lovenovelstory Chapter 231 Fierce Aerial Battle, Fallen Japanese Fighter Group, and the Japanese Forceful Counterat
Chapter 231 Fierce Aerial Battle, Fallen Japanese Fighter Group, and the Japanese Forceful Counterat
"BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!"
Japanese warplanes were continuously hit by dense anti-aircraft fire.
Some fighter jets had their fuel tanks blown up, turning into huge fireballs in the air;
Some of the wings were blown off and spun as they plummeted to the ground from high altitude;
In some cases, the cockpit was directly hit by a shell, killing the pilot instantly and causing the aircraft to go completely out of control.
Japanese warplanes were continuously destroyed in mid-air amidst the dense anti-aircraft fire, falling as fragments.
In addition, there were many self-propelled anti-aircraft guns speeding along the roads in the wilderness, firing continuously at the Japanese aircraft formations in the air as they moved rapidly.
On Ishida Akiichiro's communication channel, screams, wails, and angry roars of resentment filled the air.
Interspersed among the sounds were the roars of fighter jets exploding in mid-air, which sent chills down his spine.
Only now did he realize that, without his knowledge, the anti-aircraft firepower of the Third Column had made a qualitative leap.
In particular, the enemy's 88mm anti-aircraft guns, with their incredibly powerful high-explosive shells, could cover a large area of airspace with a single explosion, far surpassing the capabilities of ordinary anti-aircraft guns.
In just a few minutes, they had already destroyed dozens of fighter jets.
If the fighting continues, let alone destroying the enemy's air defense positions, the entire air force squadron will probably be wiped out here.
Ishida Meiichiro gritted his teeth and could only let out a desperate roar into the radio:
"Return to base! Return to base immediately!!!"
Compared to the Japanese aircraft that fled in panic, the Japanese pilots who parachuted out met a much more tragic fate.
Their parachutes, which were slowly descending through the air, became live targets for anti-aircraft guns to practice firing.
One after another, 20mm machine guns were aimed at the Japanese pilots who were slowly descending from the sky, and the triggers were constantly being pulled.
"Bang bang bang!!"
Japanese pilots were constantly being hit by machine gun shells in mid-air, their bodies instantly disintegrating into a cloud of blood mist.
They didn't even have a chance to land before they died in mid-air.
On the city wall of Huoqiu County, Ogizu Rikihei and Tani Hisao were clinging to the battlements, craning their necks to look at the distant sky.
Both men were extremely anxious, desperately waiting for the arrival of the air force, which was their only hope.
Finally, dense black dots appeared on the distant horizon, which were Japanese fighter planes and bombers.
"They're here! They're finally here!" Ogizu Rippei exclaimed as he looked at the formation of aircraft on the horizon, his heart finally at ease.
But in the next second, his pupils contracted sharply as he clearly saw several fighter jets in the formation suddenly explode into fireballs in the air and plummet straight to the ground.
It seemed that something unseen was attacking their fighter jets relentlessly.
Tani Hisao also witnessed this scene, and the joy on his face instantly froze, but he still forced himself to remain composed and stubbornly said:
"It should be the enemy's air defense forces firing; it's not a big problem."
"Once the fighter jets destroy these Chinese air defense positions, everything will be back on track."
His words were resolute, but his hand gripping the battlements had unconsciously tightened.
Only he himself knew how much of that statement was meant for Ogishu Rippei, and how much was meant to encourage himself.
Looking at the sky where the sounds of explosions still echoed in the distance, Ogisu Ritsuhei took a deep breath of the gunpowder-scented air and said in a hoarse voice, "I hope so."
Finally, we solemnly recommend this book to you: "You Were Asked to Guard Sihang Warehouse, and You Led a German-Equipped Division," available here. The first wave of Japanese bombers staggered into their designated bombing area.
However, this time was a full half hour later than the previously scheduled attack time.
On a rapidly changing battlefield, half an hour is enough to change a lot of things.
It is enough for an elite force to complete the ambush deployment, and enough for a meticulously planned attack to completely deviate from its intended course.
Ogishu Rippei and Tani Hisao stared intently at the formation of planes on the horizon, counting them up to about twenty.
The expectation on their faces vanished instantly, replaced by undisguised astonishment and unease.
Ogisu Rippei spoke first, his voice trembling uncontrollably:
"Is that all? Weren't they supposed to be deploying hundreds of fighter jets? Were they all repelled by enemy air defenses on the outskirts?"
Beads of cold sweat trickled down Tani Hisao's forehead. He gripped the military sword at his waist, pondered for a long time, and then gritted his teeth and said:
"The situation is definitely not right, but the offensive can't be delayed any longer. Have these bombers immediately begin bombarding the enemy's tank units!"
Ogishu Rippei knew that things had come to this point, and there was no turning back.
They had no way out and could only grit their teeth and continue.
"Alright, I guess I'll just have to give it a try."
He responded softly, his gaze once again turning to the distant sky.
The explosions there never stopped; the deafening roars continued, and shells exploded into fireballs in the air.
Under somewhat hasty orders, the Japanese bomber group finally completed its first wave of bombing.
Bombs whistled as they crashed down on the Third Column's position, kicking up clouds of dust and debris.
The Japanese ground troops, who were already prepared at their starting positions, launched a full-scale attack as soon as their commander waved his sword forward.
The deafening roar of tank and armored vehicle engines filled the air as infantrymen, rifles in hand, surged forward behind the vehicles.
The bombing by Japanese bombers did indeed cause some losses to the tank units of the Third Column.
This was almost expected.
However, compared to their previous expectations of carpet bombing by hundreds of fighter jets, the damage caused by the munitions dropped by these twenty bombers was far too limited.
They couldn't even manage to inflict a substantial blow on the Third Column's defenses.
Before the smoke from the aerial bombardment had even cleared, the vanguard of the Japanese army had already stormed into the forward positions of the Third Column.
They saw burning tanks, trucks, and motorcycles on the field, as well as the bodies of several Third Column soldiers.
This scene instantly boosted the confidence of the advancing Japanese ground troops.
Everyone felt that the air strikes had indeed been very effective.
What puzzled them was that they encountered no resistance as they advanced deeper into the Third Column's position.
It was as if the opposing troops had truly been completely crushed in the bombing.
The Japanese troops advanced five kilometers without any resistance.
Just when they thought victory was in their grasp, a sharp whistling sound suddenly shattered the silence of the battlefield.
"Whoosh whoosh!!!!"
It was the large-caliber artillery of the Third Column Artillery Detachment that launched a full-coverage fire attack on the advancing Japanese troops.