<P> The Luftwaffe could not support the land assault and maintain pressure on Soviet sea communications alone . With only KG 26 engaged in anti-shipping operations against Soviet sea communications, the OKW looked to the Kriegsmarine to supply Schnellboot (S - Boat) motor torpedo boats to help eliminate Soviet shipping supplying and evacuating the port . The time it took to dismantle and move the 92 - ton boats by rail to Romanian ports was going to be too long . In a rare appeal for help, the German forces turned to their Italian allies, aware of their expertise with motor torpedo boat operations . The Regia Marina sent the 101st Naval Squadron, which brought nine torpedo boats and nine coastal submarines under the command of the highly competent Capitano di Fregata Francesco Mimbelli . The Italian boats were only 24 tons and the submarines were 35 tons, which made them easier to transport by truck and barge . The squadron was based at Feodosiya and Yalta, which made it the only Axis naval force to participate in the siege . </P> <P> Manstein demanded an all - out assault by the Luftwaffe before the main ground action began . Situated only 70 km from Sevastopol, the German formations had barely enough time to reach altitude before reaching their targets . The 8th Air Corps began its bombing campaign along the north and southeast of the city . At the same time, German medium bombers conducted rolling attacks on the city, which included all units except LG 1, which engaged in suppressing anti-aircraft installations . Oil, electricity, water pumps, harbor facilities, and submarine bases were attacked by StG 77 Ju 87s . Von Richthofen watched the bombing from an observation post close to the front . The targets were badly damaged, and fires broke out all over the port city . The Luftwaffe flew 723 missions and dropped 525 tons of high explosive on the first day . Despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, just one Ju 87 was lost . </P> <P> While the bulk of the Luftwaffe was busy with the land battle, III. / KG 26 sought to break Soviet sea communications . They sank the tanker Mikhail Gromov, but the flotilla leader Tashkent, the destroyer Bezuprechnyy, and transport Abkhaziya escaped to bring 2,785 soldiers into the fortress . Air support continued with 643 sorties on 3 June, 585 on 4 June, and 555 on 5 June, with some German crews flying daily averages of 18 missions . By the start of the ground attack on 7 June, the Luftwaffe had flown 3,069 sorties and 2,264 tons of high explosive and 23,800 incendiary bombs were dropped . Many of the bombs dropped were 1,000 kg SC 1000, 1,400 kg SC 1400, and 2,500 kg SC 2500 bombs . The heavy - caliber weapons were aimed at Soviet concrete bunkers . Ivan Laskin, commanding the 172nd Rifle Division in the northern sector recalled, "Bombers in groups of twenty to thirty attacked us without caring for their targets . They came in, wave after wave, and literally ploughed up the earth throughout our defence area". From 3 to 6 June, the Luftwaffe carried out 2,355 operations . </P> <P> On 7 June, Manstein ordered the ground assault . The Luftwaffe carried out 1,368 sorties and dropped 1,300 tons of bombs on Soviet positions, but the Soviet infantry clung on . </P>

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