Reference:In the Skies Over China 1937-1940
From OnAirpower.org
In the Skies Over China 1937-1940
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[edit] Notes
[edit] Prokofev, Ya. P.
- End of Summer 1937, part of the 23rd Heavy Bomber Squadron, attached to the Zhukovskii Military Air Academy, equipped with TB-3 and SB bombers, U-2 trainer.
- In October 1937, volunteers to go to China. Accompanied on the trip to China by Andrei Kupchinov (engineer) and Anatolii Sorokin (Tolya), a flight engineer, Vasilii Zemlyanskii (flight engineer)
- Traveled to Alma Ata airfield, where they met up with SB bombers shipped in containers.
- SB bomber group commander was Fyodor Petrovich Polynin, former commander of the 23-rd Heavy Bomber Squadron
- Airplanes were assembled, crews were formed, along with sections and air group
- Flew to Chinese airfield Kuldzha, then to Urumcha
- In Urumcha, met Chinese pilots that Polynin had trained in 1933-34
- Flew on to Suchzhou along the Takla-Makan river bed
- Next flew to Lanchzhou, commanded by V. M. Akimov
- Lanchzhou was the terminus of the Alma Ata to Lanchzhou (via Sintszyan) and Zabaikal to Lanchzhou (via MNR) air routes, and was the main base for the Soviet volunteers
- Soviet planes, equipment, pilots, and other specialists began arriving in Lanchzhou in November, 1937.
- Commander of all Soviet volunteers was assistant chief of the VVS RKKA, Hero of the Soviet Union P. V. Rychagov, who had recently returned from service in Spain where he had shot down almost 20 fascist planes.
- The first group of volunteers left for Khankou-Nanking, a fighter group of 23 I-16 fighters commanded by G. M. Prokofyev, and a group of 20 SB bombers
- On 1 December 1937, 86 planes of various types were transferred to the Chinese, and painted with Chinese markings
- They were visited by the commander of the air brigade of the Zabaikal Military District Grigorii Illarionovich Tkhor, who was transferring equipment from Zabaikal to Lanchzhou. Tkhor had returned from Spain, where he completed more than 100 combat flights
- Their group of 16 SB bombers flew to Khankou.
- By the end of 1937, Japanese forces had captured Shanghai, advanced along the Yantsi river, occupied the capital of Nanking, and drove further to Ukhanyu. Japanese forces approaching Syuichzhou from the north didn't meet any organized resistance
- At the start of Japanese aggression, the Chinese had 450-500 aircraft, mostly obsolete types from England, France, Italy, Germany, and the US. Within the first few months of the war they were almost completely wiped out. By the time Nanking was being defended, the Chinese air forces had ceased to exist.
- Fighters from G. M. Prokofev's group of I-16s and SB bombers went into battle on 21 November 1937. Seven Soviet I-16 fighters took on 20 Japanese planes and shot down two Japanese I-96 bombers.
- At the end of November, 11 Japanese bombers tried to bomb Chzhuthzyakou airfield, met by two I-16 fighters that shot down one bomber and caused the rest to drop their bombs before reaching the target
- December 1, Soviet fighers destroyed several Japanese planes on the approach to Nanking; December 2nd, around Nanking shot down 6 bombers; December 3rd, four bombers. SB bombers attacked shipping on the Yangtse and advancing Japanese forces.
- A group from Zabaikal, led by Captain V. Klevtsov and battalion commisar V. Petrov joined Polynin's bomber group, for a total of 30 aircraft
- Prior to the Japanese capture of Nanking, Sovient volunteers moved to Nanchan and Khankou airfields.
- The Japanese launched air raids against the Nanchan and Khankou airfields, but suffered losses in spite of 3-5x numerical advantage
- P. V. Rychagov was the chief military advisor on the use of Soviet Aviation in China.
- Soviet bombers attacked aircraft concentrations on airfields, railroad cars, bridges, roads, shipping, troop concentrations, rail stations, and the battlefield.
- The bombers flew without fighter escorts, which were required to defend the airfields, and in most cases flew missions at the planes' maximum range.
- The speed of Soviet SB bombers allowed them to get away from the pursuing Japanese I-95 fighters.
- When Japanese would attack Khankou airfield, Chinese observation posts would give adequate warning for the bombers to fly 50-60km west of the airfield to wait out the attack, while the I-16 fighters met the Japanese on the approach to the airfield. Most Japanese bombers dropped their bombs before reaching the airfield. No Soviet planes were lost on the ground.
- In January, 1938 Polynin put together a raid on Nanking airfield, where intelligence indicated a large group of Japanese bombers and fighters was assembling, probably to attack Khankou. The distance to target was more than 450km.
- The author flew to the right of Polynin, as his second in command.
- Over 100 planes were arranged on the Nanking airfield "as if on parade", three lines of bombers, two lines of fighters.
- Flight leader lost his right motor, so author took over control of the group.
- One bomber, Bdovin's, was lost, and Polynin's was forced to make an emergency landing, but safely returned to the airfield
- 48 Japanese aircraft were destroyed on the ground
- Some foreign correspondents were located at the airfield, and reported on the incident. The Times corresponding responded to the question of what he saw on the airfield with the answer, "a sea of fire".
- One time, the blue flag went up indicating the Japanese were approaching; the aircrew went to their aircraft and prepared to start their engines; the black flag went up, indicating the Japanese were 15-20 minutes away. They took off and the bombers went to the "waiting zone" while the fighters went to meet the Japanese. The nearest emergency airfield was 400km away, and the nearest airfield was Nanchan, 250km away and also under attack at the time. The Japanese managed to hit the airfield, and one person was lost, but 5 Japanese aircraft were shot down.
- One February morning, author pulled a recon mission. Japanese forces were advancing from the north, along the rail road in the direction of Syuichahou. It was necessary to determine the number of Japanese planes on the airfields. Their aircraft did not have a radio or camera. They flew near the Khuankheh river, and were met by two I-95 fighters, but managed to fly away from them. They saw rail and pontoon bridges, troop concentrations, and aircraft on the airfield.
- Japanese troops advancing from the north southwards towards Syuichzhou were trying to join the Central and Norther fronts. Soviets were tasked with destroying the railroad bridge and adjacent pontoon bridges.
- On the route, they met up with a group of Japanese SB-96 bombers, escorted by fighters. The Japanese bombers broke formation and headed off in various directions, and the fighters could not reach the Soviets. The Soviets knocked out the rail and pontoon bridges and returned without loss.
- February 22, 1938, they moved to Nanchan airfield, where the rest of the Soviet volunteers were based.
