Fifteen fighter jets from the flying group directly under the Eighth Route Army Headquarters quickly took off.
In about an hour, we arrived at Dagu Town Airport.
Li Yunlong found a map of China, used a scale to draw a line on the map, and calculated that the straight-line distance from Changchun to Peiping was approximately 855 kilometers.
The Dagu Town Airport in northwestern Shanxi is only about 310 kilometers away from Peking.
This means that it will take at least two hours for the Japanese plane to take off from Changchun Airport and arrive at Peiping Airport.
The Eighth Route Army plane took off from Dagu Town Airport and arrived at Beiping Airport in just over half an hour.
If you fly at an accelerated speed, it only takes about half an hour.
There is plenty of time.
With this in mind, Li Yunlong focused on the ground troops.
Early the next morning, Li Yunlong ordered the new regiment of combat troops to set off for Taiyuan.
After receiving the order, each battalion of the new regiment set off from their respective stations and headed for the assembly point.
The first to set off was the 1st Battalion of the New Regiment, riding in more than 100 Jiefang trucks from the motor battalion, carrying a large amount of combat supplies, and drove along the Tongpu Highway towards the Xinzhou Basin.
The first battalion is the vanguard battalion of the entire army and is responsible for luring the Japanese out.
Exquisite heavy artillery pieces were towed by tractors, Katyusha rocket launchers, tanks, howitzers and anti-aircraft guns lined up on the road for more than ten kilometers.
These are the most elite heavy weapons troops of the new regiment.
At the front of the heavy weapons unit, the soldiers were all wearing brand new gray military uniforms, carrying Type 56 firearms on their backs, bulging bullet pouches and six M24 grenades on their waists, and packed quilts on their backs.
The equipment is neat and uniform.
Slightly heavier weapons, such as M2 large-caliber heavy machine guns and 82mm mortars, are transported by cars or mules and horses to allow the soldiers to maintain their physical strength at all times.
Each truck is filled with various supplies, food, medicine, ammunition...
Before setting off, each battalion, company, and platoon carried out sufficient pre-war mobilization. The soldiers had high morale and were well prepared for tactics.
The reconnaissance plane flew over at low altitude to conduct aerial reconnaissance for the large forces. The soldiers looked up and saw a hammer and sickle icon on one side of the plane's fuselage, and a big eight on the other side of the fuselage.
Seeing this, the soldiers all had hot eyes.
In this major counterattack, the Eighth Route Army had air support, and it was air support from its own aircraft.
Thinking of this, the soldiers couldn't help but speed up their steps.
Tanks and heavy artillery on the ground were pulled by tractors and marched along the road. Soldiers were running with guns on both sides of the road. In the sky, the Eighth Route Army planes passed quickly, and the roar of the propellers reached the ears of every soldier.
This grand scene is like the scene of the main elite troops of the Chinese army marching in the decisive battle.
But right now it’s the scene of the new regiment of the Eighth Route Army marching.
At the same time, the New Second Regiment and the Independent Regiment in northwest Shanxi, led by Ding Wei and Kong Jie, marched towards Taiyuan from the other two directions.
The main force of the 129th Division in southeastern Shanxi was also dispatched under the leadership of the division commander and brigade commanders, and marched towards the important Japanese military towns such as Taiyuan, Shouyang and Yangquan.
…
Changchun.
No. 557, Xinfa Road.
Kwantung Army Headquarters.
After lunch, Naosaburo Okabe looked at the watch on his hand and looked at the commander of the Kwantung Army, Yoshijiro Umezu, who was sitting opposite.
"Umezu-kun, it's time for me to get on my way."
Okabe Naosaburo has the habit of taking a nap. After eating at noon, he takes a nap and is full of energy throughout the afternoon.
Umezu Meijiro said: "Okabe-kun, you just finished eating, why don't you take a rest before leaving?"
"No." Naosaburo Okabe said, "Military affairs are urgent. I am going to sleep on the plane. When I wake up, I will be at the Xijiao Airport in Peking."
Umezu Yoshijiro said: "Since Okabe-kun's military affairs are urgent, I will not keep you. The situation has changed rapidly. The North China now is no longer the North China that the locust army attacked five years ago. Okabe-kun must be extremely careful when going here."
"Thank you, Umezu-kun." Naosaburo Okabe thanked you, "I will be careful."
"Yoshi!" Umezu Yoshijiro said, "I have arranged for the most elite guards to take you to the airport, and the 7th Fighter Squadron will be at the airport to escort you all the way."
Naosaburo Okabe said: "Thank you very much, Umezu-kun!"
Subsequently, Naosaburo Okabe, accompanied by several staff officers, boarded the armored vehicle.
Under the protection of Umezu Yoshijiro's bodyguard, we headed towards Changchun Airport.
About half an hour later, Naosaburo Okabe's motorcade arrived at Changchun Airport.
As soon as he got off the plane, Naosaburo Okabe saw a KI57 transport plane and 21 Type 1 fighter jets parked on the airport runway.
A Japs officer wearing a flying helmet and flying combat uniform, carrying a lieutenant-general rank on his shoulders, walked quickly towards Naosaburo Okabe.
The officer quickly walked up to Naosaburo Okabe and gave a military salute:
"Your Excellency, General, I am Onda Kenzo, the captain of the 7th Flying Squadron. By order of the commander, I will escort you throughout the entire journey!"
"Yoshi!"
Naosaburo Okabe put on a cold face and tried his best to maintain the majesty of a general:
"Onda-kun, thank you for your hard work."
"It's not hard work." Onda Kenzo lowered his head and said, "Serve the General."
Naosaburo Okabe's expression moved slightly, he looked at the fighter jets on the runway, and asked: "Your 7th Flying Team is all equipped with Type-1 fighter jets, right?"
"Hi."
Kenzo Onda bows his head and reports:
"This is a Type 1 fighter. It was just equipped at the end of last year. General, you can also call it a Falcon fighter. Its performance is very excellent."
The KI43 Hayabusa fighter was the most important fighter of the Japanese Army in World War II.
Produced by Nakajima Corporation to replace the outdated Type 97 fighter jets.
"Yoshi." Naosaburo Okabe said, "Get ready to go."
Naosaburo Okabe originally wanted to ask how this Hayabusa fighter compared with the Zero fighter.
But after thinking about it, forget it, there is no need to waste time here.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "Hi!"
Onda Kenzo suddenly lowered his head, turned around and walked towards a fighter jet.
Under the protection of several guards and staff, Naosaburo Okabe walked quickly towards the KI57 transport plane.
It didn't take long.
22 planes took off from the runway of Changchun Airport, formed a flight formation in the air, and flew to Beiping Airport in the southwest.
On the transport plane.
Naosaburo Okabe looked at the buildings on the ground getting smaller and smaller, his eyes showing contemplation.
It was my own temporary decision to go to Peking Airport. The North China Front Army Headquarters had no idea when I would arrive at Peking Airport, and there was also a flying team of the Kwantung Army to escort me...
After thinking about it, Naosaburo Okabe felt that his trip to Peking was absolutely foolproof.
Then he rested his back on the chair with confidence and prepared to take a nap for a while.
…
Almost at the same time.
Li Yunlong, who was leading his troops on a march and sitting in a jeep, received a telegram from Boss Chen.
"Naosaburo Okabe's plane has taken off from Changchun Airport, escorted 21 enemy fighter jets, and arrived at Peiping Airport at about 3 p.m."
After Li Yunlong read the telegram sent by Boss Chen, his tone was stern:
"Damn it, this old devil's plane finally took off."
Zhao Gang smiled slightly: "It seems that we are going to have a good start. Using the head of a general as the start of our Eighth Route Army's counterattack can raise the morale of our entire Eighth Route Army to a higher level."
As the political commissar of the new regiment, Zhao Gang was already planning how to take advantage of the opportunity to kill the new commander of the North China Front Army at the beginning of the war to give the soldiers a wave of propaganda.
Compared with the Eighth Route Army, when the war just started, if the new commander was killed, the morale of the Japanese army would definitely be low.
"Forward this telegram to Deputy Commander Xing immediately."
Li Yunlong looked at the telegraph soldier who came to report and handed him the telegram in his hand.
"Yes, leader!"
The telegraph soldier took the telegram and left quickly.
Zhao Gang looked at Wang Dehou: "Old Wang, you immediately draft a telegram and ask Deputy Commander Xing to order the printing factory to urgently print a batch of leaflets. The leaflets say to kill the new commander of the North China Front, General Naosaburo Okabe, and persuade the Japanese.
Surrender quickly."
Wang Dehou smiled slightly: "Yes, political commissar."
Li Yunlong nodded. Zhao Gang's mental attack on the Japanese was very beautifully arranged.
"You are still ruthless scholars." Li Yunlong said with a smile, "Why didn't we, Mr. Li, think of it?"
Zhao Gang said with a half-smile but not a smile: "Old Li, why do I hear what you are saying? It sounds like you are scolding someone?"
Li Yunlong shrugged, noncommittal.
Zhao Gang did not argue with him and said with a pity tone: "It's a pity. If Okamura Neji can be killed, the effect of distributing leaflets will be greater..."
The clear telegram will definitely be sent, but it will have to wait until Naosaburo Okabe is killed.
Any intact radio station can create a coded telegraph, no special arrangements are required.
…
Dagu Town Airport.
35 fighter jets carrying out combat missions and 35 pilots are ready.
After Li Shaorong and Wang Hexin received the mission, they quickly finalized the battle plan.
"We only know the time when Naosaburo Okabe's plane and the escort formation arrived at Peiping Airport, but we don't know the Japs' route. So this time, just like the last time we killed Yoshimoto Seiichi, we took action over the western suburbs of Peiping Airport."
There is a problem with air volleys. The airspace, time, and flight speed of both parties must be precise. If there is any slight difference, the opportunity will be lost.
Political Commissar Zhang, who led the flight group directly under the headquarters, said he had no objection and would follow Li Shaorong's command for all actions.
The combat plan is the same as last time: divided into two attack groups. One group is the attack group, headed by Li Shaorong, with a total of 10 Sabre fighter jets; the other group is the cover group, with a total of 13 Hellcat fighter jets and 12 Saber fighter jets, headed by an instructor.
Wang Hexin and political commissar Zhang Zhang were in charge.
With 40 minutes left before 3 p.m., Li Shaorong ordered all fighter jets to take off.
Twenty-two Saber fighter jets and 13 Hellcat fighter jets, fully loaded with fuel and ammunition, flew into the clouds in a flying formation in the air, heading towards Peiping.