Chapter 415: Mandalay! Isolated Island!

Over Myanmar, June 25, 1942, 3:20 PM.

William's P‑38 formation had already sighted the outline of Lashu Airport from afar, its wings fluttering lightly like a returning silver eagle.

At this moment, in the airspace thirty kilometers south of Mandalay, the Japanese Army Quinary Flight Regiment's twelve aircraft of type "Hayabusa" and type "Zhong Kui" only hurriedly arrived, three hours behind schedule.

Not even a shadow of the Chinese Air Force could be seen.

Team commander Tanaka Ichiro gritted his teeth.

Tanaka Ichiro was ordered to scramble from Yangon, intending to intercept the Chinese Air Force attacking Mandalay, but by the time they reached Mandalay's skies, only a wreckage remained.

The bridge over the Mijie River was also successfully raided by the Chinese.

Incensed, Tanaka Ichiro shouted, "Baka, turn to Lashu, we'll strike the Chinese Lashu Airport!"

Dive straight at Lashu, destroy the Expeditionary Force's front‑line airport, and relieve the 18th Division.

"But Captain, our flight range isn't enough."

The Little Devil's aircraft can fly thousands of kilometers; even when loaded, the distance from Lashu to Yangon is six hundred kilometers, a round trip one thousand two hundred kilometers.

If Mandalay Airport were still intact, perhaps we could make an emergency landing there.

But now, when they saw Mandalay Airport, it had already been bombed down by the Chinese Air Force.

"Then we'll attack Xibu's th Division!" Tanaka Ichiro knew well that the Chinese th Division was a formidable foe of the Imperial.

But heading north, nightmare after nightmare followed.

Just past Naqiu, ground anti‑aircraft fire spread like a net;

Approaching Xibu, they again faced crossfire from concealed anti‑aircraft positions;

Two "Hayabusa" aircraft, before they could retaliate, were trailing black smoke as they crashed into the rice fields.

"The Chinese turned the whole corridor into an anti‑aircraft trap!" Tanaka roared, "Keep moving! Target Lashu!"

Enraged and embarrassed, Tanaka Ichiro wanted to fly over Lashu's skies; at worst, he could make a forced landing at Mandalay.

He was convinced that destroying the Lashu Runway would sever the enemy's aerial supply line.

But he didn't know that the real killing move had already been set.

Lashu, air defense command, at the same moment, the radar screen stationed at Naqiu suddenly flickered.

"Twelve enemy aircraft, altitude 4,000 meters, heading for Lashu!"

"Taunggyi received! Take off immediately to intercept!"

The order was issued in less than three minutes.

On the east side, eight P‑38 Lightning aircraft from Lashu Airport roared into the sky, their twin tail fins cutting through the clouds.

Jiang Anguo at Lashu didn't have just forty‑eight fighters; the hangar housed many brand‑new aircraft, even Germany's BF109s were still inside.

It was only limited by the airport's constraints; of course they could keep taking off, but by the time the last wave of planes lifted off, the fighters from the first bombing mission had already completed their tasks and returned.

Thus, having more aircraft was of no use.

On the south side, twelve BF109 fighters from Taunggyi Airport scrambled urgently, their fuselages equipped with auxiliary fuel tanks, giving a range of a hundred li.

Two squadrons clamped together like iron tongs, encircling the Japanese Army's aircraft from the southeast.

Tanaka Ichiro had just detected the enemy when the radio crackled, "Left rear! Enemy P‑38!"

Before the words finished, the first wave of. 50 caliber bullets fell like steel rain.

A "Zhong Kui" aircraft took a hit in its right engine, burst into flame instantly; the pilot couldn't bail out, and both man and machine plunged into the Mijie River.

"Scatter! Scatter!" Tanaka Ichiro roared.

But the P‑38, with its speed and firepower advantage, firmly controlled the battlefield.

The BF109 also entered the fray, using low‑altitude agility to attack the blind spot beneath the Japanese aircraft.

Germany, Japan, America—those who didn't know would think the three nations' fighters were battling over Myanmar, but in fact only the Huaxia Expeditionary Force and the Japanese Army Air Service were present.

In just ten minutes, five Japanese Army aircraft were shot down, three heavily damaged returned, and only four barely broke through to flee south.

Tanaka Ichiro's aircraft's tail was pierced, nearly losing control. He gritted his teeth and ordered, "Retreat! Return to Yangon!"

In the end Tanaka Ichiro's plane never returned to Yangon; pursued by a P‑38 Lightning and a BF109, it was forced to land near Mi Tie La.

Fortunately, Tanaka Ichiro survived.

Xibu Front, operations room.

Jiang Anguo stood before the map, having heard the entire interception, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.

"They still think Taunggyi is just a small town," he said, his tone tinged with sarcasm.

In fact, since the Expeditionary Force captured Taunggyi, that is, Jiang Anguo's Independent Regiment, the area has quietly transformed into northern Myanmar's largest forward base.

The Runway was extended to 2,500 meters, capable of handling B‑29s and C‑47s;

Underground fuel depots stored three thousand tons of oil, ammunition magazines were buried deep in the mountain;

Radar stations, repair factories, field hospitals were all present;

It was also the core hub of Plan R's population transfer.

Yet the Japanese Army intelligence system always regarded it as a 'location of no strategic value'.

Why?

Because at the war's outset, the Japanese Army Fifteenth Army never placed Taunggyi in its attack plans; if not for the 56th Division, Watanabe Masao's desire to take the Small Road and cut off the Expeditionary Force's rear, Taunggyi would never have seen Japanese soldiers.

Taunggyi was never listed as a target.

In the headquarters files, Taunggyi was even labeled 'border agricultural town of the Shan State, no military facilities'.

Even after being occupied by the Expeditionary Force, the Japanese Army did not reassess.

They never imagined Jiang Anguo would turn this frontier town into a spear tip aimed at the Fifteenth Army's heart.

"If they had known Taunggyi was our air base," Deputy Officer Wang Fei laughed, "today's Japanese Army aircraft might not even dare to fly over Xibu."

Jiang Anguo nodded, saying, "Because they underestimated us, we have the chance."

The Japanese Army's single air group had only 170–180 fighters and bombers, and so far the Japanese fighter aircraft that Jiang Anguo has eliminated in Myanmar total at least thirty sorties.

Aircraft are an extremely precious asset to Little Japan.

Especially aerial bombs; the Little Devil bombed Hawaii with modified naval gun ammunition, so it can be imagined that Little Japan has very few 500‑pound aerial bombs, especially 800‑pound ones.

If the remaining Japanese aircraft in Myanmar still dared to brazenly enter our territory, Jiang Anguo would have no choice but to change the bombing direction and strike Yangon first.

The Little Devil's aircraft are all old; the few Zero fighters, which were transferred from the Japanese Navy's air service, have now all been reassigned to attack Morrisby Port.

Therefore, combat power cannot at all compare with Jiang Anguo's flying squadron.

"Wang Fei, do you think I should bomb Yangon first?" Jiang Anguo suddenly thought of Yangon.

"Commander, you want to replicate the pre‑Battle of Yichang move and cripple the Japanese airfield in Central China," Wang Fei said in surprise.

Jiang Anguo nodded, "Yes, just eliminate the Japanese aircraft on the ground. The P‑38 fighter aircraft's range is sufficient; Taunggyi to Yangon, even though the BF109's range is short, it can still reach the Japanese airfield."

Deputy Wang Fei thought for a moment and said, "Commander, this plan is feasible; we can concentrate all fighters and bombers from Taunggyi and Lashu, and when an opportunity arises tomorrow, directly strike the Japanese airfield in Myanmar, thereby depriving the Japanese of a pair of eyes in Myanmar."

Jiang Anguo exclaimed excitedly, "The skies over Myanmar no longer belong to the Little Devil, but to our Expeditionary Force!"