Former Site of the Aviation Bureau of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Military Commission

Former Site of the Aviation Bureau of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Military Commission

The former site of the Aviation Bureau of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Military Commission is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, a classic red tourism destination, and a patriotic education base.

The former site of the Aviation Bureau of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Military Commission is located on the campus of Xin County No. 1 Middle School in the county town. Originally known as "Puji Temple," it consists of two rows of buildings — three rooms each in the front and back, along with two wing rooms on the east and west sides, forming a traditional quadrangle courtyard. The main hall of the rear building houses an exhibition displaying the "Lenin" aircraft. In 1988, it was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council.

In February 1930, a high-level "Junkers" training aircraft belonging to the Kuomintang flew from Wuhan to Kaifeng on a communication mission. On its return journey, it ran out of fuel and made an emergency landing on the riverbank near Chenjiahe at the border between the Red and White areas in the southern Dabie Mountains. The Red Guards engaged in fierce fighting with local reactionary militias and seized the aircraft, which was then transported to Mijiawan in Kafang, Xin County. Xu Xiangqian, a leader of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Military Commission, met with the pilot Long Wenguang and encouraged him to defect and serve the Red Army. Subsequently, workers from the arms factory were organized to overcome numerous material and technical difficulties to assemble and repair the aircraft. In the summer of 1931, the plane arrived in Xinji, the capital of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Soviet region, and was named the "Lenin." The Military Commission then established the Aviation Bureau of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Military Commission, with Long Wenguang as director and Qian Jun as political commissar. The bureau was headquartered in the "Puji Temple" north of the county town.

The "Lenin" undertook its first flight to places such as Gushi and Huangchuan to scout enemy positions, dropping forty to fifty bundles of revolutionary slogans and leaflets, which caused a great stir in southern Henan. The "Lenin" also conducted a long-distance sortie to Wuhan for reconnaissance and propaganda, terrifying the Kuomintang authorities in the Wuhan area and throwing them into chaos. As a result, key military targets of the enemy were forced to implement blackout measures.

During the counter-"encirclement and suppression" campaigns, to maximize the combat effectiveness of the "Lenin," two bomb racks were installed under its wings, transforming the training aircraft into a "bomber." On December 24, 1931, the "Lenin" dropped two bombs over Huang'an City, striking the command post of Zhao Guanying, commander of the 69th Division of the defending enemy forces. This action supported the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army in achieving victory in the Battle of Huang'an, leading to the successful capture of Huang'an City. This left a glorious chapter in both the history of the Chinese revolution and the establishment of the Air Force.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units