Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Fang Wen piloted the P-40 fighter jet back towards the Hanoi military airport.

Inside the cockpit, he was multitasking, piloting the plane while constantly reviewing the details of the battle with the Zero fighter in his mind.

The Zero's climb rate, turning radius, firepower characteristics, and fatal defensive flaws, as well as the P-40's advantages and disadvantages in tactical use, were all clearly replayed and sorted out in his mind.

The aerial battle just now not only validated his prediction of the Zero fighter, but also allowed him to find the core tactics to counter the Zero.

The Zero's "lightness, speed, and agility" come at the cost of sacrificing armor protection and self-sealing fuel tanks. In close-quarters combat, which seems unsolvable, one can easily break the deadlock by avoiding its preferred low-altitude circling maneuvers and using the P-40's dive speed and concentrated firepower for precise strikes.

The P-40's maneuverability shortcomings can be completely compensated for through tactical coordination and precise piloting.

More than half an hour later, the P-40 fighter jet slowly landed on the runway of Hanoi military airport.

It returned safely, with no damage whatsoever, as if it had never been in an aerial battle.

Only the black muzzles of the aircraft machine guns under the wings indicate that combat had occurred during the previous flight.

Gong Xiuneng, Zhou Hengli, and several key members of the French Air Force, who had been waiting on the tarmac, immediately rushed to greet them.

"Commander! Are you alright? We just received radar intelligence from Haiyang. Japanese warplanes have appeared in the direction of Haifang City. We were all very worried!" Gong Xiuneng said urgently, carefully examining Fang Wen and then looking at the warplane. He breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that there was no damage.

Zhou Hengli asked with concern, "General Manager, you shot down the new Japanese fighter plane on your own, right? Haiyang radar detected that the radar feedback trajectory of the aircraft disappeared."

Fang Wen smiled faintly: "Yes, we encountered five new Japanese fighter planes, engaged in combat, shot down three, and the remaining two fled in fear." His tone was calm, as if the aerial battle against five opponents was just a routine training exercise.

His words confirmed the speculation circulating at the airport, and the surrounding pilots and ground staff instantly erupted in excitement.

In previous encounters, reconnaissance pilots discovered that the new Japanese fighter planes were much more agile than the P-40, and their speeds were similar. They privately discussed whether the relatively clumsy P-40 could defeat the new Japanese fighter planes in air combat.

Unexpectedly, Fang Wen was able to single-handedly pilot the P-40 and shoot down three Zero fighters, which undoubtedly gave everyone a boost of confidence.

"Quiet." Fang Wen raised his hand to signal, and the room instantly fell silent. "In the air battle just now, I figured out the weaknesses and strengths of the Japanese new fighter planes, and I also found a countermeasure for the P-40. Now is not the time to celebrate. The Japanese landing deployment at Haiphong Port has entered a critical stage, and we have no time to waste. We must organize an air raid as soon as possible to disrupt their rhythm. In one hour, all pilots, come to the airport conference room for a tactical discussion."

After making the arrangements, he went to the temporary command post, took out paper and pen, and meticulously marked the locations of the tank assembly areas, ammunition depots, logistics supply points, and Japanese camps on the military map, based on the intelligence he had just gathered on the deployment of Japanese troops and equipment.

He put this crucial aerial reconnaissance intelligence in an envelope and had Gong Xiuneng deliver it in a military vehicle to Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire at the Hanoi Army Command, instructing him to immediately mobilize ground troops to deploy around Haiphong port and prepare for ground containment following an air raid.

"Understood!" Gong Xiuneng took the envelope and went out.

An hour later, all the air force pilots were present in the large conference room of the flight base.

Fang Wen stood in front, with a French translator standing beside him.

On the blackboard behind him, he quickly drew the outlines of the Zero fighter and the P-40 fighter with chalk, marking their key parameters.

Then he turned around and said:
"Gentlemen, I just engaged five new Japanese fighter planes and thoroughly investigated their capabilities." He spoke calmly, pointing to the outline of the Zero fighter on the blackboard. "The advantages of the new Japanese fighter plane are its lightness and agility, fast climb rate, small turning radius, and proficiency in close-range dogfights; however, its disadvantages are also extremely obvious. It has no armor protection, no self-sealing fuel tanks, and a fragile fuselage structure. If it is hit in a vital spot by our aircraft machine guns, it will explode and crash instantly, making it a veritable 'airborne lighter'."

The French translator also translated these words to the colony pilots.

The meeting room suddenly became noisy. Fang Wen's words instantly shattered their fascination with the Japanese army's new fighter planes, and the pilots couldn't help but start discussing it amongst themselves.

Fang Wen raised his hand, signaling for silence.

The murmurs immediately ceased.

He continued:

"While our P-40s had a slow climb rate and were less maneuverable than the newer Japanese fighters, they were superior in terms of robust construction and powerful firepower. Their six 12.7mm machine guns, within their effective range, could inflict fatal damage on any hit to the fuselage. Therefore, our core tactic against these aircraft was to avoid dogfights, use the speed of a dive to create distance, then quickly climb to counterattack, using concentrated firepower for precise strikes, and resolutely avoid engaging them in low-altitude circling dogfights."

"In addition, I have summarized three key tactical points, which everyone must remember. First, maintain high-altitude superiority. The high-altitude maneuverability of the new Japanese fighters will be greatly reduced. We can maneuver in the airspace above 4000 meters to lure them up and consume their fuel and power. Second, use dive speed to break through. The dive speed of the P-40 is far greater than that of the new Japanese fighters. Once surrounded, immediately dive to break away and then pull back to counterattack. Third, concentrate firepower. Do not fire alone. Multiple fighters should coordinate to form a fire network to increase the hit rate. As long as you hit it, you can shoot it down."

To help the pilots understand better, Fang Wen gave a detailed review of the air combat, explaining the timing and techniques of each evasive maneuver and each shot, from the Zero's attack rhythm to the P-40's tactical coordination, all explained in great detail.

The pilots listened attentively, taking notes in their notebooks. The confusion on their faces gradually disappeared, replaced by confidence.

"Does everyone understand the tactics?" Fang Wen asked, his gaze sweeping over each pilot present.

"Understood!" all the pilots responded in unison. They no longer had the fear of the Zero fighter they had before. Instead, they were eager to use the tactics taught by Fang Wen to defeat the Japanese fighters on the battlefield.

“Very good.” Fang Wen nodded in satisfaction, his tone becoming more resolute. “Now, I announce the air raid deployment. All 40 P-40 fighters will participate in this air raid; the Independent Regiment’s 10 gunboats will also participate. The target of this air raid is to attack the Japanese tank assembly areas, ammunition depots, and logistics supply points.”

He walked to the map and pointed to the location of Haiphong Port:
"The air raid is scheduled for this afternoon. At this time, the Japanese unloading work is in full swing, and most of the tanks and supplies are still at the dock, where the defenses are relatively weak. However, the specific timing of the attack is yet to be determined. We await your orders, and everyone should be ready to attack at any time."

"Captain Zhou Hengli, you will lead 10 P-40s of the Taishan National Salvation Air Force. You do not need to carry aerial bombs. Your responsibility is to contain any Japanese aircraft that may appear. I will issue specific tactical instructions to you via radio during the operation."

"Yes, General Manager!" Zhou Hengli immediately stood up and saluted.

"Colonial air force, fully loaded with aerial bombs, arrive at Haiphong port and quickly launch a bombing raid, focusing on Japanese tanks, ammunition depots, and transport ships to disrupt their assembly plans. After the bombing, return to port immediately without stopping to avoid being pursued by Japanese warplanes." Fang Wen continued to deploy, each order clear, decisive, and without the slightest hesitation.

"Understood!" all the pilots replied in unison, their expressions solemn.

After the tactical seminar, the pilots immediately left to prepare for their flights, and the entire airport instantly became busy.

Fang Wen listened to Gong Xiuneng, who had just returned from the Hanoi Army Command, relay the situation there.

"Commander, the Army Commander-in-Chief said that the intelligence you provided is very detailed. He has mobilized six light mobile infantry regiments and one armored assault battalion to deploy defenses on the roads and mountains surrounding Haiphong Port. Once the air raids begin, they will launch an immediate attack to strike the Japanese front-line troops."

Fang Wen went to the Air Force temporary command post, picked up the dedicated phone line, and said in French, "Transfer to the Army command post."

The call connected, followed by a burst of noise:

"This is the Army Command. Which department are you from?"

"This is Air Force Commander Fang Wen. Please have Commander Le Maire answer the phone."

"Yes."

A moment later, Le Maire's voice came through the phone: "Fang, I'm deploying troops according to your aerial reconnaissance intelligence. Do you have any objections to my plan?" These plans had actually been set up long ago, so why would Fang Wen have any objections?

He said, "I want to tell you that this raid has no relay stations. The ground forces should finish the attack within two hours. I will arrange for gunboats and aircraft to support you in attacking the Japanese defensive positions west of Haifang City."

"Okay, I understand, this is just an appetizer."

"Yes, it's an appetizer. I hope your army has a good appetite."

The entire Hanoi military airport has been placed on the highest level of combat readiness.

Ground crew pushed bomb carts back and forth on the runway, checking fuses, loading ammunition, and refueling; the pilots waited nearby for the sortie order.

Airplanes, guns, and cannons were loaded, bomb safety mechanisms were disarmed, and a chilling atmosphere enveloped the entire scene.

Fang Wen did not drive the P40 during this operation.

He walked toward the first-generation fighter jet, which had a more streamlined shape and bore the "Mount Tai" emblem on its fuselage.

This fighter jet, which he personally helped design, is more suited to his combat habits than the P40 in terms of speed, radar, and handling response. In addition, the combination of the airborne radar and his mechanical perception ability makes it the eyes and brain of the entire air strike formation.

2:30 PM.

He boarded the fighter jet, the engine roared, he drove onto the runway, accelerated off the ground, and soared into the sky.

Fang Wen climbed the fighter jet to a cruising altitude of 5000 meters, turned on the onboard radar, and simultaneously activated his mechanical perception ability.

After combining supernatural abilities with radar, the entire airspace within a 200-kilometer radius of Haiphong Port, including Haiphong Port and the bay to its northeast, was brought under observation.

2:50.

Fang Wen discovered.

Ten dots representing Japanese warplanes are turning around from the sea off Haiphong Port and heading back towards Haikou Military Airport.

After that group of Japanese warplanes left, no more Japanese warplanes flew towards Haiphong Port in the Beibu Gulf airspace.

In other words, within one hour.

Haiphong Port.

There was not a single Japanese fighter plane in the sky.

On the ground, Japanese troops were still unloading tanks, ammunition, and fuel.

A golden opportunity.

Fang Wen immediately returned to base and picked up the microphone over the Hanoi military airport.

"Attention all Air Force combat units, take off according to the established plan."

Instantly.

An alarm sounded at the Hanoi military airfield, and pilots from the Thai Son National Salvation Air Force and the colonial air force immediately boarded their fighter planes.

Then, guided by airport staff, one aircraft after another drove onto the runway and accelerated for takeoff.

At the Red River floating airport pier in Hanoi, the independent regiment's pilots immediately boarded their aircraft and took off in gunboats gliding over the water.

Forty P-40s and ten gunships took off one after another, quickly assembling into a dark combat formation at high altitude.

The aircraft maintained radio silence, relying solely on Fang Wen's command aircraft to communicate, and flew at full speed under his orders, heading straight for Haiphong Harbor.

Twenty minutes later, the P-40 fighter jet formation arrived over Haiphong port.

The view below is completely unobstructed:
The dock was densely packed with transport ships, and cranes were still hoisting Type 97 tanks.

On the ground, Type 95 tanks were lined up in a row, motorized vehicles were everywhere, and mountains of ammunition boxes and fuel barrels were particularly glaring in the sunlight.

Japanese soldiers were busy unloading cargo, lining up, and setting up positions in large groups, completely unaware that death was hanging over their heads.

They discovered the massive air raid in the sky and screamed in panic.

Air raid sirens sounded in the port area.

However, there were no fighter jets to intercept them; only the fifteen anti-aircraft guns in the port area began emergency anti-aircraft firing.

这些防空炮中，有3门88式 75mm高射炮，还有12门98式 20mm高射机关炮。

Although the anti-aircraft guns had a low hit rate, the 40 fighter jets were too large a target and were easy to hit. Therefore, Fang Wen's first objective in commanding the air raid was to capture the anti-aircraft gun positions below.

他拿起话筒：“轰炸1队目标港区南2轰炸点，轰炸2队，港区北3轰炸点。轰炸3队，港区西1轰炸点。”

These bombing sites were fixed bombing sites that he set up during training based on the actual situation of Haiphong Port. In this way, in actual combat, as long as the fixed bombing sites were mentioned, the pilots could carry out targeted bombing according to the operations in training.

Below, 15 Japanese anti-aircraft guns were already firing. Three Type 88 75mm anti-aircraft guns spat out thick tongues of fire, and shells exploded in the air, creating plumes of black smoke. The shockwaves stirred the air and produced a muffled roar. Twelve Type 98 20mm anti-aircraft machine guns formed a dense network of fire, and bullets rained down into the sky, creating blinding sparks around the fighter jets.

The Type 88 75mm anti-aircraft gun is the main medium-caliber anti-aircraft gun of the army. It has a long range and great power. Although its rate of fire is relatively slow and its hit rate is not high, each shell can create a deadly kill zone.
The Type 98 20mm anti-aircraft gun, with its rapid rate of fire, forms a low-altitude defense network, attempting to block the dive routes of fighter jets.

But it was too late. The fighter jets had already reached bombing altitude, and the bombs had long since detached from their racks and were falling toward their intended targets.

One after another, aerial bombs broke free from their racks and swooped down from the sky with a sharp whistle.

The tiny black dots magnified rapidly in the sunlight, like cold, sharp swords piercing the anti-aircraft gun positions of the coastal defense port. (End of Chapter)