"We can go two ways together!" Colonel thought for a long time and made a decision with a stern face.
"The first way is to ask the superiors to deploy heavy troops to protect the baggage train. The aviation force will send planes to cover the baggage train in the sky. The baggage train will be turned into mules and horses. We will set out from the occupied area and march for a whole day to enter Laiyuan City to replenish our ammunition."
"The second way: ask your superiors to send transport planes to drop ammunition for us from the sky."
"This road is the safest and there won't be any accidents."
"In addition, letting the transport plane drop some ammunition to us first can also achieve the effect of stabilizing the morale of the military, and then wait for the baggage team to go to the ground to replenish the ammunition for us."
"Contact the Taiyuan Military Headquarters immediately. I want to speak directly to the Chief of Staff."
At ten o'clock in the morning, the radio station of the communications class of the Laiyuan Independent Camp suddenly turned on a red light. Two minutes later, a message with only a dozen words appeared in Zhao Wen's hand.
"The Japanese transport planes have been dispatched, and all troops are ready for battle." Zhao Wen looked at the telegram, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and ordered with a serious face.
A few minutes later, thick smoke began to rise one after another outside Laiyuan City, densely packed everywhere.
Of course, it was almost impossible to cover the huge Laiyuan City with this thick smoke, and Zhao Wen had no intention of blocking the Japanese pilots' view with this thick smoke.
Transport aircraft are bulkier than other aircraft, fly slowly, and have poor maneuverability.
Moreover, airdrops are not bomb drops. They cannot dive bomb and drop bombs directly after reaching the bomb drop area at high altitude like bombers.
In order to ensure the safety of airdrop materials and accurately airdrop them to the designated location, the transport aircraft must fly horizontally in the airspace most suitable for airdrops. This means that the Little Devil transport aircraft must start flying at low altitude from a very far away place, and then fly horizontally through the thick smoke.
The smoke wall finally reaches the sky above Laiyuan City.
When passing through a wall of smoke, you can't see anything around you and can't see anything. Everyone will be nervous, and the Japanese pilots are certainly no exception.
And this is Zhao Wen's opportunity.
Standing on the top of Laiyuan City, Colonel witnessed with his own eyes the garrison setting off smoke outside the city.
I saw that Laiyuan City was surrounded by dense black smoke columns. As the thick smoke began to fill the sky, a smoke curtain wall was formed, completely surrounding Laiyuan City.
He snorted and mocked: "The Eighth Route Army must want to use this smoke to prevent transport planes from airdropping ammunition supplies to us."
"But they are too self-righteous."
"Laiyuan City is so big, they can only smoke outside the city, not inside the city. Even if they light up all the mountains outside the city, the rising black smoke cannot completely cover Laiyuan City."
"This not only does not block the pilot's field of vision, but also helps us guide the transport aircraft pilot to the correct airdrop target, which is the middle area of the smoke wall."
"Sir, the transport plane will arrive at Laiyuan City in five minutes," the subordinate reminded.
Colonel's face returned to seriousness, and he said decisively: "The whole city is under martial law, and all troops are patrolling the streets to protect the ammunition supplies dropped by transport planes to us at any time."
"Buzz buzz..." As soon as the command was uttered, the roar of the plane reached their ears, and the sound became louder and louder.
A few minutes later, three huge transport planes finally appeared in the sky above Laiyuan and began to circle.
Two minutes later, a transport plane completed its pre-airdrop reconnaissance, left the formation with a roar, and disappeared from the sight of the Japanese and puppet troops on the ground.
The flight altitude is getting lower and lower. After reaching a safe airdrop altitude, it slowly approaches Laiyuan City, opens the transport plane door, and prepares for airdrop.
At this time, a smoke curtain wall formed by thick smoke appeared, blocking the plane.
We have just investigated from a high altitude and found out that we can reach the sky above Laiyuan City just by passing through the smoke wall.
The Japanese pilot did not hesitate and drove the transport plane decisively into the smoke wall.
“Dong dong dong… da da da…”
The moment the fuselage penetrated the smoke wall, gunfire rang out from the ground.
Two anti-aircraft machine guns, two heavy machine guns, and several light machine guns were firing in the air at the same time.
When a transport aircraft is airdropping, in order to ensure that the airdropped materials are not blown too far and land accurately at the airdrop point, the flight altitude cannot be too high or too low, and it is just within the effective range of the anti-aircraft machine gun.
The same purpose also causes transport aircraft to fly very slowly during airdrops.
Comparing bombers and fighter jets, there is more than a slight difference in flight speed and agility.
The flames of the two anti-aircraft machine guns were like eyes, chasing the transport plane.
One of the tongues of flames just swept across the fuselage, leaving a row of seven or eight bullet holes.
If these bullet holes were just a little farther away, the fuel tank of the transport aircraft would be hit, and this behemoth would be blown up on the spot.
However, the sudden anti-aircraft fire still shocked the pilots.
Not caring about the airdrop anymore, he controlled the plane and began to climb to a high altitude, hoping to fly out of the range of ground anti-aircraft fire as soon as possible to ensure his own safety.
On top of Laiyuan City, a look of solemnity quickly flashed across Colonel's serious face, and he suddenly realized and shouted: "I understand, the purpose of the garrison's smoke is not to cover the entire Laiyuan City so that the transport plane cannot find the airdrop target.
, but used smoke to block our sight, cover their airborne troops for air-to-air shooting, attack transport aircraft, and prevent them from successfully airdropping supplies."
"Artillery staff officer, can you determine the specific location of the defense regiment's air defense position and destroy it with artillery fire!"
"It's difficult." The artillery staff member replied with a frown.
"Judging from the sound of gunfire, the defense regiment has spread out its anti-aircraft positions. With smoke cover, we can only determine the approximate location."
"Under such circumstances, artillery counterattacks can only harass and cannot destroy."
A major stood up and called for battle: "Sir, judging from the sound of gunfire, the air defense position of the garrison is no more than one kilometer away from us. I will lead the troops to kill them and cover the transport plane to airdrop ammunition supplies to us."
There is no doubt that the troops will be attacked by the garrison if they break out of Laiyuan City.
But the ammunition supply brought by the transport plane is too important.
Not only can it stabilize the already chaotic morale and morale of the troops, but it is also the foundation for the troops to defend Laiyuan City without any accidents?
After briefly analyzing the gains and losses, the colonel ordered: "Take a reinforced squadron and a battalion of the Imperial Association Army out?"
"Remember, the attacking troops cannot leave Laiyuan City too far."
"As long as the air release troops of the garrison no longer shoot in the air and the transport aircraft can airdrop normally, your mission will be completed."
Outside Laiyuan City, the scout who was staring at the city gate ran all the way to Zhao Wen, and then breathed heavily and reported: "Batalion Commander, the little Japs are out."
"More than 200 Japanese soldiers and more than 300 puppet troops came out and marched towards us to kill us."
"After fighting for so long, we finally forced the little devil out." Zhao Wen finally showed a long-lost smile on his serious face, and then ordered with excitement.
"All troops are ready for battle. I will severely inflict heavy damage on the attacking troops of the Japanese and puppet troops."
"The air defense company and heavy machine gun platoon began mobile operations. From now on, their mission is no longer to prevent airdrops from transport aircraft, but to lead the Japanese and puppet troops to circle in the smoke screen and serve as bait for the Japanese and puppet troops."
Gunfire soon rang out in the smoke screen. The transport plane found an opportunity to pass through the smoke screen wall and enter the airdrop point for airdrop.
Half an hour later, the light transport plane began to leave Laiyuan City.
The gunfire outside the city also stopped, and the attacking troops gradually retreated into the city.