Red Moscow

"Misha, aren't you embarrassing me?" Yakov replied with a wry smile, "I'm in the weapons and equipment department, not the logistics and transportation unit. Where can I find you the equipment for crossing the river?"

"Yasha!" Sokov suddenly thought of the hovercraft. After receiving the blueprint provided by him, the military industry department started the research and development for half a year, and he didn't know how it was going. "I want to ask, can the hovercraft be put into actual combat?"

Sokov had heard from Yakov a few months ago that the prototype of the hovercraft had been released, and the speed could reach 60 knots. Unfortunately, the load was limited, and it could only carry 20 commanders and fighters at a time, or five tons of cargo. Equivalent to a truck. Now that such a long time has passed, I don't know how it has been improved.

After a brief silence, Yakov replied: "Misha, after improvements by military experts, today's hovercrafts are divided into two types: one is an assault hovercraft, which can carry 7 soldiers and a 14.5mm anti-aircraft machine gun; One is a hovercraft for transportation, which can only carry 30 fighters or eight tons of cargo due to the location of the space.”

"What about the driving speed, is it still sixty knots?"

"Yes, the top speed of the hovercraft is still sixty knots," Yakov explained. "When driving on the water, the speed is thirty-five to fifty knots."

"Yasha, this is really great." After listening to the data reported by Yakov, Sokov couldn't help but burst into ecstasy. Quickly asked: "Our attack will start soon, I wonder how many hovercraft you can provide us?"

"Misha, I need to ask Comrade Ustinov for instructions on this matter." If it is other equipment, Yakov may agree on his own initiative, but when it comes to this kind of thing that has just been developed, he does not Dare to promise Sukov casually: "If he allows, I can provide you with 10 assault-type ships and 12 transport-type ships."

"Then go and ask for instructions as soon as possible." Sokov urged: "I'm running out of time here, so transport it here as soon as possible, so that I can let the soldiers familiarize themselves with this transportation tool so that it can be used in actual combat."

After getting Yakov's promise, Sokov put down the phone, first breathed a sigh of relief, and said to Sameko and Lunev standing aside: "Colonel Yakov needs to send a message to Comrade Ustinov. Please, once approved, we can send the river crossing equipment we need."

Before Lunev came from Moscow to serve as Sokov's deputy, he had seen a hovercraft in the weapons and equipment department. Hearing what Sokov said, he tentatively asked, "Is it that mysterious means of transportation?"

"That's right, Comrade Military Commissioner." Sokov nodded and said, "It's the kind of transport you've seen before."

Hearing the conversation between Sokov and Lunev like a riddle, Sameko said in a daze, "Comrade Commander, Comrade Military Commissioner, what are you talking about, why can't I understand at all?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, let me explain to you." Since Sameko is his most capable assistant, Sokov will naturally not hide anything from him, so he explained: "The Weaponry Department has newly developed A vehicle called a hovercraft can help us transport the assault force to the other side of the river."

"Transportation vehicle?" When he heard this word, Sameko couldn't help but feel disappointed: "Comrade Commander, I wonder how many people this transportation vehicle can carry at one time?"

"There are two types of hovercraft. One is an assault hovercraft, which can carry seven soldiers and a 14.5mm anti-aircraft machine gun; the other is a transport hovercraft, which can carry 30 soldiers or eight tons of cargo."

"Hovercraft?!" After repeating the unfamiliar word several times, Sameko frowned and said, "What is this? I've never heard of it."

"How should I put it?" Sokov couldn't explain to Sameko what a hovercraft was for a while, so he could only briefly say: "It is a means of transportation that can travel on various terrains."

"A means of transport that travels on various terrains?" Sameko repeated Sokov's last sentence, and asked in surprise, "Does it also include water?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, don't you understand what the commander means." Lunev said with a smile: "The so-called various terrains mean that this kind of transport can not only travel on land, but also in lakes and swamps." Driving. Even in winter, driving at high speeds on snow-covered roads.”

After listening to Lunev's explanation, Sameko's eyes widened in surprise: "Comrade Military Commissar, is what you said true? Can this hovercraft really travel at high speed on water and snow?"

"That's right." This time it was Sokov who answered: "Comrade Military Commissioner is right. This newly developed hovercraft is designed by me and can move on any complex terrain."

"Comrade Commander, may I ask, what is the speed of the hovercraft?"

"The design top speed is sixty knots. But today, when driving on the water, it can only reach thirty-five to fifty knots."

"That's enough." After learning about the performance of the hovercraft, Sameko was very excited: "Comrade Commander, if the hovercraft is really as magical as you said, we can completely let the assault force fly two to three hundred meters away from the river bank. It only takes two to three minutes for a distance of four to five hundred meters, and before the enemy reacts, our assault troops can rush to the enemy and catch them by surprise."

"Yakov promised me that as long as Comrade Ustinov agrees, he can give us 10 assault hovercraft and 12 transport hovercraft."

"My God." Lunev calculated the number according to Sokov, and exclaimed in surprise: "These hovercraft can transport almost a battalion of troops to the opposite bank at a time. With four battalions in the brigade and various weapons and equipment, it only takes five or six trips."

"Comrade Commander, if we can really get these hovercraft, I don't think it is necessary to build a pontoon bridge on the river." Sameko said with a relaxed expression: "We can use the hovercraft to transport troops and supplies to the opposite bank."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, no matter how many hovercraft our superiors give us, there must be pontoon bridges on the river." Seeing that Sameko was a little drifting, Sokov quickly reminded him, "You know, no matter how good the performance of a hovercraft is, it is possible malfunctions, or is hit by enemy fire. If something happens and the transport line established by the hovercraft is interrupted, and we don't have a pontoon bridge on the river, then our troops on the other side of the river will be a lone army .Once the enemy counterattacks aggressively, we can only watch them be annihilated by the enemy."

After reminding Sameko, Sokov continued: "Also, the commanders and fighters have never seen a hovercraft, so they must not be able to use it proficiently. Chief of Staff, once the hovercraft arrives, find a place immediately, and tell the soldiers For training, especially for troops on assault missions, they must be familiar with the use of hovercraft in a short period of time."

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Sameko replied hastily, "I will arrange a training place as soon as possible to train those troops on assault missions."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, where do you plan to set up the training site?" Sokov asked.

"In the forest northwest of Yakovlevo Town, there is a large swamp." Sameko said: "We can choose the training place there, and at the same time test the actual performance of the hovercraft."

Sokov and his colleagues were discussing how to use the hovercraft for actual combat. Yakov picked up the phone on the table, dialed a number, and asked politely: "Hello, Comrade Ustinov. In the office?"

"I have something important and I need to report to him face to face."

"Okay, I'll go right away."

A few minutes later, Yakov appeared in front of Ustinov.

Ustinov put down the document in his hand, looked up at Yakov and asked, "Colonel Yakov, you are in a hurry to find me, is there anything important?"

"Comrade People's Commissar!" Yakov said respectfully: "I just received a call from Major General Sokov. He said that his troops will launch an attack on the enemy in the near future. But his defense zone and the enemy's defense zone, However, he was blocked by a river, and he hoped that we could provide him with a batch of equipment for crossing the river."

"Hell, he needs equipment for crossing the river. He should go to the logistics department. What's the use of looking for us?"

"People's Commissar, that's what I said when he called." Yakov said with some embarrassment: "What he wants is the hovercraft we have just successfully developed."

"What, he wants a hovercraft?"

"Yes, hovercraft!"

"Colonel Yakov!" Ustinov said with a straight face: "As a commander of the weapons and equipment department, you should understand that the hovercraft is a transportation tool we have just successfully developed. If it is provided to Sokov's troops , is equivalent to telling the enemy that we have developed a means of transportation that can be used on any terrain."

"You are right, Comrade People's Commissar." Yakov agreed with Ustinov: "It is true."

"Since you know that handing over the hovercraft to Sokov's troops may lead to the leakage of our new equipment, why do you still do it?"

Seeing Ustinov's frosty face, Yakov didn't panic at all, but said without humility: "Comrade People's Commissar, the reason why I stand in front of you is to ask you to allow Sokov The army uses the newly developed hovercraft, firstly because Sokov is the designer of the hovercraft; secondly, we have not completed all the tests on the hovercraft, and hand it over to Sokov's troops for use, so that all tests can be completed on the battlefield Work."

Ustinov really couldn't object to Yakov's two reasons. The hovercraft was originally designed by Sokov, and the work of the weapons and equipment department was nothing more than turning the drawings into real objects. Moreover, the purpose of developing and producing the hovercraft is to use it on the battlefield. Now the basic test has been completed, but it has not yet passed the actual combat test, and the troops equipped with Sokov can use them to complete the actual combat test.

Ustinov was silent for a few minutes, picked up the cigarette case on the table, took out a cigarette from it, lit it, took a sip, and said to Yakov: "Colonel Yakov, what you said makes sense. The hovercraft was invented by Sokov, and it is not impossible to hand it over to his troops for field tests. But you have to lead the team to the front line to collect various test data. By the way, you are going to give it to Sokov How many hovercraft for the troops?"

"I have already agreed with Sokov to give him 10 assault hovercraft and 12 transport hovercraft."

"If you do this, it is equivalent to sending all the hovercraft except the samples to Sokov's troops."

Hearing what Ustinov said, Yakov immediately realized that the other party agreed to provide hovercraft for Sokov's troops, and quickly raised his hand to salute Ustinov, saying excitedly: "People's Commissar Comrade, on behalf of Major General Sokov, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you."

"Colonel Yakov." After the muscles on Ustinov's face twitched twice, he stared at Yakov: "When you go to the front this time, remember to bring a few more professional and technical personnel. If something happens to the hovercraft If there is a fault, they can also repair it in a timely manner.”

"I understand." After Yakov agreed, he made a new request: "Comrade People's Commissar, the transportation capacity is tight, and the transportation of this batch of hovercraft may require you to come forward in person and say hello to the comrades in charge of logistics transportation. .”

Ustinov shook his head with a wry smile, then picked up the phone in front of him, dialed the number and said into the receiver: "I'm Ustinov, please transfer to General Khrulev's office."

The operator learned that it was the People's Commissar who wanted to talk to the Minister of Logistics, so he hurriedly answered the call.

"General Khrulev? I'm Ustinov."

"The situation is like this. We have a batch of emergency supplies that are going to be shipped to the 27th Army Group in the south of Kursk. Can you see if we can arrange wagons for us as soon as possible to transport these supplies?"

"How many wagons do you need? When I think about it, I need about six wagons."

"What, the train can only reach the Oboyan area, and the rest of the journey can only be changed by car. Well, I see."

"General Khrulev, I will send Colonel Yakov to you later to study the wagon. Yes, that's right, it is the son of the Supreme Commander himself—Yakov."

Before Yakov went to the logistics department to find Khrulev, he felt that it was necessary to inform Sokov of the final result so that he could know what was going on.

As soon as the phone was connected, he said excitedly: "Misha, I have some good news for you. Ustinov notified that he has agreed to deliver the hovercraft to your troops, and at the same time he sent me to bring people to assist you. Among the accompanying personnel , there are quite a few technicians who are responsible for dealing with possible problems with the hovercraft.”

"When will you be there?" Sokov asked.

"I think it will be tomorrow night at the soonest, after all, we haven't been able to contact the means of transport yet."