Steel Soviet Union

Compared with replacing a new main gun that is currently not expected, Malashenko clearly knows that it is actually more effective to develop a new type of armor-piercing projectile.

Even if there is now a new main gun that can effectively break through the frontal defense of the King Tiger within a regular combat range, a new main gun that can effectively meet actual combat needs is here, and can be replaced at any time for the tanks being assembled on the production line.

But a very real problem is that the newly produced tanks have indeed improved their firepower and can fight against King Tigers, but what do you do with the old tanks that have been equipped with troops and put into use on the front line? Is it possible to bring these old tanks that are in use on the front line back to the rear factories for modification, replace them with new main guns, and then send them back to the front line?

Don't be kidding, just thinking about such a thing is ridiculous. As for frontline battlefield modifications and replacement of main guns, it is even more impossible.

If nothing else, take Comrade Ma’s car: the IS4 heavy tank prototype as an example.

The huge 122mm tank gun was not manufactured to stick straight into the gapped cast turret.

Kogin designed a hatch that can be hoisted on top of the IS4 heavy tank turret. This hatch is located in the front half of the IS4 heavy tank turret. Directly below the hatch is the huge 122mm main gun. latch.

The only function of this hatch is to re-close the tank gun after it is hoisted into the turret, so that the gun breech is protected and the turret is in a closed state with omnidirectional armor protection.

Yes, the construction material used for the hatch above the breech block is also solid armored steel, which is the same material as the homogeneous steel armor everywhere on the IS4 heavy tank, so don't expect this thing to be some kind of light armor. Made of high quality metal, light weight.

There is no problem with Kogin's design idea. Such a solid armored hatch can indeed provide sufficient upward protection for the breech.

But a problem that arises is that the weight of this armored hatch cover is really exaggerated.

Malashenko doesn't know the exact weight, but it must weigh at least four to five hundred pounds. It's simply unrealistic for you to expect people to be able to open this thing. If the IS4 heavy tank wants to replace the main gun, it must have professional heavy lifting equipment, and it cannot be done with a small crane converted from an ordinary GAZ truck.

Replacing the main gun of the latest IS4 heavy tank, which is much more mature in design, is so laborious. Replacing the main gun of previous models such as the IS6 heavy tank is even more troublesome. In that case, the entire main gun must be removed from the turret. Pull it out.

Including the time for preparing equipment and installing a new main gun, changing the main gun requires at least two hours of busy work, and only Karamov's capable personnel can be deployed to achieve this efficiency.

If he were to replace the main guns of more than 200 tanks under his command under all field conditions, how long would Karamov have to work with his men?

Malashenko did not dare to think about this terrible problem and also believed that it was not necessary at all.

If Karamov hears this desperate news, Malashenko is sure that this kid will cry and curse.

Changing the main gun has no practical possibility of rapid application. It is okay to gradually replace the old tanks on the front line with new main gun tanks in the long term. If you want to quickly increase combat effectiveness in a short period of time, forget it, so this It was not Malashenko’s first choice.

But if all the tanks on the front line are issued with a new universal armor-piercing projectile while the main gun remains unchanged, then the feasibility of this will be much higher. It can be said that it is as easy as picking up the new shells. Immediately improve combat effectiveness.

Furthermore, a pure "sabot-piercing projectile" without "tail stabilization" is not a particularly advanced thing. The British John Bulls who live on the island have already come up with this thing.

The gun issued with this new armor-piercing projectile is also very famous, it is the famous British 17-pounder gun. The tank equipped with this kind of gun is even more famous. It is the Firefly medium tank known as the "special medicine for Tiger phobia". It is the only Tiger tank in the hands of the Allied forces in the early and middle stages of the Western Front battlefield. It is a big vote. When the Allied soldiers saw Fireflies, they felt closer than their biological fathers.

If he hadn't cheated and allowed the Red Army to possess this advanced and powerful armor-piercing projectile, John Bull would have been the only army to use discarding sabot armor-piercing projectiles in World War II, at least in history.

The bullshit chamber volume of the British 17-pounder can already be used head-on by a tiger when using discarding sabots.

So what would be the effect of using discarding sabot armor-piercing projectiles on the Red Army's 122 gun with its extremely large chamber volume?

Not to mention the front of the King Tiger's turret, Malashenko estimated that it would be possible to penetrate the King Tiger's head within a normal firefighting distance.

However, it is difficult to predict the specific results now. After all, although the volume of the medicine chamber has a great influence on the penetration depth, there are many practical factors that affect the penetration depth, not this one. The diameter ratio of the main gun barrel and the manufacturing materials of the armor-piercing projectiles are all key factors. Malashenko can only give Kotin a good start now. The specific situation will have to wait until the trial-produced artillery shells are produced. Specific analysis.

It has to be said that the new armor-piercing projectile concept proposed by Malashenko really had a great impact on Kotin. Even after Comrade Lao Ma explained all the key details in detail, Kotin, who had closed the notepad in his hand, was still thinking. He narrowed his eyes slightly and thought about every detail of the conversation, trying to find inspiration and key points.

Seeing that Kogin had fallen into this almost obsessed state, Malashenko, who could only smile helplessly, then took the initiative to speak again.

"Now that we've talked about firepower upgrades, let's talk about protection improvements."

"Huh? What did you say? Improvement in protection? Do you have this need on the front line? Isn't our new heavy tank armor enough?"

Facing Kogin's opening, he fired a barrage of questions. Malashenko, who had no intention of hiding anything, immediately continued to speak, speaking matter-of-factly.

"It's enough to deal with kinetic energy armor-piercing projectiles, but now we have encountered new troubles. The Germans began to make chemical energy armor-piercing projectiles into an infantry weapon and put them into large-scale use, called the Iron Fist."

"This new type of infantry anti-tank weapons poses a great threat. They are light and easy to carry, just like a mop bucket with a mop bucket tied in front. After they are captured, our soldiers can even carry them both at once without feeling cumbersome. "

"But what is in direct proportion to its light weight is its huge power. Now it is only the initial model, and it can already penetrate the frontal protective armor of all our medium tanks, including Morozov's new work: the T43 medium tank . If it is attacked from the side, our heavy tanks will not be able to withstand it, and the armor will be penetrated 100%. "

"Just the initial model can achieve such good results when put into the battlefield. It can deal with most of the tanks currently in service in our Red Army. Moreover, this thing is easy to produce, light and portable, and low in cost. It is a completely cost-effective weapon."

"We have no reason not to believe that the Germans will produce newer and stronger upgraded models, speed up production and put them into the battlefield to deal with us. By then, even our heavy tank frontal protection may not be able to withstand chemical energy armor-piercing bombs. Protection upgrades must be put on the agenda now and started early to cope with the next changes.”