Chapter 105 Bloody Smolensk (6)

As a product of the joint cooperation between German arms giants Krupp and Rheinmetall, the Type 18 105mm cannon howitzer exuded the precious aura of the two arms tycoons, but it was ill-fated.

Due to the undercurrent of competition between the two companies Krupp and Rheinmetall, the Type 18 105mm cannon howitzer, which began bidding for design in the 1920s, was delayed until the early 1930s before it was finalized and started after the German military accepted it. Entering the mass production stage.

The long-delayed design project and the secret competition between the two arms giants have made the Type 18 105mm cannon howitzer, which has high hopes, been considered a light weapon among the Western powers since its birth due to its excessive weight. The caliber of divisional artillery was not very popular with the Germans.

But even so, the Type 18 cannon howitzer, with a cumulative total production of more than 1,400, has still been given its own place of use.

Thanks to the weapon characteristics of the Type 18 cannon howitzer, which can shoot at a large angle and can lower the muzzle depression angle for direct shooting, the German army, which originally planned to break through the Maginot Line from the front and carry out offensive operations, specially developed a weapon to destroy it. 105mm full-caliber armor-piercing grenade for solid concrete armored hybrid fortifications.

Range test data shows that when the Type 18 105mm cannon howitzer uses this type of armor-piercing grenade for direct-aiming shooting at a homogeneous steel armor target, it can ensure penetration of a 125mm homogeneous grenade placed vertically at a 90-degree angle at a distance of 500 meters. Steel armor target.

In other words, in terms of anti-armor performance alone, the performance of the Type 18 105mm cannon howitzer is on par with the 88mm anti-aircraft gun that existed as a life-saving straw for the German army.

But even so, the high cost, which is many times more than that of ordinary anti-tank guns, and the heavy weight of the artillery itself, make it impossible for the Type 18 cannon howitzer, which is used as divisional artillery support firepower, to be used as a frontline counterattack. Armored firepower appears in a timely manner where it is needed most to deal with Soviet tank troops.

To talk about why Malashenko met these opponents that he should not have faced, the result was completely dumbfounding and purely coincidental.

The German 29th Motorized Infantry Division, which received the task assigned by its superiors and was ordered to occupy Hill No. 142 and provide artillery support to the German forces attacking Smolensk, did not expect that its side would encounter the newly formed 1st Heavy Infantry Division under Malashenko. The tanks broke through the battalion's all-out attack.

As the saying goes, a dog jumps over the wall when it is anxious, and a rabbit bites when it is anxious. The commander of the German 29th Motorized Infantry Division, who was frightened by the rumbling Soviet KV1 heavy tanks, had no other choice but to order those who were originally high-spirited. The Type 18 cannon howitzer, which provided long-range artillery support towards the city of Smolensk, turned its muzzle, loaded the reserve armor-piercing grenades that had hardly been put to use, lowered the barrel of the gun and hid it, preparing to shoot Soviet heavy tanks levelly.

The performance of the powerful 105mm Type 18 cannon howitzer did not live up to expectations. The 105mm full-caliber armor-piercing grenade, which was specially designed to attack the heavy concrete armor mixed fortifications on the Maginot Line, showed extremely powerful anti-armor power. The 12 18 It took less than half a cigarette to beat all the first eight T34 tanks of the Soviet army into a pile of parts.

After realizing that the German army in front of him was actually using a 105mm field cannon to shoot at his own side, Malashenko, who had just woken up from a dream, was not frightened by the "death waiting" posture of the German army. It was already a desperate situation and the war situation was worsening. Only by destroying these German artillery could they get a glimmer of hope for themselves.

"Attention, crews, these Germans are using 105mm field plus howitzers to bombard us with flat fire. This is not a new anti-tank gun!"

"Don't be afraid of the powerful firepower of these German howitzers. These guys use sub-loaded ammunition and the rate of fire is not very fast! Rush up at full speed and crush them. This is our only hope! Comrades, Ulla!"

"Ula!"

"Ula!"

Faced with these 18-type cannon howitzers that were powerful enough to make the armor of his own KV1 heavy tank look like paper, Malashenko, who had a strong courage to fight to the death in his heart, chose the most passionate way to bury these German artillerymen—— Rush in at full speed and crush them!

When the ULA slogan roared across the entire battalion communication channel, accompanied by the surging sound of the 600-horsepower diesel engine, echoed over the German positions, the two Soviet troops who had been following closely behind the heavy tank breakthrough battalion led by Malashenko The infantry divisions also began to swarm in from the gap in the German position that had been torn open.

"For the motherland! For Stalin! Attack!"

"Ula!!!"

The leading soldier raised his Tokarev TT33 pistol high in the air. The Soviet political commissar shouted loudly like a whole depot of explosives was set on fire. Hundreds of Red Army soldiers holding up various weapons in their hands followed closely. The roar of Ula that followed was immediately overshadowed by the overwhelming force of the waves that followed, overwhelming the voice of the political commissar.

A brutal battle that burned out flesh and steel was like a meat grinder, involving tens of thousands of troops from three infantry divisions and one heavy armored battalion from both the Soviet and German sides.

The Soviet machine gunner, who was holding the bipod of the DP28 light machine gun to stabilize the gun body, squeezed the trigger and ran forward like crazy for his life. The Soviet political commissar who had run out of bullets directly threw away the Toka in his hand. Lev's TT33 pistol flew onto a German rifleman and beat him hard with his fists.

The German MG34 machine gun team, which had red-hot 5 barrels in a row, saw that it had no spare barrels to use. After looking at each other, the first and second machine gunners almost simultaneously picked up their engineer shovels and moved towards the Soviet rifles that were already a few steps away. The hand rushed away.

The German major battalion commander, whose entire defense line was on the verge of collapse and finally lost, also roared like a beast. The Iron Cross hanging on the collar of his uniform followed the master's steps like a trembling edelweiss and launched the final charge.

After fourteen KV1 heavy tanks were destroyed or paralyzed one after another, the crew of the Soviet First Heavy Tank Battalion, which rushed towards them with roaring machine guns and turret main guns, had already been killed and their eyes were red. The body driven by wildness and revenge controlled this fierce steel body to launch the final funeral towards the German artillerymen who were already showing horror.

"No mercy! Crush them! Leave no survivors! Lubricate our tracks with the blood and flesh of these Germans, and I will hang these bastard Iron Cross medals on the outside of my turret as commemorative medals!"

Malashenko, whose eyes had been completely replaced by crimson bloodshot eyes, had almost lost his mind. The loud and angry words on the wireless communication station were the best proof of his true state of mind.