Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 242: Caliber is Truth

Inside the car, Chen Chengxing touched the sharp cut.

The RPG shell hit the armored train, creating a hole more than the size of a finger.

There are also many defects on the inner wall of the armor. This is because when the jet penetrates the armor, the residual kinetic energy causes the inner wall of the armor to collapse.

The fragments that splashed everywhere and the penetrating jets that collapsed were the main causes of casualties.

Of course, not all of the Japanese soldiers lying on the ground were killed directly by the fragments. Some of them were killed after being injured.

Xu Wu looked at the several thumb-sized holes on the carriage, then looked at the launcher in Wen Yingti's hand, his eyes full of confusion.

"How could this be possible? Even the infantry guns couldn't penetrate it, but a small gun like this could penetrate it? And with just these few small holes, it could have wiped out all the Japanese soldiers in an entire carriage?"

Xu Wu said that he had never seen such a thing before and he simply couldn't understand it.

"This is the power of knowledge, Xu Wu, you need to study harder," said Chen Chengxing.

Hearing the word "study", Xu Wu's eyes immediately became clear and he no longer had any doubts.

"Captain, I'll keep an eye on the outside. The soldiers may not be able to clean up thoroughly, so don't miss any treasures!"

Xu Wu left after he finished speaking, and even ran after he got out of the car.

Study? You might as well do some embroidery!

Seeing Xu Wu running away, Chen Chengxing didn't care. He knew very well what kind of people these guys from the New Second Regiment were.

Let them fight the Japs to the death without even frowning.

But if you ask them to pick up a pen and sit there quietly to study, that pen is heavier than a mortar.

However, Chen Chengxing had no intention of letting Xu Wu go. He really needed a chief of staff to help him.

After all, someone has to take the pen, right?
"This anti-tank weapon is very successful. Next, we can have a separate team produce it."

"But in the early stage, the main focus is on training workers, so the quantity does not need to be too large. It is enough to ensure that there are about a hundred rounds in stock."

Chen Chengxing explained to Wen Ying that the arsenal's main business is still bullets and mortar shells.

Chen Chengxing also went to see the two warheads that had not exploded successfully.

It should be because of the angle that the fuse did not trigger.

This is not a problem that the New Second Regiment can solve now, so we can only produce in this way for now.

"I understand." Wen Ying nodded.

The Japanese had very few tanks, and most of them were outside the Great Wall.

Although there are many light tanks in North China, the chance of encountering tanks is very small even in the Hebei-Central Military Region.

If the troops stationed in the county dare to apply for tanks to go to the countryside to wipe out the Eighth Route Army, they will get nothing except a few big bags.

"But this weapon must have a name, right?" Wen Ying asked.

"Isn't our rifle called the Type 40 semi-automatic rifle? Let's call this the Type 40 mm rocket launcher, or rocket for short."

"From now on, all weapons developed independently by Erlangdong will be called Type 71," Chen Chengxing added.

"Battle launcher?" Wen Ying looked at the launcher in his hand, not knowing what to say.

She knew about rockets, after all, the Japanese had rocket launchers.

Although the Japanese did not use it on the New Second Regiment, Wen Ying also understood the principles of rocket launchers.

However, the anti-tank weapon in my hand has nothing to do with rockets.

According to the articles she read in Yan'an, it seems more appropriate to call it a recoilless gun?

"Just call it a rocket launcher, it can confuse the Japanese." Chen Chengxing said.

"Okay, whatever you like." Wen Ying said helplessly.

It's just a name anyway. Calling it a bazooka doesn't mean it can really spit fire.

The two checked several other gaps and found that they were similar, then walked out of the car.

After leaving the carriage, Wen Ying looked up and saw that the soldiers were trying to forcibly dismantle the base of the Japanese heavy artillery.

The gun bases of armored trains are welded directly to the carriages.

"Wait!" Wen Ying hurried over to stop them.

"Don't tear down the pedestal. Let me take a look first."

"By the way, don't move the locomotive and the generator!" Wen Ying shouted.

These things are treasures to the arsenal and cannot be dismantled randomly.

When disassembling, it is necessary to mark them properly, as they will have to be reassembled after being transported back.

Apart from anything else, the large steam engine on the locomotive is the equipment that the arsenal is in urgent need of.

With it, whether it is generating electricity or modifying steam forging hammers, it can play a vital role in the arsenal.

After Wen Ying made the markings and drew a simple diagram, the soldiers of the engineering company began to dismantle the base.

Seeing Wenying finish the task at hand, Chen Chengxing said, "Wenying, look at these train axles."

The Japanese armored train was modified from the chassis of a freight train, and the axles of the standard gauge were much longer and thicker than the axles of the previous narrow gauge trains.

"You still want to make a mortar?" Wen Ying took a look at the axle and understood Chen Chengxing's idea.

"But this axle is a bit thin. If we want to build a 150mm mortar, we only have these six locomotive axles."

When converting a train axle into a mortar, one should not look at the thickest part but the thinnest part.

The axles used on train locomotives are not only more numerous than those on ordinary carriages, but are also much thicker.

"150mm? No, no, no, I'm thinking 120mm." Chen Chengxing shook his head. The six axles on the locomotive were thick enough to accommodate a 6mm mortar, but they were far from long enough.

No matter how well it is used, the length of the gun barrel will not exceed 1.7 meters. If the gun barrel is shorter, the range will be seriously reduced.

Although the Soviet Union had a 160mm mortar, its barrel was 4 meters long, which ensured a range of 5 kilometers.

However, these axles would be suitable for producing 120mm mortars.

Chen Chengxing had even selected the type of mortar at the research institute.

Type 64 120mm mortar has a barrel length of 1.55 meters, a total weight of 174 kilograms, and a maximum range of 5500 meters.

It is just right as a regimental heavy mortar.

Moreover, the 120mm mortar shells can effectively destroy the Japanese field fortifications.

As for those earthen turrets, they can be destroyed directly by one shot.

"120 mm? Ordinary axles can do it, but motorcycle axles can't." Wen Ying shook his head repeatedly.

"I know how to make a 150mm mortar, but I still need to develop a 120mm mortar."

"And the power of a 150mm mortar is much greater than that of a 120mm mortar."

Wen Ying still had no intention of giving up the 150mm mortar.

Long before the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Gongxian Arsenal, Huayin Arsenal and Shenyang Arsenal were all able to produce 150mm mortars.

The Taiyuan Arsenal of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army also produced 150mm mortars, but production was stopped after the Central Plains War.

Moreover, Wen Ying learned from the newspaper that the Kuomintang can now produce 150mm mortars, and even the numbers have been determined, the Type 29 150mm mortar.

In Wen Ying's opinion, caliber represents truth.

Chen Chengxing looked at Wen Ying with a serious face and felt a little helpless. He didn't know how to change her mind now.

But on second thought, I felt that it didn't matter. There were so many axles now, and the New Second Regiment would not be able to use them all in a short period of time.

If she wants to create it, let her create it. It’s better to have it than not to have it.

"It's fine if you want to produce 150mm mortars, but the research and development and production of 120mm mortars cannot be put aside," said Chen Chengxing.

The 120mm mortar is what Chen Chengxing is most concerned about.

"Row!"

With Wen Ying's nod, the research progress of the institute officially began.

Chen Chengxing also casually threw all five research papers up, increasing the speed fivefold.

“By the way, you also have to solve the problem of the gun mount for the heavy artillery captured this time,” Chen Chengxing added.

The heavy artillery on the armored train has its gun mounts welded to the carriages. Even if they can be removed, they cannot be used on land and must be modified.

After hearing what Chen Chengxing said, Wen Ying felt overwhelmed.

"These cannons are so heavy that it is impossible to tow them with mules and horses. We need a special tractor." Wen Ying said.

Not to mention repairing the heavy artillery on the gun mount, just removing the gun barrel would be difficult to transport back to Dayun Mountain.

According to Wen Ying's estimation, whether it is a 75mm anti-aircraft gun or a 105mm cannon.

The weight after the gun mount is reinstalled is at least 3.5 tons.

Such a heavy weight would kill the horses, and they would not be able to pull the vehicle.

"You can equip the gun mount first. I already have an idea about the towing." Chen Chengxing said.

When he was at the arsenal before, Chen Chengxing looked at the captured trucks and motorcycles and had an idea.

It was just interrupted by a sudden telegram from the division headquarters.

"Okay." Wen Ying agreed reluctantly.

On the other side, just as night fell, Qin Sheng also led the fourth battalion and quietly arrived near Niuzhuang.

On the top of the mountain, Qin Sheng and his group were carefully observing the situation at the station.

Niuzhuang Station is the first station after the Tongpu Railway passes through Fu'an, and the distance between them is about 5 kilometers.

Its terrain is steep and it is an important node in the Japanese blockade of the Zhongyun Mountains, and also a distribution center for supplies for the Japanese mopping-up troops.

During this major raid, an important task of the New Second Regiment was to capture Niuzhuang Station.

As long as this place is cut off, the Japanese troops stationed in Mongolia will not be able to use trains to quickly support the hinterland of Shanxi.

This could buy enough time for the main force to attack Zhengtai Road.

Niuzhuang Station is generally composed of three villages, which are commonly known as Niutou Village, Niu Village and Niuwei Village by the locals.

The Japanese military camp was located in Niu Village in the middle.

According to intelligence, there were not many enemy troops stationed in the station, only less than a squadron of Japanese soldiers and about two hundred puppet troops.

Moreover, the station is surrounded by simple fortifications such as barbed wire and sandbags.

Qin Sheng felt that the 4th Battalion should be able to easily destroy the railway facilities and stations.

However, after the Japanese built Niuzhuang Station, they built several large bunkers on the cliff north of the station, and a small group of Japanese were stationed here.

The bunker is located on a high place and can control an area of 800 meters around Niuzhuang Station using machine guns.

Only by capturing the group of bunkers can the attack on the station be carried out smoothly.

Seeing that the situation was consistent with the intelligence, Qin Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and decided to take a two-pronged approach, attacking the station and the bunker group at the same time.

"All units, act according to the established combat plan!"

(End of this chapter)