The next night.

On the night of April 23.

Independent regiment Jincheng Airport.

"Today, the regimental headquarters once again sent 15 new pilots, who made a total of 219 sorties and dropped 547 tons of bombs, thus completing the scheduled plan."

A staff officer is reporting data:

"But there were also casualties today."

"The devils dispatched a lot of planes to intercept them, seven planes were damaged, eight were shot down, five of them parachuted in the base area, and they have been rescued, no one was injured, but the other three pilots are missing."

"They're all newbies."

"The last wave suffered the most losses, with two pilots not coming back."

Finally, the staff officer added.

"Hmm."

Huang Quan nodded.

There would be casualties among pilots, he had predicted it for a long time, he was prepared, and he believed that every pilot who took off was ready to be shot down and was ready to sacrifice.

He knew very well what the price it took to learn to fly and parachute in about two months, and these soldiers selected from the independent regiment paid.

Fortunately, the parachute safety measures provided by Boss Chen are very good, otherwise the cost will be greater.

Moreover, pilots who have experienced actual combat will become more and more mature, and fewer and fewer will be shot down in the future.

"Will there be a new pilot tomorrow?"

Huang Quan continued to ask.

Theoretically, sorties can reach up to three hundred and fifty sorties per day, which, of course, is primarily logistical constraints. There are not enough skilled logistics personnel, otherwise there could be more.

Now, the main factor limiting the number of sorties is the pilot.

Jincheng Airport is about 120 kilometers away from Zheng County in a straight line, and it takes about two hours for a veteran to complete the bombing of a fully loaded 'bomb truck' attack plane from taking off, searching for a target, bombing, and returning to landing, while a novice can take about two hours because of his lack of experience in searching for targets and his unskilled air-ground contact.

The more pilots he can make, the more sorties he can make, and the more devils he will kill.

As the captain of the flight team, Huang Quan already knew the business at this time.

For every 20,000 devils killed, he can get a super-large top factory and fifty top technical experts.

Therefore, he personally flew six sorties a day, the most in the whole group.

"There will be five more tomorrow, but there will be no more, and the next batch of pilots will need at least a month of training."

The staff officer smiled bitterly.

The training of pilots is not so simple, what they are doing now is actually a violation of military discipline abroad, thanks to the fact that there are more planes and materials in the independent regiment, and the new pilots are not afraid of death and have a strong will to fight.

"Then reduce the number of sorties a little tomorrow."

Huang Quan's tone was calm.

He's not in a hurry.

It's only April now, and there are still three months left before July, and there is still a month to buy after taking out the First Army. Next month, 90 pilots who went to study in the United States will also return.

By that time,

"Yes."

The staff officer nodded.

"Notify all pilots of the meeting."

Huang Quan finally said.

Although the bomb truck is an attack aircraft, it has extremely strong performance and thickened equipment, and as long as the technology is in place, it can completely break away from the attack of the devil plane, or even break the wrist.

The 30mm cannon is not just a strafing fire.

Today, after he dropped the bomb, he killed a devil fighter, the kind that exploded on the spot.

······

The other side.

Inside the Devil's Command.

At this time, the faces of a group of people were delighted.

Today is another day of great victory.

The 37th Division, which had already occupied Zheng County, was attacking Xuchang along the Jinghan Railway, was expected to arrive in three days and launch an attack, five days earlier than planned, and this was still three days later due to the blow-up of the bridge by the Independent Regiment.

"Today's casualties..."

It's just that when the staff officer said this, the headquarters fell silent.

As yesterday, under the great victory of the locust army, there were almost unbearable casualties, and the reason was the same, the bombardment of aircraft from the independent regiment, the incessant bombardment.

"Say."

Gangmura Ninji glanced at the staff officer, and his tone was angry.

He yesterday ordered the aviation forces to expel the fighters who eliminated the Separate Regiment, but it was ineffective.

First, the battlefield in central Henan was too huge, and there was a serious shortage of planes under his command. Secondly, the aircraft of the Separate Regiment performed very well, and after dropping bombs, they surpassed the planes of the Reich. In the end, it was the independent regiment that was very strong, and many times it was hit several times, and it still flew back tenaciously.

"There are about 850 people in Yusha, more than 100 are missing, and 700 are injured."

The staff officer bowed his head and reported.

Because of the timeliness, the number of casualties summarized at this time is still uncertain, but there will basically not be much difference, there may be more than a dozen, there may be less than a dozen, such as the return of the missing ones.

"Let's go down."

Gangcun Ningci sighed silently, waved his hand, and motioned for the staff officer to get out.

After the staff officer left, there was still a long silence in the headquarters.

Seven hundred people were broken, and one hundred were missing, and on the battlefield, missing was equal to death, plus the seriously wounded and disabled, more than one full brigade was reduced, more than yesterday.

Although most of the North China Front was attacked, and there were some reinforcements transferred from other places, with a total strength of 145,000, who could bear the loss of a full brigade.

"A solution must be found to the threat of the Independence Regiment."

A major general spoke in a harsh tone.

Without the influence of the aircraft of the separate regiment, their casualties would not have exceeded two squadrons, but now, the attrition is more than a full brigade, more than tripled.

Gangmura Ningji glanced at this major general and said:

"Does the commander of the Sato Brigade have a good idea?"

The major general named Sato suddenly stopped talking, lowered his head, and didn't speak for a long time.

What's the solution?

There is no way!

The North China Front lacked anti-aircraft firepower, and the whole army added up to 100 air defense weapons, and the aviation units to which they belonged were too scattered and lacked fuel supplies, and they could make up to 70 sorties a day.

And the enemy.

Yesterday there were 130 sorties, today they flew nearly 200 sorties, and each time, they were loaded with two-ton bombs.

The Major General was speechless.

He saw very clearly that the enemy's attack aircraft, with thicker equipment, were difficult to shoot down, and even their combat effectiveness was not bad. He saw it today, the bomber of the Independent Regiment that had dropped the bomb, in turn, shot down an Imperial fighter plane, which should not have been detonated, and then flew away.

How can this be prevented?

Moreover, once the Republic of China troops adapt to the support of the air force, their casualties are likely to be greater.

"You don't need to panic."

The corner of Gangcun Ningci's mouth hooked:

"According to the report of the aviation forces, in total, more than seven aircraft were shot down today, of which five crashes were observed, and tomorrow the enemy's sorties will necessarily be reduced."

Although there are many planes in the Independent Regiment, there is a shortage of pilots, which can be seen from which fighters are supported, and many of the aircraft are obviously novices in flight maneuvers, otherwise the casualties of the Imperial Army will be greater.

The frozen atmosphere of the headquarters suddenly dispersed.

"In addition, order the ground forces to strangle the pilots of the independent regiment, and once they find out, immediately strangle them with all their might, this task has a priority over the pursuit of the ground forces."

"Hey."

Everyone bowed their heads in unison.

······

In the evening.

South of Zheng County.

The 358th Regiment, a position of a battalion.

At this time, the battalion headquarters was in a meeting, and the platoon commanders of the whole battalion and company were in a centralized meeting.

"Battalion commander."

A staff officer rushed into the battalion headquarters in an anxious tone.

"What's the matter?"

The company and platoon commanders, including the battalion commander, stood up directly and looked solemn.

Now that a meeting is being held, at this time, the staff officer actually rushed in directly, which must be a big deal. However, although everyone is dignified, they are not panicking, and now their own battalion is strong and strong, with sufficient ammunition, and they are not afraid of devils attacking.

"Ten kilometers to the left of our position. There was a separate regiment plane crashed, the pilot parachuted, and I saw a squadron of devils..."

The observer hurriedly said.

"What?"

Before he could finish speaking, in the simple temporary conference room, the faces of the company platoon commanders suddenly changed greatly.

"Reserves, all go."

The battalion commander shouted directly:

"The pilots must be snatched back, at all costs."

In the past few days, the 358th Regiment has almost been pressed on the devil's head, and one battalion can easily chase the two devil brigades all over the mountain, and the reason is the aircraft support of the independent regiment.

Otherwise, a devil brigade can let them eat a pot.

Now there are devils who dare to hunt down and kill the pilots of the independent regiment?

Look for death!

The battalion commander was also not polite and directly used the pilots.

An hour later, at the headquarters of the 358th Regiment, Fang Ligong said to Chu Yunfei:

"Regiment commander, the third rescue has brought back an independent regiment pilot."

"How's the pilot doing?"

Chu Yunfei's face remained unchanged.

"I was not injured, and I am currently repairing in the third battalion, and it is said that I have a good chat with the platoon commanders of each company of the third battalion."

Fang Ligong said.

'Hmm. ’

Chu Yunfei nodded, and then continued to look at the map on the table.

"Tuanza."

Seeing that his head had no reaction, Fang Ligong urged:

"Commander, should we send someone to pick up this pilot back? Grassroots officers have been in contact with this group of people for a long time, this...

The attraction of the independent regiment has been deeply experienced by Fang Ligong in the past year, the 358th Regiment was stationed close to Zhao Jiayu before, and many ordinary people in the defense area went to Zhao Jiayu to live, where the materials were abundant, and the work could easily support themselves, and they would definitely not go hungry.

Like other places, every day is a meal without a meal.

Many grassroots soldiers of the 358th Regiment, as well as soldiers from other regiments, also secretly went to Zhao Jiayu to do work, especially the strong men who were forcibly recruited, and even many grassroots officers also defected to the independent regiment.

This matter gave Fang Ligong a headache.

Every time he negotiated with the independent regiment at this time, Li Yunlong was difficult to speak, quite unreasonable, and could only suffer dumb losses.

"It's fine."

Chu Yunfei waved his hand, his tone was casual, and his face remained unchanged.

"Yes."

Fang Ligong opened his mouth, but in the end only one word was spoken.

He thought about it.

Recently, each battalion of the 358th Regiment had two or three independent regimental communications teams responsible for calling for aircraft support, and in the past few days, the independent regiment has had a great impact.

The independent regiments of those guard companies never stopped.

One more pilot, and there's nothing wrong with that.

······

At the same time.

Ping'an County.

Independent regimental headquarters.

Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, Ding Wei, Kong Jie, Xing Guozhi, Zhang Dabiao, Yan Sheng, Shen Quan, Wen Ye, etc., independent groups, Zhao Jiayu base and a number of high-level leaders gathered together in the brand-new conference room.

"I have called you here today to discuss the development plan of the base area in the future."

Li Yunlong doesn't like to be verbose, so he goes straight to the topic:

"So far, our development policy has not changed, focusing on the development of the rear, supplemented by the troops, and giving priority to the supply of talents to the construction brigade and important factories."

This is a decision made by Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang a year and a half ago, not long after arriving in Zhao Jiayu.

If it is not at any cost, it can be called a reckless and militaristic all-out development of troops, and Li Yunlong is sure that at this time, the total strength of the independent regiment can already organize and simultaneously encircle and annihilate the entire North China Front.

But all of this is based on Brother Chen's materials, like the moon in the mirror, which can't withstand consumption and can't withstand time.

It's like a German mechanic in the Songhu period.

It may be stronger, but the essence is the same, it is strong now, but it is only now, and there will be no future.

Moreover, there will be no Zhao Jiayu Machinery Factory that can produce most of the machine tools, there will be no explosives factory with an annual output of more than 10,000 tons, there will be no millions of acres of fertile land equipped with perfect water conservancy facilities, there will be no more than 50,000 skilled workers, and there will be no hundreds of senior technicians trained by themselves.

There will be no construction brigade that exceeds the total strength of the devil in the Republic of China, as well as hundreds of thousands of children who have entered the school.

You can clearly see the hope for the future.

"But considering the follow-up business with Brother Chen."

Speaking of this, Li Yunlong looked around.

All of you here are the core of Zhao Jiayu's base, and they all know the new business of Brother Chen and the Independent Regiment - every 20,000 devils killed, a super-large factory, and fifty top technical talents.

This is more profitable than the fact that as soon as the business comes out, it means that it will be more profitable to put the main forces in combat.

"It's time for our troops to be strengthened."

Li Yunlong continued.

The existence of the construction brigade has given the factory and the troops sufficient human resources, continuously provided talents with a certain cultural foundation, and can also screen spies for the security section.

In addition, the grassroots officers and cadres sent by the superiors from afar, as well as the independent regiments themselves, can now begin a large-scale expansion of the army.

"Hmm."

Zhao Gang and the others nodded in unison.

"Considering the special situation of our group, I plan."

Li Yunlong raised his tone, with a rare solemn countenance:

"The independent regiment will be changed to take the battalion as the basic unit, and form a tank battalion, an artillery battalion, an infantry battalion, an air defense battalion, a logistics support battalion, a flight brigade and other combat units.

"Oh?"

As soon as Li Yunlong's words came out, they immediately attracted Ding Wei's interest.

With the battalion as the basic combat unit, it can be flexibly combined according to needs in wartime·····

Ding Wei suddenly had a series of pictures in his heart.

When a division of the enemy attacked, the independent regiment quickly responded by sending five infantry battalions, three tank battalions, three artillery battalions, three logistics support battalions, and two flying groups to meet the battle.