As a result, Manstein not only failed to mobilize troops from the northern flank, but also mobilized an air force to reinforce the northern flank... Otherwise, there would be no need for the 51st Army to attack, and the German defense line in the direction of Karachi would have collapsed.
After thinking about it, Manstein could only call Major General Moritz, the commander of the 91st Infantry Division in charge of the southern flank of defense.
"I'm sorry to tell you news!" Manstein said: "The enemy launched a fierce attack on the northern flank, and an armored regiment originally scheduled to reinforce your department had to be cancelled!"
"So, Marshal!" Major General Moritz asked: "How should we resist the attack of the enemy's armored division?"
"Landmines, barbed wire, anti-tank trenches!" Manstein replied: "Combined with anti-tank guns, I will also send aircraft to reinforce you, and the 8th Airborne Division will arrive in two hours!"
"What we want is an anti-tank force, Marshal!" Moritz replied: "The Airborne Division is a quick reaction force, and they also lack anti-tank equipment!"
Moritz was right. The airborne division's role in Karachi was actually not great. It should be used to raid the enemy's rear or carry out special operations such as surprise attacks on bridges and ammunition depots. But this time, these airborne troops were only used to carry out special operations.
Used as reinforcements... Because the railway line was blown up and reinforcements could not arrive in time, they could only be reinforced with airborne troops.
"We have an air force, General!" Manstein replied: "Don't forget that!"
Manstein had great confidence in the Air Force, and he should have confidence, because the German Air Force had almost never failed against the Russian Air Force.
However, Manstein soon discovered that at certain moments, the air force was not easy to use.
Under Manstein's order, the fighter planes that attacked and harassed the Russian tank troops soon set off... The organization of the German Air Force has always been very rapid, and its nearest airport was in Kharkiv. Manstein ordered
Upon arrival, a fighter aviation group immediately set off to cover an attack aircraft (Henschel) aviation group and a bomber (Stuka) aviation group.
There is nothing wrong with this formation, because it mainly attacks the ground, so more attack aircraft and bombers are needed.
The problem is that the Soviet army has already been prepared for this, so it will not let the German bombing, especially when the Soviet army already knows the target of the Luftwaffe...Fighters from two aviation regiments are ambushing in the clouds, waiting for the German fighters.
In fact, this is already the second batch of ambush.
Prior to this, the Soviet air cover units were only some reconnaissance aircraft and a few fighter planes from various directions used for patrols to prevent German reconnaissance aircraft from entering the area and prematurely discovering the Russian army's surprise attack on Karachi.
Until the battle in the direction of Miloway started.
At that time, Shulka knew that the German army had discovered the crisis in Karachi, and the bombing of their proud air force would definitely follow.
As a result, Soviet fighter planes flew into the clouds over the 51st Army in groups of two aviation groups to ambush.
It goes without saying what the fate of the first batch of German air forces dispatched was... due to lack of preparation and most of them being ground-attack bombers and attack aircraft, they were completely defeated by the Soviet army.
This air battle even started in the airspace not far from the 51st Group Army.
At that time, Shulka was discussing the attack plan with Trufanov and others in a rickety car while eating bread... Although there were still jeeps in the army, no one dared to use them anymore in this situation.
So everyone gathered in the back compartment of the car and marched with the troops.
At this time, the communication soldier guarding the walkie-talkie shouted: "Air strike, enemy aircraft group discovered!"
"Air raid alert!" Trufanov ordered.
The next second a piercing air defense siren sounded throughout the sky.
The tank crews immediately drove the tank to the roadside and covered it with canvas... This is a method of air defense. The tank will not be so conspicuous when it drives to the roadside, otherwise it will easily become the enemy's target in the middle of the railway.
Cover it with canvas and then smear it with some mud. Looking down from the air, it is difficult to tell that it is a tank.
As for cars, if they are not ammunition trucks, let them stop in the middle of the road, and some may even still drive forward on the railway.
Of course, this was to attract the attention of the Luftwaffe.
In addition, there are some fake tanks that attract the enemy's attention...Fake tanks are still very useful when the air force is insufficient.
Then, before the long air defense siren sounded, a dense swarm of German fighter planes flew into the sky.
However, before these German fighter planes could get close, more fighter planes suddenly swooped down from the sky, and a huge aerial melee ensued.
People on the ground are dazzled when they look at it. They often don't know which are the enemy's fighter planes and which are their own. All they see are clusters of sparks exploding in the air and one after another dragging black smoke and roaring loudly.
The sound fell from the sky and crashed nearby.
The anti-aircraft units took this time to set up anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft machine guns.
Then they really worked, because a considerable number of German bombers and attack planes broke through the defensive circle and attacked the convoy.
The battle started at that moment. The anti-aircraft guns fired "bang bang" into the sky, and clouds of black smoke exploded in the air. The "Deshka" anti-aircraft machine gun madly spewed tongues of flame into the air, firing pieces of bullets at those people.
The swooping enemy planes flew away.
Two German aircraft were hit by anti-aircraft artillery and broke into pieces in the air on the spot.
But this obviously could not stop the German fighter planes from attacking the Soviet army. They flew over the Soviet army in the blink of an eye, and then there was a burst of strafing and bombing like a crazy rainstorm.
Strings of bullets flew everywhere with a roar, and the car burst into flames and then exploded under their impact.
The roar of the "Stuka" as it dived seemed to be right overhead, and then there was a "boom" and the entire ground shook with the explosion.
Shulka and the others were lying on the side of the road, not daring to move. They could only feel waves of heat coming from the sky, as well as blood, stumps, and sometimes a rolling tire.
However, this situation did not last long. Soon the Soviet fighter planes caught up, followed by another burst of screams and bullets falling from the sky...
Fighters do not consider the ground situation at all when attacking the enemy. Even though the pilots know that their own people are below them, their top-down shooting at the target is likely to accidentally injure their own people.
However, they do not seem to need to consider this, because the probability of accidentally injuring one of their own is very small, and at the same time, this seems to be nothing compared to shooting down an enemy aircraft.
As a result, one German fighter plane after another was hit amidst the roar, and then plunged to the nearby ground and turned into a ball of fire. (To be continued)