Chapter three hundred and sixty first air encounter
Not only did Chen Xi know that under his so-called Tokyo base camp, which was almost crazy at all costs, the vitality of the Kwantung Army aviation force had been restored to a large extent. As an intermediate commander of the aviation force, he also knew that the Japanese army had recently transferred a number of troops from China and Kwantung.
A batch of new fighter jets with extremely excellent performance, as well as a large number of veteran pilots.
This new type of fighter of the Japanese army not only has excellent mid- and low-altitude combat performance, but also has extremely amazing endurance. It is far from comparable to the Type 97 fighter previously equipped. If it takes off from Xingjing and Hunchun, its ultra-long range will make almost the entire
The base areas are all within its operational scope.
Although there are not many of this new type of fighter jets, when they cover bombers for bombing base areas, they cause great losses to the fighter units. Even the latest P-40 fighter jets are no match for it. In addition,
Due to the difference in pilot quality, the Anti-Alliance aviation suffered heavy losses in air battles.
If it weren't for the fact that there are only about twenty of this new type of fighter aircraft, the number is too small. In addition, the Japanese army is too conservative in the use of tactics in air battles, and is worried that this new type of fighter jet will penetrate too deep into the base area, either due to battle damage or getting lost.
Waiting for some accidents, it fell into the hands of the Anti-League. The restriction of the combat range of this aircraft meant that the number of dispatches of this new type of aircraft was not many. I am afraid that the losses of the Anti-Alliance aviation, which is inferior in combat performance, will be even greater.
Even so, in the face of this new Japanese fighter that is extremely fast and extremely flexible in air combat, the P-39 fighter, the main fighter of the Anti-Japanese Alliance, still paid one to three, four, or even one to five.
A heavy price to pay. Under this situation, it would be too dangerous to enter Northeast China without fighter escort.
Especially since a considerable part of this route passed over the important route where the Japanese army supplied the 23rd Division stationed in Hailar. When the Kwantung Army was unable to evacuate the 23rd Division, in order to ensure that the Japanese troops on the front line of Hailar
The supply line is safe, and planes are often dispatched to patrol this route and take the opportunity to bomb the troops stationed in Qiqihar.
The aviation unit stationed in Qiqihar is to ensure the air defense of the Qiqihar area, and to cut off the supply line of the Kwantung Army to the Japanese army on the Hailar front line. It also dispatched aircraft many times to compete for air supremacy and bomb the Japanese supply convoy. Over this area,
It is still one of the main battlefields where the two sides are fighting in the air.
Apart from the pilots in the cabin and the rifles and pistols in the hands of Yang Zhen's guard squad, this transport plane did not have any weapons. Not to mention the long range and excellent combat performance encountered by the Japanese army. Moreover, it was only equipped with two 77s compared to the previous one.
Compared with the Japanese Type 97 fighter jet with a millimeter machine gun, its weapons and equipment have been greatly improved. It has been replaced by a fighter jet with two 20mm caliber cannons. Even the old Type 97 fighter jet can be shot down easily.
Chen Xi also knew that the guard squad around No. 1 was very powerful. Although there was only one squad, on the ground, even if they faced a squadron of Japanese troops, they could hold on for at least an hour. But this was in the air, even if they
Everyone has only three heads and six arms, and there is no room for them to show their talents.
For the safety of Yang Zhen, Chen Xi sent a telegram to Qiqihar using an urgent code without even having time to ask for instructions when Yang Zhen insisted on the route he came from, asking them to immediately dispatch no less than one squadron of aircraft.
, to respond over the Sunit Left Banner.
Since it was a key area of confrontation with the Japanese army, the aviation force deployed an entire combat group in Qiqihar with two fighter groups, two Il-4 bombers and a Su-2 light bomber squadron, as well as a combat group composed of previous types of miscellaneous aircraft.
A mixed group of bombers.
Although the Il-4 bombers and Su-2 light bombers are seizing the time to train, they have not yet fully formed their combat capabilities. The bombing of the supply lines of the Japanese 23rd Division was mainly carried out by the Japanese bombers equipped with German, Polish-made, and captured Japanese bombers.
Served as a mixed group.
However, the pilots of the two P-39 Flying Snake fighter groups deployed there, with a total of 64 fighter jets, are far from being said to be rich in actual combat experience. However, compared with the bomber pilots who are completing the final conversion training, they have all completed the rigorous training.
All have been trained and tested in actual combat. With a sufficient number of aircraft and experienced pilots, there is absolutely no problem in protecting the safety of No. 1.
With the support of the aviation force stationed in Qihar, at least safety is guaranteed. Even if he gets a scolding afterwards, as long as No. 1 can reach the base safely, it doesn't matter to Chen Xi. The sky is big and the earth is big, No. 1's
Safety is the greatest, this is the only thought in Chen Xi's mind at this moment.
At this time, Liming, the deputy chief of staff in charge of aviation training, who was inspecting the conversion of bomber units in Qiqihar, received a telegram from Chen Xi and learned that No. 1 was actually going to return directly through the Japanese-occupied areas without escort.
Was shocked.
After receiving Chen Xi's request for reinforcements, Liming knew that the current situation on this route was very different from a few months ago. Without any hesitation, he immediately took off from Qiqihar with an entire fighter squadron with the most powerful combat effectiveness.
Go to the so-called Manchuria-Mongolia border area in Sunitzuo Banner to meet up.
Fortunately, the American fighter jet itself was already equipped with a radio communication system at this time, and the transport plane transporting Yang Zhen was also equipped with a high-power wireless communication system due to special needs. It can communicate with the air and the ground within a certain range.
Or contact by password.
The communication equipment is complete, allowing Liming to maintain contact with Chen Xi since Qiqihar took off. In addition, Liming, who is the deputy chief of staff of the aviation force, personally leads the team, and the overall coordination between the two aspects is better. It takes no effort to coordinate the fleet.
It is convenient for rendezvous with Yang Zhen's special plane over Sunit Left Banner.
Seeing the P-39 fighter jets flying over the window, Yang Zhen didn't say anything, but his slight frown showed his dissatisfaction. Although his dissatisfaction was not because Chen Xi mobilized the aviation troops stationed in Qiqihar without asking for permission.
He came to meet him. It was more because he was a little dissatisfied that a plane would involve so many people for his own sake. But the frown still made Chen Xi startled.
Although he was shocked, the subsequent development of the incident still made Chen Xi think that he had communicated with the Qiqihar base without asking for instructions, and asked the garrison there to dispatch aircraft to escort the action. This move was simply outrageous.
So true.
Not long after the special plane carrying Yang Zhen and the fighter group coming to meet him met over the left flag of Sunit, they met six Japanese Type 97 fighter jets covering a transport plane over the right center flag of Horqin. And this time
What was previously just a squadron-level air battle, but because Yang Zhen was in the air, it eventually turned into an aerial melee involving nearly a hundred aircraft each.
When the enemy and we encountered each other in the air, Yang Zhen and the escorting fleet chose a relatively safe altitude of about six thousand meters to ensure safety. The six escorting Japanese Type 97 fighter jets were also very surprising.
It also chose an altitude of 6,000 meters for cruising, which does not allow it to perform optimally.
Since there have been many air battles in this area before, both sides are prepared for encounters at any time during the flight. It is not that they are unable to prevent themselves. In order to ensure the safety of Chief No. 1, the Anti-Alliance side was extremely cautious during the escort.
Plus caution. The Japanese army, which had suffered heavy losses in air battles many times, was also very cautious.
Both sides were quite cautious, and almost unanimously chose to fly around six thousand meters where they could have a height advantage. After all, in the air battles of this era, whoever seizes the height will have a certain advantage. But
Unfortunately, they met at a height where both parties thought they were relatively safe.
They were all flying at the same altitude and discovered both opponents at almost the same time. They invariably desperately called for reinforcements and at the same time sent out some fighter jets to rush towards the opponent. They tried to entangle the opponent's fighter jets and cover the aircraft they were covering from the battlefield.
Although the four Japanese aircraft that rushed over were quite life-threatening, the pilots used their best combat skills and tried their best to catch the eight P-39 fighters that also rushed over. However, the performance of the aircraft on both sides
The gap in military operations and the numerical disadvantage cannot be made up for by the bravery of pilots alone.
The two sides fought from 6,000 meters to 3,000 meters, and the result was not surprising. After fifteen minutes of air combat, all four Type 97 fighter jets were shot down. And the eight P-39 fighter jets that rushed to attack were only
One aircraft suffered some slight damage, but it did not affect its flight. At 4-0, a clean air battle ended with a complete victory for the Anti-Union Air Force.
Knowing that this place was not far away from the Wangye Temple Airport where a whole Japanese flying team was stationed, and that the Japanese reinforcement planes could arrive at any time, Dawn did not wait for the final result of the air battle. Nor did he take the opportunity to try to speed up in order to
The two remaining Japanese Type 97 fighter jets that left the battlefield as quickly as possible, and the transport aircraft converted from the Type 97 bomber that they were protecting were in trouble.
Liming ordered Chen Xi, who was piloting Yang Zhen's special plane, to immediately increase his speed and fly towards Qiqihar under the cover of the remaining four P-39 fighter jets. It wasn't that Liming was timid, in fact No. 1 was on the plane. He
He didn't dare to take the risk of plane No. 1 being attacked, but deal with the remaining Japanese planes that were desperately trying to escape.
Although he did not pursue the few Japanese planes that fled in a hurry, he was worried that it was too close to Wangye Temple Airport. In order to protect Yang Zhen's safety, he ordered Chen Xi to speed up and return to Qiqihar. On the other hand, he ordered all the people stationed in Qiqihar to
Except for one squadron of fighter jets left behind to serve as air defense for the airport, the rest immediately took off and rushed to the front line of Horqin Banner as reinforcements as quickly as possible.
Even the P-40 fighter group that arrived at Qiqihar Airport with him and had just completed preliminary conversion training and was originally planning to go into actual combat after a period of adaptive training was also transferred over by Liming. For the absolute success of No. 1