6:30 in the morning.
Spitfire No. 214 took off alone from the airport and appeared in the sky above Moscow. Zhou Zhihan opened his helmet and monitored the surrounding enemies.
Seeing that all German air forces near Moscow were almost at a standstill, Zhou Zhihan issued the first order:
All Soviet fighter-bomber units have entered first-level combat readiness. After receiving the order, all fighter planes must take off within five minutes to prepare to face the invading enemy.
Anyone who disobeys the order will be shot!
Those who delay the opportunity to fight will be shot immediately!
Anyone who leaks any information will be shot!
All air force commanders shuddered. This Chinese Air Force colonel was decisive and decisive. With this order, there must be a big battle to be fought.
Until now, except for several senior generals such as Zhukov and Gromagin, everyone believed that Zhou Zhihan issued this order to prevent the German Air Force from suddenly attacking Moscow.
Zhukov and Gromagin were sitting in the main dispatch room of the Moscow airport.
The airport radar room was on alert.
But everyone knows that at this distance, you cannot expect to use radar to detect enemy aircraft, because the distance is too close.
During the Battle of London, the German Air Force, which had suffered greatly from British radars, worked hard to catch up. Their fighter radar technology at this time was far superior to that of the Soviet Union. They also had a way to make the Soviet radar unable to judge the direction of fighter jets taking off from German airports. Where to fly.
For a fighter jet, 30 kilometers only takes a few minutes. Radar is of little use.
Therefore, Zhukov and Gromagin pinned their hopes of discovering the enemy plane on Zhou Zhihan.
This Chinese Air Force colonel is a genius in air combat. He has the extraordinary ability to detect enemy aircraft dozens of kilometers away in heavy snow and darkness. This special ability has been proven in many battles.
He is an aerial combat genius who has never been seen before or since.
Moscow is surrounded by elite units of the Soviet Red Army, which can ensure that there will be no threat from German ground forces when the military parade is held on Red Square.
Anti-aircraft artillery units were densely packed around the Red Square. Zhukov assured Stalin that not even a sparrow would be released over the Red Square during the military parade.
These anti-aircraft artillery units were told by Zhou Zhihan that after 8:30, all fighter jets entering above the anti-aircraft artillery will be shot down, regardless of their own or enemy fighters.
The reason why Zhou Zhihan issued such an order was because it was difficult for the anti-aircraft artillery troops to identify enemy and friendly fighter jets in heavy snow. For safety reasons, all fighter jets that entered the anti-aircraft artillery position between 8:30 and 10 o'clock were shot down.
Just last night, the Soviet Union's elite Siberian Division miraculously appeared in Moscow. Their arrival made Stalin and Zhukov's tense hearts relax a little.
Behind this elite division were more than thirty other Siberian elite divisions. They marched day and night, braved bitter wind and snow, and rushed to Moscow.
There were many factors responsible for the victory in the Battle of Moscow, the most important of which was that the troops coming from Siberia became the new blood of the Soviet Union. Their arrival greatly boosted the morale of the Soviet army.
When Stalin learned that Japan would not launch an attack on the Soviet army before the autumn of 1942, the Siberian lion who defended the Japanese began to show its power.
Of course, there is a big reason why this Siberian division was able to play a backbone in the defense of Moscow and was determined by the Chinese people to never surrender on the Chinese battlefield and to defend China to the death.
The enemy threat on the ground is removed.
Whether today's military parade is a success and whether the leaders of the military parade can be safe and sound depends on the Soviet Air Force.
As of last night, all command of the Soviet Air Force was transferred to Zhou Zhihan.
This is unprecedented in the history of human war.
Just after Stalin agreed to transfer the command of the Soviet Air Force to Zhou Zhihan on the day of the military parade on November 7, Zhukov met with Zhou Zhihan alone that night.
Zhukov directly told Zhou Zhihan: "If you can ensure that the Red Square is not threatened by German bombers during the Red Square military parade on November 7, I have the strength to guarantee that when the Soviet Union turns from defensive to offensive, it will continue to attack China will provide all kinds of assistance on the anti-Japanese battlefield, and when the time is right, I will suggest to Comrade Stalin that we send troops to destroy the Japanese Kwantung Army."
Zhukov's words are very clear. If this military parade is successful and the defense of Moscow can be successful, then I will have the right to speak in the entire Soviet Union, and I can fulfill all the above promises to you.
Zhou Zhihan was furious when he heard this: "I promise to complete the mission. During the military parade in Red Square, I will not let any German fighter jets fly over the Red Square."
At 7:40, Zhou Zhihan began to mobilize his troops:
In addition to the 50 Spitfires and Hurricanes hovering over Moscow, all fighter-bombers took off on time at 8 o'clock to attack all German airfields stationed in Moscow No. 4.
When the big bell on the Drum Tower of Red Square rang the first tone, the Soviet fighter-bomber units took off on time. Under the guidance of Zhou Zhihan, they flew over the heads of the Germans in a few minutes and began to drop bombs...
…
When the sound of Stalin's speech in Red Square rang across the world through radio waves, the German pilots stationed near Moscow were sleeping soundly in simple tents.
The continuous heavy snow in Moscow caused the German night combat fighter units to stop their operations. Before that, the night combat units bombed Moscow at night, but with little effect. It was a waste of bombs. The commander could only order to stop the bombing and wait for the snow to stop.
Not to mention at night, even when flying over Moscow during the day, the pilot's field of vision is only white.
Rather than letting the pilots use up their energy and waste ammunition needlessly, it is better to let them recharge their batteries and wait for the snow to stop before fighting again.
The number of the German air force was far less than that of the Soviet Union, and many pilots were overloaded.
At the beginning of the war, German pilots had the mentality of becoming aces as soon as possible as motivation, and they were willing to perform more missions.
As the war deepens and consumes, the pilots' enthusiasm and energy are almost exhausted. The sudden heavy snow is the time for them to relax and recuperate.
When the enthusiasm is gone, victory or defeat in the war is not so important to the soldiers.
In fact, as the war progressed, Germany had fewer and fewer all-weather pilots. Those ace pilots had to increase their flying time and attendance rate to serve as all-weather pilots and complete all-weather missions, which doubled their risk factor. .
The so-called all-weather pilots are pilots who can perform combat bombing and reconnaissance missions during the day and night. Sometimes, they also have to serve as pilots for transport aircraft.
The reason why the German pilots dared to sleep soundly was that they were convinced that even if Soviet Air Force planes flew over their heads, it would be impossible to find them.
Because at this time, there was snow everywhere in Moscow and its surroundings. Not to mention the extremely low visibility of fighter bombers looking down from the air. Even standing on the ground, it was difficult to spot the fighter planes hundreds of meters away that were covered in heavy snow.
Major Friedrich Beck, Major Dietrich Hellabach, Galland, Molders and others were still sleeping soundly when they were woken up and told:
"The Soviets are having a military parade in Red Square."
What?
Soviets parading in Red Square?
How can this be?
Did you hear wrongly?
How dare Stalin parade and deliver a speech at this time?
The commanders didn't believe their ears.
They turned on the radio.
Stalin's impassioned speech immediately pierced the hearts of these ace German commanders like a sharp sword.
"Level 1 combat readiness, all fighter-bomber units ready for combat."
After the commanders were briefly shocked, they issued such an order almost simultaneously.
Immediately, combat sirens sounded in all the German airports surrounding Moscow. The airport messengers held loudspeakers and shouted desperately: "Everyone, first-level combat readiness, first-level combat readiness, within ten minutes, fighter bombers must take off... "
Immediately, except for the fighter pilots on duty, the German airport was in chaos. Many pilots were still woken up from their sleep. Some of them were so drunk last night that they stood up dizzy, took their clothes and went outside. They didn't know if an enemy plane was attacking or if there was some major crisis.
The 48 Stuka bombers of the 12th Bomb Wing are neatly placed on the airport. They are covered with white snow and become the same color as the sky and the earth...
…
Suddenly, the commander of the 12th Bomb Wing, who was also shocked by Stalin's speech, received a call from Goering.
Goering's words were brief: "If Red Square cannot be wiped off the map of the Soviet Union, then ask the commander of the 12th Bomb Wing to wipe his own head."
So, at the airport of the 12th Fighter Wing, the messenger shouted almost crazy: "Everyone, special combat readiness, special combat readiness, special combat readiness... All bombers must take off within ten minutes..."
Goering hung up the phone angrily. He didn't have time to brush his teeth, wash his face, or taste the fragrant coffee he had to drink after waking up every day, so he grabbed his expensive military uniform.
Just then, his phone rang again.
"Hello!"
While Goering picked up the phone, he saw a major intelligence officer trotting over not far away. He slipped and fell, and the intelligence folder in his hand flew out.
"Marshal, the 12th Bomb Wing was suddenly attacked fiercely by Soviet bombers and fighter jets. Most of the aircraft at the airport were paralyzed before they could even start..."
Hearing the call from the commander of the 12th Bomb Wing, Goering felt like he had been punched hard in the chest.
"What? Say it again."
"The 12th Bomb Wing was attacked by a sneak attack and suffered heavy losses. Most of the airport runway was destroyed..."
"Damn Russians! How did they accurately find the 12th Bomb Wing in the heavy snow..." Goering was angry, "Why didn't our fighter force take off to intercept?"
Commander of the 12th Wing: "The fighter jets at the airport had no time to take off to intercept, and the airport runway was destroyed. The fighter planes suffered serious losses, and our aerial reconnaissance planes were unaware..."
Listening to the panicked voice of the commander of the 12th Wing, Goering's forehead was sweating. The Führer had just ordered the 12th Bomb Wing to destroy the Red Square immediately, but now their base was destroyed by the Soviets. How could he report to the Führer? Account.
Looking at the major who climbed up from the snow to retrieve the folder and ran towards him, Goering knew that there might be more bad news coming.
really.
The major knocked on the door, walked into the carriage, and reported to Goering: "A large number of Soviet fighter jets and bombers suddenly appeared in the sky above and around Moscow, and attacked all the airports where our troops were stationed near Moscow. The JG52, JG51, and JG54 wings and the 12th Bomb Wing were all attacked violently, and our army was unable to organize an effective counterattack for a while. While the Soviet Air Force sneak attacked our airport, it destroyed the air defense positions around our airport..."
…
