As soon as Persian Anskaya returned to the station, she immediately gathered the female pilots. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 With a command, the forty or so girls of the flying group quickly formed a neat phalanx and saluted their commander.

Persian Anskaya stood up and saluted the female pilots, coughed lightly, cleared her throat and said: "Girls, our superiors have just given us a difficult task to bomb a German warehouse on the banks of the Volga River, destroying the supplies they have hoarded there and the ships they have collected. Now I'm assigning the task ......"

When the female pilots had accepted the mission and dispersed, Makrova walked up to Posian Anskaya and said sadly: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I don't know how many girls we will be able to come back alive after tonight's bombing mission." ”

Posianskaya sniffled, reached out and grabbed the other party's shoulder, and pretended to be calm: "Makrova, what's wrong with you, what is there to worry about?" Don't forget, we're the 'witches of the night', and there's nothing big about bombing the Germans who we've been scared of for a long time. ”

"In this year, although we have achieved a lot of results, many girls have died in the line of duty, and in my squadron alone, more than 50 girls have been killed and wounded." Makrova said with a sad face: "So every time I carry out a mission, I am worried that a girl will not come back." ”

"Don't worry, Makrova." Persian Anskaya comforted his subordinates and said: "Our regiment has not carried out night bombardment in this area, the Germans should not be prepared, and our girls will return safely." ”

After Persian Anskaya finished speaking, seeing that Makrova was still standing still, she gently patted her on the back, pushed her, and said: "Okay, Makrova, hurry up and prepare for the attack, I wish you a safe return!" ”

Twenty bombers of the flying regiment, after taking off in turn, flew towards the Volga. The plane piloted by Makrova was at the forefront of the entire bomber formation as the pilot aircraft for tonight's operation. The female pilots who followed behind stared at the plane in front of them and flew forward, not daring to slack off in the slightest. For them, if they deviate from course in the dark night, they will be doomed.

After a forty-minute flight, Makrova discovered the target of today's attack - a German logistics warehouse on the Volga River. Perhaps the Germans never dreamed that Soviet bombers would bomb them at night, so the lights were still on, and all kinds of transport vehicles were busy coming and going.

Seeing that there was a bombing target in front of her, Makrova turned off her engine, slid down to a low altitude of 100 meters like a glider, dropped the two bombs she carried, and then turned on the engine again to pull the plane up. The female pilots in the back did the same, gliding above the German warehouse, dropping the bombs they were carrying, restarting the engines and pulling the nose up.

More than forty bombs tumbled and fell on their respective targets with a scream of death. Moments later, the sound of explosions resounded throughout the German warehouse area, and the hot air from the burning and explosion rolled up into the air with black smoke. One after another, explosions overturned the moving truck; Flying shrapnel sliced down the German soldiers near the blast site in pieces.

The female pilots of the women's night bomber regiment did not check the results of the battle, because they knew in their hearts that with the bombs carried by their own planes, the losses inflicted on the Germans were limited. The biggest gain was nothing more than putting the German soldiers in a state of extreme panic. They made a U-turn over the Volga and flew in the direction of the airfield.

An hour later, Rokossovsky learned from the intercepted telegram that the Women's Night Bombardment Regiment had achieved the results of tonight's bombardment: it destroyed a German clothing warehouse and burned 3,000 uniforms; blew up six trucks carrying goods; It was also given to the defenders guarding the warehouse, causing more than sixty casualties.

While reading the battle report, Rokossovsky couldn't help but think that every sortie of the Soviet Air Force was only to cooperate with the defense and offensive of the army, as if it were an insignificant subsidiary branch. As a man from the future, he understands better than anyone the importance of the Air Force in warfare. The addition of the Women's Night Bomber Regiment may be an opportunity for the Air Force to play a greater role.

Thinking of this, he picked up the phone, dialed the Air Force Command, and first praised Rudenko for the achievements of the female pilots, and then he changed the topic and asked seriously: "Comrade Rudenko, the planes piloted by our female pilots are so outdated, and there are no radios and parachutes on the planes, so that they have to risk their lives every time they attack." I would like to ask you, is there any way to change this phenomenon? ”

"Comrade Commander," Rudenko replied, after a moment's thought, "if we can change their outfits, maybe we will reduce the danger of each sortie?" ”

"Is there any good model in the Air Force, can you change the girls?" Rokossovsky was not familiar with the types of aircraft of the Soviet army in World War II, so he could only humbly ask for advice from professionals like Rudenko.

"As far as I know, among the military supplies that the British have come to our aid are a new batch of Mosquito night bombers." "But since these planes are made of wood, no air force unit is willing to equip them, and they are left in a warehouse in Moscow and left unattended. ”

Rokossovsky did not expect that in addition to the Soviet Union, Britain actually produced aircraft made of wood, and he couldn't help but ask in surprise: "The British actually used to produce wooden aircraft." ”

"That's right, Comrade Commander." Rudenko replied affirmatively: "The fuselage of the Mosquito bomber, made of high-strength laminated plywood, the plate is about 11 mm thick, the inner and outer layers are about 2 mm thick Canadian birch, and in the middle is the Ecuadorian balsa wood sandwich. The fuselage is divided into two halves and manufactured separately, first embedding the reinforcing wood boards and strips in the correct position on the mahogany or concrete male mold, then coating casein glue and pasting the cut laminated plywood, and finally fixing it with a belt and waiting for the glue to solidify the fuselage hard shell can be taken out of the mold as a whole, and then glued to the fuselage partition frame. ”

Rokossovsky, who was a layman for the aircraft, listened to Rudenko's introduction and asked curiously: "Comrade Rudenko, according to you, the process of making such an aircraft is very simple?" ”

"Yes, exactly." Rudenko continued: "The use of glue and wood not only makes the Mosquito aircraft lightweight and elegant, but also reduces the consumption of strategic materials, and reduces the difficulty and man-hours of manufacturing. In addition, the modular design of the Mosquito aircraft also facilitates distributed manufacturing, which means that furniture and piano factories can also manufacture wooden components and then send them to the final assembly plant for unified assembly. If we can get the technology to manufacture such aircraft, then we will be able to equip our troops with thousands of such aircraft in just a few months. ”

Rudenko's words made Rokossovsky feel excited, if he really had a flight formation of thousands of night bombers, then it would be enough for the Germans to drink a pot. However, it is not possible to master the manufacturing technology of the aircraft and introduce the production process, and the top priority is to find a way to get those British planes and change the outfit of the girls of the 588th Air Regiment.

Thinking of this, he froze down, and then said to Rudenko: "Okay, Comrade Rudenko, the introduction of aircraft manufacturing technology is still a bit too far away for us, and now let's talk about those planes aided by the British." Do you know where they are and whose permission you need to get these planes? ”

Regarding Rokossovsky's question, Rudenko was silent for a long time before he said: "I think it may be necessary to get permission from the People's Commissariat of Defense and the General Armament Department before we can hope to get these planes." ”

Hearing that only two units needed permission to obtain British aid planes, Rokossovsky's heart could not help but feel a wave of ecstasy. He said confidently: "If it is only these two departments, it will be easy to handle, and I will call the chief of the general staff later and ask him to help me handle this matter." ”

"Comrade commander," Rudenko did not understand why Rokossovsky was in a hurry to get these planes, so he said tentatively: "Please forgive me, these wooden bombers can only be used for night bombing, and they can play a limited role, I think it is more appropriate to exchange them for planes aided by the United States." ”

"Okay, Comrade Rudenko, as the commander of the front army, I don't need to ask you for the plane that is aided by any country, right?" Rokossovsky hurriedly interrupted Rudenko's words, "You better solve the rat infestation and cholera in your place as soon as possible, and don't affect the next move of the troops." ”

Military Commissar Kirichenko asked: "Comrade commander, I don't understand, what is the use of wooden planes coming, the ground fire of the Germans can easily shoot them down. ”

Before the arrival of the new planes, Rokossovsky did not intend to tell anyone what he really thought in his heart for the time being, so he could only vaguely say about Kirichchenko's question: "I plan to use these planes to redress the girls of the women's night bomber regiment and minimize the danger to them every time they carry out a mission." ”

The reason given by Rokossovsky is simply unassailable. After listening, everyone nodded in agreement. Kirichenko also said with emotion: "Yes, the planes equipped by the girls are too backward now, and every time they attack, their lives will be in danger." After they are replaced with new planes, they will also be equipped with parachutes and radios, so that even if they are shot down on the battlefield, their chances of survival will be greatly improved. ”