Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 842 The Battle of Smolensk: The Mighty Taishan Air-Bomb Establishes its Prestige

A Soviet technician named Boris walked up to Fang Wen's Yak-1 fighter jet and looked Fang Wen up and down as he got off the plane.

"Commander, I've been maintaining number 17 all along. I just finished a full overhaul yesterday, checking the fuel system, electrical system, engine, and weapon mounting. Everything is normal, and there are no faults."

"Obey orders." The team leader glared at the technician, forcing him to reluctantly cooperate with Fang Wen.

He asked, "Mr. Fang, do you think there's a problem there?"

Soviets can be stubborn at times, especially when they believe they are right.

Fang Wen did not engage in pointless arguments with him. Pre-battle preparations were extremely important, and verbal disputes were far less convincing than direct, concrete evidence.

He explained the situation directly.

"It should be the engine. I'll start the engine first."

After speaking, Fang Wen boarded the aircraft cockpit and completed a series of operations, including powering on, supplying fuel, and adjusting the air vents.

The next second, the Yak-1's piston engine roared to life, and a tremendous roar instantly filled the entire enclosed hangar.

He stood up from the cockpit and said to Boris, who still looked displeased, "Listen carefully."

Boris suppressed his inner resistance, walked to the front of the engine, and listened carefully to its roar.

At first, it sounded normal, but after only half a minute, he gradually noticed something was wrong: when the engine was running at high speed, there was a very subtle, intermittent, muffled noise mixed in with the originally steady and deep sound. The frequency was very fast and it was easily ignored in the roar.

Boris's professional instincts, honed from years of working with aircraft engines, instantly made his expression turn serious.

He immediately took out a steel bar.

This is a tool used by technicians to inspect engines; it's called a listening rod.

Boris places one end of a steel rod against the cylinder and crankcase area, and the other end against his cheekbone, relying on solid-state sound transmission to detect internal knocking, detonation, and abnormal noises, thereby checking for carbon buildup, valve malfunctions, and bearing wear.

Ten minutes later, he put down the listening rod and said in surprise, "There should be carbon buildup inside the combustion chamber and a blockage in the exhaust passage, which will cause incomplete combustion under high load."

“That’s right.” Fang Wen jumped out of the fighter jet and added calmly, “The impact on normal cruise flight is negligible, which is why your static inspection failed to detect the problem. But tomorrow is an air combat mission. The fighter jet needs to climb, dive, and use extreme afterburners frequently. The engine will be working at full load for a long time, and carbon buildup will drastically increase the risk of overheating, cylinder failure, and a precipitous drop in power. If the engine stalls during dogfighting, the pilot will not even have a chance to eject.”

Realizing the seriousness of the problem, Boris stopped being stubborn and immediately apologized: "I'm sorry, I overlooked this dynamic hazard. Comrade Fang, we will begin repairs immediately."

Boris then prepared to disassemble the engine cowling, intake manifold, and combustion chamber components; Fang Wen also joined them in the repair work.

Carbon deposits are mainly found on the cylinder walls and exhaust valves. The carbon deposits are hard and cannot be removed by force. They first use a special softening solvent to soak the stains, and then use an ultra-fine abrasive scraper to clean them little by little. They are very careful throughout the process, for fear of damaging the delicate inner walls of the engine.

The entire maintenance process took nearly two hours, and the two workers completed their work as the sun set.

After reassembly, debugging, and a second ignition test, the engine noise disappeared, the exhaust was smooth and stable, and the power output reached its peak.

At that moment, Commander Chkalovich arrived at the hangar and asked, "How is it?"

Boris honestly replied, "There was a problem with the plane; there was carbon buildup inside the engine, but we worked on it together."

The group leader couldn't help but laugh and said, "He is Fang Wen from Taishan Airlines. He designs and manufactures airplanes himself. You are far inferior to him."

Boris nodded awkwardly in acknowledgment, picked up his toolbox, said goodbye to Fang Wen, and left.

After he left, the group leader said to Fang Wen, "I'll take you to dinner."

Fang Wen was also hungry, so he followed the battalion commander out of the hangar.

All the Soviet pilots were heading in the same direction: the military mess hall at the airport.

The military mess hall at Vnukovo Airport is simple and plain, without any superfluous decorations. The walls are mottled and yellowed, and there are more than ten long wooden dining tables inside.

The canteen was filled with pilots and ground crew, their conversations rising and falling, all revolving around the fierce battle on the Smolensk front.

On the table were black bread, stewed meat broth, sliced ​​lemons, and pickles.

People who haven't eaten yet have to line up to get food.

Fang Wen was no exception, holding a plate and standing in line.

When he arrived, he picked up a large, hard piece of rye bread, a small dish of pickled cucumbers, and a bowl of warm beetroot soup.

The chef glanced at him and placed a piece of butter on his plate.

Fang Wen carried the plate away from the group, looking for a place to sit. In the distance, the group leader waved to him: "Here."

Fang Wen walked over. At this table, besides the regimental commander, there was Ivan and three training pilots.

It was clearly a special arrangement made by the commander of the air regiment.

Fang Wen sat down, broke open the black bread, and ate it with the meat broth.

Ivan, standing nearby, whispered, "The situation is tense right now, and supplies are under control. This kind of meal is already considered pretty good in Moscow."

"It tastes good," Fang Wen replied, taking big bites of his food.

After he finished eating, Air Regiment Commander Chkalovich, with a serious expression, said in a deep voice: "Tomorrow's mission is extremely difficult. This air raid is divided into two major combat groups. Our 34th Fighter Aviation Regiment belongs to Combat Group A, and our main target is the German armored group that is heading south from Vitebsk to launch a surprise attack on the northern outskirts of Smolensk."

He paused, then continued, "Operation Group B will launch simultaneous air strikes, targeting tank units advancing north from Rogachev and Mogilev towards southern Smolensk. The aim is to disrupt their armored penetration offensive. To protect their main attack force, the Germans will inevitably deploy a large number of Bf-109 fighters to intercept them. The scale of the air battle will be considerable, the entire battlefield will be extremely chaotic, and all participants will be in great danger."

After saying that, he looked at Fang Wen: "The new airburst missiles equipped on your fighter jets are currently our means of countering the German air superiority. Since you say that this missile is very effective in swarm air combat, I hope you can show us actual results tomorrow to dispel everyone's doubts."

Fang Wen finished the last mouthful of broth, swallowed the food in his mouth, and said calmly, "Okay, but I have one condition."

“Go ahead,” Chekalovic said.

“My five-man combat team must be commanded by me independently during combat, and you are not allowed to interfere.” Fang Wen looked at the other party and explained, “The tactics of airburst bombs are completely different from traditional close-quarters dogfights. The margin for error is extremely low. Everyone must be in unison and follow the same instructions. Once they fight separately, not only will they be unable to take advantage of the weapon, but they will also waste precious ammunition and even cause unnecessary casualties.”

Chkalovich nodded: "That makes sense. I'll provide your group with your own dedicated encrypted communication channel, while also connecting you to the air regiment's public channel. This way, you can execute tactics independently and receive real-time instructions from across the army."

After dinner, as night deepened, the pilots left the mess hall one by one.

Fang Wen and his group returned to the hangar and, by the dim light of kerosene lamps, gathered around a simple aviation map spread out on the ground to finalize their tactics.

All personnel are strictly prohibited from using close-range dogfighting tactics. Instead, all personnel should focus on airburst bombs and implement a new combat mode of "long-range prediction, advance airspace blockade, and layered interception".

After the discussion, the three pilots suggested that Fang Wen go to the dormitory to sleep, where a room had already been arranged.

Fang Wen did not agree to this and instead chose to spend the night in the hangar.

He brought a sleeping bag in his luggage, so he didn't need to prepare a special place to rest.

Another reason is body odor.

He had already endured the strong body odor while eating in the cafeteria, so he figured the smell in the dormitory must be just as pungent. It would be much more comfortable to be in the hangar.

The next morning, as dawn broke through the morning mist, a sharp and urgent assembly whistle suddenly shattered the silence of the airport.

In an instant, the once silent airport came alive. The doors of the barracks were pushed open one after another, and pilots in blue flight suits quickly walked out, ran to the tarmac, and lined up neatly.

Fang Wen led Ivan and three other pilots, standing alone in a row.

At the head of the column, Chkalovich's gaze swept over all the pilots lined up, and he shouted in Russian: "Comrades, the ground defenses on the Smolensk front are holding out desperately. The German armored forces are closing in, and countless comrades are sacrificing their lives every day. Our only mission today is to break through the German fighter interception, destroy the enemy armored forces, and hold the western gate of Moscow!" "For the Soviets!"

"For communism!"

The unified shouts echoed throughout the airport.

After a brief pre-battle pep talk, Chkalovich immediately gave the order to board the plane.

"All pilots, board immediately and take off in order of number, maintaining standard formation spacing."

The twenty-two pilots quickly dispersed and boarded their respective fighter jets.

For a moment, the roar of engines echoed throughout the entire tarmac, deafeningly loud.

One after another, Yak-1 fighter jets taxied and took off.

Fang Wen led the five-machine special operations team to take off last, trailing behind the diamond-shaped team.

The aircraft flew toward Smolensk, 400 kilometers to the west.

More than forty minutes later, the aircraft flew over the last hilly area, and the entire battlefield of Smolensk came into view.

Even though he had prepared himself mentally, Fang Wen was still shocked by the horrific scene before him.

The vast plains below were already devastated. The withered grass was riddled with craters from the artillery fire, and broken trees, burned villages, and abandoned tank wreckage were scattered everywhere.

Soviet and German ground forces were engaged in a fierce offensive along the Dnieper River, with artillery fire intertwined into a dense network of firepower, explosions resounding continuously, and billowing black smoke rising into the sky, obscuring half the horizon.

Meanwhile, thousands of meters above the ground, the aerial battle had already begun.

Fighter jets kept crashing down, trailing long plumes of black smoke, as enemy and friendly aircraft chased and engaged in dogfights.

The appearance of the 22 fighter planes of the Soviet air regiment to which Fang Wen belonged instantly attracted the attention of the German air force.

The next second, twenty light gray Bf-109F2 fighter jets suddenly swooped down from the distant sky.

The German warplanes were divided into four five-plane squadrons, arranged in an arrowhead formation, and flew at high speed from different directions diagonally above the Soviet formation, intending to divide and tear apart the Soviet flight formation and annihilate them one by one.

Commander Chkalovich's voice came through the air regiment's communication channel.

"Squad Six, now it's up to you whether your airburst bombs can work a miracle."

Fang Wen's voice came through the channel: "Received. All members of Squad Six, switch to combat channel. All personnel, listen to my instructions. Separate positions. 14 and 19, climb to 3600. 6 and 9, descend to 2800. Heading southwest 23."

Under his command, the five fighter jets quickly adjusted their positions.

Originally flying at a horizontal altitude, Squadron Six changed to a three-dimensional flight attitude, broke away from the formation of the air regiment, and flew towards the German aircraft group.

The German pilots could not understand why five fighter planes would be sent out to intercept 20 German fighter planes.

在他们看来，20架bf-109f2战机对付22架雅克1战机，有绝对胜算。

This confidence stems not only from the aircraft's performance advantages but also from the skill gap among the pilots themselves.

Not to mention the five fighter jets that came to their deaths.

Just as they were preparing to destroy Squad Six, led by Fang Wen.

At this moment, Fang Wen, who was in the main position at the very center of the team formation, activated his superpowers.

The wind speed, cloud thickness, enemy aircraft speed, altitude, and predicted flight path of the entire airspace were all transformed into precise data and clearly presented in his mind.

In just two seconds, he accurately pinpointed the flight path of the four German squads and determined the best airspace for interception.

"Attention all personnel, all aircraft loaded with airburst bombs, unlock safety devices in advance, and increase pitch angle by three degrees. Two aircraft at high position, drop bombs targeting enemy aircraft's dive routes; two groups at low position, block the enemy aircraft's flank evasive airspace, ten bombs per aircraft."

"Three seconds left in the countdown! Three, two, one, launch!"

Five fighter jets released a series of black shadows as a total of fifty specially made Taishan airburst bombs were launched through the airborne launch tubes and dispersed towards the target airspace according to the preset trajectory.

Relying on the delayed fuse device, all the munitions did not directly contact the enemy aircraft to explode, but were detonated simultaneously at key evasive points in front of, behind, to the sides of the German aircraft group.

In an instant, a series of explosions occurred high in the sky.

White, lingering dust, fine fragments, and flashes of light instantly filled nearly two square kilometers of airspace, forming a massive fog-like barrier with four horizontal partitions.

A blinding white light swept across the entire combat zone, and the high-speed German fighter plane crashed headlong into the thick white fog.

The German pilot, who was diving at high speed, instantly lost control.

The intense flash of light briefly blinded the eye, the dense white dust obscured all vision, and the engine's air intake pipe was blocked by dust, causing a sharp drop in efficiency.

The randomly spreading fragments continued to strike the fighter jet's skin, and some of the aircraft's wings and tail were scratched by the fragments, causing the fuselage to shake violently.

The four German squads, which had been working in perfect harmony, were thrown into disarray in an instant.

Unable to determine the positions of friendly and enemy aircraft after losing sight of them, the pilots could only frantically pull back on the stick to adjust their attitude and try to escape the airspace.

The previously orderly offensive rhythm completely collapsed, and two fighter jets even collided in mid-air due to deviation from their course.

In almost twenty seconds, all German warplanes were forced to abandon their attack and fly erratically in the fog, attempting to leave the barrier airspace.

Upon seeing this, the regimental commander was overjoyed and picked up the microphone of the Taishan radio device to give a loud order.

“We hunted them down outside the smoke zone.”

Under his command, 17 Yak-1 fighters collectively lowered their noses and, taking advantage of the excellent window created by the airburst bombs, launched an attack on the German fighters who were fleeing in disarray from the white fog and whose formation had collapsed.

At this point, the German aircraft were riddled with weaknesses; the pilots' vision had not fully recovered, the aircraft's attitude had not been leveled, and they had no teammates, making them completely incapable of organizing effective defense and coordinated operations. Soviet pilots, relying on their numerical superiority, surrounded and shot down lone enemy aircraft, their cannons roaring, the fire piercing the sky.

In just three minutes of engagement, three Bf-109F2s that were unable to evade the fire were hit by artillery fire.

The first fighter jet's wing was broken off, causing it to tumble uncontrollably in the air and plummet to the ground; the second jet's cockpit was hit, killing the pilot instantly; the third jet's engine was punctured, billowing thick smoke, leaving the pilot with no choice but to eject.

The remaining German warplanes also flew out of the smoke area, but most of their engines malfunctioned, and the morale of the entire crew collapsed.

Originally outnumbered by four times, the German forces lost five aircraft in an instant. The unprecedented airborne explosive weapons and the eerie white barrier completely shattered the psychological defenses of the German pilots.

Therefore, the remaining fighter jets ceased their interception mission, dispersed, climbed to higher altitudes, abandoned the engagement, and withdrew at full speed to the western rear airspace.

The air regiment commander did not order a pursuit. High-altitude chases are extremely costly, and the core mission of this operation was not to destroy enemy aircraft, but to bomb German armored forces.

Chkalovic said in a deep voice over the public channel: "Everyone, regroup and continue with the original mission!"

After a brief reorganization, the Soviet air regiment's 22 fighter jets completely broke through the German high-altitude interception line, which had been heavily deployed, becoming the only Soviet attack aircraft group to break through the German air force blockade and successfully reach the target area over Smolensk that day.

Below, large German armored units are crossing the flat plains and advancing towards the outer positions of Smolensk.

(Map of the Battle of Smolensk) (End of Chapter)