RPAGF Chapter 712: Fighting for Air Supremacy
Chapter 712: Fighting for Air Supremacy
712 Fight for Air Supremacy
On the morning of the 17th, fierce fighting broke out at Dingziling, northeast of Echeng.
The main force of the New 108nd Division moved south from Chacheng and began to attack the Japanese th Regiment stationed in Echeng.
Among them, Dingziling, which is located on the only way to Echeng in the south and is backed by mountains and water, became the most dangerous defensive position for the 108th Regiment of the Japanese to defend Echeng.
Boom boom boom!
Whoosh whoosh!
Countless rockets and grenades hit Dingziling from the artillery positions of the 89th Army.
"attack!"
"Come on!"
After the shelling ended, a main regiment of the New Second Division launched a fierce attack on Dingziling.
"Moshi Moshi, Your Excellency the Regiment Commander, the Chinese artillery fire is too fierce.
Our brigade suffered heavy casualties.
Yes, we need tactical guidance from the aviation force.
We must destroy the Chinese artillery, otherwise we won’t be able to defend Dingziling.”
On Dingziling, a Japanese captain hid in an underground tunnel and shouted loudly into the phone.
Colonel Kitani Suketoshi, commander of the Japanese 108th Regiment, also knew that the situation was urgent.
To be honest, if other Kuomintang troops attacked the dangerous Dingziling, even if there were several more divisions, the Japanese regiment commander would not be too anxious.
Because he firmly believed that he could rely on the strength of a main battalion of one thousand people under his command and the dangerous terrain of Dingziling.
There will be absolutely no problem in holding back tens of thousands of national troops for a few days.
In such a dangerous terrain, it is impossible to deploy military forces, no matter how many tens of thousands of people you have.
You also have to commit troops little by little to attack, and this is a huge advantage for the defending side.
Without the cover of fierce artillery fire, no matter how many people there are, they cannot attack and will only become sitting ducks defending the Japanese on the top of the mountain.
But now, the attack is from Ye Qingshan’s 89th Army, and the situation is completely different.
The commander of the Japanese 108th Regiment did not dare to delay and immediately applied to their headquarters for air support from the aviation team.
After all, the example of the Japanese 19th Mixed Brigade being completely wiped out in eastern Guangdong a few days ago is right in front of us.
The commander of the Japanese 108th Regiment, Kitani Susumutoshi, was not so arrogant as to think that his mere regiment was more powerful than Kondo Shinpachi's mixed brigade.
“Notify Leng Shui-jun and have their flying squadron go into battle.
Assist the 108th Regiment and make sure to defend Goose City."
"Hi!"
Soon, Tanaka Hisaichi's order arrived at the airport.
Two hours later, the first batch of 56 fighter planes took off one after another from the Japanese airport outside Yangcheng.
Fly towards the east.
"It's the Japs' fleet, hurry up.
Send a telegram to the director, the Japanese aircraft group must be flying towards Echeng."
Not long after the Japanese aircraft took off, several intelligence officers disguised as farmers in a village outside Yangcheng immediately discovered the Japanese fighter planes.
They immediately reported this information to Ning Yongchen.
Ten minutes later, Ye Qingshan at the front-line command center also learned the news.
Ning Yongchen's intelligence department had already dispatched a large number of agents in advance in order to cooperate with Ye Qingshan's counterattack in Guangdong Province.
Infiltrated the vicinity of Guangzhou and lay lurking.
Collect various intelligence about the devils and provide intelligence support for Ye Qingshan's operations.
"The Japs' aircraft are coming.
Tell Leng Tiancheng that it's their turn to play.
I have only one request.
We must never let the air supremacy around Echeng fall into the hands of the Japanese.
I don't want to see any bombs dropped by the Japanese bombers fall on our ground troops."
Ye Qingshan was also very clear about the strength of his aviation team in southern Zhejiang.
It is definitely not as powerful as the Japanese 23rd Army and the flying regiment currently in Yangcheng.
There is a big gap between the two sides in terms of the number of fighter jets and pilots.
There was no way, because Ye Qingshan had transferred most of the pilots of his Jiangnan Detachment to Myanmar to participate in the war.
Otherwise, the combat effectiveness of the Jiangnan Detachment of the Air Force under Ye Qingshan's command at its peak would be enough to rival that of a Japanese flying regiment.
Since there are not enough pilots, Ye Qingshan needs to give up some things.
For example, instead of pursuing ground offensive forces, they relied on air force bombing support.
Ye Qingshan only hopes that the forty-five pilots he currently has can tie down the Japanese aircraft fleet.
Prevent the Japanese from gaining control of the battlefield and prevent their bombers from bombing their attacking forces at will.
This made Ye Qingshan satisfied.
Therefore, the forty-five pilots brought by Leng Tiancheng this time were all flying P40 fighter jets.
And no bombers.
A few minutes after Ye Qingshan gave the order, at the Chaozhou Airport which had just completed emergency expansion.
Teams of pilots assembled quickly.
A large number of ground crew members were urgently checking and refueling the fighter planes.
“Brothers, according to the latest intelligence.
The Japanese Yangcheng Airport gathered fighter planes from several flying squadrons.
This time, the strength of the Japanese air force we face may be stronger than ever before.
But even so, we still have to complete the task assigned by the commander.
The commander said that the Japanese air force would never be allowed to seize air supremacy over Echeng.
We will never let any of the enemy's aerial bombs fall on our attacking forces.
Do you have confidence? "
"Have!"
"Fuck the little Japs."
"Haha, good point."
Leng Tiancheng laughed.
At this time, the ground crew also made gestures, indicating that the fighter jet's pre-battle inspection and refueling were completed.
It's time to take off.
"Everyone, aboard,
Set off! "
Soon, one P40 fighter plane after another glided off from the runway and rushed towards the battlefield of Echeng in the west.
"What are you all just looking at?
The fighter planes have already flown away, everyone, get to work immediately."
Just after all the fighter jets at Chaozhou Airport took off.
At a construction site of a new airport in the distance, Zhao Dajin looked at the fleet of planes flying away with awe in his eyes.
After coming to his senses, he shouted loudly at the puppet army prisoners of war around him who were also watching the flying planes.
"Damn it, no one is allowed to slack off for me.
Otherwise, if I find out, I won’t let him off.
Commander Ye said that this is an opportunity for you to redeem yourself by making meritorious contributions.
As long as you can successfully complete the construction of this new airport within half a month.
At that time, part of your sentence will be exempted.
Each of you is a heinous criminal who has done so many bad things for the Japanese.
Now, it is time for you to atone for your sins.
Work hard for me. If you slack off, you won’t have dinner.”
Zhao Dajin walked around the construction site with a whip in his hand and a homemade loudspeaker, shouting at the puppet army prisoners who were working.
Previously, Zhao Dajin had instigated the surrender of two puppet armies during the war, helping the 89th Army to annihilate the Japanese 19th Mixed Brigade more quickly.
It can be considered a meritorious performance.
Besides, he didn't have much blood of the people on his hands.
Therefore, according to the puppet army reward and punishment standards formulated by Ye Qingshan, he was pardoned for his previous act of defecting to the Japanese.