Chapter 104 Bloody Smolensk (5)

The main reason why Malashenko, who is a later time traveler, felt such a deep chill in his heart that was beyond his expectations was because of the weak anti-armor of the German army when it launched the Barbarossa invasion in 1941. Due to ability.

In 1941, when the German army launched Operation Barbarossa and just started to invade the Soviet Union, the German army during this period only had the PAK36/37 37mm anti-tank gun and the PAK38 50mm anti-tank gun as the main anti-tank equipment.

Even among the special anti-tank equipment of the German army, the PAK38 60 times caliber 50 mm anti-tank gun is the most cutting-edge and most powerful.

When faced with the Soviet T34 medium tanks and KV series heavy tanks, it was so weak that it was almost indistinguishable from being scratched, not to mention the PAK36/37 37mm anti-tank gun, which the German officers and soldiers themselves dubbed as a "stepping stone". .

It is precisely because of this current situation that all anti-tank guns are weak and powerless, the German army was forced to seize the last life-saving straw of the 88 mm anti-aircraft gun to perform anti-tank missions, making the German army originally designed for air defense The resulting 88-gun suddenly became the only weapon in the German equipment sequence in 1941 that could effectively deal with Soviet armored forces.

"You need to be careful when you have 88 guns. If you don't have 88 guns, just let yourself go!"

Although this statement sounds arrogant and boastful, it is undoubtedly the most realistic portrayal of the combat environment faced by the Soviet armored forces when fighting the German army in 1941.

Because of this, as a later time traveler, Malashenko, who was well aware of the combat situation in 1941, learned through aerial reconnaissance that the German army in front of him did not have 88 artillery equipment. There is nothing wrong with the offensive deployment of using all the troops at hand in an attempt to overwhelm the enemy's German defensive positions in the shortest possible time.

But the problems and variables lie precisely in the key factor of the German anti-tank gun.

The German defensive position, which did not have 88 guns in hand, actually knocked out all eight T34 tanks in the first wave in less than twenty seconds.

When the German army's so-called "new anti-tank gun" fired at close range, the huge sound far exceeding that of 88 guns was like a heavy hammer that kept hammering Malashenko's heart, and he was breaking out in a cold sweat. Malashenko, who was thinking about all the military knowledge in his previous life, could not think of any other anti-tank guns besides the 88-gun that the German army in 1941 had that could kill T34 tanks directly from the front with one shot. .

"We can't just fall short like this! Rokossovsky gave me a dead order. If I can't take this damn Hill 142, even if I come back alive, I'll probably only have military law work waiting for me. I want to see these damn things." What on earth are the Germans using against us?”

Gritting his teeth and then making up his mind, Malashenko, who had already started to use full throttle and rushed straight towards the slope of Highland 142, could no longer look back.

The huge muzzle hidden behind the camouflaged grass is still filled with wisps of smoke after the armor-piercing bullets escaped. Looking at the Soviet KV1 heavy tanks that have slowly emerged from the horizon of their first defensive position, after the victory. A total of 12 German artillery groups immediately began to prepare for a new round of attack under the command of their respective gunners.

"Load armor-piercing projectiles, the target is at 12 o'clock, the Soviet heavy tank group is ready to attack!"

"Loading completed!"

"Aiming at him!"

"Fire!"

With a loud roar and a wave of his right arm downwards, the German artillery crew, which had destroyed eight Soviet T34 tanks a moment ago, began a second wave of attacks.

Boom boom boom——

The armor-piercing grenade was instantly ejected from the gun after being struck by the propellant primer by the breech firing pin, surrounded by muzzle flames, and immediately burst out with an ultra-high muzzle velocity of up to 822 meters per second.

At a close range of less than two hundred meters, the armor-piercing grenade was almost fleeting. It easily penetrated the 90 mm thick homogeneous steel of the first KV1 heavy tank like a red-hot razor cutting a cream cake. The heavy armored turret, the 230-gram TNT-equivalent warhead charge loaded in the armor-piercing projectiles immediately exploded inside the turret under the action of the armor-piercing delay fuse.

boom--

The huge explosion was accompanied by the explosive flames of the ammunition that splashed out from the tank chassis. In an instant, the heavy 7-ton turret of the KV1 heavy tank was lifted into the air. The earth and turf lifted by the powerful explosion shock wave were It followed like a goddess scattering flowers and scattered them on all the surrounding KV1 heavy tanks, making endless noises.

Malashenko, who had long expected that the German army would use the mysterious anti-tank gun again, was not shaken or agitated at all by the loss of the KV1 heavy tank. Malashenko, who had been holding the commander's periscope in front of him to maintain his concentration, then saw the muzzle fire that could not be completely burned out behind the grass.

"Iushkin! At 11 o'clock, behind the haystack, the German anti-tank gun, blast it out!"

Second Lieutenant Iushkin, the gunner who also placed his right eye tightly on the gun scope in front of him in a state of concentration, did not dare to hesitate at all after hearing Malashenko's loud order. With the help of the electric motor, the turret steering gear adjustment wheel, which was swinging and turning desperately on his right hand, quickly aimed the black muzzle of the 76mm ZIS-5 tank gun at the target.

"Go to hell, Nacui!"

boom--

The muzzle shook and flames splashed out.

Following Iushkin's fierce action of stepping on the launch pedal without hesitation, an OF-350M 76mm high-explosive grenade blasted the ball of fire in an instant as if time stood still. The dark green haystack in Shenke's mouth exploded into the air.

When the explosion flames of the 76mm high-explosive grenade and the scattered dust and grass blades gradually dissipated, a German heavy artillery with a barrel so thick that Malashenko could not help but widen his eyes was exposed to everyone in broad daylight. in front of.

"Damn! These Germans are actually bombarding us with field cannons. These are not anti-tank guns at all!"

Following Iushkin's roar and Kirill behind him, he picked up another high-explosive shell and put it into the barrel of the gun. In a trance, Marashen felt as if the entire world's time had stopped at this moment. Coe finally recalled a name. It was the name of the "anti-tank gun" in front of him that had shocked him and puzzled him not long ago.

"I didn't expect the 105mm Type 18 field cannon howitzer. I really didn't expect it! These German guys actually used this thing for anti-tank. Are they crazy!?"