The Iron-Blooded Army of Beacon Fire

Chapter 302 Mortars and Helmets
The other officers expressed great enthusiasm for the MG34 machine gun they saw for the first time today. After the shooting performance, they all gathered around the MG34 machine gun with great interest. Some were playing with the barrel of the machine gun, and some were carrying it. While fiddling with the machine gun's tripod and anti-aircraft tripod, the test gunners patiently explained various combat functions of the MG34 machine gun to the officers.

The officers over there touched the guns and had great fun trying them out. On the other side, the business experience was presented, but He Wei directly asked Ding Lunshi about the price.

Facing He Wei's inquiry, Ding Lunshi wiped the sweat from his head and said after thinking for a moment: "Captain He, you have also seen that this gun is indeed a good gun, and the price must be expensive. These guns are squeeze guns from a small house store, and the original price they gave was 10,000 yuan.”

"Ten thousand oceans?"

He Wei asked, frowning slightly.

A Czech light machine gun costs NT$34, while this MG34 machine gun costs NT$, equivalent to five Czechs. Of course, in terms of combat performance, the MG must far exceed the Czech Type light machine gun, but after all, it was an ocean of yuan. Although He Wei was currently very rich, based on the principle of saving what he could, He Wei still did not agree immediately.

"Ten thousand oceans, this is a huge amount of money."

As soon as He Wei finished speaking, he saw Fatty Ding gritting his teeth with a look of embarrassment on his face and saying: "This small foreign company has offered this price, but I can keep the price down. I estimate that I can get up to five thousand."

"Oh? Five thousand?"

He Wei said in surprise, this is half less than the number from ten thousand to five thousand.

Fatty Ding nodded and said: "Captain He, I, Old Ding, have worked in a foreign bank for so many years, and I have not paid for it in vain. That foreign bank is not in good production and operation now, and the inventory cannot be sold at all. No matter what I say, I can't sell it." Relying on etiquette and foreign skills, I can still guarantee that I can bite a few stupid big noses. If I try harder, I think it will be okay to bite five thousand? "

He Wei showed a satisfied look, but he also had doubts in his heart. Logically speaking, people like Fatty Ding always put money first. The original price of a machine gun was 10,000 yuan. Even if he wanted to please himself, he would not cut the price. Halfway through, does this guy have other intentions?
A Czech model costs 34 yuan, and an MG costs yuan. This price can be said to be very reasonable and fair in today's China's imported arms market.

Just when He Wei was doubtful, Ding Lunshi approached He Wei again and said: "Captain He, I can also see that you are working for Minister He, and you are considered a big shot compared to me. You said before , These weapons were purchased by He Shaozhou, the nephew of Minister He, the commander of the 103rd Division. Of course, I want a lot of discounts on the price, but there is one thing I want to ask Commander He. "

This guy is really planning something!
He Wei said slowly: "But it doesn't matter?"

"Captain He, let me tell you the truth. Although I work for Lihe, I also have my own trading house and my own channels. Now Lihe is afraid that my time in China will be short, and I also need to find some The way out is that Minister He of the Ministry of Military Affairs is in charge of the ordnance replenishment business of the national army. If there is a need to purchase arms in the future, please ask Captain He to put in a good word for me and let me get some credit. "

"What do you mean? Aren't you doing a good job at Lihe Yangxing? Why did you say you don't want to do it again?"

He Wei asked.

"Well, it's not the big German nose that's causing the fuss. This German guy is now wearing the same pants as the Japanese. Just in the past few days, Lihe's senior executives sent a telegram from Germany, requesting that the branch in China be gradually reduced. As for China's arms business and military supplies-related business, I am mainly engaged in the arms business. When the Germans did this, they just put me in. The Germans can just pat their butts and leave, but I can't. I have to do it. Find a way out for yourself.”

Fatty Ding said, with a worried look on his face. He completely lost the calmness and calmness he had at the entrance of the camp just now. The smile and calmness he had at the entrance of the camp just now were actually fake.

After hearing what Fatty Ding said, He Wei immediately understood. It seems that Germany and Japan belong to the Axis camp, which has seriously affected the arms export business of Lihe, a German company, to China, and even has a tendency to suspend arms business in China. .

In fact, according to the normal historical trend, Germany will completely stop arms exports to China in less than half a year at most. At the same time, all consultants serving in the Chinese military and National Government will be withdrawn from the country, completely completing the decoupling from China. Further opened the curtain of history.

Fatty Ding, who is mainly engaged in the arms business, probably felt a career crisis because of this, and wanted to leave a way out for himself to work alone. Therefore, in order to sell well for himself, he got along with Minister He, so he greatly lowered the price of the equipment. .

In this regard, He Wei was naturally happy to make a promise to Fatty Ding. First of all, he did a good job in purchasing weapons on his behalf. It could be said that he did it quickly and well, so he should give him some empty promises.

Secondly, the tide has been rising for He Wei recently. Although he borrowed the name of Minister He when he first came into contact with Fatty Ding, now the tiger skin and the big flag are becoming more and more real, and He Wei doesn't mind bringing Ding into the spotlight at the right time. The fat man introduced him to Minister He and made a fake show.

"Don't worry, I will recommend Brother Ding to Minister He when necessary. After all, we will have to come and go frequently in the future, and it is inevitable that Brother Ding will be busy doing some things on our behalf. Of course, there are indispensable benefits."

He Wei said, Fatty Ding was overjoyed when he heard this, and said repeatedly: "It's easy to say, easy to say, Captain He, this time I brought not only machine guns, but also 60 mortars. These guns were also brought by another company." I found a backlog of inventory in a foreign company. Like this batch of machine guns, they are all unsellable overstock. I can also negotiate the price of this batch of cannons, which can cost 500 yuan a piece. I also brought the cannons. I’ll give you a test shot right away!”

When He Wei said these words, Fatty Ding seemed happy, and he danced and asked people to move a few boxes from the truck.

The MG34 machine gun has been displayed, and the next natural thing to be displayed is the mm mortar.

This fat man is indeed very capable. What he got for He Wei was the original French Brand Company Mle1935 mm mortar. In addition to a sample gun that he brought for test firing, Fatty Ding also brought He Wei Received a complete set of artillery operating manuals and artillery firing charts.

As a result, the ensuing 34mm mortar demonstration shooting quickly attracted the officers' attention and eyeballs from the MG machine gun.

Boom
Amidst the rumbling explosions, flying shrapnel and smoke, this light mortar, which can be called a classic of World War II light mortars, quickly demonstrated its excellent performance for the officers present.

The caliber of this artillery is 60 mm, the muzzle velocity is 15 8 m/s, the maximum range is 1840 meters, the minimum range is 91 meters, the direction range is 14 degrees, the height range is 40~85 degrees, the maximum shooting speed can reach 30 rounds per minute. The entire gun consists of a gun body, a gun mount, a seat plate and a sight.

The gun mount is a bipod and the seat plate is square. It adopts the design of smooth bore, muzzle loading and impact launch. It is equipped with a variety of ammunition types, including anti-personnel grenades, white phosphorus smoke grenades and illumination bombs, and solid cast iron warheads. Coach plays.

The test-fired gunner He Wei and others demonstrated the assembly and disassembly of the 60mm mortar, the carrying method, the formation and organization of the gun crew, and various combat shooting subjects in sequence at the shooting range.

The shooting subjects include shooting at fixed targets and cluster targets, echelon barrage shooting with gradually increasing ranges from the nearest range to the farthest range, as well as smoke release shooting and flare illumination shooting.

In short, the shooting procedures of various types of ammunition and various subjects were all demonstrated.

Officers are also very satisfied with the combat performance of the Brand mortar. They are even more interested in this mortar than the MG34 machine gun. Although the combat performance of the MG34 is very amazing, it is not in the current equipment system of the Chinese army. , the existing various models of light and heavy machine guns are actually sufficient for use.

But if this 60mm mortar can be equipped into the army, it will really completely fill the gap in direct-fire firearms for first-level units of the Chinese army's company and platoon.

The 50mm grenade launched by the Japanese army to the infantry squad level once caused the Chinese army to suffer heavy losses on the battlefield. However, the Chinese army did not have the same level of countermeasures. However, the 60mm grenade launched in front of everyone today However, it showed a combat performance that far exceeded the Japanese grenade launcher.

Even the Type 1840 grenade with the best performance equipped by the Japanese army has a range of only about meters, while the range of the Brand mm mortar is as high as meters, far exceeding the range of the Japanese Type grenade. Grenadier.

This also means that when attacking light and heavy machine gun positions, the Japanese grenadier must advance to the effective range of the grenade under enemy fire before firing, but the 60mm mortar can rely on A longer range for long-distance attacks has a greater guarantee for the gunner's safety.

The power of the 60mm mortar shell is also greater. Compared with the grenade shot by the grenade, which is slightly more powerful than the hand grenade, the charge of the 60mm mortar shell is much higher, and it has a certain Ability to destroy light protective fortifications.

Of course, the most attractive thing about this mortar to He Wei and a group of officers is its shooting method, shooting aiming tools and shooting accuracy. Its shooting method and shooting aiming tools rely on the mortar's tripod, the steering gear and the height of the machine. With shooting table and dedicated sights.

The range control and aiming of artillery during shooting can be controlled by these specialized machines, and can be quantified more accurately. The benefit of this is naturally the simplicity of training.

On the other hand, the Japanese grenade is not equipped with a tripod, which means there is no support for shooting, and there is no special height machine and direction machine. Whether it can hit the target during shooting depends entirely on the shooter's experience and training level. The barrel's firing range adjustment relies on changing the chamber pressure by an adjusting rod to control the distance of firing.

The shooting principle of mortars is to install a primer at the center of the tail of the shell, and a propellant packet is wrapped around the primer. After the shell enters the barrel, the primer collides with the firing pin and ignites the propellant. The propellant gas pushes the shell away from the barrel. The gunner's control of the range mainly depends on the number of mortar ammunition packages placed and the pitch angle of the gun body.

The shooting tables required for different ranges of the 60mm mortar have been compiled by the factory before the artillery leaves the factory. This also means that the gunner can master the shooting according to the fixed operating mode and fixed parameters during normal training. Technology is much better than the grenade's fixation on shooting and combat experience. It can be said that this kind of weapon is perfect for filling the gaps in the company- and platoon-level direct firepower of the Chinese army. This 60mm-level mortar has great vitality as a company- and platoon-level direct fire support firearm. Even in later generations, the armies of many countries were equipped with more advanced sixty-mm-class mortars to serve as company and platoon support firepower.

The armies of some countries with relatively backward equipment are even still equipped with 60mm mortars from the Second World War. Therefore, this lightweight 60mm mortar can be said to have gone up and down several times in the history of weapons and equipment and has endured for a long time.

After the test firing, the officers praised this new mortar one after another, and He Wei was very satisfied with it. Therefore, he also ended the on-site test firing and inspection process, and happily decided to purchase this batch of MG34 and Brand sixty mm mortars.

Of course, in order to better arm his Army Commando Corps, in addition to these sophisticated murder weapons, He Wei also needs to purchase a lot of non-combat equipment.

A well-equipped army, the so-called well-equipped, is not only sophisticated in weapons, but other aspects are also very important. Therefore, He Wei also wants to buy a batch of combat vests and helmets for his troops. The functions of combat vests are natural. Needless to say, he equipped his own spy battalion when he was in Jinling.

This integrated combat vest designed by He Wei himself is not the least bit more convenient than the coarse cloth bullet belts and chest-mounted grenade bags commonly used by the national army.

During the Battle of Jinling, the officers and soldiers of the special agent battalion were full of praise for the combat vest designed by He Wei. He Wei said without hesitation that he would equip his assault team with it.

As for steel helmets, let alone their functions. The types of steel helmets currently worn by the national army are actually quite complicated.

But if we take He Wei's Central Army as an example, most of the troops wearing helmets wear M35 helmets made in Germany. Although these helmets are very good, in the fierce war of resistance for several months, both frontline troops The helmets, or the helmets in stock in the warehouse of the Military and Administrative Department are all consumed a lot.

The arsenal of the national army is not yet able to mass-produce steel helmets on its own, so it can be said that the number of helmets is one piece and one piece less.

In fact, historically, the Military and Administrative Department of the National Army has stopped issuing helmets to frontline troops since 1938 due to excessive inventory consumption, and has only issued military caps.

As a result, millions of National Army soldiers can only protect their homes and country with their own flesh and blood with completely exposed head protection. Fragmentary injuries caused by bombing and shelling have become the main cause of combat casualties for the National Army.

He Weike never wanted his soldiers to go to the battlefield to fight the Japanese without protection, so he must buy a steel helmet!

As for this batch of non-combat equipment, He Wei also intended to hand it over to Ding Lunshi for purchase, which could be regarded as a reward for his meritorious service in purchasing, allowing him to benefit more.

So after the mortar test firing, the officers followed the entourage and gunners who came with Ding Lunshi with great interest. He Wei pulled Ding Lunshi aside again and asked: "What happened to you this time?" It was done very well. I gave you this batch of arms to purchase, but there is still a batch of things. I wonder if you can handle the procurement? "

As soon as He Wei said this, Ding Lunshi's eyes lit up, he nodded repeatedly and said: "Yes, yes, yes, as long as you say it, I will do my best to handle it for you."

"Well, yes, the first thing I want is not difficult. It is a tactical vest, which is what soldiers wear when fighting. It is used to hold grenades and bullet canteens. I have ready-made samples and drawings here. , you just need to follow the instructions, I want five thousand sets, and they need good military uniform materials, can you accept it? "

"That's no problem. Leave it to me. Military uniforms are very easy to make. I've done military uniform business before, but I don't know what else Captain He needs besides this military uniform business?"

Dean asked.

"Can you get a steel helmet? It's a steel helmet made in Germany, the kind with ear protection that the sentry at our gate wore just now."

After He Wei finished speaking, Ding Lunshi hesitated for a moment and then said: "But what kind of 35 steel helmets are made in Germany?"

"As expected, he is an expert. This is the M35 steel helmet. I need to purchase German steel helmets. Can you get it?"

Ding Lunshi did not answer immediately this time, but walked around and thought for a while before saying to He Wei: "Captain He, if you need to purchase imported helmets, it's not that I can't do it, but it takes a lot of time and freight. Not small."

"Oh? Why did you say that?"

"What you don't know is that the price and shipping speed of the machine guns and mortars I purchased for you are good because this batch of arms is the overstock of other foreign companies stored in the country, so it can be shipped quickly, but this batch of weapons is produced in Germany. There is no inventory of steel helmets in China. Most of those foreign companies are hoarding arms. No one will stock up on this thing. If I help you buy it, this helmet is manufactured in Germany and then shipped and shipped to China. No matter in terms of cost or cost, It takes a long time, and I personally don’t recommend purchasing imported helmets.”

"Actually, factories in Hong Kong and Guangzhou can also produce this type of German steel helmet. The price is cheap, the shipment volume is large, and the delivery time is fast. Captain He may wish to consider it."

Ding Lunshi said.

Ding Lunshi's words quickly aroused He Wei's interest. In He Wei's impression, most of the Chinese army's helmets seemed to be imported. What about the domestic helmets Ding Lunshi mentioned?

After Ding Lunshi's explanation, He Wei understood that it turned out that the country did have the ability to mass-produce helmets, but the factory that produced helmets was not in the mainland, nor was it within the sphere of influence of the National Government, but in Guangdong Province and the United Kingdom. controlled Hong Kong Island.

It turns out that due to the developed economy of Guangdong Province and its proximity to Hong Kong Island, its ironworking technology is strong. There is a manufacturing factory in Guangzhou named Jiehe that has the ability to mass-produce steel helmets. Most of the helmets it produces are imitations of Tony helmets and German helmets. The "pure steel bulletproof helmet" in the shape of an M35 helmet has almost no difference in appearance from the original product.

At present, as the Anti-Japanese War is booming, Jiehe's manufacturing factory has moved to Hong Kong Island. Jiehe's helmet business is even more prosperous. Jiehe factory simply prepares a large amount of ready stock and stores it in the warehouse. There is no need to negotiate a delivery date when ordering, and you can directly pick up the goods after paying. , the Guangdong Army's troops purchased a large number of steel helmets produced by Jiehe Steel Factory to equip their troops.

Some imaginative leaders of the Central Military Forces will also find ways to get money to purchase domestically produced steel helmets from Jiehe to equip their troops. Ding Lunshi did a business not long ago.

Leng Xin, the commander of the Third Preparatory Division of the Central Army, was setting up the army. In order to distribute helmets to the troops, Leng Xin managed to take advantage of the army and withheld a large amount of money to find a way out. He asked Ding Lunshi to buy helmets. Lunshi also took the money and took a trip to Hong Kong Island. Soon after, all the newly formed infantry divisions of the Central Army were equipped with steel helmets.

The quality of the helmets produced by Jiehe Factory is also quite good. Although it cannot be compared with the original products from Germany, it is considered to be durable and durable. The most important thing is that it is shipped quickly and the price is cheap.

According to Ding Lunshi, the original M35 steel helmet imported from Germany, not counting shipping costs, costs twelve yuan in French currency, while the counterfeit version produced by Jiehe, including the cost and shipping, costs just as much as one helmet. But four yuan of French currency.

Therefore, after comprehensive consideration, the counterfeit helmet produced by Jiehe is the most suitable and can arrive as quickly as possible. Therefore, Ding Lunshi also strongly recommended that He Wei buy a domestic helmet instead.

He Wei thought about it and changed his mind, instead ordering domestic helmets. At the same time, he increased the purchase quantity due to the lower unit price, and decided to increase the purchase quantity to 6,000 helmets.

Finally, in the camp of the Army Commando Corps, He Wei and Ding Lunshi reached an ordering contract. This ordering contract involved the purchase of weapons and equipment, including 34 MG1935s with a full set of spare parts and spare guns. Three hundred tubes, three million rounds of various machine gun bullets, one hundred French-made Bronde Mle mm mortars, rounds of various types of mm artillery shells, one hundred sets of spare parts, and tactical vests Five thousand sets and six thousand helmets.

After the order was completed, He Wei ordered military supplier Li Youcai to advance a batch of deposits and gave them to Ding Lunshi.

He Wei did not spend the cash currency that had a strong ability to preserve value first. Instead, he gave priority to the check of 500,000 French currency that General Xiao had given to him before. He Wei would only pay the balance in cash currency that exceeded the 500,000 yuan. .

The transaction amount of this order was also extremely astonishing. Not only was the 500,000 French currency given to him by General Xiao spent, but the cash in He Wei's hand also cost more than 300,000. The originally extremely thick pocket was instantly deflated. .

However, He Wei didn't feel bad because he spent all the money on the army. He thought it was well spent and well worth the money.

When this order is completed, the basic equipment of the Army Assault Corps has also been settled. Next, He Wei will start to draw up the detailed establishment list of the army and start to form a training unit, which will also be put on the agenda.

(End of this chapter)