▁the ▁ 4 th ▁P urs uit ▁Group . ▁ ▁Air ▁batt les ▁ ▁Battle ▁of ▁Shang hai ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Navy ▁Air ▁Force ▁K ano ya ▁K ok ut ai ▁dispatch ed ▁nine ▁M its ub ishi ▁G 3 M 1 ▁Model ▁ 1 1 ▁long - range ▁bom bers ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant ▁Commander ▁N it ta ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁J ian q iao ▁Air field ▁near ▁H ang z hou ▁and ▁nine ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant ▁Commander ▁As ano ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁K w ang - te h ▁Air field . ▁The ▁Japanese ▁plan es ▁took ▁off ▁from ▁M ats uy ama ▁Air field ▁in ▁Tai pe i ▁at ▁ 1 4 : 5 0 ▁( local ▁Japanese ▁time ), ▁each ▁carrying ▁two ▁ 2 5 0   kg ▁bomb s . ▁ ▁The ▁ra id ▁was ▁soon ▁sp otted ▁by ▁the ▁Chinese ▁and ▁the ▁Chinese ▁intelligence ▁reported ▁that ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁Japanese ▁bom bers ▁had ▁taken - off ▁from ▁an ▁air field ▁Taiwan , ▁crossed ▁the ▁Form osa ▁Stra it ▁and ▁were ▁heading ▁north ▁over ▁Z he ji ang ▁in ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁H ang z hou . ▁At ▁this ▁time , ▁H ang z hou ▁was ▁only ▁def ended ▁by ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁Curt iss ▁Haw k ▁II Is ▁flow n ▁by ▁instruct ors ▁from ▁the ▁Central ▁Chinese ▁A viation ▁Academy ▁since ▁rein for c ements ▁from ▁Z hou j ia kou ▁hadn