Early in the morning, at the Xiaoshan base, Liu Yalou and Zhang Yourong walked out of the cave. The two of them faced the morning light in the east, looked at the spacious runway and asked, "Commander, what is the situation at the headquarters, the runway is removed from the camouflage and the base is deliberately exposed." "Such a huge project can be seen clearly as long as the Japanese reconnaissance plane flies into the sky. The purpose of the headquarters was to let the Japanese know that there was a cave airfield, and it was intentional. "The purpose of the headquarters is to coordinate the overall situation, and it is difficult to break out a large-scale air battle with the Japanese army?" Zhang Yourong was puzzled when he heard this.

"Exposing the Dongku airfield is the suggestion of the Chief of the General Staff. The purpose is to attract the attention of the outside world, and at the same time attract the attention of the Japanese army. In fact, what Liu Yalou didn't know was that Ouyang Jian's real purpose was to attract the attention of the Americans, and strive to let the Flying Tigers enter here before the outbreak of the Pacific War. If the Flying Tigers are stationed at the Xiaoshan base, the fighters of the Eighth Route Army can serve as a cover mission. Once the Flying Tigers' record attracts attention, the Americans' attention will definitely attract the Xiaoshan base.

From Zhang Yourong's confusion, Liu Yalou knew in his heart that it was indeed incomprehensible to easily expose the base, but the deployment of the headquarters could not be explained. "Commander Zhang, perhaps the headquarters thinks that after shooting down the Japanese reconnaissance plane, the secret of the base will be exposed, and the accurate location of the base will soon be found with the capabilities of the Japanese army. Rather than this, it is better to follow the trend and let the Japanese attack. "Commander, if the Japanese army discovers the base, we are bound to go all out, which means that an air battle with the Japanese army cannot be avoided." "Maybe the headquarters is just that."

Zhang Yourong said: "But we are a newly formed air team, and we do not have any experience in air combat. Aerial fighting is not a battle of bravery, but a contest of strength between the two sides. "Commander Zhang, only through brutal aerial combat can the air athletes of the Eighth Route Army grow up, we must go through it, and this is also the decision of the headquarters. You can only grow stronger in battle, even at a huge cost. ”

On this morning, at Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport, the atmosphere of the battle was very tense. Flight Team Leader Shigeru Oshima led 20 fighters to cover two reconnaissance planes, and took off in dense air and headed straight for Fujian. At a certain high point in Wuyi Mountain, two soldiers in a bunker, holding binoculars and seemingly carelessly, looked at the northern sky. Suddenly, there was a roar in the northern sky. "Enemy aircraft spotted!" A soldier reacted quickly, and a group of planes appeared in the northern airspace, which made the soldiers on the lookout nervous. "In the direction of 12 o'clock, 20 fighters and two reconnaissance planes appeared, and immediately reported to the base!" One observation post shouted smartly, and the other subconsciously shook the handle of the telephone.

As soon as the two of them walked into the cave, an operational staff officer came to report: "Report to the commander, the Wuyishan observation post reported that 20 Japanese fighters covered two reconnaissance planes and came straight to the direction of the base. "Commander, are our fighters taking to the skies to meet the enemy?" Zhang Yourong shouted loudly. "Fighter jets are on standby, ready to take to the skies at any time!" Liu Yalou turned to the combat staff officer and said, "Order the anti-aircraft artillery regiment to enter the battle preparations and strike at the invading enemy!" A few minutes later, the air raid sirens at the base sounded mournfully.

Shigeru Oshima led the group to appear in the airspace of Xiaoshan, and the obvious outline of the cave on the ground revealed clues. Shigeru Oshima flew around the base and determined that this was the secret cave of the Communist Party in Fujian, and immediately ordered the reconnaissance plane to lower its altitude to reconnoiter and take pictures. Shigeru Oshima believed that the enemy was unaware at this time, and the key was that he ignored the anti-aircraft fire on the ground. Two reconnaissance aircraft quickly reduced altitude, and taking clear pictures was a must. The secret communist base was visible from a bird's-eye view, and the pilots of the two reconnaissance planes may have been overly excited, or perhaps they were eager to make meritorious contributions and lost their vigilance.

Suddenly, a fire snake erupted from the ground, and the two reconnaissance planes realized that it was not good, and immediately pulled up the nose of the plane in a panic. However, due to paralysis of thought, the fact that the altitude was lowered too low, and the fact that one reconnaissance plane was engrossed in aerial photography, was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Under heavy artillery fire, the Japanese reconnaissance plane was smashed into a ball of fire in the air, and the pilot did not have time to parachute before the fuselage exploded in the air.

Another reconnaissance plane, which lowered its altitude a little slower, escaped a catastrophe. In the face of a sudden attack by the ground anti-aircraft plane, the Japanese reconnaissance plane quickly climbed to the limit of anti-aircraft artillery fire. The Japanese reconnaissance plane had no choice but to take a set of photos at high altitude and hurriedly returned home.

Shigeru Oshima watched as a reconnaissance plane was shot down, but there was nothing he could do. According to the convention, if an enemy plane is found to be attacking, why does the opposing fighter not take to the air to fight? The enemy was afraid to take to the skies to fight, and Shigeru Oshima believed that the enemy planes were cowardly. The task of the fighter is to cover the reconnaissance plane, and the fighter poses little threat to ground facilities, so Oshima Shigeru is very depressed and can only watch the ground artillery bombardment, and there is nothing he can do.

At the headquarters of the Japanese Army in Nanjing, Nishio Shouzo was silent with aerial photos in his hand. Chief of Staff Ita Yokoshiro said: "Your Excellency, the reconnaissance plane has found the secret cave of the Communist Party very easily, and the scale of the cave from the air is very large. Although the effect of aerial photography is not satisfactory, it can be seen that the secret cave of the Communist Party is the appearance. ”

"It is not difficult to see through aerial photography that the scale of the Communist Party's cave warehouse is very large, with two runways, two caves, and 200 fighters parked, which is by no means a day's work. The Communist Party's cave base is impossible to present in a scale that has not been excavated in a few years, and it seems that the Communist Party has already planned something. I ordered the Hongqiao Airport Army Aviation Brigade to concentrate all its forces and be sure to blow up the communist's cave runway, so that the communist fighters could not fly into the sky. Nishio Shouzo believes that there is nothing to be afraid of the Communist Party's Dongku Airport. As long as the runway is blown up, the communist fighter jets are decorations.

Ruijin Eighth Route Army Headquarters, Peng Dehuai said: According to the report of Liu Yalou of the Xiaoshan base, the Japanese army has discovered the exact location of the base and is estimated to launch a large-scale air raid tomorrow. Zhu De said: "Chairman, we have a limited number of fighters, and we may not be able to afford to consume them!" Runzhi walked a few steps with a solemn expression: "Lao Jiang's official appointment of the number of the Independent Flying Regiment of the Eighth Route Army is by no means targeted. If we don't make a move, Lao Jiang will make a fuss about it, saying that we preserve our strength, which is one of them. ”

Runzhi continued: "Chief of General Staff Ouyang judges that the Japanese army will be particularly contemptuous psychologically for the Eighth Route Army Air Force, maybe this is an opportunity to strike at the Japanese army. Runzhi took a few steps and waved his hand decisively, as if he had made up his mind.

"We can take advantage of the paralysis of the Japanese army and strike hard. If we inflict heavy damage on the Japanese Air Force, it will cast a shadow in the heart of the proud Japanese Air Force, which will be crucial for future air battles. Third, exposing the Xiaoshan base was done on purpose by us in order to arouse the attention of the Americans. Our aim is to station the Flying Tigers' bomber fleet at the Xiaoshan base, which is particularly important. In the face of the Japanese fighters, we must pay with all our might, the price is unavoidable, but the price can be exchanged for valuable air combat experience and a favorable situation, it is completely worth it! ”

"The chairman's analysis is correct, we must compete with the Japanese army in the air, I think it is imperative!" Peng Dehuai agreed. Zhu Dedao: "I don't have an opinion either, but I strictly ordered Liu Yalou that the air combat area must be within our range, so as to avoid the loss of pilots." "Since the chairman and the boss have the same opinion, I will immediately issue a combat order to Liu Yalou." Peng Dehuai picked up the phone. Runzhidao: "Mr. Zhu, you should send a report to Chief of Staff Ouyang and ask him if he has any suggestions!" ”

The next morning, the Japanese Hongqiao Airport was very busy. After the combat order was issued, the Japanese army dispatched 10 bombers for the first attack and 30 fighters from two flight groups to escort the attack. When the roar of the airport stopped, the formation of planes in the sky flew southward with a roar.

Shigeru Oshima was a little embarrassed, and he was not worried at all. He believes that it is not necessary to dispatch 30 fighters, because the enemy planes will certainly not be dispatched, and as for the effectiveness of the bombing, it depends on the bombers' capabilities. Shigeru Oshima had this idea, and so did the other Japanese pilots.

At this time, the terrible sound of sirens sounded over the Xiaoshan base, and the air defense units reacted the fastest and took the lead in entering combat preparations. The fighters in the cave were already in a state of imminent battle, and after receiving the order to attack, the pilots ran to their respective fighters. The news from the Wuyishan lookout post was timely and accurate, and the enemy planes dispatched 10 bombers and 30 fighters. According to the number of enemy planes dispatched, Liu Yalou decided to dispatch 40 fighters to meet the enemy with all his might.

In order to quickly get into the air, the doors of the two caves are all opened, and the fighters of the other cave are alternate. At the Xiaoshan base, the fighter plane took to the air for the first time, and the inner tension of the commander Liu Yalou and the flight regiment commander Zhang Yourong did not need to be described. At this time, the two stood outside the cave and watched the fighter plane take off.

Tie Ning led 8 fighters of his squadron to take the lead in attacking in the No. 1 cave, and 8 fighters of the 2nd squadron attacked in the No. 2 cave. Tie Ning climbed into the cockpit of the plane and skillfully operated it, and when the engine sounded, the hangar door slowly opened. Tie Ning pushed the joystick, and the fighter began to slide. After about 20 minutes, the second fighter began to taxi. The scene of the fighter planes ascending into the sky was very spectacular, and Tie Ning piloted the plane to hover in the sky, and immediately after the formation of the unit, it went north to meet the enemy. The 2nd squadron was also not lagging behind, and almost simultaneously roared north