"Our bureau's current plan is to take a two-step approach, Comrade General."
"First of all, we plan to make improvements and upgrades based on the T43 medium tank. Although this medium tank is not as good as the German new tank for the time being, it is a good platform for upgrade and improvement. Unlike the previous T34, we are designing
From the very beginning, consideration was given to replacing the main gun with a more powerful one and adding thicker protective armor.”
"To this end, we calculated the power-to-weight ratio of the tank and left enough engine power required for future armor protection upgrades. A sufficiently powerful engine has been installed in the early design and can fully meet future armor upgrades.
It is necessary, and the maneuverability will not be poor due to the increase in tonnage."
"In addition, we also calculated the installation size of the larger-caliber artillery and the breech block retraction distance. There is no problem even if the new turret is directly equipped with a 122mm main gun. But because the time is too hasty, the first batch
The mass-produced T43 can only be demonstrated using the T3485 and proven to be a feasible design, and it can be produced using an 85mm main gun and delivered to the troops."
"As long as the relevant demonstration is proved to be feasible and feasible, the replacement plan for the more powerful main gun will be immediately reflected in the second and third batches of mass-produced models. The upgrade of armor protection will also be carried out at the same time.
We have now begun to collect the power parameters of the German tank gun to prepare for demonstration. If there is enough time, there will be live-fire target testing, but it is not yet certain."
In the existing history, the T43... ah no, it should be said to be the T44 medium tank. In fact, it is a very embarrassing and unlucky child who has not caught up with anything.
She did not catch up with the opportunity to prove herself by taking over the T3485 in actual combat and smashing the Germans' broken vehicles to the ground. She also failed to find any opportunities in the post-war Red Army tank unit replacement and upgrade plan.
His position was quickly replaced by the T54 medium tank that came immediately after, completely becoming the tears of the times.
The T44 or T43 medium tank, which was born at the wrong time, is actually a Red Army medium tank that is in a technological transition period and is a trial work that connects the past and the next.
But even so, Malashenko still does not deny that this is an excellent medium tank.
It has indeed inherited the low cost and easy wartime mass production of the previous generation T34 medium tank. At the same time, it has been upgraded on the basis of the T3485. Especially the potential for upgrade and improvement cannot be ignored, which is much higher than the design finalization.
It was earlier and did not take into account the t34 needed for these subsequent actual combat changes.
If we say that the T34, which was finalized before the war, helped the Red Army tank troops fight in the first half of the game, achieved outstanding combat results, and delivered a perfect answer.
So t43, which inherits all the advantages of t34, is the official sequel to the excellent masterpiece of the previous generation. The difference is that it is extremely expandable and can play a lot of mods, just like Lao Gun 5 was transformed into a girl by players.
It’s the same as Scroll 5. After a torturous magic change, he is fully capable of taking over from t3485 and playing the entire second half until the end of the war, winning victory for the motherland.
The key to the problem lies in how to make magic changes, and how to make the changes correctly, which is what is needed in actual combat.
Generally speaking, this requires a lot of time to prove. To be on the safe side, many conservative designs that affect the full performance of the combat capability will be adopted. This needs to be improved little by little based on actual combat feedback from the front line. Any model has been proven to be excellent in actual combat.
This is true for all tanks, and this is the case for the T34 series.
But the problem is, whether it is the Red Army tank troops or Morozov, what they lack most now is time.
Under the premise that the Germans' new monsters have begun mass production and installation, the delay in time means greater losses for the frontline troops, which is a lot of human lives.
There is nothing you can do about such an urgent matter except to take it slowly. Morozov can't speed up even if he stares anxiously, but this is only under normal circumstances.
Comrade Ma is not an ordinary person. It is estimated that there is only one time traveler in the world who can call himself an "ordinary person". Problems like this that make Morozov so worried that he can't sleep are exactly what we, Comrade Ma, are doing.
Comrade Ma's specialty.
"If I were to give you some advice, my suggestion would be to use 100 guns to upgrade your firepower. Comrade Morozov, what do you think?"
"100 guns?"
Of course, Morozov knew what the 100-gun Malashenko was talking about. This thing was originally a "borrowed" land-based version of the Red Navy's 100-mm naval gun.
As early as when Kogin originally designed the IS2 heavy tank, he had considered installing a main gun of this caliber on the vehicle.
However, due to production problems at the time and suggestions from Malashenko, 122 guns were finally chosen instead of 100 guns, which were still used in subsequent models of Stalin heavy tanks and were proven to be successful in actual combat.
caliber tank gun.
The current situation is different from the past. The 100 gun has made greater progress compared to when Kogin was preparing to design the IS2 heavy tank.
Because the large-scale production of the German army's new tiger and leopard zoo has led to a sudden increase in anti-tank pressure on the front line, the authorities are preparing to use this new 100mm main gun as the main gun design of an anti-tank destroyer to contain the German zoo.
The momentum is becoming more and more fierce day by day.
But for Morozov, it is a completely different design idea.
Morozov, who was pressed for time, had no time to wait for the new 100-gun gun to be mounted on the tank. The demonstration was completed. Based on past experience, after all the demonstration and test procedures according to the normal procedures were completed, the 100-gun tank was actually equipped with a 100-gun gun.
Mass production of the improved T43 will have to wait until at least October or even later.
It will never be earlier than the mass production of a new tank destroyer equipped with this kind of main gun. After all, the main gun installation demonstration is already in progress. However, the main gun design suitable for the tank destroyer version cannot be directly used.
When used on tanks, these are two entirely different things.
If Morozov wanted to use it, he would have to start over again and conduct a demonstration of the tank-mounted version of the 100-gun gun, but he really doesn't have the extra time now.
Because of this, Morozov's original plan was to directly use Kotin's 122 gun, which had passed the demonstration and was proved to be successful by actual combat results, and install it on the T43 medium tank. In this way
This can greatly save the time for demonstration and testing, accelerate the mass production of subsequent batches of improved T43, so that frontline troops can use it as soon as possible, and substantially improve combat effectiveness.
In the last final design of the T43 medium tank, Kotin gave Morozov a timely hand and sent some designs that had passed actual combat testing, which was a big help to the burning Morozov.
With this "successful cooperation", Morozov planned to shamelessly ask Kotin to help him again to finalize the design of the main gun and get the 122 gun on board as soon as possible.
However, Malashenko's words "change 100 guns and get on the bus" directly brought Morozov back to the crossroads where he had to make a choice.
Morozov, who knew how difficult the situation was, was still full of doubts, and then asked Malashenko.
"The 100mm main gun has never been mounted on any active tank of the Red Army. We tried to mount it on the T34, but ultimately failed. Only one failed test prototype was produced and was rejected.
"
"If we want to carry a new 100mm main gun, we will definitely have to spend more time testing and demonstrating the design, and whether it can pass in the end is still a matter of debate. It might be the result of a failure like the T34 carrying a 100mm gun. This is precious
Time was wasted again. Although there was enough room for upgrades from the beginning, no one can guarantee the final result."
"Replace 100 guns on the vehicle. Is this... is this really feasible? Why do you think so? Comrade General, can you elaborate in more detail?"