Rise From Eight Hundred

Chapter 1395: Mercenaries a year ahead of schedule!

 Because the Burma Highway had not been cut off by the Japanese army at this time, the aircraft did not have to fly over the once extremely difficult hump route.

 In addition, the range of the three C-47s responsible for transporting equipment and personnel is really not that long. The three transport planes do not need to pass through Kuncheng Airport at all, but fly directly to Myanmar, refuel, and then fly to the eastern Asan Kingdom.

Receiving the fighter planes and the 40mm anti-aircraft guns that had arrived by sea at the small airport in Asan was much smoother than expected.

This time, no one made things difficult because they looked down on the Chinese pilots. When Tang Dao asked, he found out that it was not just General Stilwell who was accompanying him. He would take a special plane from here to the Philippines to exercise his Far East Command. The position of chief of staff is that the Chinese company in the United States paid an almost sky-high transportation fee for the smooth delivery of this batch of equipment to the country.

 Just for the three C-47 transport aircraft responsible for transporting 40mm anti-aircraft guns from the air corridor, the daily rent is as high as US$3,000 per aircraft, with a daily subsidy of US$200 per pilot and US$100 for ground staff.

That also means that if three C-47 aircraft and crew members stay in China for a month, the funding provided to the U.S. Navy is as high as $270,000, and each of the pilots can earn thousands of dollars for this field trip. .

You know, in the United States at that time, the basic salary of a new recruit was only US$50, and with various other subsidies, it was only US$100. The salary of a lieutenant-level pilot like Scott would never exceed US$300. knife.

You can earn half a year's salary after working in the field for just one week. That Chinese company is the God of Wealth!

In any era, some people may disdain money, but more people are eager for money, especially when the money reaches a certain level, it will simply exude a golden light that makes people look up to.

And this is only on the surface. Secretly, I don’t know how much was given to the navy executives in charge of transportation. The arrogant Americans also bowed their heads due to the money.

Not only did they happily deliver all 100 fighter planes to China, but Tang Dao even proposed to conduct adaptive training for the fighters at the airport, which required instructors and enough aviation fuel. The United States also readily agreed.

Even if he knows nothing about his opponent, he will fail.

“Everything is fine with me, you must be careful out there! Little Tang won’t blame you!” Tantai Mingyue’s reply message was simple, but it allowed Tang Dao to travel nearly 3,000 kilometers away with peace of mind.

“These will be the 10 days when you are most likely to become familiar with the performance of the Wildcat fighter jet. When you return to China, I am afraid that a fierce battle will be waiting for you!

 A few days ago, the Japanese suffered a big loss in the Battle of Yiling. The Japanese Navy must have been wildly mocked by the army. If the Japanese Navy wants to regain the lost face, it will definitely take the initiative to launch a major operation.

More than 100 Chinese pilots, headed by majors and captains of four aviation groups, are eager to familiarize themselves with the performance of this new fighter jet they control, and continue to practice the 'scissors' tactics that once appeared over Yiling.

They didn’t know that in order to successfully transport these 200 anti-aircraft guns to the country, the company established by Tang Dao paid nearly 600,000 U.S. dollars in various expenses, and it could even buy 20 Wildcat fighter jets.

"Is it possible that Lieutenant Scott fell in love with a brown-skinned girl? Then I have to congratulate you. Mixed-race children are always smart and beautiful. If you give birth to a daughter and I give birth to a son, we can have a baby and kiss or something. , But this requires my wife’s consent first.” Tang Dao looked at Lieutenant Scott, whose eyes were still full of tangles, and grinned.

Of course, Lieutenant Scott who came with the team also played a role here. The Chinese pilots killed 3 Japanese planes with 6 planes against 4 planes over Yiling. The flying skills and tactical execution displayed by the Chinese pilots were breathtaking. .

 Information shows that the Japanese Navy is continuously dispatching Zero fighters from the aircraft carrier off Songhu to Jianghan.

What kind of operations require dozens of Zero fighter escorts? You should know by heart that the anti-aircraft artillery group on the ground alone may not be enough to ensure the safety of millions of soldiers and civilians in the mountain city. "On the plane flying to Asan Kingdom, Tang Dao went straight to the point and put the fierce battle that these Chinese pilots would face in front of them.

It’s not that the Japanese don’t seek action. The speed of the Japanese aircraft in mid-air and the turning radius that was so small that it made Lieutenant Scott panic, had already made Lieutenant Scott realize that even if he was in the sky, There is no way to do better than Chinese pilots.

Ten days are enough for the more than 100 Chinese pilots who arrived at the airport to become familiar with the various capabilities of the Wildcat fighter jets.

Although Lieutenant Scott once made things difficult for the Chinese side, Tang Dao admired this American pilot very much. The trip to receive the equipment was so smooth. At least half of the credit must be attributed to him, and I heard that this guy's family background is actually very good. , is a typical American elite family. It would be convenient to find an American father-in-law like this for Tang Shanhe. If he wants to study in the United States in the future, it will be convenient.

“This is a group of people who are facing death but trying to break through it. There are many such people in China!” Lieutenant Scott was once again shocked by this group of foreign pilots.

Three C-47 fighter jets flew back and forth on the long route from Shancheng to Asanguo Airport for a total of nearly 7 times, and it took a full 10 days to transport the remaining 170 40mm anti-aircraft guns back to Shancheng.

Perhaps that small airport has never been so busy. From almost 7 a.m. until the sun sets below the horizon, fighter planes take off and land non-stop.

Before leaving, he even sent a special telegram to Tantai Mingyue, explaining that he had violated his promise of "returning in March". He could not watch thousands of people in mountain towns mourning under the bombs dropped by Japanese bombers.

Faced with huge pressure, Chinese pilots chose to race against time. In addition to seven hours of sleep to ensure physical fitness and concentration, they were either on the plane or practicing tactics in the tactics classroom.

"Don, you know what? I just did something crazy. If my mother Maria knew, she would pick up her mop and chase me in the garden." On the 10th day of adaptive training At the end of the night, Lieutenant Scott found Tang Dao, who had already started to pack his bags and prepare to leave for home the next morning.

That was the first time that the Chinese military had such treatment. Equipment was transported by air by large transport aircraft instead of by land. The waiting time was extremely long and the risks were extremely high.

But Tang Dao was still filled with guilt. His wife's due date was at the end of August, but he, as a husband, could not stay with her. Even though his father-in-law was with him and the best doctor in Jin Province was guarding him, he could not stay with her. There was no way he could make up for the regret caused by his absence as a husband and father at such an important moment.

Even though China and the United States would like to stab each other alive 10 years later, the relationship between countries is really delicate. Because of the common threat of the furry bear, the two countries that once fought to the death have no relationship. It didn't take long for the whole world to be caught off guard and start a honeymoon.

"NO, NO! Maria is very open-minded in this regard. She does not interfere in my love and marriage. However, she will definitely get angry because a naval pilot no longer wants to serve his country." Kurt shook his head repeatedly.

"What do you mean?" Tang Dao couldn't help but be stunned.

"I submitted my retirement application to my immediate superior, Lieutenant Colonel Lewis, half an hour ago, and that's it!" Scott saw Tang Dao's surprised expression, a smile on his face, shrugged and spread his hands.

"Why? Could it be that Lieutenant Scott, do you feel that the war is coming?" Tang Dao couldn't help but frown.

"Of course not, but I hope to join the war early, such as participating in the battlefield in China." Scott's eyes flashed with determination that was completely opposite to his indifferent expression.

“Lieutenant Scott, you must be crazy.” Tang Dao was also shocked by this crazy American pilot.

If we follow the script of the past time and space, Major Robert Scott did not join the Flying Tigers until the spring of 1942, and eventually became the captain of the 23rd Flying Tigers Group. This was a full year and a half early.

"I'm not crazy, but your comrades are really crazy, you know? They actually flew an average of 60 hours each in 10 days. God! That's 2 months of training for our aviation team. Duration!" When talking about this data, Lieutenant Scott's brown pupils were full of admiration.

“Lieutenant, you know, if they are not crazy now, they may not even have the chance to be crazy in the future.

 Before them, 80% of the pilots who had graduated from China's Jianqiao Aviation School had been killed in combat. Before the war, the death rate of all flight group captains and squadron commanders was 95%. Our air force is very weak, but they never hesitate to make sacrifices. What does the current intensity of training mean to sacrifice? "Tang Dao couldn't help but take out a cigarette, lit one, took a deep breath and exhaled a puff of blue smoke.

Lieutenant Scott does not smoke. According to his explanation, he does not want to use tobacco and alcohol to numb his brain nerves. Fighting in the sky, even 0.01 seconds faster than the opponent's reaction may determine whether he can win or not.

"Can you give me one? I've been crazy today, and I don't care if I indulge again!" Lieutenant Scott, uncharacteristically, asked Tang Dao for one.

"Can I ask why you made this decision?" Tang Dao was always curious.

 Humanitarianism in the eyes of Westerners is slightly different from that of Easterners. Naturally, Tang Dao would not expect that a group of hard-working Chinese pilots would impress the Western elite pilot in front of him.

"When I was transferring at Kuncheng Airport earlier, I met Captain Chennault who came specially to greet us. He said that he needed volunteers to come to China to fight for the Chinese. I scoffed at how such a poor and backward country and people should let us go. Are we fighting for them because of the high salary of $800? Then I might as well go home and make my mother Maria happy, and maybe she can buy me a villa on the beach in Miami." Lieutenant Scott. Light the cigarette, but don't put it in your mouth, but stare at the faint smoke.

“But later, during my stay in China, I witnessed the war and these poor people with my own eyes. I found that my previous understanding of China was not only one-sided but even ridiculous.

To be frank, China is very backward. Compared with my country, its industrial level is at least fifty years behind.

 But you Chinese people have amazing courage. Tang, you and soldiers like Shen, Zhang and Zheng all disdained your precious lives. Don, you know what? When I saw Shen flying the fighter plane that was almost turned into scrap metal by bullets back to the airport, it was really hard for me to understand why there are people in this world who think that airplanes are more precious than life! My outlook on life completely collapsed at that moment.

 Because it is difficult to understand, I decided to stay here and take a look in person to see why you Chinese are like this.

Tang, don’t you know? When I was at West Point, in addition to my major in aviation, I also took philosophy and sociology as electives! "

I go! Tang Dao stared at the American uncle in front of him who looked extremely rough with a beard. He really didn't expect that this guy was actually a top student.

"If you are just curious, then I can definitely answer your question, Lieutenant Scott. Lieutenant Scott, there is no need to risk your life. In the sky, the Japanese do not care what nationality you are, and your government may also It is possible that the Japanese put pressure on me because of the presence of Mr. Chennault and you," Tang Dao replied with a sigh.

"Don, I have actually asked Captain Chennault the question you just mentioned. He said that the government had already sent a message to ask him. His answer was: I will leave China sooner or later, but that will have to happen after the last Japanese leaves China. when.

Just before I submitted my retirement application, I suddenly thought his answer was a very interesting one!

 Besides, the mercenary flying group he wants to establish has a very good name, called the International Flying Group, oh, God! As soon as I heard this name, I couldn't help but get excited. I heard him say that there were not only Americans, but also Dutch, Gauls and Germans. Enemies who were originally on the European battlefield could be together. Isn’t it cool to fight side by side with the mysterious East? "Lieutenant Scott said.

"International Flying Team, okay! I have to admit that Westerners' aesthetics are really unique, but they are not in my world." Tang Dao was speechless.

“If Mr. Colonel has any good suggestions, I can bring them to Captain Chennault.”

“We should call them the Flying Tigers, and then spray-paint bright and conspicuous logos on the fighter planes, so that the Japanese will know at a glance that you are coming, and overwhelm them first with momentum.”

“This is a good idea. The big sharks you painted on the noses of the six Wildcat fighter jets earlier looked good to me, so I’ll use this one.” Scott said with some excitement.

"That's not right! You seem to have flown to Kuncheng again in the meantime. Didn't you see Captain Chennault?" Tang Dao suddenly remembered a detail.

Because he had to **** the C-47 transport aircraft, Lieutenant Scott was on air duty once during the trip. The Wildcat fighter formation should have stopped at Kuncheng Airport.

"Hey! Of course I met Captain Chennault again. This time he offered me a monthly salary of one thousand US dollars, and a reward condition that I couldn't refuse. I would be rewarded 800 US dollars for shooting down a Japanese plane. God! You know How eager am I to join the war? I can buy a villa by myself without Maria at all." Lieutenant Scott smiled.

Tang Dao wanted to roll his eyes, but after working on it for a long time, the high commission played a big role.

If Tang Dao remembers correctly, the future famous Flying Tigers will spend a staggering 8 million U.S. dollars on various benefits and salaries alone, not counting the cash given out for the Japanese fighter jets they shot down. award.

In a sense, this 'mercenary' air force is a double-edged sword. While it attacks the Japanese, it also consumes a huge amount of money. If it is used to equip the army, it can be equipped with 4 pure American equipment. of infantry division.

"Lieutenant Scott, if you join this mercenary army just because of your desire for money, then I have nothing to say, but as a friend, I don't actually want you to become a slave to money." Tang Daoyao He shook his head in disinterest.

"NO! NO! Tang, you misunderstood me. I have already suggested to Captain Chennault that we pilots can get high salaries, but more importantly, we can help China win this war. I hope that the flying team will recruit a large number of Chinese as pilots. Those of us who serve as instructors will only take to the skies to fight as a last resort. This can not only help China train a large number of its own pilots, but also prevent the Japanese from putting pressure on the government. It can also help the Chinese government save a large amount of expenditure for the war. "Lieutenant Scott quickly explained when he saw Tang Dao's expression was calm.

"If that's the case, that would be great. I can go with you to see Captain Chennault this time. I will help bring in American charities to donate the funds needed for the flying team. The foreign pilots hired will have no problem getting high salaries. I even have The salary can be increased by another 30% based on Captain Chennault's promise, but I have a condition that no one will have special privileges, and the meals and other benefits will be the same as those of Chinese officers and soldiers," Tang Dao said sternly.

"Of course there is no problem. We are here to help the Chinese people resist the shameless invaders, not for a vacation." Lieutenant Scott looked upright and awe-inspiring, as if he was talking about the villa next to it just a moment ago.

 The one in the sea is another person.

Human nature is indeed complicated. Tang Dao looked at the real and cute American navy lieutenant in front of him and couldn't help but laugh.

But if Lieutenant Scott unexpectedly chose to come to China in advance and established the "Flying Tigers" with several flying groups nearly a year in advance, Tang Dao would still support it with both hands and feet.

 Isn’t it just some money? Tang Dao can afford it, as long as these 'mercenaries' can shed more blood on the Japanese.

What Tang Dao didn't expect was that because he had a huge salary increase of 30%, Lieutenant Scott actually deceived five active US Navy pilots that night, and this guy also guaranteed that he could at least still be in the country. Then he tricked no fewer than 20 of his old classmates and retired comrades into coming to China.

As for whether the US government will release him, Tang Dao is not worried at all.

In the past time and space, the Flying Tigers, established in 1941, recruited more than 100 pilots and maintenance engineers. They were all elite talents, and many of them were still in training. As a result, before coming to China, they transformed into Civilians, if you say there is no American behind this, you won’t believe it even if you beat the Japanese to death.

And if you want to say how much the US government loves China, that’s not necessarily true. The logic behind it is still the same two words - interests!

From the perspective of arms dealers, what they want to see most is that the war continues. However, the Americans probably never dreamed that the Japanese are not obedient people. They see that the Americans are so unreasonable and often get stuck in their necks. , why don’t you sneak a knife in the cold?

Typically, it’s best to steal to death, but if you can’t steal to death, Laki will overwhelm you. The Japanese have even put their own national destiny on the gambling table, so are they still afraid of this?

 (End of this chapter)