Captain Zuo Zuomu is not the supreme commander of the 48 fighter jets on this expedition!
It's not that his capabilities are insufficient, but that his military rank is too low to be an aviation group-level commander.
Therefore, Captain Zuo Zuomu directly commands a squadron!
However, before the expedition, Takuma Kantai Shao Zuo, who served as the supreme air commander, specifically found Zuo Zuomu and asked him for advice.
There is no way. Since the last time the Shanxi Southeast Battle Group was ambushed by Chinese ground fire, the Japanese North China Front Army Aviation Corps has realized one thing. Whether they are willing to admit it or not, it is a fact that the Chinese have certain air defense capabilities.
The sky is no longer just a playground where imperial fighter planes can run unbridled, and danger will come at any time.
And a pilot who has killed countless teammates in no less than ten sorties but still returned intact, even if he is surrounded by the so-called "Lonely Star" aura, he still has enough experience to save his life.
"On the battlefields I have experienced, the enemy troops all have machine guns and anti-aircraft machine guns, and they are extremely numerous, with an attack radius of no less than three kilometers!" Zuo Zuomu told his boss cautiously and frankly after thinking about it.
"If you want to reduce losses, my personal suggestion is that after arriving in the war zone, all fighter planes can drop bombs at an altitude of 2,000 meters. Unless absolutely necessary, they must not drop below 1,500 meters."
If it were anyone else, especially after having a huge number of 48 fighter planes, they would definitely sneer at Zuo Zuomu's timid suggestion!
But it happened that Zuo Ben, Takuma Kuan Taishao, was an extremely cautious person and liked to study battle cases. The battle cases with slightly greater losses on the North China battlefield in the past year were the focus of his study.
"Failure to maintain sufficient altitude is the main reason for the heavy losses of the fighter fleet!" The conclusion he reached is in perfect agreement with Zuo Zuomu's suggestion.
Therefore, when 20 minutes passed, the Chinese and Japanese infantrymen at Niangzi Pass saw a spectacle that they would never forget.
The fleet of 48 Japanese fighter planes did not cover the sky, but the sound of aircraft engines resounding in the sky and on the ground was enough to shock everyone's hearts.
Even Tang Dao, who was sufficiently mentally prepared, did not expect that the Japanese North China Front would be so generous and launch so many fighter planes at once.
The stern-looking Tang Dao was even prepared for a major sacrifice at that time!
Unlike the Navy, the Japanese Army is not actually equipped with many professional bombers, especially on the Chinese battlefield. The so-called air support is actually more of the 96 fighter planes directly carrying aerial bombs, and then using machine guns to shoot at the ground after dropping the bombs.
To be honest, compared with the European battlefield that is about to break out in the future, both sides will frequently deploy hundreds of bombers and drop tens of tons of bombs on the opponent's head. This kind of tactical support from the Japanese is just child's play.
However, regardless of the average bomb capacity of the Type 96 fighter, one fighter can carry at least nearly 800 pounds of bombs. With 48 fighters, that is nearly 40,000 pounds of bombs.
Once these things are thrown to the head accurately, the casualties will be heavy!
But what surprised the cheering Japanese and silent Chinese on the ground was that they were almost reaching the Niangziguan area, and the Japanese aircraft group high in the sky had no intention of swooping down to drop bombs.
"Baga! What are the air force doing?" Yin Tangxiuer held the binoculars and watched helplessly as the leading Japanese planes were about to pass the main battlefield but did not lower their altitude at all. He couldn't help complaining angrily.
"What the hell! What are these idiots playing?" Cheng Tieshou, who had already sat on the seat of a Sulotong twin-mounted anti-aircraft gun, also gritted his teeth and cursed.
The Japanese aircraft fleet in the sky was almost at an altitude of 2,500 meters. Not to mention the 24 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine guns that were out of reach, it was even difficult for the 20mm anti-aircraft gun in his hand to touch the Japanese aircraft's butt.
But the commander of the battle-hardened air defense company remained calm enough. While holding his binoculars and continuing to stare at the small black spot that was about to pass overhead, he ordered: "Order the entire company not to attack without my signal!"
In addition, except for the main and auxiliary shooters who are sticking to their positions, all other personnel have withdrawn into the fortifications! I think the little devil is well prepared this time!"
As if Takuma Kuan Taishao Zuo in the sky sensed the doubts of his colleagues and opponents on the ground, he picked up the radio and ordered: "Gentlemen, drop bombs freely! Also be careful, no one should lower the altitude at will! After dropping the bomb, you can return! Understood.
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"Hi!" The radio communicator sounded the order from the Japanese pilots.
Zuo Zuomu was relieved. If nothing unexpected happened, his situation of always hurting his teammates every time he played would completely change today.
At an altitude of 2,500 meters, although the accuracy of bomb delivery has become a joke for a non-professional bombing fighter, it can guarantee safety unless the opponent is equipped with the 88mm German air defense that was used on the southeastern battlefield.
Anti-aircraft artillery, if it really exists, can only be said to be unlucky.
As a result, as the Japanese aircraft fleet passed by at high speed, aerial bombs of various sizes were dropped in the sky.
In an instant, the earth shook!
The mountains surrounding the main position of Niangziguan were bombarded by aerial bombs, and clouds of gunpowder smoke rose up!
The Japanese infantry stopped cheering now, and all lay down in the trenches in a cold sweat! Including Yoon Tang Soo-ul, who was still complaining about his swine teammates in the aviation team.
The reason is very simple. The accuracy of bomb dropping at an altitude of 2,500 meters is really poor!
Although the Japanese aircraft fleet also considered the problem of ground troops and dropped bombs specifically into the mountains, so most of the bombs did not fall on the positions built according to the mountains, but fell on the hills and valleys within the defense line.
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However, there is no guarantee that your hands will slip!
A 250-pound aerial bomb was dropped right at the foot of the mountain, only 300 meters away from the Japanese trenches!
The power of such a large aerial bomb is really not small. Even from a distance of hundreds of meters, shrapnel and blown stones hit the 89 tanks that were roaring in front of the trenches. Not to mention the clanking of the tanks, which swept everything away.
The terrible air wave even overturned a small car!
If the Japanese infantrymen continue to cheer for these "big idiots" in the sky, aren't they just idiots?
This is completely a posture to level both the enemy and ourselves!
On the ground, countless Japanese infantrymen were using words to have sex with the female close relatives of Japanese aircraft pilots in the sky.
On the other side of the Fourth Line Regiment position, except for the three infantry battalions who were hiding in the trenches, the rest of the units, such as the medical companies, artillery battalions, supply battalions, etc., were either hiding in the mountains covered by dense forests or with camouflage nets.
Viewed from high altitude, it is almost impossible to tell.
The bombing formation composed of 48 Japanese aircraft was actually an indiscriminate bombing, relying on luck and probability.
To paraphrase Takuma Kantai Shaozuo: As long as we drop enough bombs, we can kill some Chinese no matter what, so why aren't we supporting the infantry?
This logic is very valid!
In fact, if all the units of the Fourth Army Regiment had not been fully prepared, there would have been trenches to hide in, and the battlefield was also widely distributed. The medical company alone was divided into several places, otherwise the 40,000-pound bomb would have been lost.
, hundreds of casualties were minor.
But even so, there were more than 40 casualties reported after the war!
The damage range of that 500-pound aerial bomb was too great. Although one aerial bomb did not hit the trench of the supply camp directly, it exploded on the edge of the forest where 200 pack horses were hidden.
The huge air wave swept away the dozen or so pack horses on the edge and killed them, and also shocked the rest of the pack horses!
Hundreds of pack horses rushed out of the woods and ran wildly on the mountain road. In order to stop these precious pack horses, the baggage soldiers who were not willing to shoot the startling horses paid the price of five deaths and thirteen serious injuries.
Among them, three disabled veterans who served as squad leaders were directly trampled to death by frightening horses.
After receiving the casualty report, Tang Dao was furious. At the battlefield summary meeting in the evening, he angrily rebuked Zhuang Shisan, the battalion commander of the supply camp, and the company commander of the supply company.
That was the first time that Zhuang Shisan was criticized by Tang Dao without giving him any face since he became the commander of the Four Elements Battalion.
"I have told you a long time ago that no matter what equipment, no matter how important it is, no one is important! If the packhorse is gone, we can buy it again, but if the people are gone, this person will never come back. We want to see them again.
, I can only touch his tombstone in the Martyrs Cemetery!
Yes, in the face of the Japanese invaders' pressing step by step, the entire Four Elements Regiment can make sacrifices at all costs. From me and all of you here to the horses and horses of our regiment, no one and nothing cannot be sacrificed, but this does not mean that we can.
Sacrifice in vain. Especially sacrifice like this!
My brothers, if you have a life, your parents will take care of it for eighteen years! Those of you who are battalion commanders or company commanders should go back and think about it carefully!
After the war, if you think clearly, you can talk about your thoughts at the regiment meeting. If you still can't think clearly, then go to the company and stay for a month, and be with your soldiers. Don't waste time as an official.
As time goes by, I forget how I lived before." Tang Dao was so angry that even Tantai Mingyue didn't dare to say anything to stop him.
Only the people closest to Tang Dao know best where his anger comes from. The three disabled veterans who were trampled to death by frightened horses were soldiers who followed him all the way out of the siege from Sihang Warehouse. They did not die on the opposite side.
On the Japanese battlefield, because he was reluctant to kill the frightened horses, he chose to use his flesh and blood to stop them.
They were loyal and dedicated to their duties, but as their commander, it was difficult for Tang Dao to accept their death in this way!
Even if we could go back in time, these soldiers would still make the same choice.
Because, I am used to being poor.
No bullets, no food or drink, that was their daily life.
And those are more than 100 pack horses! In normal times, thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars are needed to buy them. In such wartime, it is even more important. Their baggage platoon is responsible for transporting ammunition and supplies to several highlands.
Heavy tasks, all of which require the help of pack horses.
A formation of 48 Japanese aircraft stayed at high altitude and a bomb blast caused 18 deaths and 25 injuries to the Fourth Army Regiment.
But at the same time, 12 casualties were reported to the 21st Division.
Nine people were injured by rocks blown up by bombs that were too close and fell into the trenches. Three other unlucky people were injured by the overturned Xiaoduding tank, which also suffered damage.
Damage withdraws from the battle.
When I left, I came with my head held high. When I came back, more than 20 Japanese infantrymen pushed me back. Not to mention that unlucky feeling.
But if you want to think that the typical seven-injury punch of Japanese aircraft formations that hurt others and themselves ends here, then you are completely wrong. They are not even letting themselves go.
In fact, Captain Zuo Zuomu's "Tiansha Lone Star" trait is simply extremely powerful.
The Japanese fighter formation's bombing sequence was like this. Two squadrons formed a group, taking turns to bomb! One wave bombed over, and then the fighter formation circled back from the other side of the battlefield. Observing through the telescope, it was seen that there was no smoke covering it.
, let the second group of two squadrons drop bombs and bomb again.
This is what is called striving for full coverage without exposing any blind spots!
Since the Japanese planes were all at high altitude, all air defense positions were basically inactive without receiving orders from Cheng Tieshou to fire.
Beyond the range of anti-aircraft machine guns and 20mm anti-aircraft guns, firing is not only meaningless, but also exposes your strength. The temporary forbearance is to beat the opponent more fiercely and violently in the future. Cheng Tietshou's calm and calm handling is actually correct, and he also gained recognition after the war.
Tang Dao’s recognition.
However, there are still mistakes made while busy!
A 30-pound aerial bomb exploded less than 50 meters away from a 20mm machine gun. A shrapnel hit the main shooter's leg. In reaction to the pain, the main shooter suddenly stepped down and fired.
pedal.
The machine gun emplacement was already well prepared, with the springboard inserted and the safety already on. "Dongdongdong!" A series of four shells were fired into the air.
Because the main combat duty of the air defense company is air defense, all 20mm anti-aircraft guns are equipped with explosive shells!
Four artillery shells broke through the sky and were detonated at an altitude of about 2,300 meters!
It happened that a Japanese plane had just dropped a 500-pound aerial bomb under its belly. The entire aircraft body lightened up and jumped upward for at least thirty meters. The four clouds of smoke were only a hundred meters away from the Japanese plane.
Although the pilot who controlled this Japanese aircraft was not a rookie and had at least flown a few air support missions, he was transferred from another aviation group. Captain Zuo Zuomu's reputation as the "Tiansha Lone Star" has always made him
Feeling apprehensive.
To put it in future terms: I grew up listening to the legend of Captain Zuo Zuomu.
To put it bluntly, since he got on the fighter plane and went out with Captain Zuo Zuomu, his heart has been hanging on. After finally relaxing, the Chinese anti-aircraft shells came. Who else can not panic?
Press the accelerator and the fighter plane shoots out like an arrow!
Don't get me wrong, although the size of the Japanese aircraft formation is not small, the distance between individual aircraft is more than a few hundred meters, and there will never be a mid-air collision just because of a single acceleration!
But this interval does not mean that all fighter planes are on the same level. Maintaining an altitude of 2,500 meters is just a standard height, and it can fluctuate up and down by 2-300 meters. It is normal for the height difference between each fighter group to be one or two hundred meters.
The Japanese pilot, whose forehead was sweating nervously, instinctively pulled the bomb release gate, and his psychological reaction was to quickly drop the bomb and leave the battlefield.
But he forgot that there was a group of fighter planes just below him looking for an area to drop bombs!
As a result, the two aerial bombs mounted on the wings of the 96 fighter were dropped as the wings vibrated. One of the 30-pound aerial bombs swayed hard and hit a Japanese aircraft 200 meters below.
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With a loud "Boom!", the Japanese plane exploded into a ball of fire!
The violent blast wave almost caught up two Japanese planes 200 meters away from the Japanese plane.
"Haha! I hit it! I hit it!" The sergeant, whose legs were dripping with blood, almost jumped out of excitement.
The soldiers in the machine gun squad, who raised their necks and looked up at the sky, were collectively stunned!
The four clouds of smoke in the sky clearly proved that their squad leader had fired a cannon, but the fact was that a Japanese plane that was hundreds of meters away from the smoke exploded in the air.
Could it be that it was a barrage attack?
If this is the case, are the Japanese machines too easy to fight?
If they hadn't kept enough sense, the fact that the plane wreckage was still falling in the sky would have stimulated the anti-aircraft gun squad, and they immediately started shooting towards the sky with their machine guns.
This result was somewhat incredible, but post-war statistics showed that except for this anti-aircraft gun which was missing four shells, the other gun positions did not fire a single shot, so the result could only be recorded in the name of this anti-aircraft gun squad.
The so-called "frightened bird" is what we are talking about!
As for the Japanese aviation formation, I am afraid that except for the instigator, no one expected that such a bizarre incident would occur in which their own fighter planes dropped bombs and accidentally bombed their own people. They were puzzled and could only blame it on the Chinese ground forces.
Due to anti-aircraft fire.
As for why the fighter plane exploded to pieces, the explanation can be found if it was hit by a fuel tank or a bomb under the wing!
Moreover, after returning home, faced with the 21st Division’s accusation that the aircraft fleet did not play a corresponding tactical support role at all, the then top commander of the fighter formation, Kan Taishao Takuma, firmly refuted the fact that one of his own fighter planes was destroyed!
Therefore, there was a tacit understanding between China and Japan to place the credit for the destruction of the fighter plane on the sergeant squad leader who accidentally fired four artillery shells.
It's like pie in the sky! I'm afraid no one thought that it was actually a literal meaning!
Zuo Zuomu...I am really poisonous!
How about next time, 3000 meters?
But no matter how angry the Japanese infantrymen made accusations, for the Japanese army aviation, they at least went to 48 and returned to 47, and successfully dropped the bombs. It was nowhere better than the results of the previous sorties where they lost troops and lost opportunities.
But the Japanese infantrymen, whose faces were sprayed with gray by their own aerial bombs, had to continue to attack the Chinese positions with their heads high!
In order to reassure the infantry, the Japanese artillery strengthened another round of 20-minute artillery fire coverage!
The mountains were still filled with gunpowder smoke, and black smoke billowed out from behind the tanks at the foot of the mountains, but groups of Japanese troops followed closely behind them.
This time, due to the participation of 89 tanks and 94 armored vehicles, Yin Tangxiuer, center left, invested two and a half squadrons, 8 squads, and 420 infantrymen, plus an infantry artillery squad borrowed from the wing headquarters, a total of 4 infantry guns and
All 12 heavy machine guns are in action!
This is just the side of the second company. On the other side of the first company, hundreds of Japanese infantry followed a dozen tanks and began to attack!
On the first day of the Niangziguan battle, the Japanese army's largest attack began.
