Wang Xuexin's first thought was to use modified ground attack aircraft, also known as rocket fighters, for bombing, because the only thing that the Eighth Route Army could hit and pose a threat to it was rocket fighters.
Otherwise, what other equipment can defeat this thing?
tank?
It has plenty of firepower but lacks speed. The maximum speed of the T34 is only 55 kilometers per hour, and this is the maximum speed on the road. If you want to chase an armored train next to the railway, you have to use the cross-country speed of 25 kilometers per hour.
Chasing a 60-kilometer armored train at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour?
That's almost like chasing a jeep on a bicycle.
Rocket launcher?
Rocket launchers may be possible, but because of the special nature of the armored train, its range of activities is within the area controlled by the Japanese or even the hinterland. The probability of a rocket launcher sneaking in and accurately hitting is so low that Wang Xuexin does not have the confidence to try it.
On the other hand, if it can be achieved with rocket launchers, then it can also be achieved with rocket launchers and fighter jets.
Therefore, Wang Xuexin was thinking more about rocket launcher fighters.
In fact, it was not just Wang Xuexin who thought so. The commander and chief of staff also thought of rocket launcher fighters.
The chief and chief of staff knew this because Zhang Zongping promptly fed back the intelligence about an armored train on the southern line to the headquarters... This was to unify the command and avoid the chaos of two headquarters having inconsistent intelligence and working independently.
Condition.
Then Wang Xuexin received a telegram.
The telegram was handed over by Zhang Zongping, who said: "The leader suggested that we send out fighter planes to blow it up!"
Wang Xuexin was silent for a while, then slowly shook his head.
Because he wanted to reply to the chief, Wang Xuexin listed his worries one by one:
"First of all!" Wang Xuexin pointed to the map on the table and said: "The activity range of the Japanese armored trains is in the areas controlled by the Japanese. Most of these areas are close to the Japanese airport but far from Wanxian Airport. The Japanese have reconnaissance planes and radars.
, the enemy was ready as soon as our fighter planes took off, and then the night fighter planes took off to intercept..."
Needless to say what follows, the rocket fighters may have suffered heavy losses on the way to the target area before they even found the armored train.
"Secondly!" Wang Xuexin continued: "Even if some of our fighter planes can escape the interception of enemy planes, how can we find the armored train on the ground in the dark? As long as the armored train turns off its lights... the pilot wants to find it.
Looking for a needle in a haystack.”
Zhang Zongping was speechless. Neither he nor the chief and others had thought of this problem.
"Again!" Wang Xuexin added: "Even if the armored train can be found, it must be a low-altitude bombing in the dark. However, the armored train has two anti-aircraft guns with a range of 12 kilometers and ten heavy machine guns. Can our fighter jets approach at low altitude?
"
This is a major problem faced by ground attack aircraft. Ground attack aircraft usually face ground firepower when bombing at low altitudes. Therefore, ground attack aircraft often have strengthened lower armor.
However, the Eighth Route Army's rocket fighters are directly modified from air superiority fighters such as the Hawker 81. Without reinforced armor on the lower part, they cannot withstand the powerful firepower of armored trains.
Therefore, when the time comes, let alone rocket fighters hunting armored trains, the problem will be that if one gets on board, the enemy will shoot down the other one.
After Zhang Zongping fed this information back to the headquarters, the chief and chief of staff nodded in unison.
Valley
"Let's keep things simple!" the chief said with a frown: "Before, our fighter planes could conduct bombings at night, so we thought they had night combat capabilities. In fact, they did not have night combat capabilities!"
The Chief of Staff agreed: "Yes, our fighter planes do not have any night combat equipment, not even a searchlight. In the past, night combat relied on the pilot's experience and fearlessness to fly at night on the one hand, and on the other hand
The ground troops have made a lot of preliminary preparations, such as measurements, fire instructions, etc., but this is not actually a night combat capability, or it can only be called a limited night combat capability!"
The leader held a cigarette butt between his fingers, and the ash had been burning for a long time without noticing. He analyzed: "This kind of night fighting ability and this kind of tactics are not a problem against fixed targets that cannot move, but against those that can move."
The armored train won’t work! We can’t measure every section of the track and light a fire on each section, right?”
Finally, the commander came to the conclusion: "Xiao Dongbei is right. Aircraft bombing will not work. It will only cause heavy losses to the aircraft, and on this basis, it may not be possible to blow up the target. Even if the target is blown up, we may not be able to complete our mission."
plan!"
The last sentence has a profound meaning, which Wang Xuexin did not expect.
Blowing up the armored train actually has no meaning to the Eighth Route Army. For example, the Eighth Route Army dispatched fighter planes and really blew up the armored train on the road... But there is only one railway track. If the armored train is blown up and paralyzed, does it mean that the railway is blocked?
Once the railway is blocked, does it mean that the train in the hands of the Eighth Route Army cannot pass?
This also means that Wang Xuexin's plan has completely failed, unless the Japanese can move the bombed armored train within a few hours.
After hesitating for a long time, the chief of staff said worriedly: "Chief, if you say so, our plan is in doubt!"
The chief nodded slightly, thought for a while, and then said helplessly: "If it doesn't work out, we can transport it by car as originally planned. We will transport as much as we can, and we will give priority to transporting textile machines! We will receive many disaster victims in the future, who are in need of clothing!"
"Yes!" The chief of staff immediately sent Wang Xuexin's message.
But Wang Xuexin didn't want to do this.
Because transporting it by car is only more difficult than transporting it by train... Cars use highways. Does the highway line need to be connected? Otherwise, how can it be transported?
In addition, cars are slow and are easily intercepted by landmines, artillery, and even Japanese fighter jets after dawn tomorrow.
Therefore, Wang Xuexin’s thoughts on this point are different from those of the chief.
He felt that it would either not be transported, or that it would have to be transported by train.
As for the armored train, Wang Xuexin believed that the Eighth Route Army did not have no chance at all.
Wang Xuexin thought about it for a while and then sent a telegram to Ding Wei: "Captain Ding, let Monk and Shi Sha come to take command. We have a new mission!"
At this time, the monk and Shi Sha were burying the fallen soldiers on the spot.
This is one of the characteristics of the reconnaissance company.
Reconnaissance companies often have to complete dangerous tasks deep behind enemy lines, and casualties are inevitable.
If the bodies of martyrs are to be brought back while fighting behind enemy lines, it will place a heavy burden on the reconnaissance company and affect the combat effectiveness of the reconnaissance company.
Therefore, the reconnaissance company stipulates that the remains of martyrs are not allowed to be brought back during battles at any time. They must be buried on the spot and marked, and other troops will find a way to bring them back after the war.
The monk felt guilty, so he stood in front of the grave for a while.
At this moment, a correspondent rode up on horseback and shouted: "Reconnaissance company commander Wei Dayong and deputy company commander Shi Sha, report to the regiment headquarters immediately!"