Chapter 548 Tiger (Part 1)

"It was a red dawn, and our Tiger tanks arrived at the front for the first time."

After taking over the new tank, Wittmann received an order to go to the front line after only two days of short running-in training. He led his crew, who could only barely use the Tiger tank, to the Leningrad battlefield.

The Henschel staggered road wheel design, which finally stood out in the competition with Porsche, was widely criticized for its complex maintenance, but it was extremely stable when it was matched with the wide tracks of the Tiger tank. At least in terms of off-road comfort, it was much better than Wittmann's previous StuG III tank.

Everything new in the tank made all the crew members, including Wittmann, look around like a curious baby. Even after a two-day running-in period, they were basically familiar with the general situation of the tank, but the strong sense of freshness that had not yet completely subsided still surrounded the entire crew.

"God, I feel like I'm dreaming now, Michel. I don't feel like I'm driving a tank, but a Mercedes-Benz car."

The hydraulically assisted steering wheel operation interface makes the 57-ton Tiger tank extremely flexible and labor-saving to drive. In a sense, it is even easier than the StuG III and the StuG IV. This is what surprised and surprised the driver of Wittmann's crew, Coldenhoff.

Not only the driver praised the powerful Tiger tank from the bottom of his heart, but Klink, the gunner in Wittmann's crew, was also playing with the main gun sight in front of him with a happy expression.

"Look at her, Michel. Precise Zeiss craftsmanship, I bet you can use it to peek at women taking a bath, if you want, this is the best sight I have ever used!"

Compared to the constant praise of his gunners and drivers, Wittmann, as the commander, cared more about the new commander's cupola installed on the Tiger tank.

The commander's tower protruding from the turret gave Wittmann a 360-degree omnidirectional periscope view. Although it was still difficult to see every detail outside the vehicle with this primitive and simple optical equipment, compared with the original StuG III mount, Wittmann swore that this change was as exciting as a person who originally rode a horse and instantly changed to a car.

"It seems that Koller did not lie. I think this is indeed the most powerful heavy tank in the world."

Before he finished speaking, he opened the turret cover from the commander's tower. Wittmann, who was facing the cold wind and looking out of the car, could already see his own infantry not too far away. These infantry troops that had besieged Leningrad for almost a year were coming to meet him.

A total of four Tiger tanks roared and slowly stopped very close to a squad of German infantry. The straight-line distance of less than ten meters allowed Wittmann, who half of his body was out of the turret, to clearly see the surprised faces and the envy in the whispers.

"Is this the new tank mentioned before? I have thought that she will be very powerful, but I never thought she would be so big!"

"She looks as big as two Type 4 tanks added together. God, this is the first time I have seen such a huge tank. I think those Russian toilet tanks can't compare to her."

"Look at her cannon, guys, I think we don't have to worry about Russian tanks anymore. I bet she can deal with all enemies!"

A German squad leader who looked to be in his thirties walked out of the crowd of whispering admiration.

After saluting Wittmann in the way of the Wehrmacht, the German squad leader, whose face was marked by the cold winter, spoke immediately.

"Excuse me, is this Sergeant Michel Wittmann?"

After clearly hearing the simple question from the Wehrmacht squad leader in front of him, Wittmann, who had a skull tattoo on his cap badge, nodded quietly.

"Yes, you are here to pick us up, right?"

The squad leader, who did not seem surprised by seeing the Tiger tank for the first time, nodded to Wittmann, who had his upper body out of the commander's tower, and then waved his hand.

"Please follow me, Sergeant Michel, I will take you to where you should go."

About 20 minutes later, when Wittmann, who had parked the car, walked into the slightly dilapidated cabin, he finally realized that the agreed place he came to report was actually a front-line command post of a German infantry battalion, and the battalion commander in charge of commanding here was named Major Gunther Henkel.

"Welcome, Sergeant Michel. I have heard of you for a long time. I heard that you are the best assault gun commander in the Guards Flag Division. It seems that the superiors have chosen the right person to send you to carry out this mission."

"The right person? The best?"

Wittmann, who was praised by Major Heinkel as soon as he met him, looked confused. As the person involved, he didn't even know how he got the honorary title of "the best tank commander".

"Didn't you receive the details of the mission?"

Major Heinkel, who saw Wittmann's obviously wrong face and felt that the situation might be different from what he expected, asked in a tentative tone.

Faced with Major Heinkel's question, Wittmann, who had no idea what he was doing here, shook his head.

"I don't know, Mr. Major, I don't even know what we are doing here this time. No one has told us these things, and I have always felt that we are not qualified to know these things."

As a member of the Wehrmacht, Major Heinkel had not had much contact with the armed SS, which was not easy to deal with. The only understanding he had was a few words from his colleagues. However, these were circulated among the mid-level officers on the front line of the Wehrmacht. There are only a few rumors about the SS and it has a bad reputation.

But when he saw Wittmann for the first time, his expression didn't look like he was lying at all, but it completely subverted Major Heinkel's previous understanding.

At least in the eyes of Major Heinkel at this moment, Wittmann seems to be very different from the rumored armed SS who like to torture Soviet prisoners of war and civilians as a form of leisure and entertainment. It can even be said that they have A world of difference.

"Okay, Sergeant Michelle. I only knew that the details of the mission would be kept secret from you, but I didn't expect that the people above would keep it so tight, so that you, the actual mission executors, would not know any details. "

The four German crews, including Wittmann's crew, couldn't help but look at each other after hearing this. It seemed that the Wehrmacht major in front of them knew much more than their own side.