Two armored battering ram Bashny.Net

December 13, 1941. The Germans even from Moscow. Light Soviet tank BT-7 sent on reconnaissance.

Peter Afanasievich Trainin - a driver of the BT-7. His word.

* * *

... Our team was given the task to act as the lead reconnaissance patrol ...

We moved jumps from one shelter to another, carefully looking ahead lying terrain, before each next leap ... the right to hear the noise of tank engines, muffled by distance and the grove. We decided to organize an ambush.

We were in the woods, just at the intersection of two roads. Before us lay a glade that ran parallel to the edge of the forest a kilometer from the small, and then rests on the stunted trees. According to the map, along the field should proceed River Ponds, small, but with a rather steep banks. Now, however, everything was white-white from the snow that piled so much that he hid under itself all the big and small ravines. Unknown direction and rivers. And as we have no peering could not determine where it goes well: near the edge of the forest there, where we are, whether about its opposite edge, or right in the middle of the clearing ...

And we waited for Nazi tanks ...

Tanks were two. They were almost in the middle of the clearing, at a distance of a hundred meters from each other. These were the T-III, machines that Germans belong to the same class of light tanks as our BT-7. However, the armor is the T-III was thicker, and the weight of 4-5 tons more. But the main drawback of these tanks in the wing of the narrow tracks. On paved roads, they were good, but that's marshland and deep snow Hitler tankers drive the car was almost impossible. Tanks and then get stuck and have to get out ... Engine T-III was much weaker than our.

- Now I'm the one tank that back, I will kindle, and until the front sees that his partner something kaput, I'll make it the fireworks! - Came up to me the voice of Sergeant Major Obuhana. - And you, Peter, be ready!

The engine of our "betushki" working at low speed, so I am well heard as the shutter snapped the gun. Then a muffled shot was fired. Raw hides sounds good air. I noticed how light tracer darted to the rear of the tank, but then he was gone, melted into a gray muslin Khmara. What is it? Both tanks continue to go the same course. Nicholas missed? This is not surprising when such a sight ...

Our cannon to hit again. Now the second tank is stopped. But the smoke somehow not. Is Sergeant again missed?

But there is not missed! Here the T-III opened the hatch and jumped into the snow tanker, which Commander immediately cut off machine-gun fire. Luke shut, but then opened again. Now it has escaped from a column of smoke and climbed another tanker. Again prostrekotal gun ...

- Come on, the commander of the head! - I suggested Obuhanu.

- Now! ..

Up to the head of the machine it was already three or four hundred meters. Shoot it from a distance was not difficult. The more so because his crew was unaware of the death of the second, the rear of the tank. Whether the Nazis, with the exception, of course, the driver, asleep, or simply did not conduct surveillance, reassured by the fact that to march at the rear ...

- Commander, come!

- All shot out! - Came the reply in annoyance. - Armor-piercing projectiles, no! Shrapnel left alone! ..

What to do? Do not miss the enemy. Look to the tank after only a little more than two hundred meters. And if ...

The head is thinking, and hands and feet are already operating. I give the engine to full speed, screaming:

- Hold on, Captain, tight! On ramming go! - The car jumped forward, all four horses ...

... Enemy tank rammed the middle frontal ribs - the place where the frontal armor sheet is firmly welded to the bottom. I hit it on a collision course, at an acute angle, right on the drive wheel. The pieces of smashed and wheels and tracks, and when the kick goes out, gave the engine at full speed and the second speed dragged the enemy tank skid still eight meters - ten. The crew began to pop up through the hatch, but the commander drove him back machine-gun fire.

But what is it? T-III suddenly himself, his course slowly, and then faster and faster to crawl to the left and down, lifting up to heaven bow and gun ... Here it fell to the left side, then turned over to the tower, lay back on board ... Yeah, I it comes out, he dragged to the snow-covered river cliff.

- Come back to the woods!

Abruptly turning, at full speed, I entered my tank in the woods. When stopped, the commander jumped out of the car, ran to my hatch open, stretched out his arms, hugged me, said with emotion:

- Good for you, Petro! That gave way gave! Well, now understood where that river?

... We turned onto a side road. But only we set off on her, and saw that crawled out of the grove third enemy tank. This is also a T-III.

Noticing his burning tank, the Germans immediately stopped at the edge and began to carefully inspect the area ...

... What we would do in this situation? After all, if we leave, the crew of the third tank, coming to us lame car, quickly sort out what's what. And of course, the radio report to his superiors. And then we miss the main forces of the enemy. It was clear that these three tanks - Exploration enemy outposts or expelled forward ...

When he reached the burning tank, the Germans stopped. They are a driver climbed out of the hatch and carefully went to a padded T-III. And then we jumped out of the woods ...

This time I blew the lead wheel of the enemy machine so cleverly that not even felt the blow. But the engine stalled after ramming and wound up with only the third or fourth attempt. And well, that wound! "Obeznozhenny" Hitler's crew had come to himself, had hastily unrolled tower.

- Now Weird-blank cannon! Hold more in the forest! - I ordered the Sergeant. - Yes, winding, meandering, shoot down sight!

I turned so famously that the stern of the car was hoisted plume of snow, and - in zigzags in the woods ...

Trainin PA Soldier Field. - M .: Military Publishing, 1981

Weak body armor protection are not allowed to use without catastrophic losses BT tanks in counterattacks and opposite tank battles in 1941. Armor light tanks BT made its way by all, without exception, tanks and armored vehicles of the Wehrmacht. Just the armor of light tanks amazed bullet SmKH the German general-purpose machine gun MG-34, operated by the Wehrmacht infantry squad. In many cases, BT tanks were destroyed at ranges when the 45-mm gun 20-K still could not inflict damage on the enemy tanks. Because of this, light tanks were often used as self-propelled guns, leading the fight from ambush, with natural and artificial shelters, increasing the survivability of the tank ...

Peter Afanasievich Trainin (19090618) - Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Socialist Labor, one of the 11 people selected two highest distinction of the USSR (and second after Stalin). During the Great Patriotic War - a driver of the tank ...

Born June 18, 1919 in the village of Aleksandrovka (Voronezh region). Originally from a peasant family. Father - Athanasios G., mother - Maria Efremovna, raised 13 children.

Before the war, Peter worked as a driver, a tractor driver.

In the Red Army in 1941. At the front was the driver of the tank BT-7. Then the T-34.

In combat, October 3, 1943 for the village Straholese Chernobyl Kyiv region caterpillars crushed three anti-tank guns, four mortars, five enemy firing points. On the night of October 5, 1943, during the fierce battle, he is from the whole crew still alive one ...

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