Although the winter in the south is not as cold as in the north, it is also very cold after the humid climate, so when Yuan Shikai went south, he accompanied the Beiyang Army with enough winter clothes. When the Beiyang officer saw the plane approaching, he scolded and walked slowly towards a bunker. Since the Beiyang Army retreated to Wuchang, not only the artillery of the National Social Army, but even the Air Force often flew over to patronize, and over time, the people of the Beiyang Army also knew a lot about aircraft―――――― after all, they always flew to their heads, didn't they?

It's like one veteran said.

"Don't look at the rampant flying of these planes, we really can't do anything about them, but they don't really play a role other than reconnaissance. Those grenades? It's quite scary to look at, but ten grenades tied together are not as powerful as a 75mm shell, and there is nothing to do when the plane comes by. ”

That's right, 10 grenades bundled together are only one kilogram of TNT, which can only be said to be more powerful than a 37mm infantry gun, and a 75mm caliber mountain artillery field gun weighs 5 or 6 kg even the lightest.

A 75mm mountain and field artillery shell will not be in any danger as long as it is not directly hit, and what can a cluster grenade with a charge of less than one kilogram count?

Wait until two Ilya? When the flight formation of Muromets bombers and six Gaudron planes flew above the officer's head, the Beiyang officer had already walked slowly into an air defense point piled out of sandbags.

Don't look at this air defense point is piled up with sandbags, and the space inside is very small, but the protective layer composed of sandbags is absolutely enough if it is only used to defend against cluster grenades―――――― but the question is what if it is used to defend against 100 kg aerial bombs?

"Today is a clear sky, and it's a good weather for flying." At an altitude of two thousand meters, as Ilya? Muromets bomber captain German instructor Maximilien. Schmolin laughed at the rest of the crew on the bomber. "Lin, Qin, when you aim there, you press the button."

Honestly, when Ilya? When Muromets was assembled, Schmolin did not even believe that the plane could fly into the sky. After all, compared to other "petite" aircraft, Ilya? Muromets is simply too big. But when Ilya? When Muromets was taken into the sky with a 4-seater engine, Schmering was the most excited one, after all, it was really exciting to be able to fly such a behemoth as a pilot―――――― if there was no nasty Russian on the plane?!

Germany was the leader of the Central Powers, and Russia was the main member of the Entente, and the two camps were in a state of hostility, and it was only natural that the Germans hated the Russians, not to mention that the Russians were now putting great pressure on Germany on the Eastern Front.

The Russian giant, known as the "steam steamroller", bewitched Europe like a magician, and on the chessboard of military planning, Russia was regarded as a behemoth because of its size. Although it was humiliated and embarrassed in the First World War, France and England felt relieved and emboldened when they remembered the Russian "steamroller"; And the Germans, fearful of the Slavs behind them, were so worried that they could not sleep.

Although the Russian Army has many shortcomings and a bad reputation. Although it was the Russian winter, not the Russian Army, that drove Napoleon out of Moscow. Although in the Crimean War, the Russian Army suffered defeat from France and Britain on its own soil. Although Turkey had defeated the Russians in the Battle of Pleven in 1877, they were later defeated due to disparity. Although Ben had already defeated the Russian army in Manchuria, the myth of the invincibility of the Russian army still circulated for a while. The Cossack cavalry charged, murderous, and brutal so much that in August 1914 the artists of the press were able to paint such a picture with chilling precision from thousands of miles away on the Russian front. The idea has been formed of the Russian [***] team, that is, the Cossacks plus the millions of strong, tame and obedient gray cattle that are not afraid of being exhausted. The Russian army is staggeringly large, with a standing strength of 1,423,000 men, which can be increased by 3,115,000 once mobilized and called up. In addition, there is a local army of 2 million men and a reserve force that can be conscripted, so that the total number of troops available can reach a staggering 6.5 million.

――――――Of course, we all know that Russia is not as terrible as it seems, but Europeans are not aware of this. Moreover, the Russians did not do so badly in the European War, at least when it came to the Austrians and Turks, although this had to do with the fact that they were worse than the Russians...

In any case, before the myth of the steamroller was shattered, the Germans still attached great importance to the Russians, which also made the German-born Schmolin very hostile to the Russians who served as sightseers in the cabin...

In the cabin, Sikorsky's assistant Semyonov, although he was well aware of Schmering's hostility, still looked down on Wuchang on the ground with great interest.

Ilya of Sikorsky? Muromets was going to surpass any of his contemporaries, and Semenov naturally knew this. But Ilya? Whether Muromets can be competent in actual combat is something that neither Sikorsky nor Semyonov is confident in.

After all, although the clouds of war are now in Europe, there is still no real war after all, and Sikorsky and his team will not be able to fly to Germany with a plane to drop bombs―――――― if Sikorsky really dares to do this, he will definitely be handed over by the Russian political axe the next day.

So before leaving, Semenov and Sikorsky had already discussed, in two Ilya? After Muromets arrived, if the Chinese surnamed Yan only used him to train pilots or disassemble and study the airframe, then Semenov would return to Russia as soon as possible. After all, after receiving large sums of money, Sikorsky was already ready to fight against Ilya? Muromets carried out a large-scale upgrade, and at this time Semenov, the assistant, had to be present to help.

But if the warlord surnamed Yan after the assembly will take Ilya? Muromets bombers are used in real combat, so Semenov has to find a way to mix in the plane, and then watch Ilya? How effective is Muromets's real combat.

This is another reason why Schmerin will not like Semyonov, although Schmerin is a German, but after living in China for more than two years, Schmerin has come to think of China as a second homeland. In fact, not only Schmering, but also other German officials and engineers, such as Sunil, who was the first to come to China and the first to follow Yan Guang, has even become a Chinese citizen. So when Schmerin learned that Semyonov got on the plane just to see Ilya? After Muromets's actual combat effect, Schmuling instinctively disliked the Russian, and at this time, with the relationship between Germany and Russia, Schmering looked at the Russian even more unpleasantly.

However, although Smallin did not like Semyonov, Semyonov did not take Smallin's hostility to heart. For Semyonov, the flight was just to see Ilya? How effective Muromets will be, when the tests are over, he will have to wait for the passenger ship to embark on the journey back to Russia...

"However, I didn't expect that what Mikhail said was not nonsense, the Chinese surnamed Yan was indeed very strange..."

Although Semyonov did not visit Sichuan, Yan Guang's obviously different behavior from the Chinese in this era still left a deep impression on Semyonov, as well as those armies that could be called second-rate in Europe in Semenov's opinion. By the way, in Semenov's opinion, the Russian Army is first-class, on a par with Britain and France, Austria-Hungary, Ottomans and Italy are second-rate, those who are not ranked in Europe are third-rate, and the German Army is super-first-class―――――― British and French's greatest expectations for Russia are only in those gray animals who are hard-working and not afraid of death, as for the quality of the Russian Army? Ha~ha~ha~ha~

Just as Semenov was thinking this, the flight formation had already flown directly above Wuchang City.

"Sir, I'm ready here."

In the cabin, Qin Shan, who was specially responsible for observation, said loudly.

"Good." In Jean Ilya? After Murometz flew more smoothly, Schmolin said to Lin Xihong, who was in charge of dropping the bomb. "Lin, wait for Qin's order."

"Understood." Saying that, Lin Xihong put her finger on the button, Ilya? Muromets was the first aircraft in the world to use an electric bombardier, which was used in conjunction with bombing sights to carry out bombing missions with accuracy and convenience.

After Lin Xihong signaled that he understood, Qin Shan, who was using the bombing sight, counted down.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1, bomb!"

After hearing the word bomb, Lin Xihong pressed the button.

Despite a slight delay, the magazine in the belly of the bomber was quickly opened, and the four 100-kilogram bombs mounted in the magazine also quickly fell to the ground.

After noticing the actions of the Schmolin crew, another Ilya? The crew on the Muromets also followed closely to drop the bombs on the plane―――――― this time Schmerin they did not have a special combat mission, so they could drop the bombs wherever they wanted.

(Imagine for yourself the sound of the bomb falling...) ）

When 8 aerial bombs and dozens of cluster grenades were dropped, the Beiyang soldiers, who had already hidden themselves in the air defense point, did not notice anything wrong, but soon...

"Boom..."

The Beiyang officer who was hiding behind the sandbag just now thought that the bombing would end soon, so he was ready to go out while hiding behind the sandbag. But just when the explosion sounded much more violently than usual, he suddenly felt a breath of air coming through.

"This..."

Before he could feel anything, the officer saw the part of his body that was up from his chest suddenly flying, while the remaining part was knocked out by the flying sandbag while scattering his internal organs.

"What's going on?"

Why is it that when the explosion is outside and you are inside, the sandbags at the air defense point will not only be blown away by the air flow of the explosion, but even you will become like this?

Before the officer in mid-air could figure it out, he lost all consciousness as he landed on the ground.

In addition to this officer, there were also many other officers and men who hid in the air defense point because of the gap, and after the bombs fell around the air defense points, although not every officer and soldier in Beiyang fell into the same fate as the officers, the vast majority of officers and men were either killed or injured under the power of the bombs.

――――――――――

When they heard the roar of the aircraft engine, Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui didn't take it seriously, because such bombing had to be staged more than a dozen times a day in the past period. In addition, Feng Guozhang and the others are not in the conspicuous Governor's Mansion, but in another inconspicuous headquarters that is also buried deep underground, so Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui don't need to worry about the threat of air raids at all, even if the people of the Guoshe Air Force know where they are, they can't help them, after all, the power of the cluster grenades used by the Guoshe Air Force is too small.

However, not long after, Feng Guozhang, who was hiding in the underground headquarters, first heard an explosion that was different from the past, and then it didn't take long for two or three officers to run in.

"What's going on? Except for what? ”

If it was before Qianjiang, Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui might have reprimanded them when they saw these officers like this, letting them know what it was like for Mount Tai to collapse in front of them without changing their faces.

However, because of the recent series of defeats, Feng and Duan were actually a little flustered when they saw their subordinates like this, for fear of hearing some bad news―――――― for example, after pampering a few concubines, their health suddenly became bad again, and now Yuan Shikai, who is already sick in bed, suddenly went west...

Now Wuchang's Beiyang Army can not collapse, it is entirely because of the hard work of Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui and the support of Yuan Shikai, a northern strongman, if Yuan Shikai has three longs and two shorts, Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui can only quickly abandon the army and let the family members in Yanjing pack up and go to the lease to dodge...

Fortunately, the officer who ran in was not talking about Yuan Shikai, but about the explosion just now.

"Air raids? Could it be that the Kuomintang sent more than 100 planes this time? ”

Feng Guozhang, who has a somewhat fixed concept of air raids, said that because the power of the cluster grenade is too small, Feng Guozhang once watched the air force bombing when the National Social Army was bombing, so after hearing what the officers said, Feng Guozhang really found it difficult to imagine what was wrong.

However, when the plane of the Air Force left, and Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui also walked out of the underground headquarters―――――― they still didn't see anything~~~

Although Wuchang is not as big as Hankou, it is also the administrative core of Hubei, and it is also a big city with more than 400,000 people.

However, when he walked to the area under the leadership of the officers, looking at the scene in front of him, Feng Guozhang was shocked.

"This is..."

Strictly speaking, the area of damage caused by this air raid was not very large, but the damage in the bombed area was decided. In particular, Wuchang is not a city like Shanghai, Chengdu and Chongqing, which is full of gray buildings, and many remote places are houses made of mud bricks, so when the 8 bombs fell, many bungalows were even blown down by the shock wave caused by the explosion...

Of course, in addition to the large area of buildings that were blown down by the shock wave, the fragments of corpses scattered on the ground were also one of the reasons...

After the defeat in Qianjiang, Hanyang, and Hankou, although the Beiyang Army was greatly reduced, it still at least had the number of more than 100,000 troops, even if a considerable part of them were stationed in other places to prevent the National Social Army from detouring and sneaking attack, but there were still 150,000 Beiyang troops stationed in Wuchang City.

It can be said that Wuchang is already a military fortress today.

In the round of bombing just now, although there were not many people bombed because of the range, almost all of them were Beiyang soldiers (the relationship between the war and the chaos, there were more people who could run, and the number of people who couldn't run was not as many as the soldiers), and most of these soldiers were limbless...

has been in the army for many years, and he has seen all kinds of scenes except for the European war, so after being frightened, Feng Guozhang ignored the scene in front of him and walked to a blown air defense point instead.

This air defense point is the place where the most corpses are located, and the sandbags of the air defense point have been blown away more than ten meters away, but the most amazing thing is that the bomb hit point seems to be ten meters away...

"I remember that the bombs of the National Socialist Army were not so powerful..."

After being bombed for so long, Feng Guozhang still knows the power of cluster grenades very well. A distance of more than ten meters? This distance cluster grenade simply does not pose any threat to the air defense point posed by sandbags. However, looking at the current appearance, the sandbags of this air defense point were blown away, and the soldiers hiding inside were also directly exposed to shrapnel after the sandbags were blown away...

"Shrapnel?"

Feng Guozhang seemed to have thought of something, and after walking to a corpse that looked like it had been chopped into pieces by a large knife, Feng Guozhang found something that looked like shrapnel from an artillery shell...

After carefully observing the shrapnel, Feng Guozhang said to the surrounding officers.

"Are you sure it's not a cannon, it's a bomb?"

In Feng Guozhang's view, the traces of the scene look like they have been bombarded with heavy artillery.

But having said that, Feng Guozhang is also a little strange. That's right, the range of the artillery of the National Social Army is indeed very long, far enough to cover the entire city of Wuchang. In fact, they did this some time ago, but recently they may have been stockpiling ammunition so they stopped shelling, but...

"At least as far as I know, the cannon with the largest caliber in the National Socialist Army is only 150mm, and it is impossible to have such great power..."Indeed, 150mm is already considered a heavy artillery, and the range of 12.5 kilometers can also cover Wuchang, but in terms of power...

Although the lethality of a 150mm caliber heavy gun is almost 30 to 50 meters, he usually talks about the effective killing range of shrapnel, blowing sandbags away at a distance of more than 10 meters? I'm afraid you need a heavy gun with a caliber of more than 210mm, right?

Of course, the National Social Army also has a 210mm caliber heavy artillery, but that is a howitzer, although it is definitely stronger than a 150mm cannon in terms of power, but the range is a bit unsatisfactory, at least the 210mm caliber howitzer can't cover the corners of Wuchang City...

Just when Feng Guozhang was standing there holding the bloodstained shrapnel and confused, several officers who had seen the plane come forward and confirmed.

"My lord, we have seen with our own eyes that these are indeed caused by bombs dropped by planes."

That's right, not only did they see the planes dropping bombs, but they also saw the shock waves from those bombs blowing down all the surrounding buildings, and the flying shrapnel also tore the officers and soldiers who were hiding in the surrounding air defense points to pieces...

This kind of ferocious lethality is the reason why the officers brought Feng Guozhang here.

In their opinion, the air defense points need to be updated, at least for the time being, these air defense points piled up with sandbags must be equal to the bombs of the National Social Army.

After hearing the officer's words, Feng Guozhang didn't believe that they would lie to him in this matter.

What's more, they are not the only ones who saw the bombing, and they can't lie to themselves.

"But it's strange, how can the bombs of the National Socialist Army be so powerful, this is no longer something that heavy artillery can understand, right? Could it be that the 210mm caliber cannon, or the 240 or even 280mm howitzer was also moved by the National Social Army? ”

When he thought of this, Feng Guozhang himself was also a little discolored.

Fortunately, at this time, a Beiyang officer suddenly stood up and said.

"By the way, my lord, the plane of the National Social Army that came this time seems to be a little different...... Well...... It should be said that two of the planes were much larger than the nearby Gaudron planes that used to come to them. As he spoke, the officer ran out of a distance of more than 30 meters and pointed to a small pit on the ground.

"Your Excellency, these are caused by the bombs dropped by those Gao Delong's planes, and the big crater just now was caused by large planes, but there are very few such large planes, only two of the eight planes are large planes, and the rest are Gao Delong..."

In Ilya? After Muromets dropped the bomb, the officer used a telescope to observe the planes in the sky because the bomb was so powerful. That is Ilya, who is much bigger than the Goldron plane? Muromets naturally saw it clearly.

"Isn't it a lot bigger than the planes of the past?"

Now Feng Guozhang figured it out, since the plane is bigger, the bombs that can be carried are naturally a lot bigger...

"Damn, those guys from the National Social Army were already very difficult, but I didn't expect them to get this kind of thing again..."

Look at the deep pit in the ground, only two of them are already like this, if there are dozens of hundred...

Just when Feng Guozhang had a headache for this, Schmerin and Qin Shan and others on the plane were celebrating, and even Semyonov, who looked down on the Chinese, was smiling, after all, just Ilya? Muromets did do a good job.

"But will Iria? Muromets handed over to the Chinese? Was this decision really the right one? ”

Looking at Ilya? The Chinese crew member on Muromets, Semyonov again remembered Mikhacher's words ...

At this time, the Nationalist Army on the other side had also assembled in Hanyang and Hankou respectively, preparing to launch a final attack on the Beiyang Army in Wuchang.

"So, now it's just the cooperation of the division commanders..."

In Wuchang City, Li Yannian said to Li Chun and the others...

(To be continued)