Chapter 151: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 151 New Type Tank

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

While Lv Muzhi was opening his pocket watch to look at a photo, Qiu Qingquan walked over: "Commander Lu, the supplies from the Southwest have arrived! Deputy Commander Zhang Zhizhong is organizing the soldiers to receive them."

"Come on, let's go take a look!"

Lv Muzhi put away his son's photo and went to the train station with Qiu Qingquan.

Inside the train station, a large number of soldiers had already gathered, and Zhang Zhizhong personally received this batch of supplies and reinforcements from the Southwest.

Seeing Lv Muzhi arrive, Zhang Zhizhong stepped forward and said: "Weiyue, this train hasn't stopped at all; supplies are being delivered endlessly!"

"Without these supplies, who knows how rampant the devils would be now!" Qiu Qingquan said, then stepped forward to open a long box, inside which was an M2 Browning Heavy Machine Gun.

"Our consumption in this fight isn't small either; we must replenish urgently."

Zhang Zhizhong looked at the supply list: "Just the bullets for light and heavy machine guns, over five million rounds have been delivered here in these past two days."

Lv Muzhi also pried open a bullet box, inside which was full of bullets.

"To completely win this Battle of Songhu, to be honest, just the consumption of my Youth Army alone would be tens of millions of rounds."

Zhang Zhizhong nodded; that was indeed true. This time five million rounds were delivered. Calculating based on the Youth Army's fifty thousand men, that averages to one hundred rounds per man (of course, these fifty thousand men are not all armed).

Five million rounds aren't considered many for the Youth Army.

Not to mention the Youth Army is equipped with a large amount of automatic firepower, so supplies from the rear must be delivered endlessly.

Fortunately, the firearms production lines started early, and bullet production over these years has been more than enough every year. Plus, with the modification of the Fengtian Arsenal's bullet production equipment, over eight hundred million rounds of various types can be produced in a year alone. Added to the bullets stockpiled in the warehouses from the past few years without war, there are enough to fight several major campaigns.

"Report to Commander Lu, Deputy Director Li Yingfang of the Southwest Development Bureau has completed the supply escort mission!"

The Southwest Development Bureau is the department coordinating industrial and mining development work in the Southwest region. The director is Lv Muzhi's wife Zhu Sanxiang, and the deputy director is this middle-aged man named Li Yingfang before them.

Lv Muzhi slightly raised his hand and returned a salute: "You've worked hard, Deputy Director Li. You've gone through much trouble for this escort mission."

Qiu Qingquan had stayed in the Southwest for quite a while and had also met Li Yingfang. He smiled: "When did it become your turn, Director Li, to escort supplies? You're a great doctorate who studied in the United States!"

Li Yingfang shook his head with a wry smile and looked at the several commanders before him: "Commanders, please don't tease me. The supplies transported this time are very important; how could I not come?"

Lv Muzhi asked: "My new tanks should have arrived by now, right?"

Li Yingfang nodded: "Yes. We used the chassis of the T Tank to improve several tank models, and this time we brought two types of tanks."

Saying this, Li Yingfang led Lv Muzhi and the others to another platform at the train station, where a military train was already stopped.

This military train was different from the one carrying firearms and bullets; the train cars were not all flatcars, but rather tanks were parked on the train cars one by one.

Lv Muzhi said a word to his attendant, who lowered his head and quickly left.

"According to Commander Lu's requirements, we used the chassis of the T Tank to develop tank destroyers and anti-aircraft vehicles."

Li Yingfang led everyone to an open flatcar, on which a low-profile armored vehicle was fixed. This was the tank destroyer.

The tank destroyer retained the chassis and running gear of the T Tank, but its upper structure was completely different. The original turret was replaced by a fixed, well-sloped box-shaped fighting compartment, with a long cannon installed on the front of the fighting compartment, several times longer than the T Tank's original 37mm cannon.

Li Yingfang introduced: "Commander Lu, commanders, please look. This is the tank destroyer we modified using the T Tank chassis. Its greatest feature is that it removes the rotating turret and installs a more powerful 75mm long-barreled tank cannon."

"This cannon has a longer barrel and higher muzzle velocity. Its armor-piercing capability far exceeds the T Tank's original 37mm cannon and is stronger than the main guns of any active tank the devils have. It can easily penetrate the frontal armor of their Type 89 Medium Tanks at common engagement distances. Even if the devils introduce stronger tanks later, it can still ensure a one-shot kill."

"The combat weight of this tank is about 15.75 tons. Thanks to its low profile and well-sloped frontal armor arrangement, its equivalent frontal armor thickness is improved, and its survivability is better than tanks on the same chassis."

"Its main tactical use is to hide and set ambushes, using its powerful firepower to destroy enemy armored targets at long distances, serving as a mobile anti-tank firepower point. Its drawback is that the cannon's field of fire is limited, requiring the entire vehicle to turn to aim at targets in different directions."

Lv Muzhi nodded. Currently, he had few Type 3 tanks equipped with long-barreled cannons, so tank destroyers could moderately replace them.

Immediately after, everyone moved to another train car, on which a vehicle based on the same T Tank chassis was parked, but with an open-top, 360-degree rotating turret installed on top. Two slender gun barrels were mounted side by side on the turret.

Li Yingfang pointed to that unique turret: "This is the self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle developed at the same time. The turret is equipped with twin-mounted 20mm cannons."

"This type of cannon has a high rate of fire and a flat trajectory. When firing at air targets, it can form a dense barrage to effectively intercept low-flying enemy aircraft... However, I think it's more suitable for use against the devils' infantry and armored vehicles. It's maneuverable and flexible, striking wherever it goes."

Qiu Qingquan and Zhang Zhizhong pointed at the self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle, discussing it. Both had witnessed the power of the 20mm cannon.

Zhang Zhizhong touched the two 20mm cannons on the turret of the self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle and said: "I don't know if it's effective against aircraft, but these two barrels are definitely useful against the devils running on the ground!"

Li Yingfang laughed heartily: "Commander Lu said the same thing two years ago. I still remember now. Commander Lu said this thing is just for fun when shooting at aircraft, but in a real battle, it still has to be used against infantry. Oh oh, I've digressed..."

While several people were happily inspecting the new tanks, Zhou Weiguo led the soldiers of the Armored Tank Regiment over.

"Weiguo! Come quickly! Your new tanks have arrived!" Lv Muzhi greeted Zhou Weiguo and the armored troops.

Zhou Weiguo stepped forward and saw two types of new tanks. His eyes went wide.

"Wow, our tank factory really managed to produce them! Commander Lu, this T Tank is truly a divine vehicle. It can be modified into so many derivative models. Fortunately, you bought the production line from Czechoslovakia back then!"

Lv Muzhi pointed at the new tanks: "Want to go up and try them?"

Seeing this, Li Yingfang also called over the several tank factory engineers who had accompanied him this time to instruct the soldiers of the Armored Tank Regiment in driving the new tanks.

Since they were modified from the T Tank chassis, the soldiers of the Armored Tank Regiment were most familiar with the T Tank. Plus, with the engineers' guidance, the soldiers quickly got the hang of it.

Li Yingfang also introduced the tank factory's output to Lv Muzhi. Currently, the tank factory can produce 30 tanks of various T Tank series models per month.

The tanks brought today include 12 T Light Tanks, 12 Tank Destroyers, and 12 Self-propelled Anti-aircraft Vehicles.