Chapter 241 The rapid turn of the Nanjing Defense War 1

On June 7, 1937, this inadvertent outbreak of the China-Japan air war can be said to shock the world. Whether it is China or Japan, it has the ability to organize such a large-scale coordinated assault operations of air forces, which shocked the European and American countries, especially the weak rely entirely on imported weapons and equipment. The armed Chinese Air Force actually poured out to attack the huge naval aircraft carrier formation of the Japanese army? This seems to require great courage and accurate intelligence support and tactical synthesis command and planning.

This time, the surprise attack between the two armies is absolutely a classic example. It will undoubtedly open the door to the arrival of the era of the air force. The air force is likely to change from auxiliary support arms to the main war arms.

While the naval formations moored outside Wusongkou were attacked by the Chinese Air Force on a large scale, the four main field airports on the north coast of Nanjing, two standby airports, and the fortresses along the river, especially the Yanziji Fortress. The first and second sub-fleet of the Chinese navy were also suddenly attacked by the sky.

Chen Jiliang, commander of the First Fleet of the Chinese Navy, personally led the four capital ships of "Pinghai", "Ninghai", "Yingrui" and "Yixian" as the leader, and the second fleet "Chu You", "Chu Tai", "Zhengning", "Sui Ning", "Qingtian", "Hu Peng", "Lake stork", "Pingming" and "Jiesheng" and other warships. The air defense fleet with the main force launched an unequal battle with the Japanese army's surprise fighters in Yanziji.

Although dozens of Swedish Fords 20-mm four-blon anti-aircraft guns deployed on the Yanziji Fort and the Oolong Mountain Fortress, as well as the 16 German 88mm anti-aircraft guns on the Yanziji Fort, and a large number of temporary light and heavy machine gun air-to-air fire, they still failed to organize the crazy bombing of the Yanziji Fort. The two old 280mm Krup coastal defense guns were all destroyed by the Japanese army in the semi-open gun position, and many of the German 350mm howitzers with 32x body diameter were also destroyed by the Japanese army.

The warships of the Chinese navy on the river responded calmly to the huge attack fleet of the Japanese army and cooperated with the fort firepower to intercept the attack and bombing of the Japanese warplanes. You should know that after the first wave of invading Japanese warplanes dropped bombs at several field airports in Jiangbei, they found that the main force of the Chinese air force was not there, so they immediately turned around. The target was moved, and the Yanziji Fort, the Wulongshan Fortress, the middle [***] heavy artillery group in Jiangbei, and the Chinese naval warships that came to support on the river were all the main targets.

For a while, there was a burst of gunpowder on the Yanziji Fort, and the gunfire rumbled! The bombers and fighters of the Japanese army in the air are constantly hovering to find the appropriate attack angle, while the anti-aircraft gun position on the Yanziji Fort is constantly firing shells at the Japanese aircraft.

Compared with the previous Japanese Imperial Navy outside Wusongkou, whether it is the Chinese navy or the anti-aircraft firepower on the Yanziji Fort, it seems to be fierce and abnormal. In fact, they are all fighting separately. There is no effective fire interception network at all. The effectiveness of anti-aircraft artillery should be concentrated and unified angles and unified regional targets. It is very helpless that the navy can't carry out unified and coordinated operations with the fort at all, and even the navy's own ships can't concentrate and coordinate the firepower.

If there is no certain number of fixed anti-aircraft guns, it is a very easy target for the swarming enemy aircraft. Although there are more than 20 Swedish Forth 20mm four-barrear anti-aircraft guns and a large number of light and heavy machine guns as a supplement to short-range anti-aircraft firepower, there are still nine German 88mm. The anti-aircraft gun was destroyed by Japanese bombers. The position of the bombed anti-aircraft gun was full of scattered corpses and limbs and broken arms, and even some people's internal organs hung on the still red gun barrel to make a scorching sound.

Although it was not that the Japanese military plane was hit and fell, the overall loss of the Japanese army was too small. During this period, even Zhang Xuewu's headquarters was hit by three 500-pound bombs. After enjoying the shaking of the mountain, Zhang Xuewu frowned and looked at the sand table in a daze. He also I found that my attack plan was too hasty and reckless. It may be as if the war had been suppressed by the Japanese army for more than ten days, which was caused by the serious losses of various troops.

So he is ready to concentrate his air force to attack the Japanese army's air force. If he can sink a Japanese army aircraft carrier, it will undoubtedly be a heavy blow to the morale of the Japanese army, but now it seems that this idea seems to be a little inappropriate. It may fully expose the strength of Nanjing's air force, and The corresponding price of attacking the naval aircraft carrier also seems to be too heavy.

In the eyes of the whole world, the army of the empire is only second-rate in terms of equipment, tactics, and even the command of generals. However, the navy force of the empire is the first-class in the world. Zhang Xuewu is also aware of his impatience. This time, the Chinese air force will follow its own advice and attack rashly. It will be a key point for a sharp turn in the defense of Nanjing!

Although Gao Zhihang led the returning fighter group to intercept the Japanese army's return group and shot down 39 Japanese fighters of various models, because the fuel on both sides was extremely limited, it could not be entangled at all, so it quickly left the battle.

This time, the Chinese Air Force, together with the Rehe Legion Flying Tigers and the Soviet Volunteer Aid China Air Force, shot down a total of 45 Japanese warplanes, sank the Japanese heavy cruiser Yaeyama, three destroyers, and seriously damaged the battleship Izukumo, the aircraft carrier Kaga, the aircraft carrier Fengxiang, the Shenfeng aircraft carrier, etc. A ship.

The Chinese Air Force and the Soviet Union's volunteer China Airlines lost 56 bombers of various types, 39 destroyers and attack aircraft, and almost all of them were injured, which can be said to be a huge loss.

The naval forces that attacked the Yanziji Fort also suffered heavy losses. Eight ships, including Ying Rui, Yixian, Suining, Qingtian, Hupeng, Lake stork, Pingming and Jiesheng, were sunk. The Chuyou was stranded. Chen Jiliang, the commander of the First Fleet, was seriously injured, and the rest of the ships were also injured. Tired, the huge loss of the navy made its main force equivalent to loss. The surviving ships basically lost their combat effectiveness and retreated to Wuhan to rest in preparation for another battle.

In fact, this major air strike is equivalent to the Chinese air force bombing the Chinese army's dispatched fleet, while the Japanese army's bombing of China's field airports, fortresses and fleets, both sides are tantamount to tyrannying each other without air support.

Although the Japanese army's Chinese dispatched fleet outside Wu Song's mouth looked embarrassed on the surface, the overall strength of the Japanese army was not damaged. The Japanese army's aircraft carrier, which was repeatedly attacked, stood still. The death of the Chinese air force pilots left a deep impression on the reporters of various countries watching the war in the concession. From the sky, straight down, with a sad roar, it was the roar of a nation and even a country!

After this war, the Chinese Air Force, which was hit hard at the logistics airport, still be able to defend the sky of Nanjing? The biggest weakness of the Chinese Air Force is also exposed through this war, that is, under the international joint military embargo, the war damage of the Chinese Air Force cannot be supplemented at all, and it is said that I can easily get support from the country. This is a war of attrition, and it has been subject to the joint military embargo of the United States, Britain, France and other countries. And the blockaded China is destined to be unable to afford it.

Originally intended to boost the morale of the army, Zhang Xuewu, who dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese army, was also a bad move. From a strategic and tactical point of view, Zhang Xuewu's advice is understandable, and it also corresponds to the offensive mentality of the Chinese Air Force, which has always had a certain advantage, but whether it is Zhang Xuewu, the Chinese Air Force and even the Soviet Union's volunteer aid to China, failed to take into account that in fact, their large-scale concentrated attack was exactly what I dreamed of. Fighting for consumption was originally the thing I was most disgusted with, but over Nanjing, it became my magic weapon to win.

A blood-stained blue sky, which can be said to be the unprecedented air battle in Asian history, and even after the unprecedented air battle in the world, the two armies, who were eager to retaliate, set off again at an interval of three hours and once again attacked the field airport in ***, completely defeating the combat strength of the Chinese Air Force.

Whether it is Zhou Zhirou or Zhang Xuewu, or even the Soviet Union's volunteer aid to China, they all believe that the Japanese army has the ability to fight continuously, but our army does not have the ability to meet the enemy, so all the fighters must be immediately transferred and fight one after another.

In a forest not far from Mengzhuang, an unknown small village on the north bank, the 22 Flying Tigers' last fighters were covered with camouflage cloth. Gao Zhihang looked at 61 subordinates and hundreds of ground crews. Gao Zhihang's eyes were almost full of tears, and there were only a few people left, but these people were extremely experienced. For a wealth of pilots and ground crew, these people are the precious seeds of the Rehe Air Force. They have accumulated rich experience during the battles with the Japanese invaders in Shanghai and Nanjing, and none of them can be sacrificed easily.

Gao Zhihang took a deep breath, took a look at a lieutenant female reporter next to the Central Daily, and said to the crowd: "In order to take the next step, if Nanjing loses the defense of Xuzhou and Wuhan, the Soviet volunteer aviation team is also doing a strategic transition. All their airports were destroyed by the Japanese army, and the ground service The loss of personnel is huge. Many equipment and spare parts were destroyed by air strikes, but our Flying Tigers can't leave. Our commander is still in Nanjing. As long as there is a Chinese fighter over Nanjing, we must defend the sky until the last second. What's more, we still need 22 fighters to defend Nanjing and defend the commander of the army. ! Let's leave it to me with unforgettable pain! Let them remember the defenders of this sky! Flying Tigers!"

Since Peng Mengji was appointed as the garrison commander of Yanziji by Zhang Xuewu, he has been conscientious. Every day, he checks the defense line and artillery deployment, and is ready to deal with all kinds of attacks and attacks of the Japanese army. The army is assigned to the 41st Division to fully guard Yanziji, and the firepower support and fortifications of the fort and the 41st Division. Zhu, Peng Mengji has coordinated with the 41st Division many times. Because of the relationship of co-existence, both sides are quite active in coordinating.

(to be continued)