Steel Soviet Union

With the German army likely to invade the city at any time, Malashenko had no extra time to waste on waiting for the tank to be replaced with the main gun. The work of replacing the main gun must be done as quickly as possible. Finish.

Looking at the three fingers raised by Malashenko, the old engineer Ivan, who felt that he had a lot of time, couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

"It will be no problem in three days, Comrade Malashenko, I will arrange the work in the factory as soon as possible to get all these tanks and guns."

Before the old Ivan, who kept speaking, could finish his words, Malashenko, who shook his head quietly, forcibly interrupted his unfinished words.

"I'm afraid I'm talking about within 30 hours, old comrade."

"???"

“30 hours???”

Because the targets set by Malashenko were so appalling, the old engineer Ivan, who had no idea that Malashenko would not follow the routine, almost dropped his glasses on the ground.

According to his plan, replacing these 50 British tanks with tank guns requires some necessary preliminary measurements and post-debugging work. After all, this is not about replacing the guns of the Soviet Union's own tanks. Out of his professionalism and sense of responsibility, the old engineer Ivan, who has worked hard in the factory for twelve years, does not want to deliver unreliable tanks to the troops.

Judging from the time point, Old Ivan expects to replace all these British tanks with the Soviet Union's own F-34 2mm tank guns, which should be completed within 72 hours. This is all including the preliminary surveying and mapping preparations and post-testing. required time.

If we compress it a little and rush the work, it should be completed within 70 hours, but to be honest, Old Ivan is not absolutely sure. There were too many important machinery and equipment and old workers in the factory gone, and after the German Air Force bombed it several times, the whole thing was a mess. No matter how hard the women and apprentices fought for time, there was no way they could survive. It turned out to be those old workers.

Old Ivan was relieved when he saw Malashenko holding up three fingers, thinking that the comrade leader seemed to be quite sensible and easy to get along with.

But old Ivan never expected that Malashenko’s three fingers meant not three days at all, but thirty hours!

Such a time requirement was simply impossible to meet. Old Ivan, who was holding his glasses frame and organizing his words, immediately began to persuade Malashenko.

"Comrade Malashenko, you need to know that based on the current production capacity of the factory, it is impossible to achieve the production targets you have given. We lack enough machines and workers, especially women and children, who cannot afford it. With such a high intensity of work, they must get enough rest, otherwise something big will happen. Please give them more time and give them more time.”

Seeing that old Ivan rejected the time point he proposed without thinking, Malashenko, who already felt that there was not enough time, became anxious on the spot.

"You asked me to give you a time, but now I have said it but you tell me that it can't be completed. Those Nazi lackeys may break into the city at any time. Our tanks and soldiers cannot stay in the factory and be killed by the Germans. This is not possible at all. possible!"

"Since you said you can't do it within the time I gave you, well, tell me what kind of time is reasonable for you."

Old Ivan saw Malashenko's anxiety and anger. Old Ivan, who understood Malashenko's mood very well, finally gritted his teeth and spoke solemnly after careful consideration.

"65 hours, Comrade Malashenko, I guarantee you with my status as a party member! In 65 hours, I will definitely complete all the production targets for replacement. If I cannot complete it by then, I will resign from the position of chief engineer and personally Go to the front army headquarters to report and plead guilty.”

Old Ivan has already said this, but the frowning Malashenko is still not satisfied. 65 hours is still beyond the limit and unacceptable to Malashenko.

It is not a problem to force the old engineer in front of him to continue to do the work. Malashenko, who has traveled from the past, knows very well how bad the situation is at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory now, and it is not easy for women and children to do what men do. A job that is difficult to complete is indeed unrealistic.

Holding his chin and thinking at his desk for a long time, Malashenko had no choice but to finally make a decision that he was very reluctant to make.

"If I support all my soldiers in the factory to help rush the work, do you think it is possible to speed up the completion of the production task? I remember you just said that we are very short of manpower now,"

Old Ivan was a little surprised by the suggestion Malashenko suddenly made.

This old engineer who has been working at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory since its establishment would never have imagined that one day the most elite tank troops of the Red Army would return to the factory to help him. This is simply a fantasy.

Engineer Malashenko's sudden suggestion made Old Ivan hesitate for a long time without replying. It was not until Luo had finished speaking and clarified his brain circuit that Old Ivan had already figured out how to respond to Malashenko. Then he spoke with some hesitation.

"Comrade Malashenko, can you tell me how many soldiers under your command are available to work now?"

Not surprised by Old Ivan's question, Malashenko, who had already made up his mind, immediately answered without hesitation.

"There are more than 500 people. Now I have more than 500 people who can help with production tasks."

"Some of them are militia soldiers, some are experienced tank crews, and some are field maintenance battalion soldiers who have specially trained in tank factories. In addition to being unfamiliar with the process of producing tanks, I can assure you that they are all A first-class skill, especially in those manual jobs without machines. ”

As Malashenko said.

After most of the valuable machines were removed, the Stalingrad Tractor Factory has now basically become a purely manual production. The efficiency is very low, not to mention the waste of manpower. It is hard work. What is worse is that most of this heavy work is backbreaking. It was all done by women and children.

In the past, there was a special small crane in the factory to lift the tank turret. Now, lifting the tank turret is done directly by manpower pulling the guide chain instead.

Aunts in their forties and fifties and their teenage children push steel road wheels around the factory. Even tasks such as welding armor plates are done by young girls with some knowledge. After all, their physical strength is not as good as that of men. Women can't get up at all.

There is no doubt that once these more than 500 strong men under Malashenko are put into production, they will undoubtedly greatly speed up the entire production task.