20_20434 Fortunately, the air force did not disappoint him and the central chief, who was then rushed over because the meeting was interrupted by a Japanese air raid. Eight P-39 fighters and 21 incoming Japanese bombers launched a fierce air battle in front of Yang Zhen and the central chief.

When the air battle had begun, Chen Xicai, who was now back to his residence to get the air walkie-talkie, rushed over out of breath. Seeing Yang Zhen, Chen Xi motioned to the communicator behind him to turn on the walkie-talkie, and only after starting to contact the sky did he say to Yang Zhen: "No. 1, judging from the intelligence transmitted by the central government, the incoming Japanese planes should be the 18th Air Force of the Japanese Army stationed in Yuncheng, and the 16th Flying Squadron of light bombers of the North China Front Army stationed in Taiyuan. ”

"However, in addition to the Type 98 bombers that we encountered in the Northeast Battlefield, there was also a twin-engine light bomber. The flight altitude is not very high, but the speed is very fast. And this twin-engine light bomber is also extremely flexible. ”

Hearing Chen Xi's report, Yang Zhen raised his binoculars and took a look, only to find that those Japanese twin-engine bombers in the sky were indeed not the Japanese Army Aviation Type 97 medium bombers that he had come into contact with in the Northeast Battlefield. It is a new type of bomber, which is much smaller than the Type 97.

This light bomber, although it is a twin-engine bomber, is extremely flexible in its response. As a bomber, in the confrontation with the P-39 fighters, it was actually different from other Japanese bombers who had no power to fight back. It even used its on-board machine gun to engage in air combat with the P-39 fighters.

The Japanese planes, which did not expect that the opponent would have fighter planes, suffered a sullen loss when they came up. As soon as they fought, three Type 98 light bombers were shot down on the spot. After the rest of them dropped their bombs indiscriminately, they might have relied on the excellent performance of their bombers when they fought against the old fighters of the Nationalist Government, but they also became hard. Unexpectedly, he faced the battle without fear. Trying to use twin-engine bombers against the sudden appearance of fighters of the adversary.

Under the control of the experienced flying skills of the Japanese pilots, these Japanese pilots not only relied on the relatively excellent flight performance of their own planes among bombers in air combat, but also did not scatter and flee in the air combat with fighters, but even boldly launched room for counterattack. It's just that its dense formation limits the performance of this aircraft.

In the face of the formation of Japanese bombers in dense formation, trying to resist with on-board machine guns, the pilots of the eight P-39 fighters who took to the air did not fight to the death. Instead, they attacked the Japanese formations in turn with flexible tactics and the agility unique to fighters.

The P-39 fighters formed a flexible two-plane formation, like a pack of wolves surrounding the outside of a flock, and launched an attack at the slightest negligence on the part of the Japanese formation. Its powerful 37-millimeter cannon and 12.7-millimeter machine gun posed a considerable threat to the Japanese bomber group.

The Japanese Type 99 light bombers, although relying on their fast flight speed, began to counterattack. However, its so-called fast flight speed is for the old fighters such as the 15th and 16th National Fighters, which are the main force of the Nationalist Government Air Force. In the face of the new P-39 fighter, the speed is still a little slow, and it still looks a little clumsy.

In the face of the P-39 fighter itself, which has perfect defensive armor and is equipped with a 7.7 mm machine gun, as long as it does not hit the vital point, the threat is not very great. The P-39 fighter is equipped with the 37 aviation gun, although the number of ammunition in reserve is small. But as long as one shot hits, the Japanese bomber, whose skin is thin and flesh is not too thick, will hardly escape as long as it is hit by a single shot.

Especially since Yan'an, except for the somewhat limited air defense force on the airport side, there is hardly any air defense cover in the entire urban area. These Japanese bomber groups, which had not encountered any resistance in several previous bombings, generally flew low distances in order to improve bombing accuracy. It is at the middle and low altitudes where the P-39 fighter gives full play to its best performance.

After 15 minutes of air fighting, the two sides fought from a mid-altitude altitude of more than 3,000 meters to a low altitude of more than 1,000 meters. Although it has an absolute advantage in numbers. However, the pilots of the Japanese bombers were obviously helpless against this new aircraft, which was completely different from the Soviet-style fighters equipped by the Nationalist Air Force. They were somewhat horrified to find that their previous tactics of confrontation with the Nationalist Government Air Force had completely ineffective.

Their own bombers looked so vulnerable in front of large-caliber cannons. The flight speed that he was once proud of, in front of the strange-looking fighter of the other party, was still at a disadvantage. As for flexibility, neither the new Type 99 bomber nor the Type 98 bomber is an opponent.

In the face of a formidable opponent, after fifteen minutes of air fighting, the Japanese bomber pilots finally lost the courage to hold on. After leaving behind four piles of wreckage, the Type 99 light bombers in the formation relied on their advantages of fast speed and long legs to abandon the bulky Type 98 light bombers equipped with fixed landing gear and drove away first.

As soon as the Type 99 light bombers ran like this, the Type 98 bombers, who were originally protected by them in the middle, were in an extremely embarrassing situation. Run, can't outrun people. Fight, and can't beat. It turned out that there was a new one, and even a light bomber that could be used as a heavy fighter could cover itself. That knows, those bastards who don't care about righteousness slipped away first.

These Type 99 light bombers took the lead in slipping away without being righteous, and the remaining nine planes under the first wave of strikes, under the cover of Type 99 light bombers with a certain air combat capability, barely managed to throw bombs indiscriminately into the open sky at once. Became the prey of eight P-39 fighters.

In fact, these nine Type 98 light bombers were not without a chance to escape. When the nine Type 99 light bombers tried to use their speed advantage to engage the eight P-39 fighters in the air, these Type 98 fighters could have taken advantage of the opportunity to escape from the sky. After all, there are only eight fighters that have been lifted into the air to intercept, and the remaining four have to be tasked with maneuvering.

It's just that the pilots of these Type 98 light bombers are too confident in the performance of the Type 99 light bombers, which had shown great might during the air raid on Xi'an and shot down the squadron's most advanced I-16 fighters. It was thought that these light bombers, with advanced performance and extremely fast speed, would be able to repel the opponent's fighters in the face of the opponent's interceptor fighters as they did in the skies over Xi'an.

Unexpectedly, after more than 10 minutes of air fighting, the opponent's fighters were not repulsed, but instead beat away those so-called Type 99 light bombers that claimed to be the most advanced in the world and could engage in air combat with all fighters. By the time these Type 98 pilots who reacted saw that the situation was not good and wanted to retreat, it was already too late.

The P-39 fighter after driving away the extremely fast Type 99 light bombers. With nimble tactics and ferocious firepower, they laid siege to these bulky, and largely unarmored Type 98 light bombers. These Type 98 light bombers, unable to fight or run, resisted desperately, but had no power to fight back.

Although the pilots of these Type 98 bombers were some veterans who had experienced actual combat, their flying skills were exquisite, and they tried to use their own skills to deal with their opponents many times. However, in the face of these opponents who have already experienced air battles and have accumulated a certain amount of experience, they will never be able to get rid of the passive situation.

The red-eyed Japanese pilots even flew the plane in a way that was strictly forbidden when it was originally designed. The shooter in the back seat also shoots desperately, trying to shoot down the opponent who is constantly attacking him, but he is never able to escape the opponent's shadow attack.

Dive, bite, enter, attack, and disengage, the anti-coalition pilots in the sky strictly followed the training requirements and brought the performance of the P-39 fighters into full play, launching attacks in turn against the opponents who had superiority in numbers with a two-plane formation. Under the 37-millimeter guns of the P-39 fighters, the Japanese Type 98 bombers, which had carried dozens of rounds of ammunition from Soviet-style fighters, were all shot down in less than 10 minutes.

0 to 16, an air battle ended cleanly in less than half an hour. The aviation of the Northeast Military Region beautifully completed its first battle in Guannai. A beautiful air battle was fought at the central location, and a satisfactory answer sheet was handed over in front of the head of the central government, fulfilling Yang Zhen's wish to get off to a good start.

The sound of guns in the sky attracted the interest of many Yan'an people. After discovering that there were planes in the sky to meet the incoming Japanese planes, the people of Yan'an did not evacuate as before, looking for shelter. On the contrary, they each found a convenient place to observe, and watched the air battle with great interest.

When the eight fighters who completed the mission returned to the sea under the cover of four fighters who were later lifted off as spare aircraft. Bursts of cheers rang out throughout Yan'an City. At the same time, the garrison troops in Yan'an were scattered, and the mountains were full of arrests for parachuting Japanese pilots.

It is loose on the outside and tight on the inside, and on the surface it looks very calm and there is not much guard force, but in fact, it controls Yan'an, which is extremely tight. The Japanese aircrews who parachuted out were obviously not as lucky as their counterparts on the tug-of-war front between the two armies, and there was a good chance that they would be able to escape the standoff between the two armies and run back to their side after the plane was shot down.

Of the 48 pilots of the 16 Japanese planes that were shot down, all of the 26 crew members were found and captured within two hours, except for 21 who did not have time to parachute or were directly burned to charcoal because the plane caught fire and exploded after being hit.

According to the previous experience of these Japanese pilots, they have always been very safe in the air when bombing the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningbo border area, which has no air defense at all. These overly rampant pilots didn't even carry pistols to escape or commit suicide after being shot down, except for the flight map.

The garrison did not expend half of its efforts in apprehending these pilots. These Japanese air crews, who had planned to return to Yuncheng to have a good meal after dropping the bombs, were like sheep in a circle. When these Japanese prisoners were escorted across the streets of Yan'an, if it weren't for the guards and soldiers to stop them, the people of Yan'an, who had suffered enough from the Japanese air raids, would have asked these Japanese air crews to taste what is called Chinese-style anger.