But of course, Shulka would not really be a pilot or command pilots in combat as Alexei said. Even if Shulka was willing, Khrushchev would not let him.
The air force assigned to the Stalingrad Front was the 8th Air Force.
The 8th Army has a total of 18 aviation divisions... several of which are mixed aviation divisions that have not yet had time to undergo reforms.
Originally, Air Force Major General Khryugin, commander of the Aviation Group, wanted to assign a mixed aviation division to the 51st Army for combat operations.
"Our battle is very tense, Comrade General!" Khryugin said to Trufanov on the phone: "And we suffered heavy losses in previous battles. You know, we were trying to cover the flanks!"
Khryugin was talking about the attack by two German divisions on the logistics supply line of the 51st Group Army... The Soviet Air Force frequently dispatched in order to protect the safety of the supply line, but ended up falling into traps set by the German army many times.
"And!" Khryugin added: "We have also completed the preliminary reform of the mixed divisions, which is to streamline their headquarters by regiment. At the same time, these pilots have rich combat experience!"
Trufanov turned his attention to Shulka.
Shulka refused without thinking. He took the microphone and said to Major General Khryugin: "Comrade Khryugin, if our air force fell into the enemy's traps time and time again and was passive, then now, the enemy has fallen into
If you fall into our trap, it's time for us to take revenge. Don't you want to beat up the enemy and vent your anger?"
Khryugin obviously did not have much confidence. He said: "Comrade Shulka, although the reform has indeed improved the air force's response speed, pilots need time to grow. This cannot be changed..."
"I know!" Shulka interrupted Hryugin: "That's why we need more aircraft and more professional command, and then use them to defeat the enemy!"
Khryugin was silent. He understood what Shulka meant by setting a trap and at the same time forming a numerical advantage over the enemy, thus making up for the weakness in technology and fighter performance to a certain extent.
After thinking about it, Khryugin replied: "Well, why don't we give it a try? It's all about fighting anyway. If it's possible to win the battle, I won't refuse!"
So Major General Khryugin assigned two aviation divisions to the 51st Army: a fighter aviation division and an assault aviation division.
Moreover, these two aviation divisions are under the command of the Aviation Corps, commanded by Major General Samsolov.
Although this command system looks similar to the previous command system in terms of personnel and situation, it is actually very different.
The previous command system was that each aviation division had a fighter, attack, and bomber command system.
The current command system is that annihilation and assault are completely separated into independent systems, and then they are under the command of the army level.
Therefore, fighter aircraft and attack aircraft can be separated or combined.
Points: Let the respective aviation divisions command the operations.
Combined: The command will be returned to the Air Force Headquarters, and the two divisions can be well integrated and coordinated.
After making these preparations, it is time to set a trap for the German army.
The day was still cloudy and rainy, and the sky turned slightly gray until eight o'clock.
But this is enough for the Soviet ground troops... The ground troops do not need much visible light to advance, and it is precisely this kind of weather that is most suitable for ground troops to operate, because they do not have to worry too much about bombing by enemy fighter planes.
As a result, the tanks rumbled out of the city from Prodovitoje, and under the leadership of front scouts and infantry, they braved the drizzle and attacked westward.
This kind of attack can be said to be unstoppable.
Although the Soviet army rested for one night in Prodovitoje, it meant giving the Romanian army one night to prepare, but there was almost no difference between the Romanian army being prepared and not being prepared.
As mentioned before, the Romanian army seriously lacked anti-tank equipment, and Plodovitoye had already been lost. At this time, the Romanian army had already suffered from "tank phobia". When they saw the tank approaching from a distance, they
Before the cannon could be fired, they abandoned their position, turned around and fled.
The Romanian Army’s reply to its superiors seems to be quite reasonable:
"Sir, we have no anti-tank equipment, but the enemy has many tanks! Then, such a battle is a meaningless sacrifice. I think retreat is the right thing to do!"
Therefore, the idea that Westerners have, that is, if the victory or defeat is determined, it is not shameful to escape or even surrender from a humanitarian point of view, sometimes it is not a good thing.
Just like now, this kind of thinking even makes it impossible for superiors to refute: The enemy has tanks and our army does not have anti-tank equipment, so the victory or defeat is determined, and sacrifice is unnecessary.
This made Dumilescu, commander of the Romanian 4th Army, furious.
"Stay in your defense line!" Dumilerescu yelled into the phone: "Even if you don't have anti-tank equipment, you can blow it up with grenades and explosive packets!"
It's a pity that the Romanian army is not the German army.
If it were the Germans, they would also try to use anti-tank grenades or even explosive charges.
Therefore, Dumilerescu's order was not implemented at all, and the Soviet army's westward advance almost meant that the Romanian army collapsed wherever the tanks went.
In desperation, Dumilescu could only ask the Germans for help.
"I hope you can send the air force to fight with my troops!" Dumilerescu said to Paulus: "They have no anti-tank equipment. They suffered heavy casualties in the face of enemy tanks and were helpless!"
It is true that there is no way, but it is impossible to talk about the heavy casualties, because the advance of the Soviet tank troops cannot catch up with the fleeing Romanian army.
Paulus hesitated.
He originally planned to have the Air Force fully cooperate with the Panzergrenadier Division in combat, so as to delay the closing of the Soviet encirclement as much as possible. It would be great if it could wait until Manstein's reinforcements arrived. If not, he could also transport more
Supplies enter the encirclement.
However, Paulus then thought about it. If the air force was allowed to bomb the Russian tank troops all the way, then the Russian tank troops would be a remnant division when they met the 9th Panzer Grenadier Division. This could reduce the number of the 9th Panzer Grenadier Division in a series.
Energy consumption of the 9 Panzergrenadier Division.
So Paulus stopped thinking about it and replied: "No problem, General! However, I hope that when our fighter planes bomb the enemy, you can stabilize your troops so that they can at least do something useful."
things, such as laying mines to delay the enemy’s offensive!”
Dumilescu couldn't help but blush. The situation was indeed as Paulus said. The Romanian army fled in panic without even doing the necessary sabotage. (To be continued)