Chapter 765 Air Raid
As a result, Manstein not only failed to mobilize troops from the northern wing, but also mobilized an air force to reinforce the northern wing... Otherwise, there would be no need for the 51st Army to attack, and the German defense line in the direction of Karachi would collapse.
After thinking about it, Manstein could only call Major General Moritz, the commander of the 91st Infantry Division who was in charge of the southern defense line.
"I'm sorry to tell you some news!" Manstein said: "The enemy launched a fierce attack on the northern flank, and an armored regiment that was scheduled to reinforce your department had to be cancelled!"
"So, Your Excellency Marshal!" Major General Moritz asked, "How should we resist the attack of the enemy's armored division?"
"Mines, barbed wire, anti-tank trenches!" Manstein replied: "Combined with anti-tank guns, I will also send aircraft to reinforce you, and the Eighth Airborne Division will arrive in two hours!"
"What we want is an anti-tank unit, Your Excellency the Marshal!" Moritz replied: "The airborne division is a quick-response unit, and they also lack anti-tank equipment!"
Moritz is right. The airborne division is actually not very useful to Karachi. It should be used to raid the enemy's rear or surprise bridges, ammunition depots, etc. for special operations. This time, these airborne troops were only used Used as reinforcements... Because the railway line was blown up and the reinforcements could not arrive in time, so the airborne troops could only be used as reinforcements.
"We have an air force, General!" Manstein replied: "Don't forget this!"
Manstein is very confident in the Air Force, and he should also have confidence, because the German Air Force has 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 the order of Manstein, the fighter planes to attack and harass the Russian tank units set off soon... The organization of the German Air Force has always been very fast, and at the same time its nearest airport is in Kharkov. Manstein ordered a Arriving, a fighter air brigade set off immediately covering an attack aircraft (Henschel) air brigade and a bomber (Stuka) air brigade.
There is nothing wrong with this kind of organization, because it is mainly to attack the ground, so more attack aircraft and bombers are needed.
The problem is that the Soviets have already prepared for this, so they will not let the Germans bomb, especially if the Soviets already know the target of the German Air Force... The fighter planes of the two aviation regiments are lying in wait for the German fighters in the clouds.
In fact, this is already the second batch of ambushes.
Before this, the Soviet air cover unit was only some reconnaissance planes and a few fighter planes in all directions for patrolling to prevent the German reconnaissance planes from entering this area and discovering the Russian army's surprise attack on Karachi.
Until the battle in the direction of Milloway started.
At that time, Shulka knew that the German army had discovered the crisis in Karachi, and then it must be the bombing of their proud air force.
So, the Soviet fighter planes ambushed every two aviation regiments as a group of clouds flying over the 51st Army.
Needless to say what happened to the first batch of air forces dispatched by the German army... Due to insufficient preparation and most of them were bombers and attack aircraft against the ground, they were completely defeated by the Soviet army.
This air battle even started in the airspace not far from the 51st Army.
At that time, Shulka was discussing the offensive plan with Trufanov and others in the rickety car while eating bread...Although there were still jeeps in the army, no one dared to use them under such circumstances, so Everyone gathered in the trunk of the car and marched with the troops.
At this time, the communication soldier guarding the walkie-talkie shouted: "Air strike, enemy fleet is found!"
"Air defense siren!" Trufanov ordered.
In the next second, the piercing air defense siren resounded throughout the sky.
The tank soldiers immediately drove the tanks to the side of the road and covered them with canvas... This is a means of air defense. The tanks will not be so conspicuous when they drive to the side of the road, otherwise they will easily become the enemy's target in the middle of the railway. Use Cover it with a canvas and smear it with some mud, and it's hard to see it's a tank from the air.
As for cars, if they are not ammunition vehicles, let them park in the middle of the road, and some even drive forward on the railway.
Of course, this is to attract the attention of the Luftwaffe.
In addition, there are some fake tanks to attract the attention of the enemy... Fake tanks are still very useful when the air force is insufficient.
Then, before the lengthy air defense siren sounded, a German fighter plane flew densely in the sky.
But before these German fighters approached, more fighters suddenly swooped down from the sky, and immediately there was a big dogfight in the air.
People on the ground are dazzled when they see it. They often don't know which fighter planes are the enemy's and which are their own fighter planes. All they see are clusters of sparks exploding in the air and one after another dragging black smoke with heavy roars. The sound of a fighter plane crashing nearby fell from the sky.
The anti-aircraft unit took this time to set up anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft machine guns.
Then they really played a role, because a considerable number of German bombers and attack aircraft broke through the defensive circle and came straight to the convoy.
The battle started at that moment, the anti-aircraft guns fired "bang bang" into the sky, puffs of black smoke exploded in the air, and the "Deshka" anti-aircraft machine gun frantically spewed flames into the air, sending sheets of bullets towards those The swooping enemy planes poured away.
Two German aircraft were hit by anti-aircraft guns and broke into pieces in the air on the spot.
But it obviously couldn't 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.
A string of bullets flew from everywhere with howling sounds, and the car caught fire and exploded after a short while under their impact.
The roar of the "Stuka" when it dived seemed to be right above the head, and then there was a "boom", and the whole ground trembled with the sound of the explosion.
Shuerka and the others were lying on the side of the road, not daring to move, only feeling waves of heat coming from the sky, as well as blood, stumps, and sometimes a rolling and beating tire.
However, this situation did not last long, and soon the fighter planes of the Soviet army caught up, followed by a burst of screams and bullets falling from the sky...
When attacking the enemy, fighter planes don't consider the ground situation at all. Although the pilots know that their own people are below, they are likely to accidentally injure their own people by shooting at the target from top to bottom.
But they don't seem to need to consider this, because the probability of accidentally injuring their own people is very small, and it seems nothing compared to shooting down an enemy plane.
As a result, one German fighter plane after another was hit amid howling, and then fell headlong to the nearby ground and turned into a ball of fire.
(end of this chapter)
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