Those were two Nakajima Type 97 reconnaissance fighters.

The Nakajima Type 97 fighter is the main aircraft of the Japanese Army Air Force.

After a brief moment of observation from the sky, one of them swooped down towards the armored train.

"Come on, come and die!" Wang Chengzhu smiled cruelly and shook the handle quickly.

With Wang Chengzhu's movements, the muzzle of the 75mm caliber anti-aircraft gun began to be adjusted at multiple angles.

The aiming mechanism of the anti-aircraft gun is still very sensitive, and the steering is very flexible, Wang Chengzhu quickly locked onto the fighter plane that was diving down through the optical sight, and then stepped on his right foot twice in succession.

"Tom tom!" Two shells burst into the sky in an instant.

However, the fighter who dived down was just a light barrel roll, and it easily dodged.

"!" Wang Chengzhu cursed, quickly turned the handle, readjusted the angle of shot, and stepped on his right foot twice in a row.

"Tom tom!" Two more shells went up into the sky, and then it was still useless, and the devil fighter made another spiral while diving, and again dodged with Song.

The quality of devil pilots is not ordinarily high.

After three years of tempering, the devil pilots have reached the peak state in terms of psychological quality and technical literacy, at least in the past few years, they can be called the best air force in the world!

In the blink of an eye, the Devil fighter was already in the range of the machine gun.

The next moment, two 7.7mm heavy machine guns mounted under the nose opened heavy fire.

The tactical literacy of the devil pilots is really high, not only with excellent flying skills, but also with a high hit rate of machine guns.

"Dangdangdangdangdang!" The turret armor and shield plates of Gun Carriage C resounded with a continuous crashing sound, and a string of sparks splashed in all directions.

Thanks to armor protection.

Otherwise, Wang Chengzhu would have been reimbursed just this time.

After a few seconds, the Devil fighter swooped down to a low point and pulled upward, flying over the head of the armored train with a whoosh, and then the second Nakajima 97 fighter swooped down again.

Wang Chengzhu took a deep breath and turned the handle again to lock on to the devil fighter that was diving down.

However, this time, Wang Chengzhu did not rush to fire again, although it was only one round just now, he still keenly seized an opportunity that could be exploited.

The quality of the devil pilot is extremely high, and he can make all kinds of difficult technical maneuvers while diving at high speed, and it is almost impossible to hit when firing at this time, which is purely a waste of shells.

The only chance is at the moment when the devil fighter pulls up from the dive cut!

At this time, the devil fighter is the worst in maneuverability because of the huge overload, and when you fire at this time, it is almost impossible for the devil fighter to dodge!

The Devil fighter quickly dived to within a kilometer range.

Immediately afterwards, two heavy machine guns under the nose opened heavy fire.

Wang Chengzhu still didn't rush to fire, allowing the turret and shield to be sparkled.

Seven or eight seconds later, the second Devil fighter swooped down to a low point, and then quickly turned to pull up.

Almost at the moment when the devil fighter cut in and pulled up from the dive, Wang Chengzhu also stepped on his right foot three times in a row.

"Tom tom!" The three muffled cannon sounds almost overlapped into one, and the three high-explosive grenades roared into the air at intervals of less than 0.4 seconds, turning into three streamers of light and shooting at the Devil fighter who had just cut into the lift.

Wang Chengzhu's margin was slightly larger, and the first two shells missed.

But fortunately, the third shell accurately hit the devil fighter!

Wang Chengzhu really caught the only flaw of the devil fighter and killed it with one blow!

"Boom!" The thin-skinned and stuffed Nakajima Type 97 fighter exploded in an instant.

"Hit!" The gunners, observers, and bombardiers of both emplacements cheered at the same time.

Wang Chengzhu also swung his fist vigorously, and then turned the handle to adjust the angle of fire again, preparing to take out the other fighter in the same way.

However, to Wang Chengzhu's disappointment,

The devil fighter turned around and flew away.

"Fuck." Wang Chengzhu was immediately angry and scolded.

"That's it? The little devils of the dog day are too unplanted. ”

As soon as the words fell, a communications soldier ran over and reported: "Company commander, command vehicle order, lower the firing angle, and cooperate with gun car A and gun car B to tear apart the defense line of Yangquan Railway Crossing and North Gate City Wall!" ”

The devil reconnaissance plane has been run away, and the bombers will not arrive so quickly,

Therefore, Wang Ye adjusted the order again, and asked the artillery truck C to also join the artillery support.

"I see!" Wang Chengzhu responded, and with the rapid transfer handle again, the firing angle of the 75mm caliber anti-aircraft gun was lowered and pressed into a flat shot, and then aimed at the watchtower at the railway crossing.

……

Hidehide Maeda and Isamu Kimura just came down from the watchtower.

"Boom......" A loud bang suddenly sounded from behind him.

When I looked back, I saw that the watchtower, which had just been erected, had collapsed.

With the collapse of the watchtower, a large amount of smoke and dust filled the air, spraying the two old devils all over their faces.

"Phew!" Maeda Shu spat out the smoke and dust that choked on his mouth and nose, and instructed Kimura Yumichi, "Kimura-kun, send a telegram to the headquarters of the 1st Army and ask the air force to send bombers to destroy the robbed armored train." ”

Maeda Xiu's mind is still very clear, knowing that if the armored train cannot be destroyed, Yangquan County will be broken by the Eighth Route Army sooner or later, then their 4th Brigade may really be destroyed.

Since the full-scale outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, although the Japanese army has suffered occasional defeats in the Chinese battlefield, there has never been a record of units above the wing being annihilated by the formation, and Maeda Shu does not want to be a precedent!

Although there were actually only two brigades in Yangquan City at this time, those bureaucrats in the War Department would not care about this, they would only think that the headquarters of the 4th Brigade was stationed in Yangquan, which was equivalent to the entire 4th Brigade being here, and as long as the 4th Brigade Headquarters was annihilated by the Eighth Route Army, it was equivalent to the entire 4th Brigade being annihilated by the Eighth Route Army.

Maeda Shu doesn't want to be disgraced in the army because of this precedent!

As soon as the words fell, a loud military horn suddenly sounded outside the city.

In the sound of military trumpets, the shouts of the soldiers of the Eighth Route Army sounded immediately.

Maeda Shu turned his head suddenly, looking out from the railroad crossing over the smoke and dust,

I saw that the officers and men of the Eighth Route who had been waiting outside the north gate for a long time had already jumped up from the trenches and launched a tidal charge with rifles with bayonets on their hands.

The puppet soldiers guarding the crossing symbolically fired a few shots and fled.

Isamu Kimura and Sosuke Kitahara hurriedly stepped forward and picked up Shu Maeda and ran back.

"Brigade commander, it's too dangerous here, let's hurry back to the headquarters!"

Maeda Shu was not hypocritical, and followed the two of them in a panic in the direction of the headquarters.

However, on the way to escape in a hurry, Maeda Shu did not forget to look back.

I saw that the armored train that had been hijacked also started again, slowly approaching the railway crossing.

Maeda Shu's heart sank quickly, and it was obvious that the Eighth Route Army was planning to use the powerful artillery fire of this armored train to tear a hole in the railway crossing and cover the infantry to break into the city.

If this is the case, the 4th Brigade will definitely not be able to stop it.

It looks like it's only a street fight!

……

In Taiyuan, the headquarters of the 1st Army.

Yoshio Shinozuka's mood has relaxed a lot.

Because by about five o'clock in the morning, communication with the strongholds along the Pulu and Baijin lines was gradually restored, and the initiative on the battlefield gradually returned to the hands of their 1st Army.

Although the communication of the strongholds along Zhengtai Road has not been restored,

But Yoshio Shinozuka didn't worry too much, because the Zhengtai Railway has always been the center of defense of the 1st Army, and the thirteen first-class strongholds along Zhengtai Road are one level higher than Tongpu Road and Baijin Line in terms of the solidity of the fortifications and the number of garrison troops.

The only thing Yoshio Shinozuka couldn't figure out was, what was going on with the 11th armored train fleet?

Why can't I be reached after the last routine communication is done around midnight?

It stands to reason that no matter if it is attacked or derailed, it will not interrupt communications.

Unless the 11th Armoured Train Convoy was attacked by chemical weapons, all members of the team were killed instantly.

But such a possibility simply does not exist, because the Eighth Route Army did not and will not use chemical weapons.

Therefore, as soon as it was dark, Yoshio Shinozuka ordered the 1st Flying Group stationed at Taiyuan Wusu Airport to send two reconnaissance planes to reconnoiter and search eastward along Zhengtai Road.

However, even so, Yoshio Shinozuka still asked the communications department to call the 11th armored train fleet every ten minutes, because the reconnaissance planes of the aviation unit did not have airborne radios, and even if they discovered the armored train of the 11th armored train fleet, they could not report it to the headquarters at the first time, but needed to fly back to Taiyuan Wusu Airport first.

After eating breakfast in a hurry, Yoshio Shinozuka returned to the war room as soon as possible.

"Tanaka-kun." Yoshio Shinozuka asked Chief of Staff Takayoshi Tanaka, "Still haven't you been contacted?" ”

Although Yoshio Shinozuka asked a lot of questions, Takayoshi Tanaka knew that he was asking about the 11th Armored Train Fleet.

At that moment, Takayoshi Tanaka shook his head and replied: "Not yet, until just now, the communications section has called more than thirty times, and the 11th armored train fleet has never replied. ”

"Damn!" Yoshio Shinozuka's brows furrowed suddenly.

At this time, Takuya Mizuhara, the head of the communications section, walked in and reported: "Your Excellency, Commander, the 4th Brigade has a telegram. ”

Hearing this, Yoshio Shinozuka suddenly perked up and asked urgently, "Is it news about the 11th armored train fleet?" ”

"It's not." Takuya Mizuhara shook his head and said, "The 4th Brigade has called to say that a large number of Eighth Route Army has appeared outside Yangquan County, and the number is at least five thousand. ”

"Nani?"

Yoshio Shinozuka was stunned for a moment when he heard this.

This situation was somewhat unexpected by the old devil.

Ryuichi Sakamoto, the head of the Operations Division, was also confused, and said: "It's really strange, the Eighth Route Army almost never fights head-on with the Imperial Army, and it is even more unique to attack the county town or strategic point where the Imperial Army is heavily garrisoned, but how can it be unusually this time and dare to take the initiative to attack the county town where the heavy troops are stationed?" ”

"Moreover, the strength is only 5,000?"

"Five thousand and eight roads want to encircle and annihilate two thousand imperial troops?"

"This is not like the usual style of the Eighth Route Army."

"When did the Eighth Route Army become so bold in its use of troops?"

Takashi Sakamoto was unintentional when he said it, but Yoshio Shinozuka was furious after hearing it.

"Not good! The 4th Brigade is in danger! Yoshio Shinozuka said hurriedly, "Mizuhara-kun, immediately reply to the 4th Brigade, let them not go out of the city to fight back, just hold the county seat!" ”

"Nani? The 4th Brigade is in danger? ”

Hearing Yoshio Shinozuka's words, not only Takuya Mizuhara was dumbfounded, but Ryuichi Sakamoto was also stunned.

The two little devils really can't imagine what danger the 4th Brigade can have? The 5,000 Eighth Route Army can capture Yangquan, where 2,000 Japanese troops are stationed, and completely annihilate the 4th Brigade Headquarters?

Even a madman wouldn't dare to think so, would he?

Could it be that Your Excellency the Commander has lost his mind and gone mad?

Seeing that Takuya Mizuhara was standing and didn't move, Yoshio Shinozuka was anxious: "Yaga, why don't you go yet?" ”

"Hello!" Takuya Mizuhara woke up like a dream, turned around and walked quickly back to the communications class to send a telegram.

Ryuichi Sakamoto still couldn't help but ask, "Your Excellency Commander, I want to know, what are you worried about?" ”

Yoshio Shinozuka ignored Ryuichi Sakamoto, turned around and said to Shibata Shibata, the captain of the 9th Flying Sentai Sentai Team, "Shibata-kun, please send two light bombers to Yangquan urgently from the 9th Sentai Flying Team." ”

Shibata Shinkazu: "Your Excellency Commander, are you supporting the 4th Brigade to defend the city?" ”

"Nope." Yoshio Shinozuka waved his hand and said, "It's to bomb the 11th armored train fleet!" ”

In the end, Yoshio Shinozuka, his military sensitivity is much higher than that of the other devils present.

Other devils just wondered why the 11th Armored Train Fleet had been lost for so long, but Yoshio Shinozuka had already gone one step further and thought that the 11th Armored Train Fleet had been hijacked.

Although I don't understand how the Eighth Route Army did it,

But it is clear that the Eighth Route Army has indeed hijacked the armored trains of the 11th Armored Train Fleet.

However, Shibata Shinichi obviously didn't think of this, and asked in disbelief: "Your Excellency, commander, do you mean to bomb the 11th armored train fleet?" ”

"Yes." Yoshio Shinozuka said in a deep voice, "Bomb the 11th armored train fleet!" ”

"Hello!" Shibata Shinichi finally heard it clearly this time, and turned to leave.

Ryuichi Sakamoto finally reacted and asked in a deep voice, "Your Excellency Commander, are you suspecting that the armored train of the 11th Armored Train Fleet has been hijacked?" ”

Yoshio Shinozuka said, "Not a doubt, but an affirmation. ”

After a pause, Yoshio Shinozuka continued: "Although I don't know how the Eighth Route Army did it, the armored train of the 11th Armored Train Group must have been hijacked. ”

"It can't be!" Ryuichi Sakamoto said categorically, "This is absolutely impossible!" ”

Speaking of this, Sakamoto Ryuichi said again: "Even if the armored train is really hijacked by the Eighth Route Army, it is impossible for it to suddenly appear in Yangquan County, from Jingcheng to Yangquan, but it has to pass through Niangziguan Railway Station, Yanzigou stronghold and Sangzhang stronghold, could it be that these three first-level strongholds have been destroyed?" ”

"I'm afraid so." Yoshio Shinozuka said in a deep voice.

"I'm afraid these three first-level strongholds have been destroyed by the Eighth Route Army!"

"Nani?" This is not only Ryuichi Sakamoto, but also Takayoshi Tanaka said in disbelief, "Your Excellency Commander, the Niangziguan stronghold, the Yanzigou stronghold and the Sangzhang stronghold can be said to be the three strongest strongholds along Zhengtai Road, how easy is it for the Eighth Route Army to destroy these three first-level strongholds overnight?" ”

Ryuichi Sakamoto said unceremoniously: "I also think that His Excellency the Commander seems to have exaggerated the combat effectiveness of the Eighth Route Army, and it is impossible for the armored train to be hijacked by the Eighth Route Army, let alone appear in Yangquan......"

However, before the words fell, Takuya Mizuhara came in again and reported: "Your Excellency Commander, the 4th Brigade requests that the Air Force urgently dispatch bombers to Yangquan to bomb the armored train hijacked by the Eighth Route Army!" ”

"Nani?" Takashi Sakamoto was stunned when he heard this.

"Yaga." Yoshio Shinozuka changed his face all of a sudden.

The fact that the 4th Brigade sent such a telegram was enough to show that the situation he feared most had emerged.

At that moment, Yoshio Shinozuka asked, "Did the 4th Brigade take the initiative to attack?" And in the course of the attack, it was attacked by artillery fire from the 11th armored train fleet, and then suffered heavy losses? ”

"Yes." Mizuhara Takushi said with a solemn expression, "The 4th Squadron of Independent Armored Vehicles, which attacked, was caught off guard by the artillery raid of the 11th Armored Train Squadron and suffered complete losses. ”

"The Gangzuo brigade lost almost all of its heavy firepower, and nearly half of its personnel were killed or wounded."

"At present, the Eighth Route Army has broken into Yangquan County and engaged in brutal street fighting with the remnants of the 4th Brigade."

"Moreover, the offensive of the Eighth Route Army is very fierce, and with the current situation, it is very likely that the remnants of the 4th Brigade will not be able to hold out for too long, so I request the headquarters to urgently send reinforcements!"

After Takuya Mizuhara finished speaking, the entire war room fell into a dead silence.

Including Yoshio Shinozuka, everyone is like being immobilized and can't move anymore.

After a long time, with a burst of "jingle bell" phone ringing, everyone suddenly came to life again.

"Command!" Yoshio Shinozuka roared with a dark face, "The Yamazaki Brigade stationed in Shouyang immediately reinforces Yangquan, this order is urgent, and there must be no delay for a moment!" ”

"Again, the 36th and 37th Independent Infantry Brigades of the 9th Brigade, as well as the Independent Artillery Brigade and the Engineer Brigade, immediately attacked and advanced in the direction of Yangquan, and this order was also urgent! Don't miss a moment! ”

"Hello!" Takuya Mizuhara slammed his head, then turned around and hurried away.

Yoshio Shinozuka turned around and walked to the sand table, his eyes falling on Yangquan's location.

Takayoshi Tanaka, Ryuichi Itamoto, and several operational staff officers also followed to the sand table.

"Your Excellency, the situation may not be so bad." Takayoshi Tanaka persuaded, "Even if the Gangzuo Brigade is caught off guard and suffers heavy losses, the 4th Brigade still has a brigade headquarters and two wing headquarters, and at least a thousand fighters, so it is not a problem to hold Yangquan County." ”

Yoshio Shinozuka frowned, and said in a deep voice: "Of course there is no problem under normal circumstances, but if there is a Type 94 armored train equipped with the 11th armored train fleet, the situation is different. ”

"What do you think, the fortifications of the 4th Brigade in Yangquan,"

"Whether it is a fortification or a ring barricade in the city,"

"Can you stop even a single shot of the Type 94 armored train?"

Takayoshi Tanaka was speechless, this ...... Of course, it must be unstoppable.

Ryuichi Sakamoto frowned and said, "But, Your Excellency Commander, I still don't believe that the Eighth Route Army is actually capable of hijacking the Type 94 armored train?" This is an armored train! Not armored vehicles! ”

(End of chapter)