Chapter 270: Chapter 348 The Winter War (15)
Bf 109F pilots used this "ruffian" tactic against Soviet fighters, infuriating the Soviet pilots, causing their blood pressure to skyrocket. They cursed the opponents as despicable cowards who dared not engage in a direct confrontation.
However, despite their anger, their aircraft's performance was inferior, and no matter how they boasted, they were helpless. They could only fall one after another with resentment.
In this way, the Soviet escort fighter group was gradually wiped out, leaving only over 200 bomber formations.
As the bomber formation was about to reach Helsinki, another batch of Bf 109F fighters intercepted them. These fighters were equipped with additional gun pods. Although the extra gun pods affected the maneuverability of the fighters, they were much more agile than the cumbersome bombers.
Bf 109F fighters deftly maneuvered through the defensive gunfire from the bomber planes, shooting them down one after another with large-caliber machine guns.
On the other side, the Soviet 7th Army, opposite the Mannerheim Line, launched a new offensive. Watching the approaching tanks, Finnish soldiers couldn't help but be dumbfounded. "My God, what kind of tank is that?" Among these tanks, most were familiar to them, T-26 and BT-5. However, among these tanks, there were also some unfamiliar ones, looking taller, with thicker barrels, and from the way their tracks moved, they seemed heavier.
In the observation post of the Mannerheim Line, a German was introducing the latest Soviet KV-1 heavy tanks that were rushing towards them to Finnish officers. "Our 50mm anti-tank guns can't penetrate their armor. It's time to use the 'secret weapon.'"
The secret weapon he mentioned was the "8.8cm Raketenwerfer 43" recoilless gun.
The anti-tank gunners on the Finnish defense line were nervously watching the slowly advancing (it could only be described as slow, as the maximum off-road speed of the KV-1 was 12 km/h) Soviet heavy tanks. Seeing the massive size, weighing at least forty to fifty tons, they couldn't help but worry about whether their tank guns could penetrate the enemy's armor.
Just then, a messenger hurriedly ran over to deliver a command. "The commander says wait until they're at three hundred meters, don't bother with that heavy tank, someone else will take care of them." After dropping this sentence, he continued to run towards the next anti-tank position.
Several anti-tank gunners looked at each other. "Could it be that there's a new anti-tank gun?"
The squad leader disapproved, saying, "Forget it, as long as we can destroy these damn Soviet tanks. Load up, get ready to fire!"
The effectiveness of armor-piercing shells depends on the distance; the closer, the higher the muzzle velocity, and the deeper the penetration. In other words, their 5cm Pak 38 anti-tank gun could penetrate the armor of the KV-1 at a sufficiently close range. However, facing a tank formation, they couldn't get too close; otherwise, they would only be able to fire one round before being crushed by the enemy's tanks.
"Straight ahead, T-26, 450 meters... 400 meters... 350 meters... 300 meters, fire!" With the squad leader's command, the gunner pulled the cannon rope with force. As the muzzle spewed out a burst of flames, the opposing T-26 instantly exploded into a heap of scrap metal.
But they saw the heavy tank next to that T-26 stop, and a barrel with at least 70mm in diameter slowly aimed in their direction.
"Damn! Get out of here fast!" The squad leader had just yelled when a loud bang came from not far away, and the heavy tank erupted in a violent explosion.
Several gunners simultaneously looked towards the direction of the loud noise, only to see a large cloud of white smoke rising slowly. The diameter of that smoke ring seemed to be at least ten meters. "What's that? Such a big commotion?!"
The basic principle of a recoilless gun is to balance the recoil with the momentum of high-temperature and high-speed gas ejected from the rear of the shell. Therefore, this type of gun makes a very loud noise when firing, severely damaging the hearing of the gunners. According to German battlefield regulations, when firing this gun, gunners must wear earplugs or cover their ears as much as possible.
Another drawback is that the flame at the gun's rear is too long. According to practical experience, the German airborne forces stipulate that during firing, the area within 50-100 meters behind the gun is a danger zone, and both ammunition and gunners are not allowed in that area, which imposes significant limitations on its use.
This time, a battalion of 24 KV-1 heavy tanks was deployed by Gorelenko, the commander of the Soviet 7th Army. This was the first appearance of the KV-1 on the battlefield. Stimulated by the war and with various technical issues still unresolved, the KV-1 tank couldn't wait to go into mass production. It was first equipped with a heavy tank battalion, which was mobilized to the Leningrad Military District and participated in the Soviet-Finnish War.
As the commander of the KV-1 tank battalion, Romonosov's mood was extremely excited. In his view, the KV-1 was currently the most powerful tank in the world, without rivals. Even the German "Jackal" tank would not be its match.
The diesel engine at the rear rumbled. His heavy tanks were dispersed within the formation, with five or six light tanks following each heavy tank. Behind them were infantry troops.
The Finnish defense line was right in front of them. Romonosov had already envisioned his tank breaking through the Finnish defense line, scenes of crushing those overflowing soldiers.
"Boom!" At this moment, a T-26 tank in the front suddenly exploded.
Almost simultaneously, Romonosov also noticed the exposed anti-tank positions on the opposite position. Although these anti-tank guns were well concealed, once they fired, they would expose their hiding places. Now, with just one shot from their side, they were about to wipe out the enemy's anti-tank positions! "Stop! At 11 o'clock direction, 300 meters, one anti-tank gun, fire!"
Just as the tank gunner aimed the barrel at that anti-tank position, a tremendous impact and explosion sound came from the front armor. Immediately after, Romonosov felt a scorching sensation, as if molten lava, splashing onto him, unable to help but let out a horrifying scream.
The 88mm hollow-charge armor-piercing shell fiercely struck the front armor of this KV-1. The conical-shaped explosive charge inside the armor-piercing shell exploded, generating a metal jet at twenty-five times the speed of sound, blowing towards the sturdy armored steel plate. The high temperature and high speed caused the armor at the impact point to flow like an ice surface being blown by hot air, easily creating a small hole in an instant. The still powerful metal jet, along with the metal droplets it carried, swept through the inside of the tank like scorching bullets, hitting the shells in the rear.
"Boom!" The 88mm shell detonated violently, and the high-temperature, high-pressure gas instantly churned up the entire turret, turning it into a mix of flesh and blood. Inside, there was no intact human body left; all turned into a presence similar to charred meat stuffing.
The high-pressure gas seeped into the turret's seat ring, which was not tightly sealed, and then the gas began to vent.
If seen from the outside, with a loud bang, the turret's seat ring emitted hot flames and black smoke, and with the explosion, the turret was lifted half a meter high before falling heavily.
Inside, there couldn't possibly be anyone alive!
"!!" The attacking Soviet soldiers seemed to suddenly quiet down, looking at the destroyed KV-1 tank in disbelief. Before they could recover from the shock, one after another, loud explosions occurred, and the KV-1 tanks began to explode one after another.
In less than a minute, a battalion of 24 KV-1 tanks was completely annihilated!
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