Chapter 349 Dancing with the Wolf (4)

Unexpectedly, the Iron Cavalry medium-sized main battle tank provided by Zhang Xuewu was actually an enlarged version of the T-34. Moreover, Koshkin has always advocated the use of KV series large turrets and multiple machine gun towers to improve the survival rate of tanks in positional warfare and street combat.

However, Koshkin also realized some of the problems in the drawings provided by Zhang Xuewu. The most important thing was the 31-ton car body and at least 29-ton turret. There was no engine in the Soviet Union that could provide 900 horsepower, so the maneuverability of the Iron Cavalry would definitely be greatly reduced, and the iron load-bearing wheel design was not very reasonable. However, Koshkin did not intend to tell Kirov that Kirov could only be considered a master of misfortune in terms of technology. He could not explain it clearly, and it might delay the matter. So Koshkin decided to conceal the facts, and there were many unreasonable things in the new tanks, which were very normal. Zhang Xuewu had to take on the battle and took into account both production, so his design must have defects. It was normal to get on the horse with heavy busyness. He was facing the Japanese small canned skins, and the Iron Cavalry could indeed lose everything.

However, the concealment should be concealed. When asked, Koshkin asked Kirov that, according to the information returned by experts, the Iron Cavalry medium-sized main battle tanks equipped by the Rehe side are all small turrets? Why are the drawings provided to the Soviet Union a large turret?

Kirov immediately visited Zhang Xuewu with questions at night. Regarding Kirov's questions, Zhang Xuewu smiled and said, "Dear Comrade Kirov, our Baotou Industrial Base has extremely limited steel production and less alloy armor production, so we have to constantly reduce the turret to achieve the purpose of saving materials. Our Iron Cavalry Medium Main Battle Tank has simplified a lot compared to the shooting map, which you are very clear about."

Zhang Xuewu's reason can be said to have convinced Kirov. Koshkin's explanation of Rehe can only say that the Chinese were too hasty and dared to design a production battle with a drawing? This is extremely irresponsible and requires a price to pay for bleeding on the battlefield.

Seeing Koshkin's excited look, Kirov said with a funny look: "The Chinese have no industrial foundation, and we know everything about their Baotou can produce. They have no choice at all. It is already a miracle to be able to assemble this piece of tank and defeat the Japanese!"

Kirov looked at Koshkin and said, "Do you think the data of this Iron Cavalry tank is indeed helpful to us? If we develop and install according to the data of Iron Cavalry medium tanks, I want to know whether our tanks have an advantage over Germans such as Jackal and Leopard tanks?"

Koshkin took a deep breath and said, "Comrade Kirov, I can tell you that we may not be able to create tanks with absolute technological advantages within three to five years. After all, the Germans are already ahead, and they are not stopping. The design idea of ​​the Iron Cavalry Medium Main Battle Tank is likely to be from the German side. The Germans regard us as imaginary enemies, so there will be such a design for Zhang Xuewu. Otherwise, I would not think that Zhang Xuewu's Baotou Tank Armor Design Institute can be qualified for the highest design."

Kirov frowned slightly and said, "Comrade Koshkin, you are directly responsible to Comrade Stalin now. What does it mean that you cannot exceed the German level within three to five years? You cannot occupy an absolute technological advantage? Is this what you want to say to our great Comrade Stalin? You are irresponsible, do you understand?"

Kirov then lowered his voice and said, "If this is the case, Comrade Stalin is furious. My dear Comrade Koshkin, you and your whole family may have to go on vacation in Siberia! I hope you can understand the great relationship!"

Koshkin took out his handkerchief and wiped his sweat with his slightly trembling hands, and said nervously: "My dear Comrade Kirov, I definitely don't mean that. I hope you can understand. I mean that the design and ideas of the Germans and the level of industrial manufacturing are indeed world-class. Even if I told the great Comrade Stalin that we surpassed the Germans and occupied the world's advanced, would Comrade Stalin believe it? It is possible to build a tank that can surpass the Germans, but the cost paid cannot be calculated. Even if it is installed, the performance of ordinary vehicles cannot reach the level of the prototype. If Stalin is the same.

Zhi learned that it will affect you, my dear Comrade Kirov, but the manufacturing level of the Germans is indeed very high, but our design is not bad. The most important thing is that our tanks are cheap and simple to operate. It is no exaggeration to say that a farmer who has never learned to drive a tank can learn how to drive a T34 tank within a few days. This can only be explained by miracles. If we go to war with the Germans, our losses can be quickly compensated, while the tanks made by Germans cannot be compensated. When the mass and quantity reach one to six, the quality of the Germans will be overwhelmed by our quantity!"

Kirov looked at Koshkin in surprise and said, "So what do you mean is that the drawing provided by Zhang Xuewu is very meaningful and valuable?"

Koshkin smiled and shook his head and said, "No! My dear Kirov, I don't care about this drawing. What I care about is what else they will look forward to in the future that I am extremely looking forward to!"

Kirov also made an exception and poured two glasses of wine, handed it to Koshkin and said, "I wish our great leader, dear Comrade Stalin, good health!"

While Kirov and Koshkin were repeatedly analyzing, Zhang Xuewu was also examining a set of drawings. Zhang Xuewu did not deny that the T34 tank was the main battle tank of the Soviet Union in World War II. From historical data, its performance played a certain role in its superior performance in actual combat. The most critical point is that the T34 tank is very simple to operate. It is no exaggeration to say that a farmer who has never learned to drive a tank can learn how to drive a T34 in a few days? This is undoubtedly a miracle in the history of war? Compared with those German armored soldiers who need to be trained for two to three years, the advantages in wartime are naturally self-evident.

During the Battle of Stalingrad, workers in factories in the city were working hard to build T34 tanks. Whenever the German army drove, workers in tank repair shops drove T34 tanks to fight the German army. The Battle of Kursk was the decisive battle of the largest tank in World War II. The Soviet Union lost more than 6,000 armored vehicles of various types. The main reason for the huge losses was that the tank crew had serious pre-war training. Such a simple tank, rapid production can quickly supplement combat losses, but tankers took time, but this simple and easy-to-built tank was still loved by all countries. Especially for small countries with low productivity, the critical problem is that although the German tanks were designed in a precise manner, the output was insufficient, so the German army was always at a disadvantage in the number of tanks in a large number of battles.

The Prokorovka tank war is therefore considered to be the largest tank war in the history of human wars, and is famous all over the world and has become a legend.

As time went by, a large amount of data was decrypted, especially the end of the Cold War and the disclosure of the former Soviet Union's data made people find that the scale of this tank war was much smaller than originally thought. There were only about 600 tanks and self-propelled artillery directly participated in the war, of which less than 200 were Germans and about 400 Soviet troops. The Soviet and German sides launched an attack almost at the same time. In the battle, the 88mm guns of the German Tiger tank and the 75mm guns of the No. 4 tanks were obvious, while the 76mm guns of the Soviet T34 tanks could not pose a threat to the German army at the same distance. A large number of Soviet tanks were destroyed by the German army outside the combat distance. The Soviet Guards Fifth Tank Army reported that the tank army had lost the ability to continue attacking, and more than 20 remaining tanks were incorporated into the infantry unit.

However, Zhang Xuewu also knew that the design of the t34 alone could not shock the Soviets, so he copied a famous doomsday chariot design of the Germans in history, which was very consistent with the character of the Soviets. Stalin was very fond of merit and would definitely have a special liking for super heavy land cruisers!

Zhang Xuewu is also very clear. Anyone with a strategic vision will know very well that the power of a tank is one of the crucial factors. In terms of the design of main battle tanks, all countries before World War II seemed to face two difficult problems. Defense and firepower, defense are to improve the battlefield survival rate of combat vehicles, and firepower output is an absolute hard indicator of main battle tanks. Therefore, some people have proposed the development ideas of heavy or even super heavy tanks, but they are undoubtedly stranded due to issues such as power, gearbox, transportation, cost, etc. Just like the debate between the naval forces of countries around the world whether to develop aircraft carriers to accelerate the construction of naval aviation, or to build super battleships, fast tanks cannot be used for the final decisive battle on the road, which is already a consensus in tank design and production.

A tank of more than one hundred tons is undoubtedly a giant fighting fortress that can move? But how is the mobility of the fortress? How many roads are suitable for it to move? How to transport the railway? How can bridges pass? Obviously these are fatal problems, but Zhang Xuewu bet on Stalin's great achievements. The Soviets did not have a decent navy because the Soviet Union was not a maritime power-based country at all. The main interests of the Soviet Union were in Europe, so it must first ensure its huge army, which was exactly the opposite of Japan.

It can be said that the land cruiser prepared by Zhang Xuewu for Stalin can almost be called a super weapon, the Doppard dual technology made of Mia alloy. This technology is used in later American-made Ma1 main battle tanks, and the tank's gearbox is only part of the tank's transmission system, which is used to change the torque and speed on the tank's driving wheels within a large range, so as to achieve the tank's reversal and cut off power. Unlike cars, the tank's transmission system has both steering and braking functions.

It can be said that Zhang Xuewu dug a big hole for the Soviets on the gearbox!

...
Chapter completed!