readytorunbook Chapter 752 New 155mm Howitzer and Artillery Computer
Chapter 752 New 155mm Howitzer and Artillery Computer
Boom boom boom!
The earth was trembling violently.
The distant barren mountains suffered an unexpected disaster; several huge targets marked with white lime powder were instantly engulfed by orange-red fireballs.
The explosion sounded like muffled thunder, and the rising smoke and dust mixed with gravel formed menacing gray-black mushroom clouds that shot straight into the sky.
The shockwave swept across, and even the explosion-proof glass inside a semi-buried concrete bunker several kilometers away was buzzing.
Zhang Chi stood in front of the observation window, put down his binoculars, looked at the devastating scene in the distance, and smiled with satisfaction.
"That's awesome, that's awesome!"
He turned around and looked at the burly general with a full beard behind him.
It is Xiong Minjing, the current Lieutenant General and Artillery Commander of the Nanyang National Defense Army.
This veteran, nicknamed "Mountain Cannon," followed Zhang Chi since the defeat of the expeditionary force, fighting his way out of the jungles of northern Burma. He was truly the number one artilleryman in Southeast Asia.
At this moment, this veteran, who had seen it all before, was flushed with excitement, rubbing his large hands together incessantly, and muttering to himself:
"Damn, this is what a real cannon is! This is what a real man should be doing!"
Compared to this thing, the 25-pound cannons and 105mm howitzers left behind by John are simply useless.
Another major general also applauded:
"This power is no less than Long-Legged Tom of the White Eagle!"
Standing next to Xiong Minjing was Lü Gaohan.
He was a member of the Nanyang Military Industry Committee and the chief engineer of the Yangon No. 1 Artillery Factory.
This guy is a real gem. In his early years, he was a key technical worker at the Jincheng Arsenal under the Jin warlords. He was an expert who had made imitations of Japanese mountain guns and field guns.
Later, when Jincheng fell, he fled all the way to the rear, and was eventually recruited by Zhang Chi's talent search network and taken to Southeast Asia.
"Commander-in-Chief, Commander Xiong." Lü Gaohan pushed up his glasses, his tone revealing the pride unique to a technician, "This is our newly finalized Type 47 155mm towed howitzer."
Those last few shots were fired with one-third of the propellant charge.
The target distance is 6 km, and the target dispersion error is less than 0.3%.
If a full propellant charge is used, the maximum range can reach 19.5 kilometers.
"More than 19 kilometers?!"
Xiong Minjing suddenly turned her head, her eyes wide open like saucers:
“Committee Member Lü, you’re not kidding me, are you?”
Our current imported M1 155mm howitzers from the US can only fire at a range of 14 or 15 kilometers at most. Your domestically produced version has suddenly surpassed the US's main artillery?
"Science doesn't lie, Commander." Lu Gaohan pointed to the cross-section on the blueprint and began to speak eloquently, "We've invested a lot in this cannon."
Thanks to the engineers from Hans and Italy that the President brought in, as well as those top-of-the-line deep hole drilling and hydraulic equipment from Schneider and Ansaldo plants.
This time, we've truly mastered the self-tightening technology of the tube.
"Self-control?" Xiong Minjing scratched his head. He was a master at sex, but he was completely baffled by these profound theories. "What is that?"
Zhang Chi interjected with a smile:
"Hey, you don't understand. This is the most advanced technology that only we currently possess."
Lü Gaohan picked up the conversation and patiently explained:
"Simply put, it means that before the cannon barrel is even made, you put an ultra-high pressure liquid inside it to cause the inner wall material to undergo plastic deformation and expand it a bit, but the outer wall remains elastic."
When the pressure is released, the outer wall will shrink back and tightly grip the inner wall.
In this way, even before the fire is lit, there is a force inside that pulls inward.
When the gunpowder gas is actually fired, the high pressure of the propellant gas rushes in, and this prestress just offsets part of the pressure.
The result is that the tubes can withstand higher chamber pressures, have thinner walls, are lighter, and have a longer lifespan.
"I see." Xiong Minjing suddenly realized, "It's like when we wear leg wraps, we have more strength when they're tight."
"The words may be rough, but the principle is sound." Lü Gaohan smiled. "Besides this, we also used a new hydraulic recoil device and a semi-automatic vertical wedge breechblock."
This gun has a barrel length of 32 times its caliber, which is much longer than the M1 currently in service with the White Eagle.
The total weight is kept under 7 tons, so our trucks can carry it.
The rate of fire can reach 6 rounds per minute, and the burst rate of fire can even reach 8 rounds per minute.
"Among current 155mm artillery, we're in the world's top tier."
Zhang Chi nodded, secretly making plans in his mind.
This cannon was actually a modified version of the M126 155mm howitzer, which was based on the M109 self-propelled howitzer of the War Thunder system, and combined with the long barrel technology of the later M185.
Although it doesn't have a self-propelled chassis as advanced as the M109, its core barrel technology and ballistic performance are absolutely dominant in 47 and for the next 5-10 years.
It's important to understand that the mainstays of the White Eagles are still the cumbersome long-range Tom and M1 rifles, whose range and mobility are far inferior to the Type 47.
"And this too."
Zhang Chi pointed to a precision instrument on the table next to him that looked like a large typewriter.
"Old Lu, introduce our 'master strategist' to Commander Xiong."
"Yes." Lu Gaohan walked to the instrument and lovingly stroked the knob on it. "Commander Xiong, this is our newly developed artillery ballistic calculation computer, specially designed to work with the new artillery."
"A computer?" Xiong Minjing leaned closer to take a look, her face full of doubt. "This thing can tell fortunes?"
"I'm bad at fortune telling, but I'm always right when it comes to predicting the fate of my enemies."
Lu Gaohan demonstrated, “In the past, when you fired cannons, you had to manually check the firing table, calculate the wind drift, calculate the temperature difference, and you had to use a slide rule for a long time.”
If you encounter complex terrain, you have to test fire several times to make corrections.
Now that we have this, all we need to do is input the target coordinates and weather data transmitted back by the scouts.
With a turn of its gears, cams, and linkages, and a quick calculation by the computer, it can directly provide firing data.
"High precision and high speed. I estimate that once your artillerymen are proficient in using them, reaction time in actual combat can be reduced by more than half."
This is actually an electronic computer with more specialized functions developed under the requirements of tension and relaxation.
Although it couldn't compare to the fully automated computing devices of later generations, in 47, this large box containing several transistors and complex circuits was absolutely a marvel.
It can directly improve the reaction speed of artillery in Southeast Asia to the level of the White Eagle artillery in the 60s of the Yuan Timeline.
"What a great thing!" Xiong Minjing's eyes lit up, and she wished she could hug the machine to her chest. "With this thing, I can fire cannons wherever I want, and I'll never hit a door frame instead of a window."
This is practically like giving cannons eyes.
Zhang Chi patted Xiong Minjing on the shoulder, his tone becoming serious:
"You, don't just focus on having fun."
This cannon is good, but someone has to know how to use it.
Although this computer is convenient, it requires soldiers with education to operate.
Go back and give me a good talking-to on training. Don't let the cannons end up being given to you and you end up using them as firewood.
Our artillery can no longer be the rough and ready type we used to be; it needs to be a technical branch.
"Don't worry, Commander-in-Chief." Xiong Minjing stood at attention and saluted, his face grim. "I'll set up a training class when I get back. If anyone can't learn this new thing, I'll send him to the mess hall to carry the big pot."
Our artillery in Southeast Asia will never disgrace you.
Zhang Chi turned to look at Lü Gaohan:
"Engineer Lü, how's the production capacity of these cannons?"