Chapter 56 Mortar

Zhao Dongyun couldn't believe that what he saw was a mortar, because it didn't look like a mortar. With the thick barrel and a diameter of almost 200 mm, this is a mortar. This is simply a mortar commonly equipped in all countries.

On the other side, Kurt said to Zhao Dongyun with a proud look: "In order to design this mortar, we have referred to a number of mortars in active use in various countries. Our mortar can get a larger range and a higher rate of fire when paying the same gun weight, and we expect that if we fire The limit on gun weight has been relaxed..."

However, before he finished speaking, Zhao Dongyun interrupted him: "Mr. Schmidt, I have no doubt about your ability to design artillery. This mortar in front of you, no, the mortar looks really good, but this powerful mortar is not suitable for the current needs of our army!"

Kurt said, "What does Mr. Zhao mean?"

Zhao Dongyun said: "In our army, long-range strikes of more than 3,000 meters will be handled by 57 mm or 75 mm artillery, and infantry fire support within 500 meters will be handled by machine guns. However, what we lack now is a support gunfire that can be between 500 meters and 3,000 meters.

In addition to the requirements for range, we also require the new artillery to have a large-angle trajectory, so that our shells can directly hit the enemy behind the bunkers and fortifications.

After satisfying the range and large-angle curvature ability, it is also very important that we require the artillery to have the ability to accompany infantry combat. In the march, it can be carried or towed by horses, but in wartime, it must have the ability to move quickly, that is to say, its weight must be controlled within a certain range, so that soldiers can lead the gun to quickly transfer and build positions with their bare hands!

Of course, I know that the requirements for fast maneuvering are a little difficult for a gun, but my suggestion is that if the weight of the heavy gun cannot be controlled, it can be designed to several parts that can be maneuvered independently and quickly assembled during combat.

Zhao Dongyun's words are based on some basic concepts of mortars in his previous life.

At this time, Kurt has forgotten a little dissatisfaction and took out a notebook and pen to record quickly from nowhere. After Zhao Dongyun finished speaking, Kurt has already integrated Zhao Dongyun's detailed performance requirements.

"It is not a big problem to have a range of 3,000 meters and the ability to curve at a large angle. It is only required that manual handling and horse transportation can be carried out after separation, so that the combined weight of each new artillery must be controlled within 30 kg, and the weight of the whole gun should not exceed 100 kg. This is a big problem!"

Zhao Dongyun is still a little worried about Kurt and others, so that they will treat the mortars as mortars again, so Zhao Dongyun once again stressed: "What we want is not a heavy artillery to capture the enemy fortress, but a light and fast-mobilized infantry support gun!"

Then he took out Kurt's notebook and pen, and then drew a brief picture according to the mortar in his memory. In order to avoid Kurt and others not being unable to understand, this time he specially drew a picture of the gun barrel, gun rack and gun base separately, and marked the general length, width and high data.

In Kurt's opinion, the design drawings drawn by Zhao Dongyun are full of mistakes, and even those data are paradoxical. However, he is also very clear that Zhao Dongyun is not going to give him a complete design drawing, but to give him a new artillery design scheme.

In order to make the simple artillery, such as mortar, quickly be introduced and strengthen the artillery support ability of his army, Zhao Dongyun took the trouble to explain to Kurt and several other engineers around him this time. Even in order to take care of Kurt, a German language understanding ability, he did not use Chinese. Instead, it is explained in German.

"Gentlemen, in order to obtain a faster rate of fire, the artillery adopts the front-loading method. If there is not much error, it is no problem to fire ten shells a minute. In addition, in order to prevent secondary loading, I suggest designing a small design to prevent repeated loading. I don't think this small problem will be difficult for you, gentlemen!" Zhao Dongyun said as he spoke, and the pen in his hand continued to write.

He drew a line out of the position of the barrel, and then wrote a device to prevent repeated loading, followed by a small question mark.

"In order to further reduce the production difficulty of artillery, we do not need to produce our own gun barrel. Because the barrel of the gun is short and the barrel pressure is extremely low compared with traditional artillery, we can completely adopt civil-grade seamless steel pipe for use as gun barrel after slight modification, so as to effectively reduce the barrel of artillery Ben.

And in the design of shells, we don't need to use expensive steel shell bodies, but cast iron shells, so that we can reduce the price of shells!"

Among the few people present, Zhao Chenbin is a pure businessman. He only came to accept Zhao Dongyun's instructions on business, and he couldn't interrupt Zhao Dongyun and Kurt's technical discussion of mortars at all, so he had to stay alone.

And the other Lin Yongquan is the same. He is a pure soldier and an infantry officer. He doesn't know much about artillery, let alone let him discuss mortars.

Look at these two people, I look at you, you look bored!

However, at this time, Zhao Dongyun and others seemed to have entered the ** discussion. At this time, Kurt also took over the drawings drawn by Zhao Dongyun, but the pen in his hand said, "According to the tactical needs you mentioned by Mr. Zhao, the weight of this artillery is the most important. If you want to control the weight at 100 Within kilograms, the length of the barrel must be less than 1.5 meters and the caliber less than 80 mm. If an ordinary seamless steel pipe is used, the weight of a gun barrel is expected to be controlled at about 30 kg.

After controlling the weight of the barrel, the frame supporting the barrel is made of iron, and the weight is estimated to be about 25 kg. Then this gun seat needs to offset the recoil of about 80 mm of shells, so the overall weight should also be about 30 kg!"

With the words of these people, the general design points of this mortar will soon be integrated, that is, the three-in-one assembly method of scaffold, barrel and gun base. At the same time, the caliber is scheduled to be between 80 mm and 85 mm, and the overall weight is controlled within 100 kg.

At this time, this mortar, which has not even been designed in detail, has its preliminary tactical positioning, that is, the battalion-level support artillery.

"If this artillery is used to support an infantry battalion, only six guns are enough to cover the whole battalion!"

At this time, a young voice sounded: "If the caliber of this mortar is reduced to 50 mm to 60 mm, the weight is expected to be reduced to less than 40 kilograms, or even further reduced to 30 kilograms!" In this case, can it meet the mobility requirements of infantry platoons and companies?

When Zhao Dongyun heard this, he secretly said in his heart that this man's mind was active. I hadn't revealed the mouth of the small-caliber mortar. He thought of it first.

So I couldn't help looking at the young man carefully. This person is not a foreigner, but the only Chinese among the five engineers present today. He looks at most 20 years old. He is not wearing an ordinary Chinese horse coat and robe, but a black suit, just the one behind his head. The braid silently declares his identity to the world

At this time, seeing Zhao Dongyun paying attention to the young man he brought, Zhao Chenbin immediately leaned over Zhao Dongyun's ear and said, "This is Xu Lihua. He has worked in Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau before and is good at machines!"

Although I don't know what Xu Lihua's real ability is, since he can be brought to Baoding by Kurt as an assistant today, it is obvious that he still has some technical ability. Considering that there are too few skilled Chinese people these days, Zhao Dongyun can't help but love talent, thinking that if this person is really capable, he might as well give him a chance.

So he said, "Oh, Mr. Xu's idea is very interesting. Let's talk about it!"

Xu Li looked excited and said, "Although the weight of the mortar of about 80 mm is relatively light, it continues to reduce the formula to between 50 and 60 mm, and the weight can be further reduced. At that time, it may even be reduced to a lower weight of the specific machine gun, so as to achieve a real mobile attack with the rifle! "

Zhao Dongyun nodded: "This is true, so you have added the design of small-caliber mortars to the plan!"

Although Xu Lihua did not know what the tactical effect of the 60mm mortar was, it made him extremely happy to hear Zhao Dongyun agree with him.

However, in fact, even Zhao Dongyun himself did not understand the tactical positioning of the 60mm mortar for a period of time, or he did not know whether this 60mm mortar can be used today's tactical needs.

The equipment of any weapon must be subject to the overall tactical arrangement. For example, Zhao Dongyun wants machine guns, * or even 80mm mortars. These weapons can easily find their own tactical positioning in today's Beiyang army, such as heavy machine guns, which are completely to resist the enemy's intensive The tactical positioning configured for charging, such as *, is also very easy to find, that is, the firepower strike before hand-to-hand combat in close combat. Whether it is still a wave* against the enemy who charges, or throws * into the enemy's trenches when the charge is almost the same, the purpose is the same.

And the tactical positioning of the 80mm mortar in today's Beiyang army is also quite clear, that is, to serve as medium-range fire support for battalion-level troops, which strictly belongs to the positioning of artillery.

However, Zhao Dongyun has not carefully considered the 60mm mortar before. According to the tactical positioning of later generations, this weapon is a company-level infantry support weapon, which is mainly used to attack the enemy's front firepower points and fortifications.

In addition, in World War II, where machine guns were rampant in later generations, the main tactical function of mortars and projectiles between 50mm and 60mm was to remove the enemy's machine gun firepower and suppress the enemy's infantry firepower. However, the above tactics are based on modern loose tactics, and whether this tactic can play a role in today's intensive charging tactics rampant in various countries is another way.

Of course, it's better than nothing. It can only be said that the effect is not as obvious as during World War II.

In addition, if it can really be made out, I'm afraid Zhao Dongyun will have to waste many brain cells to write tactical guidance documents in order to use this weapon.