Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 330, 328: Refugees Flying South, Nighttime Strategic Bombing, Empty City Stratagem
Some of the refugees who retreated south arrived on the north bank of the Yellow River.

Due to the impact of the war, the entire Jinpu Railway was shut down, and the bridges were guarded by the Nationalist Army, which also blocked them with sandbags to prevent anyone from passing through.

Tens of thousands of refugees could not cross the bridge and had to choose to cross the river at the nearby Luokou ferry.

Fortunately, Taishan Airlines has already started making arrangements.

They gathered on the north bank of Luokou Ferry and boarded the seaplane under the guidance of Taishan Airlines staff.

Thirty seaplanes glided back and forth on the Yellow River until nightfall.

As night deepened, staff on both sides of the river held up large lanterns as markers for the round-trip routes, while seaplanes turned on their nose lights to prevent collisions.

Everything is going on in an orderly manner.

The river crossing activity ended temporarily at 7 p.m. and will continue tomorrow morning.

The refugees who had not crossed the Yellow River and were forced to retreat south could not help but look back at their homes in the north, wondering what had become of them.

(Luokou Yellow River Railway Bridge, Jinpu Railway. A rare Yellow River bridge at the time.)
The battle to defend Dezhou City continues. Lacking heavy firepower, the Japanese army has suffered repeated defeats during the day, and the possibility of launching a nighttime attack cannot be ruled out.

Therefore, the walls of Dezhou were brightly lit, and the garrison remained on high alert at all times.

At 7 p.m., the Japanese army began to send out small groups of troops to probe, but they were attacked in different areas.

These Japanese troops did not have much desire to attack, and they ceased their operations after suffering a slight setback.

After repelling the Japanese army's nighttime probing attack, the 29th Army's garrison officers and the county magistrate of Dezhou came down from their respective defensive walls and jogged all the way to the garrison of the 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment at the West Gate.

They exchanged information about the battlefield with Wu Yingzong.

The county magistrate joked, "I think they were so scared of being beaten during the day that they didn't dare to launch a full-scale attack at night."

"The Japanese army is not clear about the situation in the city, and they suffered heavy losses during the day, so they really don't dare to act recklessly," analyzed a garrison officer from the 29th Army.

Wu Yingzong, however, was not as relaxed as they were: "I just spoke with the regimental commander by telegram. He believes that the Japanese army is currently lacking in heavy firepower, and the losses would be great if they attacked the city during the day. On the contrary, they are more likely to launch a night attack. We cannot let our guard down and must defend the city tonight."

The county magistrate and the garrison officer immediately dared not underestimate the enemy and were about to return to guard their positions.

Before leading them away, the county magistrate asked, "Battalion Commander Wu, how are we going to retreat?"

“Let’s wait. There will be a big move tonight, and that will be our chance to retreat,” Wu Yingzong replied.

He didn't say what the big move was, and the two returned to their respective posts on the city walls with some doubt.

It's 9 p.m. at Jinan Airport, in the largest hangar.

The Farman F.220 night bomber, codenamed Taishan No. 1, was parked there.

Since the outbreak of the war, Taishan-1 has been stationed here on standby, and now it is finally its turn to take the field.

Fang Wen, along with the members of the temporary bomber crew of Taishan No. 1—Pan Jiafeng, Du Jiahuai, and Shao Deqing—are making preparations.

He introduced the new features of Taishan-1 to the crew members.

"The original manual airdrop method was too rudimentary and no longer suitable as the weight and size of the bombs increased. Therefore, the Taishan-1 was modified at the Yangon Aircraft Manufacturing Plant."

Pan Jiafeng, Du Jiahuai, and Shao Deqing listened attentively to Fang Wen's explanation.

Although the bomber's airdrop capability has been modified, it is now more convenient, faster, and easier to master.

Compared to the previous method of manually dropping bombs using bomb trays, it has now been fully upgraded to mechanical dropping.

It has three bomb slots, each equipped with a bomb rack. Each bomb rack has five bombs, each 10 centimeters long and weighing 20 kilograms.

The operation method is to simply pull down the bomb release device on the bomb rack, and the mechanical device below will be activated in conjunction, releasing the five bombs at once through the bomb release port.

After the bombs are dropped, the operator's task is to push aside the empty bomb rack and then move another bomb rack above the bomb drop port via a slide rail, aligning and locking it in place.

In other words, there is no longer a need for the cumbersome installation of bomb plates, and the weight of a single bomb drop has been greatly increased.

This design greatly excited Pan Jiafeng, who had experience with bombing and airdropping from Farman F.220s.

"Master, does that mean we can drop more bombs at once?"

"Of course, as long as the aerial bombs are installed on the bomb rack in advance, the continuous dropping of heavy bombs can be easily accomplished."

Fang Wen replied smugly.

This improvement gave the Taishan-1 the true power of a strategic bomber; its 20-kilogram bomb was far more powerful than the napalm bombs that were previously the size of tin jugs.

He then carefully explained the details of the operation to the three people and had them try a simulation exercise.

The operation itself was not difficult, and the three people quickly mastered it.

Fang Wen then told them to wait in the cabin while he contacted the people in Texas.

After exchanging telegrams, news came from Dezhou that the Japanese army had made several probing attempts in the north of the city, but had not yet launched an attack.

Meanwhile, signs of Japanese military activity also appeared in the eastern part of the city.

This is likely a smokescreen by the Japanese army; the main force of the Japanese army, hidden in the shadows, will inevitably choose one place to launch an attack.

It was time to act. Fang Wen immediately returned to the hangar and drove the Taishan No. 1 out.

Large aircraft emerge from the hangar, turn around, and straighten themselves on the runway. Airport personnel on both sides of the runway raise torches to illuminate the area in front of the runway.

Taishan-1 accelerated, roaring as it soared into the sky and headed north.

The plane flew over the Yellow River, passing through Qihe, Yucheng, and Pingyuan, and arrived over Dezhou City twenty minutes later.

At this moment, Fang Wen used his mechanical senses to observe what was below.

On a pitch-black earth, there were specks of light.

Then, based on the outlines drawn by the torches on the city walls, Fang Wen determined the location of Dezhou City.

Meanwhile, Japanese troops were launching attacks in several locations outside Texas.

Because the attacks were weak and occurred at multiple points, Fang Wen judged that the intention was to confuse the defending army and prevent them from determining which side was the main attack direction.

People in the city couldn't tell, but Fang Wen could.

Japanese soldiers marching at night could not possibly move in complete darkness without any lighting.

They were simply moving in areas far from the city walls, out of sight of the garrison inside the city.

But Fang Wen could see it all clearly from the air.

East of Dezhou City, a large force of Japanese troops marched with flashlights, their dense beams of light clearly visible to Fang Wen from the air.

They went in a huge circle, actually trying to get to the south of the city and launch an attack on Texas from the least likely place.

Fang Wen sneered. The Japanese commander had planned things very well.

It is estimated that when the army arrives at the south of the city, it will be 2 or 3 a.m., which is when people are most tired. At that time, launching an attack can catch them off guard.

Unfortunately, Fang Wen had already discovered their marching intentions, and this night marching force of several thousand people would become the target of tonight's strategic air strike.

Immediately, Fang Wen turned the plane around, aligning it with the marching troops on the ground.

He shouted to the bomber crew in the cabin: "Prepare to drop the bombs. After I say 'start,' you will have 20 seconds to drop the bombs."

The three men quickly prepared, placing their right hands on the bomb rack's release lever, ready to go.

After a moment, Fang Wen spoke up: "Begin."

The three people in the cabin immediately pulled the bomb release lever.

The mechanical device was activated, the bomb release port below opened, and the five-barreled bomb was released.

After completing the first bomb drop, the three men struggled to push the empty bomb rack aside, then pulled over another bomb rack and fixed it to the bomb drop port for the second airdrop.

This operation takes only 5 seconds to complete one bomb drop, releasing 5 bombs weighing a total of 100 kilograms. In other words, within 20 seconds, a single bomb drop port can complete 3-4 rounds of bomb drops, totaling 300 to 400 kilograms, which is much faster than the previous bomb-carrying plate method.

As the 20-second airdrop timer expired, Fang Wen shouted, "Stop!"

The three people in the cabin stopped and looked out the observation window at the ground behind the plane.

Explosions occurred one after another along a straight line.

The fireworks that rose into the sky illuminated the ground, and even without Fang Wen's mechanical perception ability, one could vaguely see the devastation on the ground.

The first round of bombing ended, and the bombs were incredibly accurate. They swept along the marching column, creating a thorough shoal and emptying a section of the column in the middle.

The ground was littered with craters, smoke and embers of fire, and scattered corpses and remains, along with the wails of the wounded who had survived.

The sudden series of explosions caught the Japanese troops off guard.

They stared blankly at the sky, where a dark shadow swept across the moon.

A Japanese officer exclaimed in surprise, "They're bombers!"

But he had no time to direct his troops to make any response. After the vanguard was bombed, the terrifying bomber turned its attention to the rear.

Fang Wen controlled the steering of Taishan No. 1.

He had a clear view of the bombing situation on the ground.

The first round of bombing halted the Japanese advance; now it's time to amplify the bombing's effects.

Such a long march made it the best target for Fang Wen's direct bombing mission, as the bombs in the planes were enough for five round trips.

Furthermore, since this was a nighttime bombing, there was no need to worry about enemy aircraft interfering.

As the plane turned back onto the Japanese army's night march route, Fang Wen once again ordered the bomber crew in the cockpit: "Begin."

The three temporary bombardiers were more skilled this time. They immediately pulled the bombing lever, then pushed aside the empty bomb rack and pulled the bomb rack containing the five bombs to start a new bombing.

As they continued to drop bombs, the bombs fell in a straight line, causing continuous damage along the Japanese marching route.

The continuous bombing caused considerable damage to the thousands of troops, who scattered in panic, fleeing the road to death.

Seeing this, Fang Wen controlled the plane with one hand and pressed the telegraph transmission button with the other to issue instructions to Dezhou City.

The bombing of the eastern part of the city was very effective; the Japanese troops have been routed. Your entire army should break out from the east side of the city. I will command from the air.

Inside Dezhou City, the garrison had long been drawn by the commotion in the east of the city and were waiting anxiously.

Upon receiving the telegram, Wu Yingzong immediately dispatched soldiers to notify other troops within the city to assemble in the east of the city.

All the troops quietly descended the city wall and jogged to the east gate of the city.

There, Wu Yingzong shouted, "We'll break out from the east of the city now; the Japanese troops there have already been defeated."

This was a major operation, much to the delight of the county magistrate and the garrison officer.

They formed a unit, with two Taishan Pine tanks from the 3rd Battalion Tank Company of the Taishan Independent Regiment leading the way, followed by trucks towing five dual-purpose machine guns and three infantry guns, and then the infantry column.

Under the cover of night, the army marched south.

Behind them, the explosions continued, putting pressure on and creating chaos for the Japanese troops.

Thus, the defending army left through the east gate of Dezhou overnight without encountering any enemy resistance and marched south.

That night, with the massive bombing of the eastern part of the city, the Japanese army also stopped probing Dezhou City and busied themselves cleaning up the mess left by the bombing.

And so it went until dawn, the Japanese army did not launch any further attacks on Dezhou City.

However, as time went by, the Japanese army eventually couldn't resist sending troops to attack Dezhou City again.

The small attacking force was completely unscathed.

There was no movement until they reached the foot of the city wall.

Only then did the Japanese army realize that there was a problem with Dezhou City, and they immediately blew open the city gates.

Upon receiving it, they discovered that the city was completely empty; it was a ghost town with no people.

What about people?

Weren't they still fighting last night?

Why is there no one here now?

The frontline commander of the 10th Division was baffled by the situation.

The counterattack by the defending army was indeed real; how could they have vanished overnight?

How did they escape from the Japanese-occupied city of Dezhou without being discovered?

With a series of questions in mind, the Japanese army conducted a thorough search of Dezhou City, but found nothing.

Until they remembered the bombing that happened last night.

The bombing caused heavy losses to the troops in the east of the city, and the entire force was in chaos.

Could it be that during that time period, the defending troops completed their retreat from the city?

Subsequently, through a more detailed investigation, they discovered wheel tracks and a large number of marching footprints in the east of the city, which led them to conclude that the group had left from the east side of the city.

A sense of defeat arose in the hearts of the Japanese frontline commanders, who had been on the defensive for the past few days since the 10th Division decided to attack Dezhou City.

Despite being relentlessly bombed and attacked, the elusive Chinese fighter jets, having finally reached the outskirts of Dezhou City, were still suppressed by the air and even lost 11 fighter jets over the city.

They had hoped to turn the tide in the ground siege, but to their surprise, the Texas garrison completed its relocation overnight.

The city was deserted; even if it were captured with great effort, it would not be enough to compensate for the losses suffered by the 10th Division.

In fact, if word gets out, it could become a laughing stock.

He took out his pistol, but his adjutant snatched it away.

"Commander Isogai, please don't do it this way. We must report to our superiors and make them realize that the Chinese army also has elite units that are difficult to deal with."

The commander nodded, then drafted a telegram and reported it to the North China Command in Tianjin.

This message was subsequently sent back to Tokyo.

In response to this military situation, Tokyo ordered the Japanese Army Special Higher Police to conduct an investigation.

After collecting information from various sources, the Japanese Army Special Higher Police reported the findings to Tokyo.

This intelligence circulated among high-ranking officials in Tokyo, and one copy was distributed to the Ministry of the Navy.

Tokyo, Naval Affairs Department, Ministry of the Navy.

After finishing his daily work, Yoshida went to the minister's office and asked, "Minister, I need to go out and visit the military uniform supplier."

The minister, engrossed in reviewing the documents, replied without looking up, "Go."

"Minister, what are you looking at?" Yoshida asked, feigning curiosity.

The minister put down the document and replied, "Ah, this. It's personal intelligence about a man named Fang Wen. He's a highly skilled pilot who has shot down many of our aircraft. He has combat records in North China and Shanghai, posing a significant threat to our army and naval aviation. At the same time, the Taishan Independent Regiment he established is also very combat-effective. The Special Higher Police's intelligence suggests that we should organize a special task force to deal with him."

"Is it that great?"

Yoshida was genuinely surprised this time. He vaguely felt that this person with such excellent aircraft skills might be related to him, after all, he was the only one who knew that the bombing of Tokyo was an attack from China.

Having no way to turn back, Yoshida's first thought was to report the situation to China, even if it wasn't true, it would serve as a reminder.

He then left the Ministry of Military Affairs, went through the motions with the uniform supplier, and returned home to send out the intelligence.

(End of this chapter)