In the morning, Zhang Yong came to Commander Qian's office.
Commander Qian handed him a secret message. Only a few people knew it.
"so much?"
"Yes. Three bomber groups. Thirty-six."
"good."
Zhang Yong nodded slowly.
It felt like the Soviets were a little out of control.
The last time the Japanese invaders carried out a suicide attack on Lanzhou Airport, they caused great losses to the Soviets.
This incident greatly stimulated the Soviets.
Of course the Soviets are not willing to give in. They still remember the feud in 1903!
Without any suspense, he reported back to his country and immediately increased his troops.
War is like this. It starts off as a small fight, but then it escalates.
As casualties increased, the hatred between the two sides became deeper and deeper. More and more manpower and material resources were invested.
In the end, the two sides came to blows at Nomenkan and a bloody battle broke out.
Then the Japanese invaders withered.
"What suggestions do you have for bomber deployment?" Commander Qian asked slowly.
"Two brigades are stationed in Hankou and one brigade is stationed in Nanchang." Zhang Yong replied.
"That's it. I'll be there in the afternoon."
"good."
Zhang Yong is full of expectations.
He has been inactive for the past few days.
Night raids were originally possible, but were later cancelled.
The main purpose was to paralyze the Japanese airport for a period of time, and then dispatch a large fleet of bombers.
A fatal blow.
The Japanese aircraft did not move either.
Both sides are secretly accumulating strength in order to launch a more violent attack.
Intelligence from all parties shows that a large number of aircraft are stationed at the Japanese invaders' frontline airports, Taiyuan, Jinling, Hangzhou and other places.
Especially at Taiyuan Airport, the number of Japanese fighter planes exceeded 150.
Obviously, the Japanese invaders regarded Lanzhou Airport as the main target of attack. They would not give up until Lanzhou Airport was wiped out.
At the same time, the Soviet Union also had a large number of I-16 fighter jets stationed.
We don’t want all the backward I-15s.
The newcomers are all I-16s, and the pilots are all young guys.
There is no doubt that both sides are hoarding heavy troops. Once a war begins, the number is likely to exceed the upper limit.
Both sides are likely to dispatch hundreds of fighter planes. The scale is unprecedented.
caused a side effect.
It was the Soviet Union that asked Zhang Yong to be on call at any time.
As a result, Zhang Yong is now a little constrained and does not dare to make any big moves.
It is very possible that with just one phone call, you will be asked to go to Lanzhou Airport.
"Report."
"Come in."
The staff officer sent a piece of information.
Commander Qian asked Zhang Yong to take a look first.
Zhang Yong took it, glanced at it, frowned, and then nodded.
"What content?"
"The Japanese invaders want to expand Songshan Airport. They are preparing to assemble bombers at Songshan Airport."
"oh?"
"The long-range bombers purchased from the Italians. Model BR-20. The first batch has arrived, a total of forty-eight."
"Let me see."
Commander Qian took the information.
The information was sent by the Air Force Planning Department. It was based on a comprehensive judgment of intelligence from all parties.
Zhang Yong suddenly realized it later.
It seems that he is the director of the Air Force Strategic Intelligence Division.
He actually didn't know this information about the Japanese invaders purchasing long-range bombers from the Italians.
What a dereliction of duty!
What a dereliction of duty!
I didn't even do my job well.
The problem is, he doesn't have time to process relevant information at all!
Running around all day long. What I do is not my own profession. I am a proper fire captain and go wherever I need him.
But it doesn't matter anymore.
As long as you have an empty finger map, it is more useful than any strategic information.
If necessary, they can quietly go out at night at most to reconnoiter Songshan Airport, and then bring back the "intelligence".
After scanning the aerial map and combining it with the radar map, what is there that you don’t know?
You can even draw detailed deployment diagrams.
Mark all the oil depots, ammunition depots, etc.
Then when a large formation of bombers was dispatched, they bombed the map indiscriminately.
If you don't take action, it will be fatal. If you take action, it will be fatal.
Right.
reconnaissance……
Looks like I can go tonight.
Appear quietly without alerting the Japanese invaders.
"The Japanese invaders have a big appetite!"
"yes!"
Zhang Yong nodded.
Indeed, this action of the Japanese invaders was extraordinary.
The Japanese Navy already had Type 96 land-based long-range bombers, but they actually wanted to import them from Italy.
There may be two reasons.
First, the losses in the previous Nine-Six Land Attack were too great and could not be quickly replenished.
Second, it may be to unite with Italy and strengthen ties through military trade. This is the prototype of the military alliance between Germany, Italy and Japan.
It is now 1938, very close to the formal formation of the Axis Alliance.
Alas, I haven’t had contact with the intelligence community for a long time.
I feel like I have a lot of information that I can sell for money!
For example, Sudetenland.
For example, Mustache Blitz Poland.
I was busy fighting all day long and neglected to make money.
well……
But we can only accept reality.
After all, a person is just one person. He cannot be split into several and used at the same time.
There is movement in the portable space.
It is basic data about the Italian BR-20 bomber.
Two Fiat engines, each with 1,000 horsepower, a range of 2,700 kilometers, and a bomb load of 1,700 kilograms.
I have to say that this Fiat engine is indeed powerful.
Before the air forces of various countries began a crazy arms race, there was no engine more powerful than it.
The engine horsepower of the BF-109 is the same as it.
That's from Mercedes-Benz-Daimler.
It can carry 1,700 kilograms of aerial bombs! It is also very powerful.
It would be better if it was purchased by the Japanese Navy Red Deer, but it needs to take off from the coast, which is quite far away.
If it was purchased by the Japanese Army Red Deer and took off from the frontline airport, it would be very close. Especially taking off from Taiyuan Airport.
Guangzhou, Changsha, Hankou...
All are within the bombing range of the BR-20.
Fortunately, we may not be able to reach Chongqing for the time being. Chongqing is still safe.
afternoon.
There are hints on the empty finger map.
To the northwest, 350 kilometers away, a large number of white aircraft markings appeared.
Oh, it's the Soviet bomber formation that has arrived.
Three bomber groups, indeed thirty-six of them.
"Commander, they are here. They have reached Badong, above Zigui."
"Oh? Are they going this way?"
"Maybe it took a little detour."
"No wonder..."
Commander Qian was about to speak but stopped.
Zhang Yong understood what the other party meant.
The Soviets did not trust the Chinese.
Therefore, the report only said that three bomber groups were arriving today. There were thirty-six bombers in total.
Other routes, time, etc. are all missing. Apparently they are worried about leaking secrets.
In fact, it’s understandable. I’ve only suffered a loss once before.
Once there is a specific time and route, it may be intercepted by Japanese fighter jets.
The government's telegrams were kept secret, and even Zhang Yong himself did not trust them, let alone the Soviets.
"Report!"
"Come in."
"Commander, Commissioner, General Dubuyev is here."
"Invite him in."
Commander Qian stood up and went out with Zhang Yong to greet him.
Dubuyev is the Soviet Air Force representative stationed in Hankou. It is said that he has the rank of major general.
All members of the Soviet Union's Volunteer Air Force to China wore casual clothes after arriving in China. They also did not wear any rank insignia.
Including Soviet pilots taking off for combat, there were no military signs.
They are all heroes who silently help China.
Unfortunately, due to various reasons, this period of history was rarely mentioned.
"open."
"Davarisi..."
Zhang Yong greeted the other party in Russian.
Unlike Yakovsky, Dubuyev is a civilized man.
How should I put it? He is the kind of more elegant academic. He wears glasses and is polite.
Every time he saw him, Zhang Yong felt that he had reaped the benefits of his sports career. In terms of core business level, he was probably not as good as Yakovsky.
At least Yakovsky can really fly a plane and dares to personally lead his team into the air to fight.
But this Dubuyev never did.
"Zhang, now we can discuss the basic outline of the escort."
"please."
Zhang Yong nodded.
The three of them sat down and drew up an escort plan.
What arrived this time was not an SB-2 bomber. It was another type of C6-2 bomber.
Zhang Yong is not very clear about the specific data of this bomber. But its range is longer than that of the SB-2, and its bomb load is about the same.
At the extreme range, the bomb load is about 500 kilograms.
Of course, if you don't attach any aerial bombs, you can definitely fly farther.
The question is, you are a bomber! If you don’t carry aerial bombs, what are you going to do? A day trip in the air?
The escort is mainly provided by I-16 fighter jets.
The Hawker-3 type can also participate, but it is not the main force because the overall combat effectiveness is not good.
However, no matter which model of fighter jet it is, there is one problem, that is, it has short legs. The combat radius cannot exceed 450 kilometers.
The terrible thing is that both Jinling and Hangzhou are just stuck on the edge of the combat radius.
You may say that you can't reach it, but you can barely reach it.
However, with such an extreme combat radius, the airborne time can only last ten minutes.
Tangled.
"Your Majesty General, I have a suggestion..."
"What?"
"We took off in the early morning, arrived at the Japanese airport after dawn, carried out a surprise attack, and then returned quickly."
"Night flight, can you guarantee that you won't lose your way?"
"Of course. If I were leading the team, they would definitely not get lost."
Zhang Yong did not hide or tuck in.
You must show your abilities to the other party.
Pretending to be a pig and eating a tiger cannot be used in such situations.
"We ran away after the bombing and returned quickly. By the time the Japanese fighter jets caught up, we had already entered the escort range of the fighter jets."
"We can even lure the Japanese fighter planes out and then use the fighter planes to ambush them."
"Not only can it bomb the Japanese invaders' airports, but it can also destroy some of the Japanese invaders' fighter planes in the air."
Zhang Yong spoke eloquently.
This is called continuous elimination and elimination.
Not only will it bomb you, but it will also lure you into action and then give you a sap.
Chain set.
One set after another.
Others can't do it.
But he can.
Because you have an empty finger map, you can control the movements of all fighters at any time.
The only limitation is the radio communication distance.
However, miniature telegraphs can also be used for long distances. Telegraphs can be transmitted hundreds of kilometers.
Use a telegraph to summon the aircraft, and then use a radio to call for immediate command.
Theoretically this is the case.
"About night flights, we need to verify."
"certainly."
Zhang Yong answered with a smile.
Verification is simple. Just take you to fly at night.
If you fly at night a few more times, you will have confidence in me.
From now on, going out at night will be the norm.
The good days of the Japanese invaders are coming.
"Zhang, are you very confident?"
"certainly."
Zhang Yong did not hide his pride.
no need.
At this moment, he is the hope of the national air force.
At the moment, the only one the Kuomintang Air Force can offer, and the one who can impress the Soviets, is Zhang Yong.
He is not only the mascot of the National Air Force, but also the foundation of the National Air Force.
Without him, the National Air Force would be nameless.
In fact it is so.
Without Zhang Yong's presence, all the actions of the National Air Force would be bleak.
Only when Zhang Yong is present can he shine.
unique.
Irreplaceable.
So, what is there not to be proud of?
You go, you go!
"Also, you will be in charge of a bomber group."
"Can."
Zhang Yong responded.
I am very happy to accept this arrangement.
The other party's intention was to let Chinese pilots fly a group of bombers.
In fact, the Soviet Union hopes that they will simply provide aircraft. Then China will be responsible for providing pilots.
Unfortunately, the national air force is not yet capable of this.
There are not that many pilots with sufficient skills.
Pilot training is really time consuming.
Not to mention the cost, it usually takes two to three years.
Human acceptance, as well as the formation of consciousness and muscle inertia, all require time to settle.
Five hundred flying hours does not mean that you can fly 12 hours a day and then fly 40 consecutive days before you can leave. There is no such thing.
Training for three hours a day is basically the limit. You can't go out every day.
Zhang Yong is now paying close attention to the training of national army pilots, but there is no obvious effect for the time being.
There is no quick fix.
It's all accumulated slowly.
Now, can Zhang Yong mobilize enough pilots to fly twelve bombers?
sure.
The premise is that he, Zhang Yong, leads the team.
Can command and guide the flight via radio.
At that time, the biggest test for pilots, besides combat, was navigation.
Most afraid of getting lost.
Bombers do not need to fight. Therefore, as long as there are no problems with navigation, there will definitely be no major problems in other aspects.
Taking off and landing are all basic skills. Most pilots can do them.
"Okay. That's it."
It’s agreed upon.
wait.
The large formation of bombers finally arrived.
Hankou Airport is starting to get busy.
With thirty-six bombers stationed at once, the number of personnel and materials needed will definitely increase.
The relevant ground guidance and ground maintenance had arrived two days ago.
Fortunately, Hankou Airport is very large.
If the area is not enough, it will expand to the northwest. Some of it is wasteland.
At that time, aircraft did not have high requirements for the ground. As long as it was flat and thick dirt, it could take off and land.
It's no problem to park airplanes or anything else, even if it's parked on the grass.
January in the Gregorian calendar is winter, the weather is very cold and rainfall is scarce, which is a good thing for the airport.
Park the plane.
Soviet pilots came out of the cockpit one after another.
After taking off the hoods, they are all very young guys. The oldest one is probably less than thirty years old.
They are all in their golden age!
It means that the loving father is angry and wants to take action. Those who come are elites.
In the evening, attend the welcome party.
All the Soviet pilots who came from Lanzhou Airport were present.
The team was led by three captains: Polainin, Bugo, and Rychagov.
When Zhang Yong appeared, the eyes of these three people were all locked on him.
The corners of Zhang Yong's mouth turned up slightly.