history · 14 August 1937 · 87 years ago
18 Type 96 G3M bombers of the Japanese Kanoya Air Group took off from the Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Songshan Airport in Taipei), Taiwan to bomb Jianqiao Airfield at Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province and Guangde Airfield in Anhui Province in China. Fighters of the Chinese 4th Pursuit Group, led by Captain Gao Zhihang, rose to intercept from Jianqiao and shot down 3 bombers without any losses. Cheng Xiaoyu's 22nd Squadron, also of the Chinese 4th Pursuit Group, rose to meet the other group attacking Guangde Airfield, shooting down another. Anti-aircraft crews claimed a further two bombers destroyed. Gao's downing was the first Republic of China Air Force victory of WW2. In 1939, the Chinese Nationalist government would declare 14 Aug as a holiday, Air Force Day, as an instrument to raise morale.
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