Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 26, Part 26: Bombing Warships, Air Battle of Zhabei
High-altitude bombing in the 30s was all visual bombing.

The altitude usually does not exceed 5000 meters, because above that altitude, pilots and bombardiers may not be able to see the target clearly.

However, at an altitude of 5000 meters, the accuracy drops significantly, and there are many more variables and errors to consider compared to 2-3000 meters.

Without a computer, Fang Wen couldn't accurately calculate these things.

But he has mechanical perception.

By integrating mechanical perception with the aircraft, one can maximize the application of personal experience.

After several high-altitude bombing runs, he got the hang of it.

The feeling was like an eagle keenly spotting its target high in the sky. As he dropped bombs more often, he mastered some unique skills that only he could use.

For example, it can make corresponding advance flight adjustments under different wind speeds and directions, thus achieving a higher hit rate when dropping bombs.

In two days, he went from hitting two out of ten shots to hitting five out of ten shots.

Fang Wen understood that this was his current limit; the rest depended on his performance on the battlefield and luck.

Meanwhile, the cluster bombs that the Jinling Arsenal had urgently developed were completed and transported to the airport the day before the operation.

Fang Wen, as the driver of the operation, listened to the other party's introduction.

"We had to cram at the last minute this time, but luckily we managed to make it. It's a mother bomb with multiple sub-bombs inside. These sub-bombs are distributed and fixed inside the mother bomb by supports, and they will detonate simultaneously and explode in a concentrated manner when the bomb explodes. The mother bomb is the container and the delayed detonation fuse, so we need to determine the detonation time and ignite the fuse in advance."

The bomb, measuring 1.5 meters square, resembles a firework box, but its power is over a thousand times greater than that of a firework.

Afterwards, the people from Jinling Arsenal introduced some details about bomb handling. Howard, Pan Jiafeng, and the machine gunner listened carefully. This was no child's play; they only had one chance and could not be careless at all.

The first half of the night was spent learning how to detonate bombs.

In the latter half of the night, no one was in the mood to sleep; the entire air force was in a state of high excitement.

Fang Wen did the same. He sat quietly in the driver's seat waiting, but he couldn't sit still any longer, so he jogged around the airport.

At 3 a.m., canteen staff came over with food boxes to provide the participants of this air operation with their last meal before the battle.

Taking the wooden box, Fang Wen swallowed the food in large gulps, though he had no appetite, he still needed to ensure he received adequate nutrition.

Pan Jiafeng, on the other hand, ate with great relish. His own box wasn't enough, so he asked the cafeteria for another serving.

After finishing dinner, it was four in the morning.

The air force personnel gathered for a training session and warm-up exercises, including the machine gunners from Fang Wen's unit.

As for Fang Wen, Howard, and Pan Jiafeng, they watched from the sidelines.

After warming up, everyone returned to their seats, and Fang Wen also sat back in the driver's seat to wait.

It was five o'clock in the morning, just as dawn was breaking.

An officer whistled and waved a flag in front of the runway, and the first military aircraft took off.

Then, seven planes took to the sky.

They circled in the air, waiting for Fang Wen.

Not long after, Rheinland NYP-2 also joined the ranks.

Seven military aircraft flew towards Shanghai in a V-formation, with a Rheinland NYP-2 following behind.

To prevent the Japanese army from intercepting their radio signals, all aircraft's wireless voice communication devices were turned off, and everything was done in perfect coordination.

An hour and a half later, the plane arrived over Shanghai.

Just then, dawn broke, and a red sun rose from the sea.

As planned, the radio silence ended.

A call came through the Rheinland NYP-2's onboard radio.

"Iron Bird, please respond."

"Received," Fang Wen replied.

"As planned, we will leave two fighter jets behind to follow, while the other aircraft will carry out a feint attack. Do you have anything to add?"

"No, I will proceed according to plan."

"Okay, let's get started."

Immediately, the planes in the air split into two groups.

A squadron of five fighter planes swooped down and launched an attack on the Japanese fortifications in the Zhabei war zone, dropping their bombs.

The other team flew at an altitude of 5000 meters, with two fighter jets guarding the Rhein NYP-2 on the left and right.

A few minutes later, the Rheinland NYP-2 flew over the Huangpu River.

Fang Wen is using machine perception to lock onto the target, a capability that allows him to see more clearly than the naked eye.

The warships below are moving! Clearly, the unusual activity in the air prompted their reaction.

But it wasn't directed at Fang Wen.

These warships actually approached the shore and fired shells at Zhabei District.

This is the best time to drop the bomb. Even if it doesn't hit that warship, it might accidentally hit another one.

Fang Wen did not immediately issue the order to drop the bomb.

The more urgent the situation, the calmer he became.

The experience and skills gained during the two-day training were now being applied in the field.

He felt that throwing the bomb from this position would most likely result in a mistake.

The reason was that the wind was surprisingly strong in the morning, and there was also a light drizzle.

This is a more severe situation than the environment encountered during training.

The lead had to be changed, so Fang Wen turned the plane around, circled in the air, and flew back along the original direction.

At that moment, more than a dozen Japanese planes flew over the sea.

The fighter jets on both sides urged them on.

"Iron Bird, can we begin? They're coming."

"Two minutes," Fang Wen replied affirmatively.

A battle in the sky is about to break out.

Seventeen Japanese aircraft launched an attack on five Guangdong Air Force aircraft.

In terms of aircraft performance, the K-47 fighter was similar to the Japanese Type 3 carrier-based fighter, but it was at a significant disadvantage in terms of numbers.

Japanese aircraft, in three-plane combat teams, separated the five K-47 fighters and engaged in fierce aerial combat.

Bullets fired from the airborne machine gun flew through the air, leaving trails of bullet holes.

If hit, given the aircraft defenses of that era, it would very likely result in the destruction of the aircraft and the loss of life.

This air battle, which had never actually taken place, took a dramatic turn.

A K-47 fighter jet was damaged in mid-air, with thick smoke billowing from one wing, but it persisted in fighting, turned around, and suddenly flew towards the enemy.

The two planes collided, creating a huge explosion in the air, followed by two fireballs falling to the ground.

Casualties occurred on both sides, which spurred both drivers to fight with even greater ferocity, making the battle increasingly intense.

At the same time, Fang Wen, who was focused on his work, also completed the bombing judgment.

He uttered the prepared words: "Put the bomb after the countdown of 5."

This is the time to prepare for the bombardiers.

5
Howard immediately opened the hatch.

4
Pan Jiafeng crouched down, gathering his strength behind the bomb.

3
The machine gunner activated the delay fuse.

2
The three of them were preparing at the same time.

1
Braving the strong sea wind, the three men pushed the heavy bomb out of the hatch with all their might.

The bomb fell rapidly in the sea breeze, and due to various factors such as wind speed and flight path vector, it fell diagonally towards the Huangpu River.

Meanwhile, the Japanese soldiers on the warships below were completely unaware of the danger and were carrying shells, firing them wildly at the Zhabei District.

A few seconds later, occasionally one of the officers would look up.

He witnessed the final scene of his life: a huge black shadow fell from the sky and crashed onto the warship.

The massive impact smashed a large hole in the deck.

Before the soldiers on the warship could react, a series of massive explosions occurred inside the ship.

The series of explosions even detonated the ammunition depot, splitting the warship in two and causing it to gradually sink to the bottom of the river.

This scene was spotted by fighter jets in the air.

"Operation complete. Everyone disengage and return to base."

With the order issued, the most dangerous thing was about to happen to Fang Wen.

How did the Rheinland NYP-2 manage to shake off the faster Japanese fighter planes and return to Nanjing Airport?

(End of this chapter)