They Fell With Faces To The Foe

FIn the early 1930s under the condition of the next Japanese aggression, the China gave great attention to the development of a modern air force.  At the beginning of the second Sino-Japanese War in July 1937, the actual results fell far short of those desired.  Among the 305 serviceable fighters, the Chinese Air force’s 28^th and 34^th FSs had 49 obsolete Curtiss Hawk IIs, resulted from a chaotic purchase of a mixed roster of aircraft, many of which by that time were more or less outdated.  Hawk II variant was an export version of the US Navy F11C-2 carrier-based fighter bomber, China was the major operator of this fabric-covered, metal-framed biplane.

In the first week of the air battle, the Japanese were outfought by the enthusiastic Chinese.  Stood firm in the face of enemy’s relentless advances, the CAF committed the bulk of its Hawks into stiff resistance, until the crushing Mitsubishi Type-96 fighter swept Chinese fading air flotilla from Shanghai area.  Though inflicted heavy losses, the remaining 28^th FS further split into two detachments headed for Shanxi and Guangdong provinces, in response to the assaults from northern and southern fronts, respectively.  Nevertheless in performance and firepower it was no match for the foe, the 28^th’s CO Chen Qi-Guang, fought valiantly and managed to shot down the top IJA ace, “King of Pursuer” Miwa Hiroshi over Taiyuang, Shanxi, on September 21.  In mid-October, only three Hawk IIs remained operational, with another two under repaired.  Thus the depleted north detachment retreated to Luoyang.

The CAF pilots, well trained and disciplined, had made up for what they lacked in aircraft performance with raw courage and battlefield adaptability.  In Guangdong the south detachment fought to diminution as well.  In their last combat on October 7, four Hawk IIs were ambushed by four Type-96 fighters as intercepting six Type-96 bombers which first appeared in China; only one Hawk survived after this 20 minutes one-side-duel.  By the end of 1940 the CAF had practically no combat worthy Hawk II remaining and the survivors were soon relegated second line duties in Ichang, Chengdu, and Kunming.  This was the Great Resistance War, it names itself, and Chinese stoicism was telling.