May 29, 1943, at 2:40 p.m., in the southeastern part of the Black Sea, in the port of Poty, Georgia, a Soviet republic.

At this time, over the Black Sea, the original blue sky has disappeared, replaced by continuous clouds.

Clouds obscured the sky, bringing an invisible oppression to the sea and the earth.

Without warning, a plane suddenly burst out of the gloomy clouds and appeared northwest of Port Potti.

The black Iron Cross logo is painted under the wings of the fuselage, and there is a fixed landing gear under the fuselage, and two pontoons are connected under the landing gear for taking off and landing on the sea.

The Iron Cross emblem indicates the nationality of the aircraft, and the pontoons indicate the type of aircraft, which is an AR (Aradao)-196 seaplane from the battleship "Hindenburg".

The plane circled around at low altitude and flew straight in the direction of Poti Harbor.

After approaching the port of Poti, the aircraft first circled around the western coast of the port of Poti to make sure that no enemy planes had taken off to intercept it, and then the AR-196 seaplane carefully flew over the city and hovered over the empty port.

The seaplane had just circled the harbor twice, and the originally calm harbor suddenly burst into fire.

Anti-aircraft shells exploded in the air, and clouds of gray-black smoke surrounded the seaplane.

Like a frightened bird, the seaplane turned around and quickly turned its nose around and flew westward.

As soon as he completed the U-turn, a few wisps of black smoke suddenly appeared from the rear of the plane's fuselage, where the Iron Cross emblem was also sprayed on the side.

Dragging the black smoke, the AR-196 seaplane rushed diagonally to the sea, jumping several times on the sea surface as if it was adrift, and the pontoons under the landing gear dragged out a long white wave on the sea surface, and finally forced to land on the sea surface with the fuselage leaning to the right and the right wing obliquely inserted into the water.

Radio waves flew out of the cabin, and soon a FI-382 helicopter flew near the crash site and found the downed seaplane.

Two pilots on the AR-196 climbed up the rope ladder to the helicopter, which turned around and flew west.

On the way back, helicopters flew over the heads of a fleet.

The flag of red, white and green stripes indicates that the fleet was part of Italy.

Passing the Italian fleet, the helicopter flew out for about twenty minutes and landed on the battleship "Hindenburg".

The AR-196 seaplane crashed overboard and failed to make it back, but sent valuable pilots and intelligence back to the fleet.

After receiving the information sent back by the seaplane, Chen Dao's brows twisted into a pimple.

"It's an airport again! How is that possible, where the hell did the damned Black Sea Fleet go? Novorossiysk did not, Sochi, Sukhumi and Poti did not, the Sevastopol fortresses were under attack, it was even more impossible for them to hide, there was only one possibility, they ran to the west. Where would they go if they ran west? Sevastopol, or the Turkish Straits? ”

Chen Dao turned back to Major Commander Lorenz and said: "Immediately prepare a telegram and send one copy to Rome, Berlin and the First Aircraft Carrier Formation, the Black Sea Fleet is fleeing to the western Black Sea, so all fleets operating in the western Black Sea must be vigilant." Also, inform the aircraft carriers to send reconnaissance planes to reconnoiter the western part of the Black Sea in a fan shape, and be sure to find out where they are. ”

As soon as Chen Dao's words fell, a loud bang suddenly came into his ears.

"Rumbling ······"

"What's going on? Who's firing? Chen Dao asked, staring at Major Lorenz.

Major Bach pursed his lips and cautiously said to the angry Chen Dao: "Your Excellency, no one is firing, what we heard just now is thunder. ”

"Thunder, it's raining outside?" Chen Dao asked.

"Yes, it's raining outside, and in this kind of weather, I'm afraid the reconnaissance plane won't be able to take off." Major Lorenz said.

Chen Dao walked to the porthole and looked at the continuous rain outside, and said stupidly: "Hmph, count them lucky, but only today, the weather will not always be on their side." ”

While Chen Dao was worried about the weather, in the southern part of the Black Sea, the Black Sea Fleet was making a rapid march westward along the east-west coastline.

On the bridge of the battleship "Paris Commune", Vice Admiral Okgabrisky looked out the window.

Above the fleet's head was a dark cloud, the dark clouds were reflected in the water, the original blue water was also dyed black, and the continuous drizzle connected the sky and the sea, making people's mood involuntarily become dull and depressed with the weather.

The thunder that rang out from time to time, and the lightning that streaked across the sky were like a powerful stimulant, so that Lieutenant General Okgabrisky's spirit was not affected by the bad weather, but was particularly uplifted.

"The weather is on our side, yesterday it was like this, today is the same, our luck is really good!"

The lieutenant general's excitement was not without reason, and the weather was similar for two days yesterday and today, with clouds in the morning and rain in the afternoon.

Bad weather limited the operational capabilities of the enemy's air force, and for the Black Sea Fleet, which was at an absolute disadvantage in air power, it could be said that it could be said to be a dream of good weather.

From the day he learned that Turkey had opened the Turkish Straits of passage and that the combined German-Italian fleet had entered the Black Sea, Vice Admiral Okgabrisky knew that the countdown to the Black Sea Fleet's lifetime had begun.

Escape is impossible in the narrow Black Sea.

Even if luck is against the odds, if you are lucky enough to escape from the Black Sea and enter the Mediterranean, whether it is the Suez Canal or the Strait of Gibraltar, it will be an insurmountable barrier.

In the face of the overwhelming enemy, there are two ways in front of the Black Sea Fleet, one is to send a clear telegram with the content of "rainbow" before the enemy finds the door, and then sink en masse, resolutely not giving the enemy a chance to sink or capture.

The second way is to take the initiative to attack, make the final battle with the enemy, inflict as much damage on the enemy as possible, and let the evil gangs know that the great Soviet has never lacked heroes.

Lieutenant General Okgabrisky submitted both options to his superiors at the same time and strongly recommended the use of the second option.

The second plan was approved by the High Command in Moscow, in which a small number of sailors and young officers remained ashore and were preserved as seeds for the Black Sea Fleet, which officially began the countdown to its life.

Thinking that he and his subordinates were on a road of no return, the lieutenant general's heart was flooded.

Although we are dying, our names will live on in the annals of history.

Collecting his sentimentality, Lieutenant General Okgabrisky turned and walked back to his bedroom.

After this rain, it should have been dark, and one night was enough time for his fleet to enter the western part of the Black Sea.

When the time comes, it will be up to which unlucky guy will be the first to crash into him, the Italian or the German?

Time flew by, and in the early hours of the next morning, the lieutenant general was once again woken up from his sleep by his adjutant.

"Where is the enemy?" The lieutenant general opened his eyes and habitually asked the questions he was most concerned about.

"A telegram from the command of the submarine forces forwarded that in the northeast of the Turkish Straits, an Italian fleet that had just passed through the straits was found," the adjutant said. ”

"Transport fleet? That's exactly what we wanted to come across and our luck was just great. ”