47s against more maneuverable Japanese fighters—the famous “Boom and Zoom”（Boom and Zoom） tactic.
“‘Thunderbolt’ squadrons attention! Per plan, first squadron with me dives from mid-high altitude, prioritize enemy bomber formation rear! Second squadron, Jack leads from side above, focus on knocking out escorts! Disrupt their formation, sow chaos!” Doolittle swiftly issued attack orders.
“Roger that, Colonel!”（Acknowledged, Colonel!） One-Eyed Jack replied excitedly; he couldn’t wait to taste Japanese aircraft.
“‘Thunderbolts’, engage! Engage! Engage!”（”Thunderbolt” squadron, attack! Attack! Attack!）
At Doolittle’s command, the twenty-four P-47 “Thunderbolts” shattered the high-altitude calm like raptors receiving the hunt signal!
The two attack waves led by Doolittle and One-Eyed Jack simultaneously pointed noses at the Japanese below, shoved sticks forward, entering high-speed dives!
“Wooo——!!!”
P-47 engines screamed shrilly in the dive like the Grim Reaper’s scythe slicing air! Heavy fuselages with massive kinetic energy plunged at stunning speed toward the Japanese formation! Pilots crushed into seats by G-forces, eyes locked in focus, fingers tight on gun triggers.
The Japanese clearly hadn’t expected such a ferocious ambush in airspace they deemed absolutely safe!
When the “Thunderbolts” descended like thunderbolts, many Japanese pilots hadn’t even reacted!
“Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Above! Chinese fighters!”
A bomber formation gunner spotted the diving P-47s first and screamed in terror. But it was too late!
Doolittle’s first squadron sliced into the bomber formation’s tail like a razor!
“Fire! Fire!”（Fire! Fire!）
Doolittle led, sighting a straggler Type 97 heavy bomber in his ring and squeezing the trigger without hesitation!
“Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat——!!!”
The P-47’s eight powerful 0.50-inch（12.7mm） Browning M2 heavy machine guns roared deafeningly! Eight streams of hot tracers like whips of death lashed the unlucky Japanese bomber!
“Pfft-pfft-pfft—BOOM!!!”
Against the P-47’s savage firepower, the Type 97 heavy’s thin skin and structure crumpled! Tracers shredded wing and fuselage, aluminum flying, sparks erupting! One even ignited the right-wing fuel tank!
A massive blast! The Type 97 heavy’s right wing engulfed in fireball, billowing smoke! Losing balance, it spiraled earthward trailing long black smoke like a bird with broken wings!
Several Japanese crew bailed out screaming, but their chutes were soon shredded by stray P-47 fire.
“Woo-hoo… got one!” Doolittle’s wingman whooped excitedly in his headset.
Simultaneously, One-Eyed Jack’s second squadron pounced from side above like wolves on the escorting Type 97 fighters!
“Tom, watch your six! I’m taking their leader!” One-Eyed Jack roared, his P-47 arrowing at a Type 97 marked as command ship.
That Type 97 pilot was no rookie; he evaded instantly on the P-47’s dive, trying a sharp turn to break lock.
But One-Eyed Jack gave no chance! Using P-47 dive speed and inertia, he stuck tight!
“Rat-tat-tat-tat!”
A burst of precise bursts! Tracers slammed the Type 97’s engine and cockpit!
The Type 97 shuddered, engine spewing black smoke, traced an erratic arc, then nose-dived! No time for the pilot to bail!
“Another monkey down!” One-Eyed Jack laughed triumphantly; this was his third kill today.
The P-47 ambush was like a thunderbolt in a calm lake!
Instantly, over Wuta Mountain skies, tracers crisscrossed, explosions boomed! Hit Japanese planes trailed smoke and fire, plummeting like dumplings!
P-47 pilots strictly followed Doolittle’s BZ tactics: fast, accurate, ruthless dives; full salvo then immediate stick-pull climb using P-47 superior climb to safe altitude, evade Japanese fighters, then re-dive.
This hit-and-run, no lingering combat frustrated Japanese pilots used to low-altitude turning dogfights with Chinese air force! Their Type 97s out-turned P-47s but were outclassed in high-altitude speed and firepower!
They watched helplessly as ferocious “Thunderbolts” repeatedly pounced from above, toying with prey, slaughtering bombers and comrades, with little chance to counter. Climb to chase? P-47s powered away. Dive again? Desperate evasion.
In minutes of first clash, the Japanese formation was stunned by this unprecedented tactic! Caught off-guard, at least ten-plus（bombers and fighters） were blasted mid-air by P-47 barrages or crashed trailing smoke!
Skies torn asunder, wreckage and flames blooming like deadly fireworks.
P-47 formation’s first victory! At minimal cost（possibly a few P-47s damaged by Japanese defensive fire and fighters, but most endured thanks to rugged airframes）, a glorious triumph!
But Doolittle knew this was just the start! Japanese numbers still overwhelming, and they were recovering from initial panic, organizing counterattacks. Harsher fighting lay ahead!
“All ‘Thunderbolts’, reform! Regain altitude! Prepare second attack wave!” Doolittle’s calm voice sounded again over radio, directing his aerial eagles for the next lethal hunt.
