It's just that for Yang Zhen and the Anti-Alliance aviation troops who are performing airdrops, the most difficult thing is not the fuel and aircraft, but the serious shortage of parachutes used to airdrop supplies. In order to raise parachutes, the Anti-Alliance even used all the escape parachutes used by the pilots.
All used parachutes were collected.
In order to ensure the safety of pilots during training and flight missions, in addition to the troops responsible for air defense operations, even the training of new pilots has been suspended. Flying an airplane is not like driving. Once you encounter any danger in the air, a parachute is the only
Life protection.
Without parachutes, who can guarantee that those trainer aircraft will not have any problems in the air? In order to ensure the safety of instructors and students, all training courses can only be temporarily stopped when all parachutes are allocated to the air transport troops.
.Instead, follow Yang Zhen’s method of training hard on the ground and flying well in the air, focusing on ground training.
Even so, the quantity of parachutes is still insufficient, and the quality is difficult to meet the needs. Although there is no big difference in structure between parachutes for airdrop personnel and parachutes for airdrops of supplies, there is no big difference in structure.
Load-bearing capacity is another matter. Can a person's weight be compared with cargo?
However, since he lacked the raw materials for manufacturing artificial silk and the output could not meet the needs, he could only adopt three methods instead of one, and parachute these people into the airdrop. Anything that can pull out pus is a good plaster.
It doesn't matter if it's therapy or something.
Yang Zhen was so troubled that he even violated his usual principles and negotiated with Pearson. He promised not to interrupt the air raids on Japan. However, he asked the Americans to provide the Anti-Japanese Alliance with help no matter what before March 1942.
Thousands of parachutes, including 3,000 personnel parachutes and 7,000 parachutes used for airdropping supplies.
Although Yang Zhen's actions afterwards were still only symbolic. But this kind of practice of doing things first and collecting money later has always been a one-hand payment and a one-hand delivery when dealing with the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union.
This is the first time that we have done this under a situation where both people and goods have always been clear.
In order to reduce losses and pressure as much as possible, Yang Zhen repeatedly requested the central government to give various underground orders that all parachutes for airdrop supplies must be preserved. In order to ensure that these parachutes were not damaged and could one day be recycled, Yang Zhen also provided several
Parachute breakers were airdropped from base areas behind enemy lines. Parachutes were specially preserved and recovered for the parachutes that dropped supplies so that they could be transported back to the troops at any time.
However, during the frequent raids by the Japanese army, although some of these parachutes were recovered, most of them were eventually lost. The parachutes that were finally transferred back to the base area through Yan'an and Jinsui were only one-third of the airdrop consumption. In addition to fuel
, Parachutes are the most consumed material among all airdrop operations.
As for the hundreds of various aircraft that participated in the airdrop, due to the effective organizational support and escort, the losses were not significant. Of all the aircraft that participated in the operation, only five aircraft were lost due to mechanical failures, collisions with mountains, or due to sneak attacks by Japanese fighter jets and ground attacks.
Firepower loss.
But among all the aircrew who lost their planes, except for one C-47 transport plane that crashed into a mountain and all the people on board died. The rest of the pilots were all rescued safely. All bases behind enemy lines are in mountainous areas, such as Wutai Mountain, Taihang Mountain, and Taihang Mountain.
The height of Mount Yue is not low.
In addition, in order to avoid the sweeping Japanese troops, airdrops were mainly carried out at night. With so many aircraft participating in the airdrops, there was almost no night vision equipment, and in areas with highly complex terrain, there were only a few navigation and target designation equipment.
Under the circumstances of the fire, in such a large-scale operation, only one was lost due to collision with the mountain, which is already very good.
This large-scale airdrop was carried out until the end of January 1942. In several base areas behind enemy lines in North China, several simple airports were built on small mountain plains. Under light load conditions, the Anti-Japanese Alliance D-47 transport aircraft could
Landing directly to unload cargo, airdrop became a substitute method and gradually weakened.
And by the end of February, the situation in the frontline confrontation area changed. The North China Front Army focused more attention to the north. Large-scale raids gradually stopped. The situation in North China improved, and the Anti-Japanese Alliance was able to breathe a little. And all the airdrops and
The airlift operation lasted until March, and was finally completely stopped just before the entire battle was about to begin.
Although this airdrop and airlift consumed a large amount of fuel and suffered certain losses, in Yang Zhen's view, the gains were even greater. Not only did it help the North China team to survive in the cruel environment,
The next stage of the Anti-Japanese War will be on the front line of the Great Wall inside and outside, ensuring several reliable strategic and tactical support points.
Especially the Heping West District of the Beiyue District of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, which is close to the front line of the Great Wall. Although these two base areas were severely compressed by the Japanese and puppet troops' sweeps, they can persist and will provide great tactical coordination for the next battle of the Anti-Japanese Alliance.
Effect. Moreover, through this airdrop, direct radio links were established between the Anti-Japanese Alliance and several major base areas behind enemy lines.
The most critical thing is that through this long-term, large-scale airdrop and airlift, the aviation force's large-scale battlefield organizational support capabilities and airdrop material supply capabilities in complex terrain have been tempered, laying the foundation for the aviation force's development from a tactical air force to a strategic air force. At the same time, through
The escort of air transport units also exercises and improves the escort capabilities of fighter units. Compared with the price paid, Yang Zhen believes that he gains more.
By mid-February, as the situation in the North China base area improved, as well as the changes in the enemy situation in the East, and the countdown to preparations for the second phase of the battle, the deployment of ammunition and supplies had been fully launched, Yang Zhen turned his main energy to
Return to the battle that is about to begin.
According to new changes in the enemy's situation, Yang Zhen, Guo Bingxun, and Chen Hanzhang are constantly adjusting their combat plans. Through frontline reconnaissance and information transferred from the central government, the Anti-Japanese Alliance has learned that the Japanese army has built a large number of forts at the planned breakthrough site.
Field fortifications were built, and a large number of anti-tank weapons, field heavy artillery, and armored combat troops were mobilized.
Looking at the intelligence returned by the frontline reconnaissance troops on the area where the Japanese troops were building fortifications in Chadong, especially the photos of the area where the Japanese troops were building new construction fortifications taken by reconnaissance planes, Chen Hanzhang could almost tell that this was what he had done during the first phase of the battle.
Encountered in the north of Tongliao, it once caused serious losses to the Second Armored Brigade responsible for the breakthrough. This is a strengthened and extended version of the Japanese fortification area.
It's just that the fortification area built by the Japanese army in the Chadong area is larger and wider in depth. At the same time, the area of the minefield is much larger than the fortification area in the battle of Tongliao. Only in Duolunzhi
In the area directly in front of the white flag, four large minefields were discovered.
There were not only anti-infantry mines in the middle, but also Japanese standard anti-tank mines were discovered for the first time. The number and size of anti-tank trenches also exceeded that of the fortification area in the direction of Tongliao. The most critical thing was the firepower density, which was far from what was encountered during the Battle of Tongliao.
The firepower density of the Japanese army could not be compared.
What has been identified so far is that the density of anti-tank firepower deployed by the Japanese army was almost double the number they encountered on the Tongliao battlefield. In particular, the number of Type 94 37mm anti-tank guns far exceeded that of the Tongliao battlefield at that time.
These are only approximate figures, and the actual number may be much higher.
Faced with the increased firepower of the Japanese army in the breakthrough area and the deployment of a large-depth defense system, Chen Hanzhang repeatedly revised the combat plan based on his experience and lessons learned on the Tongliao battlefield. There is nothing good to say about flanking detour tactics.
Basically, it was just some fine-tuning based on adjustments to the depth of the Japanese army's deployment.
The key is to face the attack in the fortification area where the 26th Division is located. This is the top priority of Chen Hanzhang's plan adjustment. However, the results of several revisions are always unsatisfactory. The Tongliao battle is very important to Chen Hanzhang.
He said that the relatively harsh lessons made Chen Hanzhang appear hesitant in finalizing the final plan.
In order to come up with the best and most reliable combat plan, Chen Hanzhang ventured to the confrontation area between the two armies in Chadong several times since mid-February to personally check the deployment and adjustment of the Japanese army. With Yang Zhen's approval, Chen Hanzhang used some heavy artillery and bombers.
Conducted multiple fire reconnaissance and sabotage operations in the fortification area built by the Japanese army in the Chadong area.
However, the results of multiple fire reconnaissance did not satisfy him. In addition to finding out that the number of anti-aircraft guns deployed by the Japanese army in the Chadong area far exceeded the results of previous battles, at most it proved the Japanese army's emergency repair capabilities of battlefield fortifications.
Quite strong. As for the others, I have gained very little.
When the Japanese army was conducting fire reconnaissance during the Anti-Japanese War, in order to maintain maximum secrecy, they would rather passively accept artillery fire than engage in any counterattack. When the infantry battlefield was hit by firepower, the heavy artillery positions deployed in depth remained silent.
At all firepower points, even if the forward troops launched tentative attacks, they basically only used rifle machine guns to fight back. All equipment above infantry artillery remained silent.
Limited intelligence shows that the Japanese army has deployed a large number of artillery in Chadong, especially heavy artillery units, which are still being mobilized one after another. However, the Japanese army is currently standing firm to be beaten and is determined not to
The attitude of fighting back not only did not make Chen Hanzhang relax his vigilance, but actually deepened his worries.
In addition, since mid-February, the flat line has been extremely busy. The density of Japanese military trains coming from Peiping, Shimen, and Tianjin has become increasingly dense. Despite constant air attacks by the Anti-Japanese Alliance, the intensity of Japanese military railway transportation has not
Obviously weakened. Based on Chen Hanzhang's understanding of the Japanese army, it is strange that there is nothing fishy in this.
Looking at Chen Hanzhang, who was in a somewhat impatient mood, Yang Zhen said nothing, not even a word of criticism. In the situation where he still had to formulate an overall battle plan, he patiently worked with Guo Bingxun to help him study a breakthrough plan. He also specially mobilized
He was also given an American-made light twin-engine advanced trainer aircraft specifically for him to practice tactics at the armored training base.
In fact, the Japanese army mobilized a large amount of anti-tank firepower in this direction, which did not surprise Yang Zhen. As a choice of breakthrough direction, the flat Chadong area is more conducive to tank group operations than the Chanan area. Especially in the
In the first phase of the battle, the Japanese army would not fail to consider changing their tactics, given that the Anti-Japanese Alliance had already carried out long-distance tank raids.
Taking into account the terrain of Chadong, the possible breakthrough points chosen by the Anti-Japanese Alliance, and the tank cluster tactics adopted, the Japanese army wanted to contain the Anti-Japanese Alliance from attacking Chaxi and Suidong areas, so they tried their best to strengthen anti-tank in a short period of time.
Firepower is an inevitable choice for the Japanese army.
Judging from the Japanese army's usual response speed, this change is not surprising. Although the Japanese army overemphasized its own characteristics in equipment adjustment, and its strategic vision was too narrow and paranoid. But this does not mean that the Japanese army really cannot see at all.
When it comes to problems exposed on the battlefield, we don’t know how to work around them at all. We cling to past experience and go all the way. Although large-scale adjustments are unlikely, some fine-tuning can still be done on some local issues.
of.
Chapter 166: New changes in the enemy’s situation: