Even Malashenko, who is used to driving KV1 heavy tanks, has to admit that at least in terms of maneuverability and the reliability of the entire power and transmission structure, the T34 medium tank's incredible attributes in this aspect are indeed better than that of the KV1 heavy tank.
It's more than a little bit better than kv1. Strictly speaking, the two are not even in the same dimension.
After abandoning railway maneuvers and rushing all the way to the destination, not one of the 42 T34 tanks broke down due to a power system failure. If such a long-distance maneuver could be completed on its own on a KV1 heavy tank, Malashenko would conservatively estimate that it would wait until it ran.
After arriving at the destination, you should lie down for at least half of it.
The poor transmission system inherited from the Hongqi tractor has always been the most criticized failure point on the KV1 heavy tank.
"These T34s are still as reliable as before, Comrade Commander, it would be great if our new heavy tanks could be as reliable and durable as the T34s."
Malashenko, who had just jumped off the turret, took off his black leather gloves and patted the dust on them. The words from Iushkin next to him clearly won Malashenko's approval.
"The design team has already considered this issue. Just wait a little longer, Iushkin. It won't be long before you can drive a new heavy tank with maneuverability that is as reliable as the T34. I guarantee you."
I blurted it out but couldn't help but feel a little worried. The increasingly bad war situation now further illustrates that the absolute quality advantage of the KV1 heavy tank at the beginning of its development is now being lost little by little due to the continuous upgrading of German equipment.
The continuous innovation of many anti-tank weapons, including new anti-tank guns, has overwhelmed the originally reliable armor of KV1. The consistently bad problems in the transmission system and power structure are inherent design flaws that cannot be completely solved. This is urgent for the counterattack that is about to begin.
For the Soviet tank force, which required long-range and long-span strategic maneuverability, this was a rather fatal flaw.
"I hope Kejing can do it faster this time. With my series of added oils and vinegar, it should be two years ahead of schedule."
Malashenko, who was murmuring in his heart, was only thinking about the questions in his mind, but was completely unaware of the two footsteps striding behind him.
"Comrade Malashenko, welcome to your arrival. Your support is simply too important for our division!"
The sudden sound of words coming from behind him brought Malashenko's thoughts back to reality. A slightly surprised Malashenko looked back and saw two faces walking towards him quickly.
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"Introduction, Comrade Malashenko, I am Colonel ****, the commander of the 218th Infantry Division, and this is Lieutenant Colonel Zelenkov, the political commissar of our division. On behalf of all the comrades of our division, I would like to thank you again for coming.
"
He almost forgot the last time he spoke polite words in the military like he did now. Malashenko, who had already taken off his gloves to reveal a pair of slightly rough hands, immediately reached forward with his right hand with a smile on his face.
"It's my job, Comrade ****, hello, Comrade Zelenkov."
After the brief polite exchange of salutes and handshakes, political commissar Zelenkov, who had only heard of his name but had never met him before, took over the right to speak and asked questions first.
"Comrade Malashenko, with all due respect, how many troops did you bring to the Tula front this time? We need to calculate how many available troops can be used on those German defense lines."
It is obviously not polite to ask such an abrupt question to the newly arrived friendly forces, but the German defense line, which is like an unyielding wall of the enemy in front of them, is as helpless as ants on a hot pot. The troops suffered more than half of the casualties but still failed to do anything.
The dire situation of making only half an inch has already stopped political commissar Zelenkov from exchanging pleasantries.
Political Commissar Zelenkov's somewhat abrupt question did not take it too seriously. Malashenko, who turned his head and thought for a moment, immediately gave his answer.
"This time I brought the vanguard. There are a total of 42 T3457 tanks and 10 captured German Panzer III tanks. Comrade Zelenkov, the large force of our First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment is still halfway through.
, 30 KV1 heavy tanks are the absolute main force we rely on, but their strategic mobility is slightly insufficient, and it will take some time before they can reach the front line."
Rumors about Malashenko have long mentioned that this young lieutenant colonel, who is favored by General Zhukov, is a guy who has a huge establishment of a new Guards tank regiment, and even the supreme leader Comrade Stalin has publicly praised him.
Political Commissar Zelenkov, who expected that Malashenko would have a strong force, was overjoyed when he heard this.
"Great, Comrade Division Commander! The troops Comrade Malashenko brought this time are not just a tank regiment, it is simply more than a tank brigade! Besides, our tanks are better than those German garbage tanks.
How much, with Comrade Malashenko joining us, it is only a matter of time before we take over the defense line of the German guys on the opposite side!"
When he first formed the First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment, Zhukov, who wanted to use it as a fire-fighting force directly under the front army, deliberately planned a large organization sequence that far exceeded that of the same level of troops and submitted it to his kind father Stalin for his review.
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Such a large-scale mobilization of strategic resources to form a large special tank force would have required the approval of his loving father, Stalin, in person during the war. The super-large organization of the First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment had already been stretched to the limit.
For the Soviet tank arsenal at this critical juncture, the equipment quantity was almost equivalent to that of three other regiment-level tank units, so we had to be cautious.
Realizing that his previous distrust and suspicion of Zhukov was a very wrong approach, Stalin, who was the enemy's current principle of disregarding past grudges, met almost any request made by Zhukov as much as possible.
Stalin signed his own name on the document regarding the establishment of the First Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment and gave it the title of "Guards" as the first batch of "Guards". Stalin once again met Zhukov's reasonable request, but he still had one thing to puzzle over.
"I'm curious, Zhukov, this is obviously equivalent to the strength of a tank division, why do you still deliberately use regiment-level organization to form troops?"
Faced with the incomprehension of his loving father Comrade Stalin, Zhukov, who was not only creating an elite firefighting force for his own strategic intentions, but also paving the way for Malashenko, a young man whom he admired, immediately responded.
"The reason is very simple, Comrade Stalin. The Germans may pay attention to the movements of a Guards tank division during intelligence monitoring, but a Guards tank regiment is not considered worthy of being placed in the eyes of these arrogant Germans.