Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 678 The Japanese Intrigues and Tricks, The Sinking of the Isuzu
In the command cabin of the Japanese Second Fleet flagship "Isuzu," the fleet commander's finger tapped heavily on the nautical chart, landing on Dongping, southeast of Yangjiang, and Pinggang, southwest of Yangjiang.

"The first landing group, consisting of 600 men, will launch a strong attack on Dongping Port by landing craft, while naval guns will continuously bombard the coastal defenses. The second group, consisting of 400 men, will attack Pinggang, which I will personally command. This will prevent the Taishan Independent Regiment from taking on both fronts. If they choose to defend one front, the other front can advance. We don't need to worry about the troops here, except for the Independent Regiment."

After a pause, the Japanese commander revealed a smug smile.

"Even if the Independent Regiment splits into two groups to stop them, it won't change their fate of defeat. These two landing forces will become bait, and I still have a third landing force that can directly attack Yangjiang City. As long as we occupy Yangjiang City, we can advance step by step, encircling and gradually devouring the Independent Regiment."

The unmarked seas on the nautical charts are his real killer moves.

This secluded bay, located between Dongping and Shaba, is the estuary of several freshwater rivers. Shaped like a bag, it is a river mouth that extends deep into the land.

However, the bay was not deep enough to accommodate large warships, and it was not originally intended as a landing point.

But now, the Second Fleet is preparing to use underhanded tactics, sending a landing force and three minesweepers to land in the Yangbian River and then head directly towards Yangjiang City.

All of this seemed flawless, but unfortunately their opponent was Fang Wen, and all of it was in vain.

high in the sky.

Because the aircraft he was piloting had been changed to a gunboat, Fang Wen did not get too close to conduct reconnaissance in order to avoid being discovered by the Japanese army.

He used a combination of radar and supernatural abilities to detect the movements of the Japanese army.

Radar feedback showed that the Japanese forces on Hailing Island launched two separate attacks: one towards Pinggang Coast to the north of Hailing Island, and the other towards Dongping.

It seems the Japanese army is preparing to launch a two-pronged attack.

This is a common tactic used by the Japanese Navy.

During the Battle of Shanghai in 37, the Japanese Navy deployed 6 troops to land at Jinshanwei and nearby Caojing and Quangongting, outflanking the Nationalist Army's left flank defenses. This directly resulted in the Nationalist Army being attacked from both sides, forcing them to retreat from the Shanghai-Nanjing border. The Japanese then seized the opportunity to capture Nanjing.

During the Battle of Guangzhou in 38, the Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack by landing at Aotou, Renshan, and Pinghai in Daya Bay in three routes, bypassing the main defense zone of Guangzhou Bay and taking advantage of the concealed terrain of the many islands in Daya Bay.

In the 39 attack on Hainan, troops were divided and landed simultaneously in Haikou and Sanya.

They took advantage of the flexibility of naval vessels to target weak points for amphibious landing operations, rendering the defensive measures deployed by the National Army ineffective.

However, this tactic is no longer applicable to the Independent Regiment.

When it comes to mobility, Fang Wen has nothing to fear.

Therefore, Fang Wen spoke.

"Send a telegram to the first company, instructing them to launch an attack from Hiraoka and prevent the Japanese army from landing at mark A3."

"Send a telegram to the Third Company, telling them to go to Dongping."

Gong Xiuneng immediately sent a telegram using the airborne telegraph device.

Subsequently, Fang Wen notified the 2nd Air Battalion in Zhaoqing to be ready to launch an attack at any time.

Upon receiving the order, the two companies immediately took action and went to the designated area to engage in battle with the Japanese army.

Shortly thereafter, gunboat squadrons also arrived in time to assist in the battle.

This timely and swift response successfully prevented the Japanese landing.

But the Japanese troops on both sides did not give up and continued to linger on the beach.

They seem to be looking for the next opportunity for a landing operation.

Fang Wen thought so too.

However, due to the vigilance required for long-term military operations, he did not give up radar scanning of the main Japanese fighting force on Hailing Island.

At 1 p.m., the radar scan returned a strange signal trajectory.

Five ships sailed westward from the south of Hailing Island.

Judging from the intensity of the radar signal feedback, it is neither a cruiser nor a destroyer, but rather a torpedo boat, gunboat, or auxiliary vessel.

The way they walked clearly indicated they didn't want to be seen. Where were they going?
Fang Wen immediately became alert.

He continued to monitor the movements of this group of Japanese troops for the next period of time.

They sailed westward from the south of Hailing Island, then turned north, and surprisingly entered a shallow bay that the locals called Yangbianhai.

Because the area was not suitable for large ships, Fang Wen did not pay much attention to it.

Unexpectedly, the Japanese army would pull such a stunt.

Fortunately, with the help of superpowers and radar, the Japanese devils were not fooled.

A map appeared in Fang Wen's mind.

Good grief, this is some dirty trick!

If the Japanese troops were to land at Yangbianhai, they could bypass the defense zone of the first company and directly attack Yangjiang City.

Moreover, the two routes had previously tied down the Independent Regiment's forces. Once they withdrew to block this route, the two routes would take the opportunity to land.

Fang Wen couldn't help but sneer. If it were the National Army, they would probably have lost this battle, but the Independent Regiment would not.

He pondered how to change this situation.

If the 2nd Company of Yangjiang City were sent to Yangbianhai to deal with the 3rd Route Japanese Army, it would seem like they had the upper hand, but they would still be at a disadvantage.

What if the enemy deploys a fourth or even a fifth force? The Independent Regiment doesn't have enough troops to deal with them.

Therefore, this approach is actually a poor choice.

It would be better to break free and not be controlled by the Japanese army's tactical arrangements.

A bold idea came to his mind.

The Japanese amphibious landing operations were supported by their fleet. When they divided their forces for landing operations, they would also divert ships, which meant that the fleet's anti-aircraft firepower was not as strong.

If I were to lead a gunboat squadron to bombard the Japanese fleet headquarters at this time, and sink that main Japanese ship, would the Japanese still be able to hold out?

Once this idea is born, it's impossible to stop it.

Fang Wen pondered this further in his mind.

The Japanese flagship Isuzu's anti-aircraft weaponry included two single-barreled 80mm anti-aircraft guns and five twin-mounted Type 96 25mm machine guns, for a total of 12 anti-aircraft guns.

Previously, when Fang Wen was piloting the Qinyuan, he destroyed two twin-mounted 25mm machine guns, and later, after being hit by a rocket, he destroyed a single-barreled 80mm anti-aircraft gun.

In other words, the cruiser now has only three-quarters of its original anti-aircraft firepower.

If a salvo of long-range rockets were used, more anti-aircraft guns could be destroyed, and then the gunships and aircraft could drop their bombs, which would very likely sink it.

With this in mind, Fang Wen immediately made arrangements.

The First and Third Companies continued their operations.

The Second Company left Yangjiang City and went to the east coast of Yangbianhai to stop the Japanese army from landing.

Three fully loaded Taishan Storm rocket launchers headed to the Huangyong area south of Pinggang Town.

The gunboats of the 2nd Air Battalion loaded all the stockpiled bombs and aerial rockets and flew to Pinggang to meet up with Fang Wen.

2 hours later.

In the waters north of Hailing Island, the guns of the Japanese Second Fleet were constantly spitting fire.

Because the force was divided into three groups, this group was commanded by the fleet commander in charge of the landing operation, with the cruiser Isuzu providing naval fire support. Every time the main gun turret of the light cruiser Isuzu roared, it could fire a 140mm shell onto the beach south of Hiraoka, blasting up sand and creating a large crater several meters high.

As a result, the company voluntarily withdrew its defensive line, allowing the Japanese landing force to advance several hundred meters.

Japanese sailors on deck carried ammunition amidst the sound of cannon fire, their faces beaming with the thought that "victory is imminent."

In their view, the two landing forces had already dragged the Independent Regiment into a fierce battle, and the collapse of the land defense line was only a matter of time.

The fleet commander stood on the bridge, and through his binoculars, he saw plumes of smoke and explosions appearing as the gunfire deepened. A smile had just begun to form on his lips.

Suddenly, a shout from the lookout cut through the communicator: "Northwest! A large number of high-speed targets are approaching—rocket-propelled grenades!"

The fleet commander abruptly turned his binoculars to the northwest, where he saw a burst of orange-red flames rising on the horizon. Seventy-two Taishan Storm rockets, trailing gray-white smoke, were heading straight for the fleet.

The last rocket attack was still fresh in his mind. The fleet commander dropped his binoculars and rushed out of the bridge, shouting, "Anti-aircraft guns, take immediate action!"

Some of the anti-aircraft gunners heard his shouts, but it was too late to defend against the rocket attack.

Faced with rockets that were much faster than airplanes, the gunners frantically tried to turn the gun wheels, but the hydraulic system couldn't keep up with the speed of the rockets.

The gap left by the two twin 25mm cannons destroyed by the Chinyuan earlier became the fatal flaw in the defense network.

"Quick! Adjust the firing angle!" the Japanese anti-aircraft gunner shouted hoarsely. The only single-barreled 80mm anti-aircraft gun finally turned its muzzle and hastily fired three shells, which only exploded into a few weak plumes of smoke in front of the rocket barrage. The first rocket had already whistled and crashed into the stern deck of the "Isuzu," where the three remaining twin-mounted 25mm machine guns were located.

"Boom—!" The shockwave from the explosion ripped off the cannon shields, and the cannon barrels crashed into the sea like broken branches. Hot shrapnel swept across the deck, instantly cutting down a number of sailors who were loading ammunition.

Immediately afterwards, a second rocket accurately hit the communications compartment below the bridge, and an explosion filled the compartment.

The bridge above also shook violently, and the Japanese fleet commander was thrown out and landed motionless on the deck.

More rockets came flying, and this time the hit rate was surprisingly high, hitting the Isuzu one after another.

The roar of explosions and the screams of sailors rose and fell.

The last rocket appeared.

It grazed the chimney and hit the vicinity of the ammunition compartment ventilation opening. Although it failed to detonate the main ammunition magazine, it twisted the conveyor belt that transported shells into a pretzel, instantly cutting off the main gun turret's ammunition supply.

The destroyer to the right of the Isuzu was in no better shape; its bridge had been shorn in half by a rocket, its captain was missing, its propeller had been warped by the shockwave of the near miss, and the ship had begun to spin in place.

The sudden and terrifying barrage of rockets once again stunned the Japanese army.

But this is just the beginning.

Twenty-one gunboats flew in from the distant sky.

Leading the way was the gunboat piloted by Fang Wen.

At this moment, Fang Wen was in a transcendent state, and the surrounding objects were all floating.

To ensure a high hit rate for the three Taishan Storm rocket launchers, he performed high-speed calculations in his superhuman state.

But this calculation is not yet finished.

As the gunboat squadron approached the Japanese warships on the sea, Fang Wen's brain once again went into high gear, incorporating the surrounding environmental data, enemy ship data, and the gunboat squadron's own situation into a unified calculation.

Supported by his extraordinary state and powerful mental strength, he achieved the result he wanted.

"Based on my position, maintain the same formation and fire towards the east at a depth of 10 degrees, with a 26-degree angle of depression. Ready."

Ten seconds later.

"emission."

Before the words were even finished, the rocket launchers under the wings of 21 gunboats simultaneously spewed flames.

A barrage of 82mm air-to-ground rockets hurtled toward the Isuzu with a sharp whistling sound.

Because of their identical flight formation, these rockets all maintained the same firing trajectory, enveloping the Isuzu.

The Japanese troops, still recovering from the first round of rocket attacks, were thrown into utter panic as they watched so many aerial rockets raining down upon them.

Of the hundreds of aerial rockets fired, nearly 40% hit the Isuzu, while the rest landed in the sea.

This 40% is enough.

Massive chain explosions occurred on the ship's surface, destroying the hull structure, naval guns, and anti-aircraft guns.

This also prevented the Japanese sailors on the entire ship from operating the anti-aircraft guns to intercept.

This was the result Fang Wen wanted. He led the gunboat squadron to fly over the ship.

Once the location was determined, he gave the order.

"Begin bombing."

In all the gunships, the crew opened the bottom hatches and dropped all the bombs they were carrying.

There were napalm incendiary bombs, as well as high-explosive aerial bombs manufactured by Taishan Military Industry in the early days, all of which were cleared out and dropped.

Explosions continued to occur on the hull of the Isuzu, and the surrounding sea was also exploding and burning.

It was as if the fires of purgatory were scorching these sinners whose hands were stained with blood.

The burning warship suddenly burst into even larger flames, and pieces of the hull flew out in flames.

Subsequently, the entire warship slowly sank to the surface of the sea.

"Commander, we've succeeded," Pan Jiafeng's voice came through the radio.

Fang Wen exited his superhuman state, a tired smile on his face. "The Japanese flagship has sunk. This is a rare opportunity. Let's press our advantage and expand our gains."

Immediately afterwards, the gunboat squadron flew back to the coast and launched air raids against the Japanese landing forces.

The morale of the Japanese troops along this route had completely collapsed, and they abandoned their offensive and retreated towards the sea.

But before they could retreat to the shore, the Japanese warships on the sea abandoned them and sailed eastward.

Heading east meant that these warships were leaving the waters near Yangjiang, which was tantamount to them abandoning their attack.

It seems that the destruction of the main ship dealt a very heavy blow to the Japanese fleet.

Fang Wen suddenly had an idea: should he take this opportunity to expand his gains?
With the Japanese ships withdrawing from this route and the other two routes temporarily without command, it's feasible to engage them.

The Dongping route is located in open waters, so even if we fight, the enemy can escape at any time, and the effect will probably not be good. But the Yangbianhai route takes time to enter and exit. As long as we block the entrance, we might be able to annihilate this route of Japanese troops.

If we fight well, we might be able to capture Japanese gunboats or minesweepers.

This is good stuff.

The Taishan Independent Regiment is currently lacking coastal defense equipment. If it had such equipment, it could also be equipped with ship-borne rockets to form a combined sea, land, and air strike capability.

Immediately, Fang Wen ordered the 3rd Company to continue engaging the landing Japanese troops in Dongping.

The 1st Company moved from Pinggang to the eastern coast of Yangbianhai to join the 2nd Company and attack that route of Japanese troops.

Meanwhile, Fang Wen and the 2nd Air Battalion urgently returned to base to replenish ammunition and fuel, and then launched an air raid on Japanese warships in the sea near the ocean.

We have to be quick, otherwise those Japanese soldiers will realize what's happening and run away.

(End of this chapter)