Kalashnikov agreed with Shulka's idea, especially since the German army was equipped with half-track armored vehicles but the Soviet army was not.
"It can be used in bad road conditions, which is very useful to us!" Kalashnikov said: "I will mention this idea to them when I get back!"
Kalashnikov did so, but the answer was a bit disappointing.
"They don't agree with this plan, Shulka!" Kalashnikov said on the phone.
"Why?" Shulka felt a little strange.
"It's the same reason!" Kalashnikov replied: "The payload and speed are not enough. They think this half-track vehicle has no practical value!"
After hearing what Kalashnikov said, Shulka understood a little bit.
What the Soviets want is a large space that can hold more things. As for the safety of the soldiers and combat experience... these are secondary and can be overcome by the spirit and will of the frontline soldiers.
Considering this aspect, the R&D department is of course interested in this kind of half-track armored vehicle that is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and has reduced space, load, and speed.
"What is their practical value?" Kalashnikov said regretfully: "Some people even say that we only need to put the machine gun on the car and add a few pieces of iron to achieve similar performance. Redesign a machine gun
Half-tracks are a waste of resources! I can't convince them..."
"It's okay, Kalashnikov!" Shulka said: "I know you tried your best!"
"If only you were here!" Kalashnikov said angrily: "I believe you have a way to convince them. No matter what the problem is, you always have a way!"
Shulka couldn't help but have a thought in his mind, and then turned to Major Zahakavich and asked: "Comrade Major, can I go to Stalingrad?"
Major Zahakavich heard the seriousness of the matter from the phone call between Shulka and Kalashnikov, so he agreed without thinking: "Of course, Comrade Shulka!"
There was no fighting at this time. The German troops in the direction of Tula were also in trouble due to the Soviet army laying a large number of mines and the Tula defenders resisting vigorously. At the same time, Shulka went to Stalingrad for business, and it was business that was beneficial to the 4th Tank Brigade.
Major Zahakavich had no reason not to agree.
So Shulka handed over the company's affairs to Pukarev and took the actors on the road.
Before leaving the barracks, the two were required to leave all their belongings, including rifles, backpacks, etc., and were only allowed to carry one pistol.
What puzzled Shulka was that the instructor later asked Shulka to put on makeup, that is, he changed out of his military uniform and put on civilian clothes, and even put on a fake beard.
"Why is this?" Shulka asked.
"If it were anyone else, there would be no need to do this!" the instructor said, "But you are the 'breakout hero', do you understand?"
"Afraid of others recognizing me?" Shulka asked puzzledly: "Is there anything wrong with recognizing me?"
"You are a member of the 4th Tank Brigade, Comrade Shulka!" the instructor said: "You go out and are recognized, and the spies can guess the location of the 4th Tank Brigade. If you were recognized in Stalingrad
Recognize it... Then the Germans know that the 4th Tank Brigade is not ready for combat, otherwise you would have been in Moscow. There are other dangers that we cannot even predict!"
Hearing this, Shulka couldn't help but smile bitterly. He had to be careful in everything he did. This was still in Moscow.
But this seems normal, because this is war.
The front line is a war, and an invisible war is also going on at the rear... The former is an open battle between aircraft and artillery, and the latter is a secret battle between intelligence and counter-intelligence.
Moreover, intelligence warfare is no less dangerous than frontline battles. Sometimes just a little bit of information inadvertently revealed will be used by the enemy, and then the frontline may be defeated like a mountain.
From this aspect, the instructor's caution is correct.
Shulka and the actor were then secretly escorted out of the barracks and were soon put on a plane to Stalingrad.
It's actually a plane and not a train?
This surprised Shulka.
You must know that this is a war period, and materials are in short supply, including fuel and the like. Yet they are actually willing to let a second lieutenant fly to Stalingrad?!
At the same time, Shulka also felt a little strange, because Major Zahakavich was afraid that he would not be able to arrange a plane.
Then Shulka soon understood...
As soon as Shulka entered the plane, a major staff officer stood up from his seat, shook hands with Shulka and said: "Comrade Shulka, my name is Yefimxi, nice to meet you!"
"Nice to see you, Comrade Major!" Shulka and the actor stood up and saluted, but they looked a little awkward in civilian clothes.
"Comrade Zhukov asked me to accompany you to Stalingrad!" Major Yefimshi explained: "He is very interested in this discussion and asked me to participate on his behalf and record this discussion!"
Then Shulka understood.
It is not surprising that this matter would attract Zhukov's attention, because it determines whether to produce a new piece of equipment.
This is a Li-2 transport aircraft, an NC-84 transport aircraft to be exact.
The latter is the model it is using at this time. This transport aircraft was originally a civil airliner. After the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, these passenger aircraft were urgently requisitioned and converted into military transport aircraft. Then in the second year, next year, they were slightly improved and converted into military transport aircraft.
The name was changed to "Li 2".
At this time, it didn't even have time to remove the passenger seats. The aircraft was very empty. Except for Major Yefimsi, there were only a few signalmen and guards.
This allowed Shulka to lie down on the seat and sleep, while the actor nervously looked out the window and at the table and chairs, and occasionally looked at Shulka next to him.
"What's going on?" Shulka asked the actor: "You seem to have lost your soul?"
"Comrade Second Lieutenant!" the actor said, "You didn't tell me... we were going to take a plane!"
"I just found out too!" Shulka replied.
Then Shulka soon understood.
"Your first time flying?"
"Yes!" the actor replied, and then asked: "Aren't you?"
"Oh, yes!" Shulka responded: "Of course, it's my first time too!"
Only then did Shulka realize that the actor's performance was normal, and he was the one who was abnormal.
"Okay!" Shulka concealed it: "Comrade Okunev, we are not afraid of facing the enemy's guns and tanks directly on the battlefield. Are we still afraid of flying?"
The actor nodded and replied: "Yes, Second Lieutenant! Of course I'm not afraid. How could I be afraid... of flying? I've dreamed of taking one... No, I won't be afraid!"
As a result, the only uncomfortable part of the trip was when the actor vomited from Moscow to Stalingrad.