Germany, in 1945. In the American zone was sluggish questioning prisoners Wehrmacht. Suddenly drew attention interrogators long, full horror story of a mad Russian tank, kills everything in its path. Events of that fateful day of the summer of 1941 so strongly etched in the memory of a German officer that could not erase all subsequent four years a terrible war. Russian tank that he remembered forever. June 28, 1941, Belarus. In Minsk, German troops burst. Soviet troops retreating to Mogilev highway, one of the columns closes only remaining T-28, led by Sergeant Dmitry Malko. In the tank with the engine problem, but overall stock of fuel and ammunition.
During an air raid in the area n. § Berezina, from nearby bomb explosions T-28 hopelessly deaf. Malko is ordered to blow up the tank and continue to follow in Mogilev in the back of a truck with other fighters of mixed composition. Malko asks for permission under his responsibility to postpone the execution of the order - he will try to repair the T-28 tank is quite new and has not received significant damage in combat. Permit has been obtained, the column goes. Within days Malko do manage to bring the engine to operating condition. Screening of the T-28, 1940 Next to the plot included the element of chance. To the parking area of the tank suddenly go Major and four cadets. Major - tanker, cadets gunners. That's suddenly formed a full crew of the T-28. All night they are considering a plan out of the environment. Mogilev highway slashed Germans certainly need to find another way. ... The original proposal to change the route of voicing student Nicholas pedal. Audacious plan was unanimously supported by the newly formed crew. Instead of following the location of the assembly point retreating parts, tank rush in the opposite direction - to the West. They will break through with the battle captured Minsk and come from the environment in Moscow highway in the friendly disposition. Unique combat capabilities T-28 will help them to carry out such a plan. Fuel tanks filled almost to covers, ammunition - although not complete, but Sergeant Malko knows the location of abandoned ammunition depot. In the tank is not working radio, the commander of the arrow and mechanic driver in advance the complex conditional signals: Foot commander on the right shoulder of the driver - a right turn on the left - left, one push in the back - first gear, two - second; foot on the head - stop. Bulk three-turret T-28 extends along a new route with the aim of severely punish the Nazis. Layout of ammunition in the tank T-28 on the abandoned warehouse they swell in excess of ammunition. When all the tapes are filled, the soldiers pile shells on the floor of the crew compartment. Here our amateurs allow small mistake - about twenty shells did not match the 76 mm short-tank gun L-10: despite the coincidence of calibers, the ammunition intended for divisional artillery. In 7000 dogonku loaded ammunition for machine guns in the side machine gun towers. Enjoy a hearty breakfast, invincible army moved towards the capital of the Byelorussian SSR, where for several days already hosted Krauts. 2 hours before immortality On clear roads, T-28 rushes to Minsk at full speed. Ahead, in the gray haze appeared outlines city towered pipe CHP, factory buildings, a little further could be seen silhouette Government House Dome. Closer, closer and irreversible ... Soldiers looked forward anxiously awaiting a major battle throughout their lives. Nobody is not stopped, "Trojan horse" passed the first German cordon and entered the city limits - as expected, the Germans took the T-28 trophy for armored vehicles and did not pay any attention to the single tank. Though negotiated until the last possible observe secrecy, still could not resist. The first raid was the unwitting victim of a German cyclist pedaling fun right in front of the tank. His flickering figure peepholes pulled the driver. Tank engine growled and rolled the hapless rider into the asphalt. Tankers passed the railway crossing, the path of the tram ring and Voroshilov were on the street. Here, at the distillery, the tank on the way met a group of Germans: Wehrmacht soldiers carefully loaded into a truck boxes with bottles of alcohol. When Alcoholics Anonymous had to fifty meters, earned the right turret. The Germans like ninepins, fell from the car. A few seconds later pushed tank truck, turning it upside down. From the broken body began to spread throughout the area savory smell of celebration. Unopposed and alarms from the panic scattered enemy, the Soviet tank in "stealth" mode, delved into the city border. In the area of the urban market, the tank turned on the street. Lenin, where he got to meet the convoy of motorcyclists. first machine with a carriage drove themselves under armor of the tank, where it was crushed along with the crew.Started fatal attraction. Only momentarily distorted with terror in the face of the Germans pokazyvalsis peepholes driver, then disappearing under the treads of steel monster. Motorcycles in the tail of the column tried to turn around and run away from impending death, alas, have come under fire tower guns. wounded on the tracks hapless biker tank moved on, passing on the street. Soviet, tankers have thrust shell splinter group standing in the theater of German soldiers. And then there was a slight hitch - when you turn on the street Proletarian tankers surprisingly found that the main street chock full manpower and equipment of the enemy. Firing all barrels, almost without aiming, three-turret monster Rushed forward, sweeping away all obstacles in bloody vinaigrette. Among the Germans started to panic that arose in connection with the emergency created by the tank on the road, as well as the cumulative effect of surprise and illogic appearance of heavy armor of the Red Army German troops in the rear, where there were no signs of such an attack ... The front of the T-28 tank is equipped with three machine guns DT 7.62 (two towers, one course) and short-barrel guns of 76.2mm. Rate the last - up to four rounds per minute. Firing guns - 600v./min. Leaving behind a trail of military disaster, the machine is completely drove the whole street to the park itself, where it was met by shooting 37-millimeter anti-tank gun PaK 35/36. seems that this area of the city soviet tank first confronted with over- less serious resistance.Projectile striking sparks from the frontal armor. Fritz palnut second time did not have time - tankers, just noticed the gun and opened standing immediately reacted to the threat - for Pak 35/36 a barrage of fire, turning tool and payment into a shapeless heap of scrap metal. As a result of unprecedented raid the Germans had suffered major losses in manpower and technology, but the main striking effect is to raise the spirit soprotivlencheskogo Minsk residents, thereby maintaining the authority of the Red Army at the proper level. Especially great importance of this factor at the very beginning of the war, during severe lesions have unambiguous evidence that while the city remained a significant number of local residents who witnessed this incredible event, which resulted in the immediate dissemination of anecdotal stories about the heroism of Soviet soldiers among the surrounding population. And our T-28 went on Moskovsky Prospect of the den Fritz. However, disciplined Germans came out of shock, overcome fear and tried to provide an organized resistance in their rear prorvashemusya Soviet tank. In the old cemetery near the T-28 was hit by a flanking fire artillery battery. First volley was punched 20 mm side armor in the area of the engine compartment. Someone cried out in pain, someone evil curse. Burning tank continued to move to the end, all the while gaining new portions of German shells. Mayor ordered to leave the crumbling fighting machine. Sergeant Malko climbed through the hatch of the driver in front of the tank and saw out of the commander's hatch got wounded Major, firing from a pistol. Sergeant managed to crawl to the fence when detonated remaining in the tank boekomlekt. Turret thrown into the air and it fell into place. In the ensuing chaos, and using significant smoke, Senior Sergeant Dmitry Malko escaped in gardens. Malko autumn of the same year was able to return to the personnel system of fighting the Red Army in the former military specialty.He managed to survive and go through the whole war. Surprisingly, in 1944, he entered the liberated Minsk on the T-34 by the same Moscow avenue by which he 41st tried to escape from there. Surprisingly, he saw that his first tank, which refused to give up and destroy under Berezin and who later worked so hard could destroy the soldiers of the Wehrmacht. Tank stood on the same spot where he was hit, neat and appreciating the order for some reason the Germans did not remove it from the road. They were good soldiers and were able to appreciate the military prowess.