Tang Jiyao was full of obsession with the Air Force. In the modern sense of war, three-dimensional, air superiority often determines victory or defeat.
The preparatory work of Yunnan Aviation School has stumbled all the way, and it will be officially opened after the instructors, school buildings, training grounds, etc. are readily available. At the beginning of the preparations, Tang Jiyao mainly considered American equipment, purchased American aircraft, and the instructors were mainly overseas Chinese and students studying in the United States. Tang Jiyao had to back down and buy 12 French trainers and recruit 3 French instructors: the consultant was Captain Al peter of the French Air Force; the instructors were served by French Air Force Lieutenant Francis and Warrant Officer Mardan; and 12 Vietnamese technicians were hired for maintenance. As a result, the aircraft is expensive, the instructors are paid very well, and the start-up cost is not small.
Not only that, but many people have drawn a big question mark in their minds: Can the French do it?
As an important achievement of the industrial revolution, the world aviation industry has developed rapidly from the beginning, and the practical application and aviation education after World War I have gone hand in hand. When World War I broke out, the United States bought aircraft from France and Britain; with the prominent use of aircraft in the war, the US government proposed a "contingency plan" and constantly sent military personnel to Britain, France and other countries for investigation and introduction, imitation and assembly; after the war, whether from production to use to education, it was comparable to Germany, France, Britain and Italy. Germany began to train Zeppelin and aircraft in large quantities from 1912 onwards, with at least three large companies producing aircraft for the German military. At that time, the French Air Force was second only to Germany in size, and at least 5 manufacturing plants supplied aircraft to the French military. Founded in April 1912, the Royal Flying Corps was about 2 years behind France and its aircraft design and manufacturing capabilities were inferior to those of France.
Flight training for students of Yunnan Aviation School.
In terms of the development of the aviation industry, Germany and France are in the first echelon, and Britain and the United States are later. Yunnan Aviation School chose french aircraft and let the French be the instructor, which seems to be no problem. It is said that Al peter, Francis, Maldron and others also experienced the test of the First World War, and their qualities and abilities in all aspects are also worthy of great responsibility.
Due to the reference of Nanyuan Aviation School, Yunnan Aviation School has reached a high level from the curriculum setting to the reasonable and scientific staffing of teachers. The study arrangement during the school period is two stages: the enlistment period and the formal period -
Enlistment period. Duration: 3 months to 6 months. Main contents: The study and training of new recruits, such as the basic military literacy, discipline and military posture and military exercises of military personnel. Official period. Time: 1 to 2 years. Main content: Air Force professional course study.
Professional courses are divided into two categories: disciplines and surgical disciplines. Subject courses include tactics, fortification, weapons, transportation, topography, mathematics, mechanics, heavy studies, electricity, iron smelting, photography, radio, aerodynamics, aviation, aviation regulations, aviation history, etc.; technical courses include aircraft repair, engine testing, flight practice, gun training, boxing drills, equipment balance exercises, cycling exercises, swimming skills, etc.
Yunnan Aviation School is the first school in China to break the boundaries between men and women in cross-border enrollment.
In addition to the French instructors, the returned overseas Chinese Huang Shewang, Zhuang Mengxian, Situ Peng and others were flight instructors and mechanical instructors respectively, while the engineering and physical and chemical instructors were Yang Kerong, Zhao Shuquan and others, and the instructors of the Wushu Academy participated in the teaching and management. According to this model, during the reign of Tang Jiyao, the Yunnan Aviation School vigorously held two phases, exploring a path for the construction of the Air Force and reserving talents.
The idea is good, the vision is beautiful, and the school is not so smooth. With the advancement of various work, the contradiction between french instructors and Chinese instructors became increasingly acute, and the power of the Yunnan Air Force was gradually handed over to the French. The French have many reasons, language barriers, lack of education, military knowledge, etc., and try to force Liu Peiquan to resign.
The French were not happy, and Tang Jiyao could not help it. Later, Tang Jiyao appointed Wang Zhaoji, a classmate of the Japanese Non-Commissioned Officer School, as the director of the Aviation Department, and Gao Xiangchun, a graduate of the Baoding Military Academy, as the director of the association.
Wang Zhaoji was a native of Guangdong and a subordinate of the warlord Chen Jiongming. At the beginning of 1923, Chen Jiongming "went down to the wilderness" and Wang Zhaoji "took refuge" to come to Dian to join Tang Jiyao. When Wang Zhaoji was studying infantry while studying in Japan, he did not know much about military aviation. As a result, the aviation department is not in great detail, and the French consultants say one thing is not the same. Even so, the desires of the French could not be satisfied. In the winter of 1923, Tang Jiyao abolished the aviation department and changed it into an aviation team, and appointed Liu Xiquan, who studied in law and metallurgy, as the captain, and Duan Wei, who studied aesthetic civil engineering, as the deputy captain, and finally retained the Yunnan Aviation Corps.
At this point, the French advisers were in full control of the air force. According to Zhang Ruhan's recollection, the French advisers did whatever they wanted, received outsiders to visit, and could either start the factory machinery or launch an airplane to take off during non-working hours without the consent of the leaders of the air force. Captain Yoo Hee-kwon turned a deaf ear.
The first phase of the education plan is that students will be en enlisted for six months, and the internship will be one year and six months, for a total of 2 years to graduate. Due to the repeated delays in delivery of the trainer aircraft ordered from France, the teaching plan was postponed; after many negotiations, the trainer aircraft did not arrive in Kunming until September 1923, and the internship began in October.
In July 1926, the first batch of students graduated. The students who graduated from the flight department of the whole class were: Zhang Ruhan, Zhang Yougu, Chen Qixia, Yan Yuqun, Yang Jiamo, Guo Qixuan, Li Jiaming, Li Farong, Li Yingmao, Kwon Ki-yu (female), Zhao Anguo, Liu Chonglun and 12 others.
Tang Jiyao was obsessed with the establishment of the Air Force, and the first batch of students finally graduated and was about to be used by me, so naturally they attached great importance to it. At the graduation ceremony, Tang Jiyao personally spoke, believing that this was the beginning of the Great Southwest Air Force, which was of great significance; he encouraged the students to have great ambitions and serve Yunnan.
However, the number of pilots is too small, and not many can take on combat tasks, and it will take time to form combat strength. Tang Jiyao did not forget to instruct the captain Liu Xiquan to continue to enroll students, and the students in Kunming middle schools organized to apply for the examination.
Wujiaba Airport during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
In December 1926, the second batch of students, Li Huaimin, and 40 other students were enrolled. All educational programs shall be handled in accordance with the first phase. French consultants and French instructors were re-hired, with Zhang Yougu and Zhang Ruhan as the head of the student class.
With the first and second graduated students of the Yunnan Aviation School as the backbone, Tang Jiyao appointed personnel with domestic aviation experience, and the Yunnan Aviation Corps focused on the requirements of actual combat and carried out aerial reconnaissance and bombing training. Some people commented that Tang Jiyao was the first person in the development of Yunnan aviation industry, which is true.
It is precisely because of Tang Jiyao's far-sightedness and decisive decision-making that conditions have been created for the development of Yunnan's aviation industry, laid the foundation, and taken the first step of the Yunnan Air Force.