Chapter 128 The transport fleet encounters air combat
The supply plan was finalized, and both Tupikov and Timoshenko attached great importance to this operation.≯
The newly formed troops of the Soviet Army were given new designations and belonged to the Southwestern Front Army's battle order. Soldiers of the new troops were rushing to the front line from their hometowns in a steady stream.
The air force arrived first and landed at various field airports.
At the beginning of the war, the Soviet Air Force suffered heavy losses. As the war expanded, the Air Force lost more aircraft. However, the war also greatly stimulated the Soviet industry. Aircraft of this era were relatively better manufactured, and a large number of new aircraft were launched.
production line.
Lvotovska, a very ordinary Soviet town. Because it is on the front line, it has become a huge military camp. Most of the residents were transported to the rear by the authorities, and young adults were conscripted. After simple training, they were required to
Go to the front line as a regular troop.
This town has a large lawn, which was simply transformed into a front-line airport.
Troops involved in air supply to the 284th Division gathered here, and Tupikov even rushed to the scene in person.
Before the operation, he had to personally inspect the cargo. The commander of the operation, Ivanov, was with Tupikov.
"Originally, as the chief of staff, there was no need for me to enter this frontline airport. If it was to supervise the execution of the mission, the front army headquarters would just send a special commissioner. Now that I am here, you will naturally realize the importance of this operation.
"Tupikov reminded Ivanov and let him understand the headquarters' level of concern about the operation.
Ivanov summoned all the crew members and they lined up at the airport, waiting for the chief of staff's review.
It is almost October, and the weather these days is not very good. The autumn rainy season in Russia has arrived, and the rainy weather has a huge impact on air flight. Fortunately, today is a semi-cloudy day, so the mission should be completed smoothly.
In front of Tupikov, more than a hundred crew members lined up neatly.
Tupikov gave them the order: "Comrades, this mission is no small matter. We must assist our comrades, because you must risk your lives to go deep behind enemy lines and accurately deliver the goods to the swamps of Pripet.
You may question why we dispatch a large number of transport planes and even use bombers to airdrop tanks like crazy. I will tell you the decision of the headquarters now, because in addition to actual assistance, this mission is more importantly symbolic!"
Prior to this, Ivanov, his aviation and air crews were all shocked by the crazy actions of the headquarters. Many people lamented that the top brass of the army absolutely did not understand the air force. It was understandable for paratroopers to carry parachutes on their backs, but now they were actually required to do so.
Airborne tanks are launched in the same way.
At the same time, most of the materials transported were blankets and winter military uniforms, and almost all the remaining space was used to transport wheat flour.
Tupikov's lecture made everyone understand, because the 284th Guards Division is a heroic unit. This unit received the title of Guards purely because they earned it with their iron and blood. As an infantry division
, annihilated and defeated three German divisions, and even an armored division. This achievement is unique in the current war.
But because the performance was too conspicuous, the army was almost wiped out. "Comrades, the 284th Guards Division has withdrawn into the swamp. They have absorbed a large number of broken troops and their combat effectiveness is rapidly recovering. Our task today is for the leader to directly order the front army
Headquarters, you are therefore carrying out the orders of Stalin himself! We must give them help, because they and you and I belong to the South-Western Front.
They are required to absorb all resistance forces in the swamp, and in the end when they fight back, they will serve as a new force with extremely strong combat effectiveness."
The soldiers let out an astonishing roar. This somewhat risky operation was for the future battle of the front army. The operation is today. In theory, the fleet can reach the top of the swamp in two or three hours.
Before leaving, Tupikov checked the supplies to be delivered again. He was particularly concerned about those tanks. For this reason, Ivanov pointed out worriedly: "In the past, when we transported tanks by air, they were dismantled after the bombers were finished. Now we choose
Violent airdrop, the tank is likely to be damaged."
Tupikov shook his head: "Just follow my orders. Even if the tanks are really broken, those people will not abandon them as waste. They have an arsenal, and as long as it is metal, they will not waste it."
Ivanov didn't think too much. He looked at his watch. It was already nine o'clock in the morning and it was time to carry out the mission.
Therefore, before leaving, the air transport team sent radios to the swamp to communicate in the form of Morse code.
Today was the day for air supply. Yang Mingzhi and Yevlov woke up at dawn. Yang Mingzhi put on his clothes quickly and exaggeratedly, which scared Yang Tao and other medical staff. They thought something had happened. As a wounded person,
, rushed to the division headquarters in a hurry and held a morning meeting. All battalion commanders and battalion political commissars in the army gathered in the conference room of the division headquarters to receive orders.
"Order all soldiers to enter level one combat readiness. Everyone must gather urgently and be on standby to be ready to receive supplies."
Yang Mingzhi asked the troops to enter the woods and swamps in battalion units, and the troops should be distributed over a large area. After seeing the fleet dropping supplies, they quickly searched for them and brought them all back.
Political Commissar Fuming himself had parachuted into the swamp before. He gestured with his hands and gave the battalion commanders instructions on how to airdrop packages. After everyone received the order, they quickly started taking action.
Yang Mingzhi himself was not idle either. In order to make it easier for the group to search for them, he still ordered the soldiers to light a fire and throw a few tires into it to create black smoke.
At nine o'clock in the morning, the two sides made formal contact. The transport aircraft group was code-named "Eagle" and sent information to Yang Mingzhi.
The telegraph operator quickly deciphered the code and wrote a line of small words: The eagle has taken off.
"Great! They have started to take action." Yang Mingzhi was excited and shook hands with several people from the division headquarters.
Yelentina was also happy from ear to ear. There was a lot of flour in the delivered supplies. She liked this so much. Because he was Chinese, Berekov was very good at cooking and making flour into strips.
Boiled vegetable soup (her understanding of noodles) is really delicious.
In Lvotovska, the propellers of dozens of planes were humming and turning. Tupikov and his entourage looked on with their hands behind their backs. He was wearing a coat, and his clothes were blown by the strong wind.
Since the TB3 bomber was fully loaded, these guys with huge wingspans successfully flew for a full two kilometers.
At first, the ground crew present were worried about the planes with tanks attached and that they would not be able to fly at all. Unexpectedly, they succeeded.
The tank went up to the sky, and the people on the ground also cheered happily. Tupikov looked up at the blue sky, with a satisfied smile on his lips, but he couldn't help but feel a little worried.
At this time, Ivanov was on a bomber, and the cabin was filled with supplies. The method of dropping supplies was not much different from dropping bombs. A few buttons were pressed, the bottom compartment was opened, and these linen bags were accompanied by their parachutes.
They all fell down.
He told the pilot: "Fly the plane well and don't relax for a moment. We will complete the mission steadily."
The pilot naturally nodded, but couldn't help but ask a stupid question: "Captain, what should we do if we encounter the enemy? We have already flown into the occupied area."
"Then let's fight!" Ivanov said seriously. "You and I both know that the operation will be dangerous, so we have many fighter jets to escort us this time."
Ivanov was very confident about the success of the operation. After all, the range was not far, and fighter jets could always escort him. Besides, he had the cover of thirty fighter jets, so the enemy would have to send out a large fleet of aircraft.
The transport fleet has been in constant contact with the swamp. They have been flying for an hour. As they go deeper into the occupied area, the risk factor of the fleet is also rapidly increasing.
The cruising German reconnaissance planes spotted such a group of aircraft in action. Due to the huge body of the TB3, the German reconnaissance planes immediately reported to the frontline airport on the ground, claiming that they had sighted a group of enemy bombers.
As soon as the air battle was imminent, ten BF1o9s took off in an emergency. The German army occupied a large number of airports in the Soviet Union. German fighter jets took off from the airport near Poltava and quickly climbed up to prepare for the air battle.
After entering the occupied area, the Soviet fighter pilots became nervous one by one. Everyone did not believe that the German army would ignore such a big target. Every crew member was praying, hoping that the German army was all a bunch of blind men, and that
Or there is a choice to be blind.
Soviet fighter jets are not yet equipped with airborne radios, but German fighter jets are standard equipment. For this reason, these stubby and even cute Seagull fighter jets use three aircraft as a combat team. The lead aircraft shakes its wings to remind the wingmen to stay vigilant.
Just high in the sky, the German "Hunters", using the sun as cover, made a fearless dive with ten BF1o9s.
"Follow me and attack a bomber!" The German captains skillfully used their radios to their advantage, and each wingman received the order to concentrate their forces to attack a TB3 bomber.
The attack was very sudden, with countless bullets raining down on the bombers. The well-trained German pilots were specially motivated to attack the aircraft.
This unlucky TB3 had no choice but to be hit. It had a tank mounted underneath and was flying at its maximum capacity. The sudden attack directly caused the two engines to stop, and the leaked fuel ignited a raging fire. The aircraft was holding black smoke.
Landing with a huge roar.
Ivanov saw all this in horror and "immediately ordered all aircraft to defend themselves!"
Without orders, the fighters entered the battle, and the top and bottom gunners of other TB3 bombers also took action, and the air battle began. (To be continued.) 8