Jiang Muzhi and Li Chiqi improved the new gun mount, solved the locking device, and replaced it with better-quality ball bearings. Finally, it passed the shooting range and 50-kilometer march tests. The results of this major improvement made the General Staff decide to
During the First Five-Year Plan period, the mounts of all newly built artillery were replaced with metal mounts, and the original old wooden mounts will also be gradually transformed. The mechanical department urgently manufactured new mounts for three field artillery companies. Then, even the forward carriages of the artillery
The frame has also been improved.
Although there are not enough horses and "replacement of animals and soldiers" are used, the front carriage of the artillery is still indispensable - not only for loading ammunition, but the main reason is that the center of gravity of the artillery is high and it is not easy to drag it
Master the balance, and if you are not careful, you will end up falling upside down. The front vehicle can support the rear of the gun carriage when towing, balance the center of gravity, and disperse the pressure of the heavy gun body. The horses or people towing the gun carriage only need to provide
forward pull.
"After the improvement, the artillery will be much more flexible in movement." Ying Yu inspected the new artillery arrayed on the shooting range. The artillerymen were constantly running forward and backward in response to the officer's command, simulating the firing procedure of the artillery. According to the artillery training syllabus
It is required that the eight gunners of each gun must conduct changing of guard training with each other in order to continue firing in the event of casualties. According to the outline requirements: a group of well-trained gunners should still be able to continue firing even if there are only two left.
Can continue to fire. According to Lin Shenhe, during the Civil War, there were examples of artillery being able to continue to function with only one gunner - of course this was enough to win a medal.
"It would be great if there were horses." Lin Shenhe looked regretfully at the gunners who were training according to the artillery outline he had written. There were 110 horses in a company! This was simply a dream.
"You said you wanted to get new artillery shells, has there been any result? The gunners still need to be familiar with loading and firing the new artillery shells." Zhang Bolin hurried over wearing a sweat vest.
"Come on, new cannonballs are only more effective than old cannonballs." Lin Shenhe said and yawned - red lanterns will be hung up in the laboratory again in the afternoon.
Originally, in order to simplify the process, the army's artillery was only equipped with two of the simplest shells in batches - solid shells and shotgun shells. Grenades were also produced in small quantities, but they were only used for training and were not reserved.
The principle of grenades fired by smoothbore guns is similar. They use the gas when the artillery is fired to ignite the delay fuse on the artillery shell to detonate the artillery shell. Therefore, you must be particularly careful when loading, and you must ensure that the fuze hole is facing the muzzle of the gun, otherwise
Once the gas rushes directly into the fuze hole, the shell will explode directly. In order to withstand the high chamber pressure, the shell must be made very thick. A 12-pound spherical shell can only be loaded with 900 grams of black powder. The fragments produced by its explosion
The killing effect on personnel is not even as good as solid bullets. The main purpose of artillery equipment grenades is to deal with buildings and ships, and also to scare people - after all, explosive bombs are not common in this time and space.
What he is planning to develop is shrapnel. The structure of shrapnel is more complex than other spherical projectiles: a number of iron or lead projectiles and detonating powder are loaded into the body of the projectile, and a delay fuse controls it at the appropriate height and
Distance detonation. After the projectile is exploded by the detonating charge, the projectile in the projectile will maintain its previous speed and fly towards the enemy in front. Its power is equivalent to a close-range shot of a shotgun.
The killing effect of shrapnel grenades at medium and long distances is very good compared to solid grenades, especially when attacking dense formations of enemies. If the timing of the fuze detonation is mastered well, a large number of enemies can be knocked down in an instant.
However, early shrapnel shells were not very safe to shoot even if they were not accurate - the pellets inside the shrapnel shells rubbed against each other during firing and could easily detonate the gunpowder in the shell in advance.
Lin Shenhe chose the shrapnel shell that was improved by British Army Captain Boxer in 1840. It has been greatly improved in structure, and of course it is more complex. The projectile is mounted on the front of the projectile body and consists of an iron
The dividing plate is separated from the detonating powder at the rear. The tail is equipped with a cup-shaped tail pad that can prevent the projectile from rolling in the barrel and expand under the gas pressure during launch to act as a gas seal. This structure makes
The whole projectile is light at the rear and heavy at the front, combined with the unique shape behind the tail pad. The shell is quite stable during flight, and the accuracy is much higher than that of the shrapnel of the same era. When the delay fuze detonates the explosive, the projectile is exploded.
When it is opened, the iron partition will push the projectiles forward, causing them to shoot forward at a cone angle, instead of scattering randomly like other shrapnel shells, thus further improving its killing power.
When a 12-pound cannon is used to fire shrapnel, it can work at a distance of 1,100 meters, and its power is far better than a grenade that can only explode twenty large fragments.
With this gadget, the Fubo Army can effectively kill fast-moving cavalry groups at medium and long distances without having to wait 200 meters away before shooting with shotguns.
Originally, there was no need to mass-produce shrapnel to deal with the Guangdong Ming Army, which was mainly composed of dismounted troops. However, it was only a matter of time to conquer the mainland, so it was better to take advantage of the opportunity of the Ming Army's invasion to test it in advance.
Finally, he wanted to modify the delayed fuze used by artillery. With the introduction of shrapnel, it became very important to use safe and reliable fuzes.
In the past, Chamberlin's smoothbore artillery used the simplest time fuze when training to launch grenades. It was so simple that everyone thought it was too easy. A hollow wooden tube with openings at both ends - the time traveler simply didn't even have to process the hollow wooden tube.
Yes, a thin bamboo tube is used directly - the tube is filled with slow-burning gunpowder with a very stable burning speed. The tube is marked with a scale. When using it, the gunner first estimates the firing distance, and finds out the flight distance corresponding to the type of shell from the artillery manual.
time, cut off the corresponding length according to the scale on the fuze, and insert it into the fuze hole of the cannonball. One end is exposed outside the projectile, and the other end is in contact with the explosive in the projectile. Finally, insert the cannonball into the barrel, ensuring that the position of the fuze is facing forward.
That's it - later on, I simply installed a wooden holder directly on the spherical projectile using a time fuze to ensure the accuracy of the direction when loading.
This kind of fuze is intuitive and convenient to operate, but because it is inserted into the signal tube manually, the depth of insertion will affect the detonation result. Moreover, the fuze hole for inserting the fuze cannot be completely tight with the signal tube, so it is sometimes unsafe to use. Lin Shenhe decided
A direct imitation of the Bormann fuze. This is the best and most reliable time fuze you can find on a smoothbore gun. It is a flat metal cylinder with threads on the outside. It can be screwed into the fuze hole and the time is engraved on the upper surface. When used, just use it when needed.
Just make a hole in the time scale and screw it into the fuze port of the shell. The maximum time of the Bormann fuze is only 5.5 seconds. It is not suitable for use with shells with very slow muzzle velocity such as mortars.
After drawing the three-dimensional view of the fuze, he handed the drawings to the mechanical department.
"This thing needs to be made with a certain degree of precision. I have to find a veteran to make it." Zhan Wuya looked at it and said, "Brass?"
"right."
"It's quite small, and the brass ones won't consume much." Zhan Wuya looked at the size, "How about making a thousand of them first?"
"No problem. I don't think Zhang Bolin's gunners have the chance to fire a thousand rounds of grenades and shrapnel."
"One more thing, now that we want to mass-produce grenades and shrapnel shells, we can make complete artillery shells of these two types of ammunition." Lin Shenhe said, "After all, the firing speed of complete artillery shells is much faster."
The so-called complete artillery shell is to use grenades and shrapnel shells and fix a cloth bag under the wooden holder. In this way, the original steps of loading gunpowder and loading are combined into one.
The gunfire is rumbling on the shooting range, and while the army is stepping up preparations for war, the navy is also busy trial-producing new equipment. The navy's combat mission is to blockade, and it is also responsible for protecting the Lingao coastline, especially the two key ports of Bopu and Majiao.
The navy will send most of its ships to undertake the task of maritime blockade, and at the same time continue to bear the task of transporting supplies to Sanya. The number of ships that can directly defend the port will be greatly reduced. Bopu's defense system is mainly heavy artillery, and its long-range firepower is very large.
Although it is strong, the force to directly defend the port is a bit weak. Ma Niao only has one gun tower and one marine platoon, so the defense force is even weaker.
"Our defense force in Ma Niao is too weak." Chen Haiyang said at the combat meeting. "Ma Niao is our supply base for salt chemical raw materials and a modern salt production plant. The defense force only has one platoon and one gun tower -
It is also equipped with a 12-pound mountain gun. If the enemy breaks through the sea blockade and lands in Majiao - there are steam salt plants, windmills, and boilers there. Just being set on fire will be enough to cause heavy losses.
.”
There is a shallow water port in Majiao, which is very suitable for small-tonnage ships used by the Ming army to carry out penetrating landing operations.
"It's a little late to talk about building forts now."
"No, one month is enough." Mei Wan, who came to the meeting, said, "Give me enough resources. In one month, I can build a large-scale military tower that can accommodate an infantry company and be equipped with heavy artillery during wartime."
Bastion."
"Is it okay?" The participants whispered to each other for a while. He Ming nodded: "I will fight for it. But you have to make sure it is completed within a month."
"I promise to finish it," Mei Wan said.
"Instead of building a bastion, it is better to build some mines to block the port and prevent enemy ships from infiltrating." As the port director and fortress commander, Li Di never forgot the matter of mines.
"Mine? I'm afraid it will blow up our own ship." Chen Haiyang was very aware of the effectiveness of mines, so he was even more hesitant about their use.
The technology of triggering anchor mines is very simple, but the navy does not have minesweeping equipment available, so it is very inconvenient when minesweeping is needed. In the event of anchor detaching and floating mines, given the width of the Qiongzhou Strait, it is simply a weapon that can blow up ships indiscriminately.
In the past, the Navy and weapons design departments have considered the manufacture of visual electro-generated mines to lay defenses in port channels. However, the problems of anti-corrosion and leakage of wires in seawater and the unanchoring of mines have never been well solved. In the end,
The plan to generate electric mines was also abandoned.
Another solution is the pole mine boat proposed by Wen Desi. The originally proposed pole mine boat design was a rowing boat with an armored deck, driven by human oars, and the medicine bag was fixed on the side of the ship and then released a wire and
The rod mine boat is connected. The rod mine boat then quickly reverses the paddle to a safe distance, and then uses electricity to ignite the explosive package.
Although this design fully takes into account the safety of the rod mine boat, when the rowing boat was actually used for simulation testing, it was found that it was inconvenient to use the oars. It was difficult for sailors to maintain a calm paddling rhythm under enemy fire. The human-powered rod mine boat
The maneuverability of the mine boat is not as good as expected. And the electric fire has brought about the old problem: waterproof wires cannot solve it. Therefore, the rod mine boat project has been shelved. Now, several ships are equipped with typewriter batteries to guard the inner harbor.
Traffic boats that fire guns are very powerful, but they are not powerful enough when facing large ships.
"We are now able to mass-produce steam-powered three-engine boats, which can be completely modified using off-the-shelf equipment." Wen Desi was very enthusiastic about this matter and began to promote his rod mine boats again.
The so-called three-engine boat is a standardized motor boat manufactured by the shipyard to unify the small transport boats used in offshore and inland rivers. According to the size, it is divided into large engine, medium engine and small engine.
Wen Desi's proposal was to use a wooden-hulled mid-engine boat as the base boat. This kind of boat has a full load displacement of 15.5 tons, a total length of 13 meters, a width of 2.9 meters, a depth of 1.5 meters, and an average draft of 0.78 meters. Install a nest-type boat.
Small steam engine. The speed is 4.5 knots when fully loaded. Although the speed is slightly slower, it is more than enough for maneuverability in ports and coastal harbor branches.
With mobility, the electric ignition used in the past for safety is no longer necessary.
This new type of torpedo speedboat uses a steam medium-engine boat as the prototype boat, and covers it with a tilted layer of iron plate as armor - the iron plate does not need to be thick, as long as it can withstand the fire of the matchlock gun. The bow is
A long metal rod that can be retracted into the hull. The front end of the metal rod has a detachable fastener that is connected to the body of the rod mine. The rod mine itself is a flat cylindrical wooden box containing 30kg of black powder. Its front end is flat
There are many barbed nails on it, trying to fix it on the ship's board. The tail is a release device, which is connected to the fastener on the front end of the lightning rod. Once the fixation is completed, the personnel in the cabin immediately pull the device to release the mine.
Separation. The release device on the lightning rod is connected to the fuse of the igniter. Once unlocked, the fuse is pulled open by the pulling force of the separation, and the fuse is ignited by the fuse and begins to burn. The rod mine is detonated until the delay is over.
The detonating device of the rod mine uses a wooden-handled grenade igniting device, which is simple and reliable. It is not difficult for the industry of the Cross Group to manufacture it.
After the mine and boat are separated, the rod-mine boat can return to a safe area, retract the mine rod into the boat, reinstall the mine, and then attack again.
Because of the use of steam engine power, the maneuverability of the rod mine boat is guaranteed. Although the tonnage is small and the speed is slow, it is not very useful in the open sea, but it is still very useful in the chaos of the narrow inner harbor.
The maneuverability and armor can ensure that it will not be attacked or jumped in the melee at close range, and the rod mine can also be loaded multiple times. The cost of this kind of boat is not high, it can be quickly mass-produced, and it is perfect for protecting ports.
"Is the combination of the mine body and the ship guaranteed? I'm afraid it will take a lot of impact force to fix the mine body to the ship's hull."
"It may not be possible to use a paddle, but steam power is still enough. We can add a little sticky stuff - such as gum to increase adhesion."
"How can the boat operator observe such a fully enclosed armor?"
"Use armored shutters." Wen Desi said, "Did you see this circular armored tower protruding from the hull? There are six armored observation windows arranged in a ring on the tower."
The driving tower is a two-person one, with a helmsman steering in front, and the captain sitting in a slightly higher position behind the helmsman. His seat can be rotated, and the situation outside can be observed through the blinds. The helmsman steers according to his command, and the captain can still
Command the entire boat through the intercom.
"Two engineers are responsible for the steam engine, and two sailors are responsible for operating the rod mine. Plus one alternate - he can be used to help add coal. The whole boat is enough for seven people. The whole boat is pre-installed except for one.
, prepare four more mines." Wen Desi pointed at his design.
According to Wen Desi's idea, this kind of rod mine boat would have no problem in defending the port before the traversers built the flywheel torpedo. It is at least more destructive than the machine gun boat. One rod mine boat is enough to blow up or severely damage a ship with several ships.
A hundred-ton ship.
"Ma Niao has deployed four ships, and Bo Pu has deployed ten ships. Half of them are in a state of firing and the other half are resting. As long as they can destroy two or three enemy ships, the enemy will be scared and run for their lives."
It was immediately decided to submit an emergency shipbuilding project to the Planning Institute for the urgent construction of sixteen rod mine boats and eight machine gun boats.
Wu De immediately approved the shipbuilding project. As for whether the mine boat was that useful, it was not a big problem in his opinion - if it was not useful, the armor would be removed and used as a transport boat. It would not be a waste anyway.
Zhan Wuya received clear instructions from He Ming to organize militias in all factories and set aside one hour a day for military training.
"Military training with spears?"
"First use the spear assassination and queue techniques. For gun handling, you can use the training gun to hold it first. And bomb dropping - Hailin has handed over hundreds of training bombs. You can use a hundred to train the workers.
." He Ming said, "I have submitted an application to the Planning Institute, requesting an urgent expansion of rifle production. By then everyone will have rifles - you have to select the most politically reliable and determined elements from the workers' militia as the core militia.
Ready to call at any time.”
"What? You want to drag workers to fight." Zhan Wuya was shocked. Even if one of the industrial workers he had finally trained died, it would be a huge loss.
"They are to be used as reserves and garrisons. They will not be mobilized to fight." He Ming explained, "In addition to factories, communes and local villages will also need to be mobilized. However, the Workers' Self-Defense Force will be the main force.