After hearing this news, all doubts about Zhou Zhihan were temporarily suspended.
Stalin's frown relaxed. He looked at General Gromagin, his slender eyes bright: "Comrade Gromagin, give the order!"
Gromagin saluted Stalin: "Yes!"
Gromagin ordered the Sixth Fighter Force, which was ready to go, to take off in waves. According to the previous agreement, some fighters attacked the rear of the JG52 Wing to cover Zhou Zhihan and the others, while another group of fighters attacked German airports near Moscow at ultra-low altitudes. , using the tactic of encircling Wei and rescuing Zhao to contain all German fighter planes, preventing them from reinforcing the JG52 wing.
The headquarters of the 6th Fighter Force.
The entire station is covered with a layer of white by the autumn frost, which can better conceal the fighter planes.
Recently, the Germans have frequently dispatched reconnaissance aircraft to investigate Soviet airfields stationed near Moscow. Once discovered, Destroyer Bf 110s will be sent to bomb at night.
For now, the Soviet Air Force, which had just established a night fighter force, was helpless against the Destroyer.
The Destroyer, which had suffered from hurricanes and flames over the English Channel, was full of vitality on the Soviet battlefield. The main reason was that the Soviet fighter planes were old and could not pose a sufficient threat to it.
Another big reason is that at the beginning of the war, the Soviet Union did not have a night-fighting fighter force, which gave the Destroyers a lot of room to play. They were almost omnipotent at night, and wherever they went, it was like entering an uninhabited land. Its name has also become a nightmare for the Soviet army, and it is even more troublesome for the Soviet Air Force than its big brother Bf 109.
"Level 1 combat readiness! Level 1 combat readiness! Level 1 combat readiness!"
The airport commander's serious and oppressive voice came from the loudspeakers of the entire fighter station.
Immediately, all the pilots who had put on cotton-padded clothes and huddled up on the cloth next to the fighter-bombers and took a nap got up, rubbed their eyes, climbed into their respective fighter planes, and made preparations for takeoff while listening to the commander on the loudspeaker at the airport. Assign tasks.
The ground staff were also busy. The assistants climbed up from the other side of the fighter plane to help the pilot fasten the straps, close the cockpit, and start the engine. The powerful sound of the engine resounded through the airport, and the propellers whirred, blowing up the fallen leaves on the ground. And weeds are flying all over the sky.
At this moment, the whistles of factories and docks were faintly heard from the direction of Moscow, and the ear-piercing howls of sirens in the city were heard. All the people were preparing for war, ready to attack the invaders head-on at any time.
The ground crew removed the skids on the front and rear of the landing gear, and the pilots commanded the fighter planes to take off in an orderly manner. The Soviet fighter planes did not have high requirements for the take-off site. After a while, one after another took off and rushed into the sky.
Another reminder from the airport commander came to the ears of all pilots: "After everyone takes off, enter an altitude of three thousand meters and fly straight over Moscow. Be careful of blocking balloons in the city center. All fighter planes turn on their IFF and signal lights." Identify..."
Just when General Gromagin was dispatching fighter units, Chief of Staff Marshal Shaposhnikov quickly walked into his army war room and began to dispatch troops and generals...
…
Due to the sudden and rapid attack of the tank corps commanded by Marshal Guderian, the German offensive, codenamed "Operation Typhoon", made great progress at the end of September.
Facing the German tanks, the Soviet tanks were at a complete disadvantage just like their fighter jets. They were severely damaged not long after the battle started. The tank troops were forced to retreat, causing the defense line to collapse again and again. The situation was very critical.
The German army's attack was very sharp. In the direction of Vyazma in front of Moscow, although the Soviet army accumulated the main force, the German army, under the cover of Guderian's powerful 3rd and 4th tank groups, attacked from Rosalf. and Dhofshina, forced a breakthrough into the Soviet defense formation, while the German 9th and 14th armies advanced on both sides of these two armored groups respectively, launching a fierce attack on the Soviet positions. It was fierce, sweeping across like a hurricane wind, unrivaled wherever it went.
Facing the powerful offensive of German tanks, the Soviet army fought tenaciously, but due to being outnumbered, they were still unable to defend the carefully organized Vyazma defense line. From morning to 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the German army broke into the Soviet defense line for 35 kilometers, which was embarrassing. Called lightning.
The morning on the outskirts of Yartevo was filled with the unique atmosphere of autumn in the Soviet Union. The rising sun could not stop the chill. The entire suburb was covered with a layer of white autumn frost, causing soldiers on both sides to wrap up their clothes tightly.
On the edge of the forest between Yartevo and Vyazma, there is an old tree with lush branches. The platform of the observation post of the Soviet 16th Army Headquarters is erected on this tree.
Suddenly, a gun scope protruded from the leaves.
Major Chukilov looked out of the forest through the gun scope from time to time.
On the right side of the forest is the roadbed of a black railway leading to Vyazma. This railway has been cut off by German tanks. Dozens of kilometers away, several troop trains are rolling on the ground. There are countless dead bodies all around. Thousands of Soviet soldiers were captured by German troops.
Across the railway and going forward is a deserted road. When troops are marching, it looks like a gray python swimming forward.
At this time, there was no one on the road, and it looked like a still gray-white ribbon. Occasionally, a gust of autumn wind blew, and a piece of gray dust appeared on the road.
Last night, the 16th Army of the Soviet Army suddenly received a telegram from Chief of Staff Marshal Shaposhnikov, ordering two infantry divisions and a "Katyusha" rocket regiment to march overnight to the forest and set up a Ambush, waiting for Guderian's vanguard.
Just a few minutes ago, the commander of the 16th Army, General Rokossovsky, received a telegram from the Chief of Staff, Marshal Shaposhnikov: "Launch a fierce attack on the German vanguard. The fighting becomes more intense." The better.”
A rumble of tanks came from a distance. Through the gun scope, Major Chugilov saw dust suddenly rising on the quiet road, and then a tank surrounded by dust, spraying thick gray smoke, advanced rapidly. Major Chukilov felt a strong and weak air current blowing towards him. The treetops were shaking, the wooden boards under the observation post were also rattling, and the whole earth was shaking...
"boom......"
The Soviet Katyusha rocket regiment opened fire first. Their powerful, orderly and well-organized artillery shells accurately landed on the heads of the German leading tank troops, setting off the offensive...
...
Zhou Zhihan was slightly relieved when he received news from Moscow that all capable fighters of the Sixth Fighter Force had taken off to attack all German airports near Moscow and contain the JG51 wing.
This step of containing the JG51 or JG52 wing was too important. This was a special request he made before accepting the mission, otherwise no one would be able to protect the bombers under the siege of the two German aircraft groups.
The two squadrons of the JG52 Wing that have already taken off are flying towards Red Star 1, getting closer and closer.
Red Star 9 was separated from the fleet, so at this time Yumashev and the others were a little far away from the six Mei-Jins that took off to intercept, but the four enemy planes chasing behind them were getting closer and closer.
Seeing that Messerschmitt behind him was just following closely but not biting, he glanced at Major Pisanko again. Although he was bitten by the No. 14701 Meishi and could not get rid of it, Pisanko could still hold on for a while. Zhou Zhihan accelerated toward Before that, he had to help Red Star 1 clear the way forward so that the Germans could always believe in the importance of Red Star 1.
