Il-2 strike group over Königsberg on 9 April 1945
On April 6, 1945, the Soviets launched the Battle of Königsberg. As part of the East Prussian Campaign, the Soviets attempted to encircle the German army by simultaneously launching a centripetal assault on Königsberg (renamed Kaliningrad from 4 July 1946) from both the north and the south. The Soviet Belorussian 3rd Front, with the basic strength of the 43rd, 50th and 39th Armies and the Guards 11th Army, concentrated in narrow breakout areas. In order to contain the German Zemlran Group, it was planned to carry out an auxiliary assault from the area north of Königsberg to Pilau (renamed Polotisk from 1946).
The German high command prepared Königsberg for a long-term defense in complete isolation. There are underground factories, arsenals and warehouses in the city. The fort's defensive system consisted of an outer defensive encirclement (which had been breached by the Soviets in several battles in January) and three positions. The first position was 6-8 km from the city centre and consisted of 2-7 trenches with communication trenches and a large number of anti-tank barriers, 15 old forts and other fortifications. The second line of positions was built on the outskirts of the city and consisted of fortified masonry buildings, barricades at intersections, and permanent launch points and minelaying lots. The third line of positions was constructed along the boundaries of the old city, relying on 9 old-fashioned fortresses. Königsberg was guarded by four infantry divisions, several National Stormtrooper Independent Regiments and Independent Battalions.
Battle of Königsberg Offensive
From the perspective of the Soviet Army, it was believed that although the German fortress fortifications were perfect and well equipped, there were still shortcomings. First, the fortifications of the fortified territory (still built before the First World War) have lost their meaning as strong fortifications and can only be used as bunkers of vivid power. Exposed firing points on top of the fort were easily suppressed by artillery fire. The garrison inside the fortress was supported by fire from the external launch point, so it was forced to hide in the internal fortifications of the fortress, lost its freedom of movement, and was blocked by the attacking troops. The gaps between the forts were not adequately protected by infantry and artillery fire within the depths. Before the Soviet attack, most of the trenches and communication trenches on and in the depth of the German defense front were filled with water, which could play a certain role in hindering the movement of Soviet tanks, but it did prevent the Germans from deploying powerful infantry mobile units to cover the fortress.
However, these fortresses caused no small amount of trouble for the Soviet offensive. Among the 15 old but very strong german forts mentioned in Bagramyan's memoirs, Forts 5 and 5 A are particularly prominent. The memoir reads: "... Later we fired 500-600 shells each against Fort 5 and 5 A with the most powerful heavy artillery, caliber 203-280 mm, but never destroyed them... ”
Map of the location of the main fortress of Königsberg
In this battle, long-range aviation played a huge role. In March, the Commander of the Soviet Air Force, Novikov, came to the Front Headquarters and was personally responsible for coordinating the actions of the three Air Force Groups (1st, 3rd and 18th Air Force Corps) to provide a strong guarantee for the offensive of Soviet ground forces. The three armies of the Soviet Air Force, together with the Baltic Fleet Aviation Corps and the 2 aviation corps of the Reserve of the Supreme Command (5th Guards Bombing Aviation Corps and 5th Bombardment Aviation Corps), had a total of 2444 aircraft (830 fighters, 470 strikers, 1124 bombers, and 20 torpedo bombers).
The Soviets planned to prepare for 2 days of aviation firepower for a strong offensive in order to destroy German forts and main defensive facilities, eliminate enemy airfields and aviation. It is stipulated that 5316 sorties and 2690 tons of bombs will be dropped in the two days and nights. On the first day of the offensive, 406 heavy bombers should be dispatched to carry out the first wave of attacks on German positions under the cover of 133 fighters, and 4124 sorties were scheduled for the first day of the attack.
On 4 April, before the assault began, long-range aviation units went out to bomb the city for the first time, but only 15 aircraft flew over the target and dropped bombs, while the remaining 25 aircraft lost their course and did not complete the mission. The main force of the dispatch was 2 Wave-2 light bombing aviation divisions, a total of 657 sorties, although there were many sorties, but each "night bomber" could only carry 200 kg of bombs into the air, so it only played a role in harassment.
Group of Il-4 bombers
On April 6, the first day of the assault, due to weather conditions, the bombers flew only 85 sorties instead of the 1218 originally planned. The entire aviation force flew more than 1,000 sorties that day, instead of the 4,124 originally planned.
On April 7, the weather improved significantly, and the sun shone on the war-torn city. At 10:00 a.m., the Soviets sent 246 bombers from the 1st and 3rd Armies of the Air Force and the 5th Army of the Guards Bombing Aviation to carry out three fierce assaults on the Germans. In order to maximize the air assault, Novikov decided to take bold action. At 13:10 p.m., the Soviet Long-Range Aviation Force dispatched 514 bombers (330 Il-4s, 110 Il-2s, 58 B-25s and 16 Yel-2 2Ч-30Б) and 118 strikers under the cover of 232 fighters to carry out the largest daytime air strike during the Great Patriotic War, the first daytime operation of the 18th Army of the Air Force during the war. A total of 3743 550 tons of bombs were dropped, effectively destroying the German fortifications. At night, long-range aviation bombers and front-line aviation U-2, Tu-2 and other bombers circled over the city center all night, dropping 569 tons of bombs on the heads of the Germans.
Soviet bomber group
The heavy bombers of the Soviet long-range aviation were the first of its kind during the war. In the memoirs of Marshal Bagramyan, this matter is mentioned in detail, and the excerpt is as follows: "... At 10 o'clock, A.A. Novikov ordered 246 bombers of the 1st and 3rd Armies of the Air Force and the 5th Army of the Guards Bombing Aviation Corps to take off, and carried out three consecutive fierce assaults on the city (referring to Königsberg) and the fascist army on the Zemland Peninsula that was trying to help the Königsberg defenders.
In order to maximize the air assault, A.A. Novikov decided to take bold action: send long-range aviation heavy bombers, which are usually used only at night, into the air. He called to ask A.E. Golovanov for his opinion on the subject. The Air Marshal tried to avoid such a risk, postulating that the heavy bomber pilots had no experience flying in the Day Group. In addition, he expressed concern that the heavy and low-speed Il-4 aircraft could easily be the prey of fascist fighters.
Don't be afraid! Novikov said angrily. 'I will send 125 fighters to escort your planes, and none of messerschmidts will dare to attack them.' In addition, two or three hundred strong strikers, under the reliable cover of fighters, constantly appeared over the city, and they would cooperate with the artillery, so that the enemy's anti-aircraft artillery would not even dare to hum... ’
Commander of the Soviet Air Force Novikov
Golovanov seemed to want to say a few words of doubt, but the commander of the Air Force said firmly: 'In a word, your task is clear, that is, to prepare the army group for a complete formation at 13:00.' As for the target of the assault, you consulted with Comrade Hlyukin. Then report the readiness...
The commander of the Air Force walked back and forth in excitement at the wide shelter for a while, and when Golovanov's report was ready, he waved his hand decisively: 'At 13:10, the army group marched towards Königsberg!' Novikov then telephoned the commanders of the 1st and 3rd Armies of the Air Force and ordered them to immediately lift all the strikers and front-line bombers still at the airfield and carry out intensive assaults on the airfields and anti-aircraft gun firing positions where the enemy fighters were located.
Commander of the Long-range Aviation Corps Golovanov
Novikov then went up to the roof to wait for Golovanov's long-range bombers to appear. After about 20 minutes, planes slowly approaching the city appeared from the sky to the north and east. They kept roughly the same spacing, and one after another flew over. When the first planes dropped bombs on the central area of Königsberg, black columns of smoke reflected in the fire rose there. These columns of smoke continued to expand and expand until they obscured the entire city. In less than an hour, 516 Il planes dropped 3,700 bombs, totaling 550 tons. Many fortifications were destroyed, and tanks, cars, and infantry detachments carrying heavy equipment could no longer move through the streets of the city. The enemy's defensive positions have actually been divided into several isolated base points of resistance... On this day, the Soviet aviation dispatched a total of 4700 sorties, dropped 1600 tons of bombs, and eliminated more than 50 German aircraft.
From 8 a.m. on 8 April, long-range aviation bombers and front-line aviation fighters and fighters engaged in a two-hour "relay race" over the German defenders. At 10 o'clock, the Soviet armies resumed their general offensive after the artillery preparations were over. That night, long-range aviation bomber groups and front-line aviation strikers and fighters struck several Divisions west of Königsberg against several Divisions of the German counter-assault. The sound of aerial bombs exploding, the firing of cannons and the whistling of rockets flying did not stop day and night. On the morning of 9 April, as Soviet artillery fire and nearly 1,500 aircraft made a intensive assault on the remaining German resistance hub, the Soviet 11th Guards Army attacked the Germans in the city center and captured the fort at 21:00 that night. The participation of this service effectively cooperated with the 3rd Belorussian Front to break through the German outer and inner ring defenses and conquer Königsberg in 3 days.
Il-4 bomber in flight