With the lessons from history, Hu Weidong naturally cherished this future engine wizard. Not only did he intervene in the debate in person and supported Wu Zhonghua's views, he also specially approved him, an undergraduate who had not yet graduated, to enter the "Father of Jet Engines"
"The study of the jet engine research group led by Frank Whittle can be regarded as a key training. Hu Weidong also served as Huiyue Lao by the way, and Li Minhua, Wu Zhonghua's current classmate, future wife, and later also became an outstanding aviation expert, was also transferred to
This project will prevent the pair of mandarin ducks from being separated for too long and the labor and swallows will be separated...
Hu Weidong does not pay as much attention to tanks as he does to airplanes, because tanks and armored vehicles are of little use if they are few, and if they are made more, they will not be able to get as much high-quality steel. However, the arsenal has never stopped imitating and self-researching tanks. Due to the allocation of funds and materials
Japanese tanks, which have always been insufficient and not technically advanced, have become the most suitable template, and Ma Zhongying's concept of "armored cavalry" has had a significant impact on the design ideas of self-produced tanks in the border area...
Although almost everyone thinks that the Japanese's Type 95 light tank is ugly as hell, based on the requirements of "armored cavalry" and the current situation of the arsenal, this is undoubtedly the most suitable template. The Type 95 light tank is not only fast,
The terrain adaptability is also very good, especially its climbing degree reaches an incredible 40 degrees. Generally speaking, if it exceeds 30 degrees, it is considered qualified, and if it exceeds 32 degrees, it is considered excellent. This is obviously specially designed by the Japanese for the Chinese battlefield.
The design naturally meets the actual combat requirements of the Chinese ** team.
According to the requirements of "armored cavalry", tanks and armored vehicles only need to be able to prevent the firing of infantry weapons. However, the technicians of the arsenal have tried their best to strengthen the armor without affecting the mobility of the tank, especially the widespread use of new low-alloy steel.
It is even more helpful. The average thickness of the armor is only slightly thicker than that of the Type 95 light tank (due to the improvement of the design and the use of new materials such as fiberglass reinforced plastics in internal components, the total weight of the tank has been reduced a lot.), but the protection capability is not.
It is a qualitative leap. Not only can the main frontal armor prevent Japanese non-armor-piercing bullets with a caliber below 75mm fired from a distance of 500 meters, but the relatively weak side and rear armor can also protect against steel-core bullets fired by anti-aircraft machine guns at a distance of 100 meters. This is also
This means that unless the Japanese are prepared in advance, when their light troops are attacked by Chinese "armored cavalry", they will have almost no weapons to effectively fight back...
The Type 95 light tank uses a relatively backward riveting process. But for China, which has low output and a weak industrial base, this is an advantage worth learning. On the premise that riveting is mainly used, welding and even casting are appropriately used.
Technology can not only reduce costs and improve performance, but also cultivate some corresponding technical talents that will be needed in the future.
It stands to reason that the Type 95 light tank, which mainly uses riveting technology, should have poor stability, but the fact is exactly the opposite. The Type 95 light tank is the only model among Japanese tanks that is known for its excellent stability.
The relevant designs are naturally worth learning, but the damn track designs of Japanese tanks have all been abandoned and remade. The cost is high and the stability is still poor (the Type 95 light tank is extremely light, and the problem is not serious. Other models have
There are often embarrassing situations where the tracks come loose while driving...). There is no obvious advantage in performance. I really don’t know how the Japanese came up with such a weird design...
In terms of firepower, the "armored cavalry" emphasizes the lethality against unarmored and lightly armored targets. Therefore, the main gun has not been strengthened. It directly uses the captured Japanese 37mm tank gun or modified it with a 37mm combat anti-tank gun. However, it is equipped with a
It is a 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun. Not to mention the infantry, even the thin-skinned Japanese tanks cannot withstand its strafing. The psychological deterrent effect on the Japanese light troops is comparable to the original 7.7mm machine gun of the Type 95 light tank. Since the original Type 95
The turret of the Type 95 light tank was too small, and the installation of the anti-aircraft machine gun was somewhat difficult. The technicians who had long complained about the ugly turret of the Type 95 light tank just took advantage of the slope to redesign it, although it was still not considered a
It looks good, but at least you don’t have to worry about being laughed at as an “Iron Bastard” anymore…
This first domestic tank, which was improved from the Japanese Type 95 light tank, was later named the "Type 81 light tank". Its appearance, design ideas and performance parameters are all the same as those of the Japanese Type 95 light tank.
The Type 98 light tank, which was improved on the basis of the tank, is unexpectedly very similar (there are some differences, mainly in that the Type 98 light tank is not equipped with an anti-aircraft machine gun, and does not use new materials such as fiberglass inside), but the two cancel each other out, and the total weight of the tank
Pretty much the same.), but unlike the Type 98 light tank, which was snubbed by the Japanese military, China's Type 81 light tank shined on the battlefield because of its "armored cavalry" tactical thinking (in fact, Hu Weidong made it based on memory
The key is that low-alloy steel is more cost-effective, and historically, when Japan developed the Type 98 light tank, it had basically cut off the source of rare metals. High-alloy steel armor is as unrealistic as Japan's aircraft carrier plan.
....), even after China's first domestic main battle tank, which was derived from the Type 59 tank, was equipped with large-scale troops, they continued to serve for a long time, especially for the early airborne troops.
It has irreplaceable value...
After finalization, the combat weight of the Type 81 light tank is 7.2 tons, the armor thickness is between 12-20 mm, the maximum road speed is 50 kilometers per hour, the maximum cross-country speed is 32 kilometers per hour, the maximum road range is 320 kilometers, and the maximum cross-country distance is 240 kilometers
Kilometers, the weapon is a 37mm main gun and a 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, and has a crew of 3.
Due to size restrictions, even if the Type 81 light tank redesigns its turret, it still cannot install an anti-aircraft machine gun and the necessary coaxial machine gun. However, this is not a big problem, because the armored vehicles developed by the arsenal at the same time
It is equipped with multiple ordinary machine guns but no anti-aircraft machine guns. The two complement each other. In addition, the arsenal also used the chassis of the August 1 light tank to design the August 1 75mm assault gun (the chassis was too small and could only be used for assault attacks).
cannon to make do, barely replacing the role of self-propelled artillery.) and a specialized anti-aircraft tank. The latter is equipped with twin 25mm anti-aircraft cannons that can rotate 360 degrees. The firepower is very powerful, but it is mainly used in the design concept.
Field air defense is different. This kind of anti-aircraft tank later showed its prowess in ground combat. Even the Japanese officers and soldiers who preached the Bushido spirit all day long saw with their own eyes the enemy's anti-aircraft cannons spraying tongues of flame and directly "cutting down" rows of comrades.
"After turning into unrecognizable corpses, everyone was terrified of its insane power...