Preface
1937年9月19日 山西太原上空 戦雲密佈 ... 這是國民黨軍隊抗日22大戦役中之 "太原會戦" 1937年9月13日-11月之一場震驚中外的慘烈空戦!
A True World War II story that was played out above the 78-years- ago skies of Taiyuan, Shanxi in China. How the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force “Ace”, the King of pursuits Major Miwa Hiroshi, JAAF   “驅逐之王” 三輪寬少校 (?-1939) was shot down by Nationalist China Pilot Major Chen Qiguang (Chan Kee-Kwong) 陳其光少校 (1909-1990) at the beginning of the War on 19 September 1937.
1
Yellowed but unforgotten records show
On 19 September, 78 years ago,
O'er the placid skies at Taiyuan, Shanxi,  太原會戦
Gallant defenders were anxious to see
Twenty-four Imperial Japanese
Bombers and fighters -- like Black Death disease! --
Coming in formation, a violent gale,
While o'er the city air raid sirens wailed!

2
Just a little over two months ago,                七七盧溝橋事變
O'er the Marco Polo Bridge surged the foe
To dominate China weakened by strife,
Plundering, stifling people's right to life!
Against Japan's great military might
The poorly-equipped Chinese troops did fight!
August 13: Began the Battle of Songhu,      八一三淞滬會戰
With the fall of Shanghai the Chinese armies withdrew.

3
Now nine MITSUBISHI G3M medium bombers thundering came,
With 15 “Type 96” MITSUBISHI A5M new fighter planes.                                       九六式戦闘機
Only four Chinese CURTISS Model 35/63 “Hawk II” bi-planes**  霍克 II 式戦闘機
Were stationed around the capital city: But not in vain!
Major Chen Qiguang 陳其光 led his three comrades --
Lieutenants Su Yingxiang 蘇英祥, Liang Tingyuan 梁定苑, Lei Yanjun 雷炎均 --
To hurl themselves towards the in-coming threats.
They knew they were speeding towards certain death!

4
Their biggest wish: To shoot down as many --
Ere their demise -- planes of the enemy!
Second wish: To bring down own craft safely,
For man and plane to fight again bravely.
While Japanese planes lost would be quickly replaced,
Chinese losses just meant even less fighter planes.
So, injured Chinese pilots desperately tried
Landing, but ne'er abandoning, their damaged ride!

5
A fierce air battle then erupted between David and Goliath --
Four dots of gallant Defenders, fighting in situation dire,
At 1450 hours, around 8,000 feet high,
20 miles short of Taiyuan, high up in the sky.
Four dots turned into fearless Flying Tigers breathing fire.
Each pounced towards a selected bomber: “Eat my Sword Fiery!”
But then, six 'Red-Sun' bandit fighters ganged up on The Four.
Might there be more '12-point White Sun' fighters! Let there be more!

6
All chaos broke loose -- Mad Dogs chasing mad dogs: A dog-fight!
With steel resolve, the Four Defenders fought with all their might.
One or two bandits swarmed after each Nationalist fighter --
For the first 10 minutes: Sharp turns, loops! "Rat-ta-ta-ta-ta!"
30 minutes gone: One of the pirates at 3,000 feet height
Was so badly wounded, out of there had to take a hike.
Two more Jap fighters joined up, then jammed were Lt. Lei's guns;
He had to go, mission half-done, to fight another day in the sun.

7
Blatantly unfair: It was two against one! "Rat-ta-ta-ta!"
Now still out-numbered, out-manoeuvred and out-gunned,
Valiant Defenders were hit many times, one by one...
Lieutenants Su and Liang went down with their flaming fighters!
Alas! Most of the marauding pirates were seasoned hands.
Our brave fighters, relatively inexperienced young men.
There was no radio on board in those early days;
With hand signals and wing-dipping, pilots talked that way.

8
The sole survivor, though wounded, Maj. Chen fought on still.
Enemy bullets bursting, cutting through wood and steel...
As leader himself, Major Chen set sight on the other...
Flying haughty with wing-men in train... the other leader.
It was a message clear: With a salute of the wing --
Two opposing lions would now duel one-on-one, sure thing.
No self-respecting samurai could do this otherwise.
Challenge me and my superior machine -- you shall die!

9
Dying was the last thing on his mind: “I'll keep focused.”
Maj. Chen thought, "Down I'll have his bloated ego cut.”
Not your ordinary flier, Major Chen was a maverick;
A great aerial acrobat: He rolled and turned unpredict'd.
For this and his shooting out of the sky enemy planes four,
He was nicknamed 'Crazy Qi' and was expected to score more.
The Japanese Squadron leader was the "Beiping Air Force Commander";                           三輪寬
An “Ace” pilot, having shot down many a Chinese fighter.

10
Nine bombers with seven escort fighters flew on their way
To CIVILIAN targets for their bombs to unload away!
Four of the six Jap planes were damaged; they circled mostly
Above the two whirling combatants, watching them closely.
Major Chen and the Japanese leader fought high and low;
Where one plane went the other was sure to follow.
Tenaciously they fought,
At each other they shot ..... !

11
A gang of shameless cats, the strongest cat
Playing with a brave mouse, a dying pet.
The Flying Samurai was most confident, and rightly so --
His ride, the 'Father of the A6M', the famed Fighter “Zero”.
A prized possession was tucked to the side of the Ace's suit,
Gleaming samurai sword inscribed with the words “King of Pursuits!”                               “驅逐之王”
-- Presented to him by a proud Emperor Hirohito,                                                                           裕仁天皇
He was one of the “Four Aces”, a National Hero!

12
..... Almost out of ammo, Major Chen resorted to ramming!
Caught by surprise, the Ace at the last moment veered away.
So close to each other, the planes were in a near-slamming;
By the Major's last rounds, the Japanese cockpit was sprayed.
The Ace's plane fell from 3,000 feet, trailing thick smoke...
At once, two Japanese fighters dived: Rage their guns spoke and spoke!
Major Chen twisted and rolled his plane, looping the loop,
Enraged samurai fighters dived steep and down they swoop'd...

13
The twin keen avengers kept firing with their four machine guns:
Hundreds of screaming 7.7 mm bullets raced forth in the sun.
Arrgh...! There were just far too many murderous, flying slugs:
Major Chen's “Hawk II” cockpit was not armour-plated;
Bullets hit him in the shoulder, left arm and in the legs.
His engine groaned, billowed smoke and the plane was gutted.
His disabled plane, limping at 1 to 200 feet above the ground,
Crash-landed at Taiyuan Lady Teachers' College sports compound.

14
The twin Japanese fighters dived in strafing, to finish him off.
They didn't want to report... No! They didn't want to be laughing-stock:
-- With superior numbers and planes, the lone Ace-killer still got away!
And you still called him the 'Sick Man of East Asia'? -- No way!  “東亞病夫”
Now, with the bitter dog-fights over, the Chinese military
Opened up with whatever they had in the arms inventory.
The eager but frustrated avengers were driven away!
Bleeding profusely, a critically wounded warrior might come home for the day ...

15
The shredded, crash-landing dark-green plane banged against a wall;
Helpers and rescuers came running from directions all.
Maj. Chen broke some bones, and was also hit in the chest.
All bloodied, he appeared dead but he had given his best!
Major Chen remained in a deep coma for seven days...
That he got to live and walk with a limp, many were amazed.
His heroic deeds and resilience earned international praise;
But concrete help for China from the Powers weren't on their way.

16
On the other hand, still falling was the King of Pursuit's plane...
An Ace fighter, control of the plane he struggled to maintain.
Dazed and confused, on the nearest airfield he landed his plane.
Then he was totally surprised to find
Chinese troops coming to take him alive.
Again, he took off fast: 40 miles outside Taiyuan was seen last.
His battered plane finally crashed and his body was found,
With his precious sword and his personal seal together bound.

17
Thus ended the glorious Son of Japan's battle last.
For China's and the World's, it would be eight years more, Alas!
By the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters estimate,
Within three months of the war China would capitulate! “三月亡華”
O How deadly wrong could they be,
Ev'ryone treasures their liberty!
The Imperial Japanese forces in China finally,
On 9 September 1945, surrendered unconditionally.

The following brief info is reproduced from the net:

第五大隊二十八中隊中隊長 陳其光
陳其光，廣東番禺縣人，1909年出世於一個華僑海員之家。其父陳煥章早年加入同盟會，追隨孫中山先生革命。在父親薰陶下，1928年他秉承孫中山“航空救國”的遺訓，考入廣東航校第三期學習飛行，1930年畢業，是家父的師兄和好友,在廣東空軍時兩人曾在一個中隊服過役。
陳其光 駕機動作敏捷，戰術靈活多變，纏鬥不已，出奇制勝，往往令對手望而生畏，因此有綽號“傻其”之稱。
1937年9月19日，日空軍進襲山西太原，與我方空軍發生激烈空戰，敵機的總領隊為號稱日本空軍“驅逐之王”的三輪寬，他在這次空戰中竟被我國空軍陳其光親手將之擊落，這一優異的戰果，當時曾轟傳中外，為我國空軍生色不少。本文根據家父生前所敘和有關資料整理而成。
三輪寬 (Miwa Hiroshi) 是日本空軍中著名射擊能手，系日軍王牌飛行員，日空軍“四大
天王”之一。加以他在作戰上的超卓技術和勇敢，早為全日本的空軍所信服。自從參加對華侵略戰以後，在短短時期裏，他每次出戰，皆能盡情創出他的作戰成績， 我國空軍喪生於他之手的，為數極眾。日本天皇曾特別賞賜給他一柄“佩劍”，在劍上鑲著“驅逐之王”四字，隨身佩帶。這在日本空軍來說，確是無以至上的光榮 事兒。他當時是日本駐北平航空指揮官兼驅逐大隊司令。正因為他是這樣的不可一世，而竟為我國空軍所收拾，無怪當時震動整個日本，即世界各國對中國空軍也立 即加以正視。
自“七.七 事變”發生，而至“八一三”開戰以後，日本空軍除向我前線及軍事目標攻擊外，還向我內地各重要城市施行空襲。而我國幅員廣大，空軍將士除參加前線作戰外， 對於各城市的防禦作戰也屬重要。因此原有的那一點實力，還迫得要臨時抽調分散使用。所以雖同屬一中隊的飛機（驅逐機），也要分散駐防在於不同區域或不同省 份而作戰。實力一經分散，若碰到敵方強大機隊來擊，便陷於眾寡懸殊的苦境，此時唯有拿出空軍的作戰共守信條“以一當十，以十當百”的犧牲精神來作死拼，因 此每一飛行人員都是預先立好遺囑，由航空委員會密封儲存。
1937年9月，其時山西太原經常遭到敵機的空襲，與我方不時發生空戰。駐防於太原的，只有驅逐機一個中隊（第二十八中隊，系原廣東空軍第六中隊改編），隊長陳其光少校。該中隊的7架飛機，完全是美國出品“霍克-II”驅逐機。但臨時因廣東境內空襲緊張，急需空軍增援，便由該隊抽調了3架由副隊長陳瑞佃上尉率領飛往曲江作戰（陳亦出身廣東空軍）。因此，駐在太原的驅逐機僅4架而已。
　　9月19日日午後二時，太原防空網報剛偵知有敵機24架已進入我方第一防空警報圈的大同上空（大同距太原約一百英裏左右），先發出了第一次預行警報。防空監視哨隨即加緊捉捕敵蹤，發覺敵機又闖進了我第二警報圈，並判斷它是企圖進襲太原,至2時30分發出第二次空襲警報。敵機已迫近最後的警報圈，乃於2時50分發出第三次緊急警報。這時太原方面的防空部隊均已完成準備，民眾亦已向安全地帶疏散一空。我空軍由隊長陳其光少校率領隊員蘇英祥中尉、梁定苑中尉（蘇、梁兩人皆出身廣東航校第六期）、雷炎均中尉（中央空校第二期，曾任臺灣國防部副總參謀長，空軍中將退役）分駕4機升空搜索。
至3時左右，敵方驅逐機15架、轟炸機9架（共24架）在距離太原城20英里的8千英尺上空，與中國空軍遭遇，即行展開激烈空戰，我機以寡擊眾，展開鷹撲姿態，首先向敵方轟炸機猛施攻擊，敵方驅逐機也立即先以6架向我4架進攻，試圖解救轟炸機所受的威脅，其餘9架驅逐機卻採取高層位置，掩護轟炸機的行動，並作空中的監視，因為敵機也要防備我方或者還有另外飛機續到，需要應付，必要時也可衝下向我4機圍攻。在這種情勢下，我方4機
日軍所使用的是日本“九六”式驅逐機
即轉與敵驅逐機展開激戰，經過十多分鐘，敵方仍未占得上風，而我機愈戰愈勇。此時在高空的敵機又有2架俯衝而下，加入向我圍攻，雙方變成了四與八之比。我方雖然機少，但人人都抱有必死決心，上下翻騰，左衝右撲，廝殺搏鬥，毫不畏怯，一時飛機聲、機槍聲陣陣，子彈橫飛，火花四射，火球在太原上空翻跌打滾。這場惡鬥，由8千英尺一直戰到3千英尺，已經混戰了30多分鐘之久，其時已有敵機一架首先被我機擊傷受創，搖搖欲墜，脫離了戰鬥圈。但我雷炎均中尉亦於戰鬥中因機槍忽然發生故障，不能使用，只得臨時脫離戰鬥。我方忽然減少了1架戰機，戰鬥力量大受影響，而且就在此時，敵機忽然變更戰術，由它的領隊機單獨1架，專來纏著我領隊機陳其光少校的1架，獨戰獨鬥。其餘6架則全數集中對付我方蘇梁2機，進行包圍攻擊，終以敵我戰鬥力懸殊，我蘇英祥中尉首先中彈陣亡。我梁定苑中尉以一敵六，亦告身受重傷，人機同歸於盡。剩下來的只得陳其光的1架了。而此時敵機也有4架受重創。當我蘇、梁2機被擊落之時，也正是陳其光與敵方領隊機戰得難解之際，按說敵方那6架敵機將我蘇、梁2機擊落之後，便應集中火力向我陳其光攻擊的，可是出乎意料的是，其中有4架卻飛離而去（這可能是機身或人員受創，不能再戰之故）。還有兩架未飛離戰鬥圈，而只在旁邊盤旋，作觀戰式的監視行動，這種不合理的戰法，在當時確令人莫測高深，原來專纏著我方陳其光少校單獨戰鬥的，就是日本“驅逐之王”的三輪寬。
三輪寬平日以技高人膽大，同時特別重視個人武士道的英雄氣概，以顯“驅逐之王”的威風，他素來出戰，都是喜歡單獨作戰，非至不得已時，不願同僚飛機加以協 助，這是我們空軍從歷次空戰中所得到的經驗。此時陳其光已判斷這一批敵機定是由日本王牌飛行員領隊。他之專向我方陳少校纏鬥，亦是要先將我方領隊機擊落， 而且自以為是絕對有把握的。陳其光在單獨接戰中，也覺到支手的戰鬥動作向非尋常，陳其光沒有想到，這番作戰的對手，竟碰著了敵方的“驅逐之王” 三輪寬。
陳其光所駕駛的是美國的“霍克-2”式驅逐機，三輪寬所使用的是日本“九六”式驅逐機，這兩種機的性能優點，都是轉彎動作敏捷，而且雙方機速也是相等的，何況彼此的技術又是半手八兩，所以雖經激烈劇戰，總是不見高下。然而這樣的糾纏下去，決不是辦法。同時眼前的敵機有10多 架，自己是單機作戰，無疑戰亦死、不戰亦死，為國而死，死也要死得壯烈，死得值得。陳其光想到這裏，精神百倍，決心以死相撞，來一個大家同歸於盡。說時 遲，那時快，他立即加速油門，開足馬力，已最快的速度，向敵機對正面撞去。對方不防有此一著，在兩機即將相撞的緊急關頭膽怯了，倉卒間急忙拉轉機頭閃避， 就在這剎那間，陳其光剛好緊貼在敵機之後，對個正著，他把握良機，咬牙按下了發射按鈕，“達達達……”仇恨的子彈擊中了三輪寬的飛機，敵機的發動機濃厚的 機油跟著噴出，布滿了敵機的機頭，人機由3千英尺高空拖著滾滾濃煙一直向地面跌去…，一代日本“驅逐之王”，就是這樣的被我空軍所擊落而告了結。
當陳其光將“驅逐之王”擊落的時候，其他的兩架敵機，跟著撲向陳機進攻，此時陳其光已戰到筋疲力盡，他正待轉過身來對付後機，但來不及了，他被擊中左臂和 肩膊，身軀感覺麻痹，此時發動機也中彈損壞失去動力，飛機一個勁的往下掉。又因高度過低，僅離地不過二三百英尺左右，即使跳傘也不可能，此時他希望地面高 射炮能助自己一臂之力，但地面高射部隊也因敵我飛機混在一起，投鼠忌器，未敢射擊。當時飛機的高度已不允許他選擇迫降地點，陳其光迫不得已，即向太原城女 子師範學校體育場作極度危險的迫降，由於飛機高度太低，迫降時飛機失控而撞在學校牆壁上，這時敵機也即跟著俯衝向地上掃射，幸而我方地面高射炮部隊立即向 敵機開火，才將敵機擊退。
 　　陳其光迫降後，飛機已毀損不堪，而他的傷勢除左臂和肩膊中彈外，又撞傷了胸部並折斷了鎖骨和肋骨，傷勢慘重，血肉模糊，奄奄一息，搶救出來後，他已完 全是死去的樣子了。後經送入山西醫院加以急救，過了七天，方才蘇醒。及後，又以飛機送到湖南長沙湘雅醫院繼續醫治，因為湘醫院設備較為完善，經留醫後，得 以重生。
 　　再說三輪寬駕駛著被陳其光擊中而燃燒的飛機，向地面跌去，突然間他發現機翼下有個機場，由於煙燻火燎頭昏眼花疼痛難熬他不管三七二十一就把飛機降落在 跑道上面，但沒有熄火。令他沒有想到的是這個機場是我方的機場。我方士兵發現降落的是日本飛機後紛紛向日機奔去，想生擒日本飛行員。於是三輪寬重新駕機飛 離機場，終因飛機燃燒失控連人帶機墜毀於距太原以北約40裏外而斃命。事後，我方檢拾敵機殘骸，發現被擊斃的那位敵方空軍人員，竟是三輪寬其人。因為日本天皇賜給鐫有“驅逐之王”的一把佩劍，仍佩在該屍骸之上，在其身上還帶有“三輪寬”印章一枚。他是第一個在中國斃命的日本王牌飛行員。
 　　陳其光少校醫治了一段時期，始告痊癒，可說是死裏逃生。傷愈後陳其光少校亦僅以軍官附員名義，被派到第九戰區司令長官部（司令長官為薛嶽），擔任聯絡 參謀，默默無聞。抗戰勝利後，他辭去軍職，轉入中央航空公司任飛行員，直至中航遷臺，他才脫離中航公司，留居香港。
晚年，陳其光以傷殘之軀飄泊異域，但仍受海外華僑敬重。加拿大報章曾登載《垂暮英雄感慨多》一文，備述海外華僑對抗日英雄陳其光欽敬之情。


本文摘自: 中文百科在線
** 抗戰時中國空軍的霍克II 機群   (net photo)
ROC warplanes in formation.jpg
(from wikipedia.org) ... "F11C-2 蒼鷹有 Hawk I 和 Hawk II 兩種外銷版，他們實際上是改良過的 XF11C-2。... 是1930年代美國海軍雙翼戰鬥機...。Hawk II 配有 Wright R-1820F-3 Cyclone 引擎，在海拔1676公尺處有710匹馬力，燃料箱則有356公升的容量（Hawk I 則有189公升的內部燃油）。兩種版本都配有跟 F11C-2 一樣的武器 ... (裝備2挺 0.3 in（7.62 mm）口徑固定前射機炮，同時機身下方有一個可掛載474 lb (215 kg)炸彈或副油箱的掛載點)。只有 Hawk II 以一定數量外銷給了土耳其，這個第一位的客戶在1932年8月30日取得了19架。... 中國有52架 .....。"

In addition, from a blogger...  the Republic of China Air Force had the most advance air raid warning system in Asia in 1937 - thanks to an advisor Mao Pang-Chu hired from the U.S. - Claire Lee Chennault.
Chennault had a network of ground observers set up in the countryside linked by telephone or voice radio.  When Japanese aircraft flew overhead, the reports are phoned in to a central plot.  That allowed the limited number of Chinese aircraft to be scrambled to intercept.  THAT allowed the vastly outnumbered Chinese Air Force to inflict significant losses on the Japanese.
"Boy, if the Chinese only had 100 good pursuit planes and 100 fair pilots, they'd exterminate the Jap air force!"  -- Claire Lee Chennault 陳立德 (1893-1958), the founder of the "Flying Tigers" (American Volunteer Group), fighter pilots who fought the Japanese in China the year before the U.S. declared war on Japan.

The Nationalist China Air Force recognition markings during this period (1937-1945) were:

 (a) white and light blue zebra stripes on the rudder; and
(b) a twelve-pointed "White Sun" on a "Blue Sky" field 青天白日國徽 on the wings and fuselage.The overall colour of the plane was dark green.

 It appears during that period, the "fighter" planes 戦闘機 were popularly known as "pursuit" planes 驅逐機.

After this epic battle that almost cost his life, Maj. Chen was later assigned to a non-combat position in the military. Fortunately, he survived the war. Eventually, it appeared that he moved to Canada. (I was not aware that we actually lived in the same city for some time. I did not have the honour of meeting this great guy.)  He passed away peacefully in 1990 at the ripe old age of 81.