Red Moscow

  Chapter 533 New Supplemental Fighter (Part 2)

  After Lilia flew away, Sokov felt that he should report the results of the women's flight squadron to his superiors in order to boost the low morale. When he returned to the basement, he ordered the operator to send a telegram to the front army and the army headquarters at the same time, reporting the results of Raisa and the others.

  After ordering the operator to send a telegram, Sokov put the matter aside, because there were more important things waiting for him to deal with. The German bombing, in addition to causing the collapse of many buildings in the factory area, also blew up a lot of walls on the north and east sides, so that the factory director Peter had to send militia to defend these places to prevent the enemy from coming. These gaps flush into the plant area.

After Zinchenko received Peter's call, he discussed with Sokov: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, the factory director Peter just called and said that because many walls collapsed during the German bombing, in order to prevent the enemy from passing through these gaps He rushed into the factory area and had to send militias to defend. But now there are seriously insufficient personnel capable of fighting, so he plans to withdraw the destroyer battalion from us in order to strengthen the defense of those areas."

"Comrade deputy factory director," Sokov waited for Zinchenko to finish speaking, and said to him with a serious expression: "There are only more than 170 people left in my army, and the militiamen in the assembly workshop are only two There are more than a hundred people, if the destroyer battalion is withdrawn, do you think we can hold this place with our current strength?"

Zinchenko shook his head and replied truthfully: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, although your troops are very powerful, but please forgive me, if the enemy launches a strong attack from this direction, you will not be able to defend at all." He stopped here, organized the vocabulary in his mind, and continued, "But the walls of the factory area collapsed in many places during the bombing of the German army. If we don't send people to defend those places, the enemy will be able to swagger. broke into the factory area."

Sokov didn't take Zinchenko's reason seriously. He stood up and walked back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, thinking to himself: Even if the wall was not blown down, a two-meter-high wall can kill the enemy. Keep out? Don't let Peter transfer the destroyer battalion away. With the militiamen in his hands, it is almost impossible to block the enemies rushing into the factory area; let them transfer away, the defense of the assembly workshop will become weak stand up.

After repeated consideration, Sokov decided to find a way to delay the transfer of the destroyer battalion, because he had originally received an order to assist the defense here for a few days, and he could withdraw to Mamayev Post as soon as the reinforcements arrived. . Thinking of this, he stopped and said to Zinchenko: "Comrade deputy factory director, anyway, the reinforcements sent to you by the superior will arrive soon. Why don't you transfer the destroyer battalion after the reinforcements arrive?"

   "Well..." Regarding Sokov's proposal, Zinchenko said with some embarrassment: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I can't make the decision on this matter. I need to ask Comrade Factory Director for instructions."

Sokov knew that in the Red October Tractor Factory, Peter was a character who kept his promises, and he would not nod on some things. Even the deputy factory director like Zinchenko could not make any decisions, so he nodded and looked aside. He pouted on the phone and said, "Comrade deputy factory director, please call quickly and ask for instructions."

  Zinchenko called Peter and told him what Sokov meant. Unexpectedly, after Peter heard this, he said firmly: "No, Comrade Zinchenko, the destroyer battalion must return to the factory area immediately. If those blasted gaps are not sent to defend as soon as possible, what if the Germans sneak in at night?" ?”

"But, Comrade Factory Director." Zinchenko was also anxious when he heard Peter's order: "If the destroyer battalion is transferred away, the defense force of the assembly workshop will become extremely weak. If it is attacked by the German army, I'm worried I won't be able to hold on."

"Comrade Zinchenko, why don't you understand that even if the defense force of the assembly workshop has been weakened, they have the help of the regular army after all." Peter said impatiently: "And the defense in other areas is almost Even if the militias are all in numbers, they will be even more vulnerable to the German attack."

After repeated negotiations with Peter, Zinchenko hung up the phone and said to Sokov with a helpless face: "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, according to Peter's intention, the destroyer battalion must Transfer away before.” After finishing speaking, without waiting for Sokov to make a statement, he said to the ashen-faced Bolshak, “Major Bolshak, take the time to prepare and prepare to lead the destroyer battalion before dark.” Return to the factory building."

Half an hour later, Sokov stood at the door of the factory building full of ruins, looking at the destroyer battalion in the distance, feeling deeply lost. He felt that with his current strength, he wanted to block the German infantry supported by tanks. , It's just a fool's dream. He even considered in his heart whether he should urge Chuikov and ask him to let the reinforcements come here quickly.

  Bliski walked up to Sokov and seeing his disappointed face, he tentatively asked: "Comrade Brigadier, we still have some new rockets here, see if they can be used when the Germans attack."

   Regarding this batch of rockets, Sokov originally planned to use them at the most critical moment, but now that the destroyer battalion has been transferred, it is tantamount to being pulled from the bottom. If the rockets are not used, I am afraid that they will not be able to stop the German attack. So he nodded and said, "Okay, Comrade Captain, if the Germans use tanks in tomorrow's attack, shoot out the rockets."

The two had just reached an agreement on the use of rockets, and the operator hurried out of the basement. He waved a telegram in his hand and said excitedly to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, telegram, The telegram is a telegram sent to you by the Army Group Command."

  A telegram from the Group Army Command? When Sokov received the telegram from the operator, he thought to himself: Is it to re-verify the results of the Women's Flying Squadron? He held the telegram in front of him and scanned it quickly. After seeing the above content clearly, he couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise, thinking that he had read it wrong, and re-read it twice before finally confirming that what he saw was true and correct.

  Bliski saw that Sokov suddenly smiled, so he guessed that there must be something good in the telegram, and asked curiously: "Comrade Brigadier, what was written in the telegram that made you so happy."

   "Comrade Captain, take a look." Sokov pushed the telegram into Briski's hand and said to the operator, "Come on, let's go back to the basement."

  Bliski received the telegram, and saw that it read: "From now on, the 437th Fighter Aircraft Regiment is under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, ... Signature: Chuikov." There is also a contact code with the 437th Air Regiment at the back.

  Bliski thought to himself, this is a great thing. With the assistance of the Air Force, even if the destroyer battalion is transferred, it is completely sure to keep the important position of the assembly workshop. He hurriedly caught up with Sokov, and said with a smile: "Comrade Brigadier, this is a great thing. With the cooperation of the Air Force, it will not be a problem to hold this place."

   After Sokov established contact with Khostnikov's regiment command post by phone, he first asked the other party what he could do for him. Khostnikov hurriedly told the German army to shell the airport every other day. At the end of the telegram, he also begged Sokov to help find out where the German artillery was hiding.

   Regarding Khostnikov’s request, Sokov is naturally obliged. If the German artillery is not eliminated first and allowed to bombard the airport unscrupulously, then how will the air-ground coordination proceed. Therefore, he immediately ordered the operator to send a report to Lieutenant Grisa, who was operating behind the enemy lines, so that they could quickly find out the German artillery positions bombarding the airport.

  ...

  Early the next morning, a Yak-1 fighter jet added to the 437th Flying Regiment by the superior landed on the runway under the guidance of the ground control tower. After Alexey waited for the plane to come to a complete stop, he immediately brought the mechanic forward for inspection. After a careful inspection and confirmed that the plane was in good condition, he called a ground crew and ordered: "Go to the dormitory of the Women's Flying Squadron immediately and inform Sergeant Katya to come here to receive her new plane. "

  (end of this chapter)