The convoy drove directly to the Taiyuan Iron and Steel Plant. Pang Yuan was stunned when he saw the People's Liberation Army soldiers standing guard with guns and live ammunition at the entrance of the Fourth Plant.
Those who stand guard are not reservists.
And it’s still four posts.
The four hills represent that this is an important military area and no outsiders are allowed to enter.
Moreover, barbed wire fences were placed on the walls of the factory area, and watchtowers were built at the four corners. Soldiers also stood guard on the watchtowers.
The importance of this place is evident everywhere.
Pang Yuancai had not visited the steel plant for inspection for more than two months, and he had no idea that it had become like this.
Pang Yuan couldn't help but look at Xie Tian: "Baoqing, what did you do in Factory No. 4?"
Xie Tian smiled mysteriously: "Brother Pang Pang couldn't bear it even for a while. Didn't I just say that we would equip the 42nd Army with another tank division?"
Pang Yuan grabbed Xie Tian's arm and asked excitedly: "You mean we can produce tanks ourselves?"
Xie Tian laughed: "You will know later."
The motorcade drove to the gate of Factory No. 4. When the sentry saw Xie Tian's car, he still stretched out his hand to stop it. It wasn't until he saw Xie Tian who had lowered his window that he stepped back and stood at attention, saluting and waving to let him go.
Several soldiers moved Luchai away, and the convoy slowly drove into the factory. Xie Tian told the driver: "Go directly to the assembly workshop."
The convoy drove past the factory buildings with roaring machines and drove directly to a huge factory building at the back of the factory area. Take a look at our own tanks."
When walking into the workshop, the first thing that caught your eye was the tanks and armored personnel carriers being assembled. There were dozens of them. Seeing these tanks, even Pang Yuan couldn't suppress his beating heart. After walking over, Fu Zuoyi trotted all the way and touched the first tank before everyone else. The moment he touched it, he burst into tears.
We can really produce tanks ourselves! ! !
Xie Tian walked up to Fu Zuoyi, patted him on the back, and said: "At present, our industrial level can only produce this kind of medium-sized tank. The structure is simpler, but compared with Japan's 97 in terms of armor, speed and firepower. Type tanks still have certain advantages..."
At this time, a man with a greasy face poked out from the driver's hatch. The man stared at Xie Tianqi who was introducing the performance of the tank and said: "Xie Baoqing, are you looking down on me or our X-1? Just the Japanese Type 97 , our X-1 dares to challenge his squadron."
Seeing that person, Xie Tian laughed awkwardly and said, "Why are you here? I'm trying to be modest."
Pang Yuan chuckled and introduced the person to Fu Zuoyi and Shen Xiang: "Commander-in-Chief Fu, Mr. Shen, this is the national treasure of our liberated area, Deputy Minister Xu of the Department of Weapons and Equipment, Engineer Xu Jinghao of the Weapons Research Institute, and also our fifth The lover of Commander Chu of the Tenth Army."
Xu Jinghao said: "Director Pang, you regard me as a national treasure, but some people don't care at all. They throw away a few broken drawings and can't see each other for a month or two. As for our family, let alone I haven’t heard from him for two months, and if I hadn’t called home occasionally, I would have almost forgotten that there was such a person.”
Pang Yuan patted Xie Tian and laughed and said: "Baoqing, XCMG is giving you advice. It doesn't matter if it's not a big deal, you can handle it yourself. Commander-in-Chief Fu, let's visit the tanks."
Fu Zuoyi did not greet Pang Yuan, but climbed directly onto the tank and touched the gun barrel excitedly and asked: "With such a large caliber, can't one shot defeat the Japanese Type 97?"
Xu Jinghao stared at Xie Tian who was embarrassed and sneered and said with a straight face: "I have changed your design. The main gun still retains the XBQ-1 rapid-fire machine gun, and the side and rear machine guns have been changed to ordinary 7.62 mm machine guns. What a broken design. , only pursuing the maximization of firepower, why do the side and rear machine guns need such strong firepower? Do you need the Death Cannon to fight infantry? It is a waste of bomb-loading space in the tank magazine and is not conducive to the continuity of firepower. I also made the transmission system. There are some changes, please come up and see if they are good or not."
Since the Fourth Factory successfully developed the diesel engine, Xie Tian has begun to prepare for the production of tanks. He has brought the design concept of the top tanks of later generations to this era. He has targeted the Japanese Army's Type 97 tank to design a tank suitable for Taiyuan. The tank models produced by Basic Industries spent countless sleepless nights on this.
Fortunately, Yan Xishan laid a solid industrial foundation for Taiyuan. During the Japanese occupation, Taiyuan's industrial level reached a new level. Even high-precision industries like the bearing factory were built by Xie Tian, otherwise Xie Tian would not be able to build it. Now this X-1 main battle tank is coming.
X-1 main battle tank, with a crew of five, is equipped with a 75mm main gun with 80 rounds of ammunition, a 7.62 rapid-fire machine gun, a 7.62 side and rear machine gun, an engine power of 700 horsepower, and a maximum speed of 45 kilometers per hour. The thickness of the front armor is 80mm, and the thickness of the side and rear armor is 38mm. The front armor and side armor are designed at an inclined angle, which can cause slippage when shelled, which can effectively protect the tank from heavy damage.
If we only compare these parameters, the Little Devil's Type 97 tank immediately becomes a weakling. It cannot be beaten or run away, so it will only be beaten.
Under Xu Jinghao's close gaze, Xie Tian bravely climbed onto the tank, and Xu Jinghao said without a doubt: "Come in from here."
Seeing Xu Jinghao retracting into the tank, Xie Tian secretly grinned and walked over and stretched his legs into the tank cabin. Before his feet could find a foothold, there was a sharp pain in his thigh. He knew it must be based on his feeling. It was Xu Jinghao who pinched his thigh hard.
Xie Tian exhaled speechlessly and fell into the cabin, glaring at Xu Jinghao who was pretending to be nothing.
Sister, is this really okay with you?
Fortunately, Fu Zuoyi couldn't wait to get down from the top cabin to the inside of the tank. Xie Tian took the opportunity to formally introduce Fu Zuoyi to Xu Jinghao: "Jinghao, this is General Fu Zuoyi. From now on, General Fu will be the commander-in-chief of our 42nd Group Army. Commander, you will inevitably have to interact with each other in the future and get to know each other."
"Yeah", Xu Jinghao was taken aback, took off her gloves and stretched out her hand to Fu Zuoyi: "General Fu, I'm sorry. When Director Pang introduced me just now, I was wondering why there was another deputy commander-in-chief. I thought it was Chongqing." I sent someone here to eat some free time again, but I didn’t expect it to be you.”
Fu Zuoyi shook hands with Xu Jinghao and said with a smile: "I will never be able to hold a regular position. I have made a lot of jokes about this."
Xu Jing chuckled. Fu Zuoyi’s surname was Fu. When he became the commander-in-chief, he was also the (deputy) commander-in-chief Fu. It would not be easy for others to misunderstand him.
"Commander-in-Chief Fu is joking, I know your name very well. Aren't you in the Seventh Army of the Second Theater Command? How come you were transferred to our Tenth Theater Command?"
Which pot is not opened and lifted?
Fu Zuoyi looked at Xie Tian with a smile and said: "Mr. Xie, you don't need to send a telegram to Chongqing. For the sake of the overall situation of the Anti-Japanese War, there is no need to fall out with Chief Yan over such a trivial matter. I will send a telegram to Chief Yan when I get back. , if I ask to resign due to illness, he will definitely agree to it very happily."
Xie Tian smiled coldly: "Maybe he is waiting for your telegram now, but he is short-sighted."
Fu Zuoyi laughed and patted Xie Tian: "Mr. Xie, I can't wait to try my tank now."
My tank?
Xie Tian laughed and looked at Xu Jinghao: "Jinghao, can this tank be tested now?"
