"In the stormy land of China, Chiang Kai-shek deeply understood that only with a strong air force could the security of the country be guaranteed. In 1932, he founded the ** Aviation School in Jianqiao Silkworm School in Hangzhou, hoping to cultivate enough aviation talents.
However, this decision for self-preservation ultimately led to countless heroes and martyrs. To this day, the graduation photo of the twelfth batch of students of the ** Aviation School is still unforgettable, the 47 students on the ** are sitting together, but the white cross is painted behind them, symbolizing their heroic dedication. "
In China in 1932, the flames of war were spreading, the Tohoku region was about to fall, Japan's ambitions were clearly exposed, and China was in danger of being swallowed up.
At this time, Chiang Kai-shek suddenly realized the importance of the air force, so the people quickly integrated the aviation class of the original military academy in Jianqiao, Hangzhou, and officially established the aviation school, and they vowed to use their bodies, planes and bombs to die with the enemy.
This school motto on the stone slab is deeply imprinted in the heart of the China Aviation School, influencing 1,700 cadets, who are China's first-generation fighter pilots and the most heroic "human cannonballs" in the War of Resistance Against Japan.
Japan had about 2,300 combat-ready fighters at the time, seven times as many as China, and far outnumbered the Chinese Air Force in combat capability and tactical execution.
Due to the earlier start of modernization, Japan already has the ability to produce its own fighter jets, with a capacity of about 60 per month, and is also developing newer technical equipment.
However, these challenges did not deter the Chinese pilots, who, with courage and determination, proved that China's air power is just as strong.
China's industrialization started relatively late, and most of the planes used by the Air Force are old-fashioned planes left over from the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, and other countries, and their maneuverability is inferior to Japan's, and their logistical problems are serious.
In this predicament, the aviation school gradually developed, hired relevant American experts as consultants, and purchased advanced models of aircraft such as Feliti, Douglas, and Kesai as training aircraft.
Cadets learn about flight, navigation, aircraft construction, engines, air force tactics, radio communications and English. In order to stimulate the combat enthusiasm of the cadets, the aviation school has also formulated a reward system, which rewards 10,000 oceans for shooting down an enemy plane, 30,000 oceans for blowing up and sinking an enemy plane, and 10,000 oceans for his own combat death.
Although they came from prestigious families and were either rich or rich, they were not driven by money. Their goal is to soar into the sky, fight bloody battles against the Japanese invaders, and fight for the motherland.
Among these heroes who fought bravely, there were overseas returnees, first-class students who had just graduated from Tsinghua University, Peking University, and ** University, and children of famous families with prominent family backgrounds.
They include Lin Huiyin's third brother Lin Heng, Yu Yanghe, the son of Yu Dawei, known as the "father of China's ordnance industry", and Zhang Xihu, the youngest son of Zhang Boling, president of Nankai University.
These people could have lived a life that was the envy of all, living carefree, and even choosing to stay away when their homeland was suffering, but they did not do so. In the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the ** Aviation School trained 16 graduates, a total of 1,700 pilots defended the country in the air, fought bravely against the Japanese invaders, shot down more than 1,200 Japanese fighters, but they also sacrificed their young lives.
After eight years of the Anti-Japanese War, countless hot-blooded young people finally became the names on the cold tombstones, and their average age of martyrdom was only 23 years old.
In the sky over Hangzhou at that time, the roar of airplanes often sounded. A group of young ** aviation school cadets resolutely cut off their bright future without worrying about food and clothing, and carried out hard training with the determination to die, and they were determined to recover the great rivers and mountains of the motherland.
After four years of training, they finally ushered in their glorious moment on October 31, 1936. On that day, Nanjing citizens flocked to the airport, and 200,000 spectators crowded the huge Nanjing airport.
China's first batch of air force pilots conducted public flight drills, and they flew over Nanjing with agility as if they were walking on the ground, constantly changing formations. From the ground, they look like shining comets that light up the entire sky.
The outstanding performance of the Chinese Air Force in Nanjing attracted the attention of Japanese spies, and their flying skills were too great to be underestimated. However, every take-off can mean goodbye because they are in great danger.
On August 13, 1937, the Battle of Songhu broke out, and the Japanese army launched a fierce attack on Shanghai, and threatened to annex China within three months. On the same day, strong winds and heavy rain poured down in the coastal areas of East China, and the Hangzhou Air Defense Command received an urgent battle report: Nine enemy planes were approaching Hangzhou.
Suddenly, the alarm in Hangzhou was loud, and the dark clouds were thick, not only in the sky, but also in the hearts of the people of Hangzhou.
China's ** Fourth Air Force Squadron urgently moved from Henan to Jianqiao, Hangzhou, and some of the planes were put into battle before they had time to refuel. This was the first air confrontation between China and Japan - the battle of Jianqiao.
Japan tried to take the opportunity to destroy the Chinese Air Force, but as it turned out, their plan did not succeed. Captain Gao Zhihang piloted his fighter jets through the air, and although there was not much fuel in the tank and the flight environment was very harsh, he still resolutely led his three flying squadrons and 27 fighters to fight fiercely with the Japanese army.
In this fierce battle, Gao Zhihang shot down a Japanese fighter in just a few minutes, which became the first feat in Chinese history to shoot down a Japanese fighter.
The heroic pilot Zheng Shaoyu took off urgently at Guangde Airport and single-handedly rushed straight to the mouth of the Qiantang River, where he met the Japanese Asano formation that was returning from Guangde by dropping bombs. In the face of the arrogance of the Japanese invaders, Zheng Shaoyu was not afraid and decided to go deep alone and directly attack the Japanese plane.
This was an extremely dangerous attempt, as the nine bombers of Asano's formation were equipped with powerful machine guns, which were enough to form a dense network of fire that prevented Zheng Shaoyu's fighters from getting close.
Even if he forcibly attacked, not only would it be difficult to hit the Japanese plane, but Zheng Shaoyu himself could also be harmed. However, Zheng Shaoyu had studied how to use destroyers to fight bombers two years ago, and he wanted to test his tactics through actual combat.
Zheng Shaoyu successfully followed and attacked the flying unit of Asano's formation, his brave actions caused his enemy plane to fall in an instant, and his courage and skill allowed him to successfully complete the mission.
The battle lasted four hours, and the heroes of the ** Aviation School managed to shoot down four Japanese fighters and drive them out of Hangzhou. Although it was a passive battle, the heroic performance of the Chinese air force allowed them to show their strength and majesty.
Within two minutes, the Chinese Air Force shone in the Hangzhou newspapers, their first heroic battle against a Japanese air strike, and their first large-scale air battle and victory.
The whole of Hangzhou, and even the whole of China, were jubilating at this victory, and the people also designated this day as "Air Force Day" to commemorate this great battle. Although the first battle was won, the war did not stop, and the land of China was still filled with gunsmoke under Japan's ambitions.