The next day, in the hangar where the Boeing 747 was parked, 24 grey-haired former American Flying Tigers, wearing U.S. Army pilot uniforms from World War II, accompanied by their families, stood outside the spiral staircase for a long time, unwilling to board the aircraft. machine.
It was already half an hour past the scheduled registration time, but these elderly people were moved to tears as they gazed at the familiar shark mouth paint on the Boeing 747.
Modern Americans no longer recognize this livery, which was specially designed by Disney for the Flying Tigers during World War II. The elderly never thought that this livery, which they had not seen for many years and was of extraordinary significance to them, would actually be used. Appeared on a Boeing 747.
The unique fighter jet livery of World War II is now reproduced on a modern passenger aircraft. The past and present are intertwined, allowing these elderly people to recall the prosperous years of those years and their life journey after leaving the battlefield for so many years.
The old people hugged each other and cried, and the family members on the side also hugged each other, watching their lovers, fathers, and grandfathers lamenting and sighing. At this moment, these infinitely old old people were shining with infinite great brilliance.
The boarding time has passed, and the tower is already urging the plane to prepare for taxiing and queuing up for takeoff. The captain cannot bear to interrupt the precious emotions of these elderly people, so he can only explain to the tower in person that boarding is delayed, and he can only postpone the departure time by one hour. .
The accompanying photographers have been taking pictures all the time. These photographers who were moved to the extreme are also trying their best to leave the most precious and perfect memories for these elderly people and for future generations. The next extremely precious record.
A photographer from China suddenly suggested: "Let's help you take a photo with the plane, just like the photos you took with the plane in the Flying Tigers."
The old people nodded excitedly. One old man wiped away his tears and said with a smile: "When we were in the Flying Tigers, every time we took pictures with the aircraft, I had to climb on the fuselage and stand at the highest point. It’s just that this Boeing passenger plane is too high to get on.”
The old people next to them burst into laughter, and the atmosphere suddenly became more lively. The old people stood in a long sign under the nose of the plane, with the huge shark mouth above their heads.
Photographers from China and the United States were carefully taking pictures of them from all angles. The family members looked on and were moved by the scene, so they also joined in the group photo.
After taking countless photos of these old people, the time has passed the second take-off time.
Chen Xu, the five-star captain sent by Air China and the captain of this crew, was not in a hurry at the moment. Apart from applying to the tower for a later takeoff, he was always at the cabin door, motionless to the old people outside. Pay attention.
But when the old people hugged each other and cried, Chen Xu also turned around and secretly wiped away his tears.
He was also an Air Force pilot, and later switched to civil aviation. With his superb flying skills and strong sense of responsibility, he became the best pilot and instructor of Air China. He does not fly often anymore, but only occasionally flies for important reasons. He was responsible for the flight and route guidance, and the pilot was promoted to captain. However, because Air China attached great importance to this charter flight activity, it specially organized a best crew, so he was assigned to be the captain of this charter flight.
Chen Xu had never experienced the war in person, so he was so touched, but when he was in the Air Force, a pilot he had led died in the South China Sea two years ago.
The Air Force pilot named Wang Wei was only 33 years old when he died. His first solo flight was under the guidance of Chen Xu. The two had a standard master-disciple relationship. Two years ago, Wang Wei was ordered to drive away the intruder. A US military reconnaissance aircraft in Chinese airspace collided with a US military reconnaissance aircraft and parachuted at sea. His whereabouts were unknown and he was eventually confirmed to have died.
Although Chen Xu had already changed his career for many years when Wang Wei died, the news still made him extremely sad. At that time, he was making preparations for takeoff for a flight with a route. The co-pilot was below doing a detour inspection with the aircraft maintenance staff and confirming refueling. When he came up, he found that the normally unsmiling captain, a man in his fifties, had cried like a three-year-old child in the cockpit.
Except for the two flight attendants who stayed to receive boarding passengers, the entire crew rushed into the cockpit to comfort Chen Xu. At that time, they thought something had happened to Chen Xu's family. Later they found out that it was the captain who was at home. Before taking off, I received a message from an old comrade. After many days of searching, the military officially announced that the hero had died. Therefore, the hope for a miracle was dashed in an instant, leaving only sadness.
At this time, when Chen Xu saw these old pilots who had experienced World War II, the first thing he thought of was the hero who was buried in the South China Sea. After calculation, it was almost his second anniversary, and some people were still thinking about his fifties and sixties. I don’t know how many people still remember the old hero who died less than two years ago.
After crying secretly, the flight attendant came to Chen Xu and said in his ear: "Captain, it's almost time to let the elderly board the plane. Number 2 asked me to tell you that the tower is already urging you."
Chen Xu nodded, sighed, and said, "Go and tell our Chinese volunteer representative. According to the regulations, you cannot get off the plane casually at this time."
"Okay." The flight attendant immediately agreed. Just as he was about to walk down the spiral staircase, he suddenly turned back and said to Chen Xu: "Captain, I believe that 81194 will be remembered by everyone."
Chen Xu glanced at her in surprise, and nodded gratefully and gratifiedly.
The aircraft number when Wang Wei died was 81194. Many people saw the photos taken by Americans in the air and thought that the 81192 fighter plane in the photo was the number of the fighter plane Wang Wei flew when he died. In fact, the photo was not taken on the day of the impact. On the day of the collision, the number of the fighter plane driven by Wang Wei was actually 81194.
This flight attendant has worked with Chen Xu for many years and is also a five-star flight attendant of Air China. She knows Chen Xu very well. When Chen Xu burst into tears in the cockpit, she was right next to him. Just now, Chen Xu quietly wiped away his tears. She also saw his actions, and she understood almost instantly who Chen Xu was shedding tears for.
The flight attendant conveyed the tower's request to the volunteer representative from China, who was also the person in charge of China this time. The other party quickly explained the situation to the veterans who were still taking photos and watching under the shark's mouth. When they heard that the flight had been postponed When it took more than an hour to take off, everyone started to prepare for boarding in cooperation.
All the crew members gathered inside and outside the cabin door. The captain and co-pilot stood on both sides of the spiral staircase outside the cabin door, with solemn and respectful expressions. They saluted every elderly person who passed by and said in English: "Welcome to fly with China Airlines. It is our honor to serve you."
The old people also responded very politely. One old man even held Chen Xu's hand and said, "Is it worth it that after this flight, you will change the painting of the aircraft?"
Chen Xu hurriedly said: "No sir, in order to show respect for you and the veteran Flying Tigers like you, China Airlines has reached a consensus with the Veterans' Immortal Charity Foundation to permanently retain the livery of this aircraft. Until the aircraft is retired!”
When the old man heard the news, he immediately said excitedly: "That's great, it's really great. I hope your plane will be worth more flights to the United States in the future. I'm too old. I'm afraid I won't be able to fly to the United States again in the future." If I can afford to go to China, it would be such a pity if I never see her again. If she flies to the United States again, I will definitely go to the airport to see her more!"
Chen Xu's eyes turned red and he said hurriedly: "I will definitely give your request back to the company. I hope this plane can be scheduled to fly to China to the United States in the future."
The old man was so excited that he shouted: "Hey brothers, do you hear that? This plane will not change its livery in the future, and it is possible that it will fly to the United States regularly!"
The people who had already boarded the plane, climbed the spiral staircase, and were about to board the plane all burst into cheers. They all thought that the livery of the aircraft would be changed back after it flew this flight. Unexpectedly, it could be saved permanently, and it is possible. Regular flights to the United States are great news for them.
Spielberg sighed deeply in his heart. He thought about his feelings when he was filming "Schindler's List". Like Li Mu, he hoped that the world would remember the suffering that his nation suffered back then. However, he obviously did not think what Li Mu thought. More profoundly, he only made one movie, but Li Mu planned a whole set of huge plans. The meticulousness and breadth of considerations in it made Spielberg even feel inferior.
Half an hour later.
The Boeing 747 with an alternative shark mouth paint took off in the sky, flying towards China and towards the hometown where countless fierce air battles took place.
The old people on the plane were particularly excited. They shouted excitedly on the plane the slogan they had thought of for a long time: "Fifty-eight years later, we are back!"
…
It was 10:30 a.m. on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month at Southwest Chuncheng Airport. The weather was fine.
The weather is wonderful in Spring City today. The sky is clear and the visibility is sky-high.
The temperature is not too cold, and the sun is warm on your body, which makes you feel particularly comfortable.
There is no media at the airport. There are only camera crews hired by the Veterans Immortal Foundation and frontline reporters from YY.com. All Chinese Flying Tigers are waiting on the prepared tarmac at the airport. Li Mu is not responsible for the airport. The dredging was done by the Yun Province Military Region.
The military region has a very high say in civil aviation airports, because legally, the airspace is under the control of the military, and all civil aviation must obey the military's dispatch, so the military has made a request. Although the airport does not know why, it still Do things according to the rules.
At this time, the Air China Boeing 747 was already preparing to arrive. After more than ten hours of flight, although the old people were physically tired, they were extremely excited. They had already started to be extremely excited since entering China, because They also didn't know that the airspace the plane passed at that moment was the place where they flew the plane to fight the Japanese army.
Chen Xu was having routine communication with the tower before arriving. After the tower's air traffic control team completed the approach docking with the 747, he suddenly received instructions from his superiors and immediately said to the 747: "Your superiors require you to be at an altitude of 300 before arriving. Fly around the field five times.”
Chen Xu was stunned and asked in surprise: "The superior's request?"
The other party was actually surprised in his heart, but he could only reply: "Yes, the order sent by the military region leader requires execution, and there is a six-word postscript: Express the greatest respect!"
(End of chapter)