Chapter 2561 Comrades Under the Golden Light

What the hell! ? The construction progress is so fast? Will the first main gun elevation test be conducted soon?

Malashenko expected that the Red Stalingrad, which was basically completed, might be close to being assembled and put into use soon. But he didn't expect that the actual progress was faster than he expected, and it was so much faster that the main gun elevation test was conducted today.

What does the main gun elevation test mean?

It means that the weapon system of this super-giant railway gun weighing 1,350 tons has been prepared, and the gun barrel and breech firing mechanism, as well as the elevation mechanism, have all been installed.

It can be said that as long as there is no problem with the main gun elevation test, the Red Stalingrad can be regarded as being able to fire and participate in the war immediately.

Although some scattered and trivial parts and subsystems have not been installed, such as the ammunition transporter and the loading crane, these things are undergoing the final installation and debugging, and it is estimated that it will take two or three days to complete them all.

But such a construction progress is so fast that people can't help but exclaim "shocking".

After all, this was not a weapon designed by the Soviet Union itself. Malashenko had even thought about the proficiency of his artillery comrades in the Red Stalingrad.

After all, this was the only super-giant land mobile weapon system in the world. Those small railway guns made by dismantling the main guns from old battleships and recycling them could not be compared with it at all. The Soviet Union did not have weapons of similar size at all. Even the most elite artillery was completely in the dark about this thing - completely unfamiliar.

But judging from the current situation, Malashenko had to say that his previous worries were probably unnecessary.

Just looking at the busy but well-organized construction scene on the scene, coupled with Zhukov's description just now.

Malashenko no longer doubted the proficiency of his engineers and artillery comrades in this super-giant land mobile weapon system that had never been seen before and would probably never be seen again.

With such a high construction and assembly speed, the actual combat performance is estimated to be not too bad, at least in the theory of "seeing the inner through the appearance".

The only problem is that the artillery comrades on our side may not have many opportunities to practice artillery.

The Red Army does not have a production line for shells for this thing, and secondly, there is no extra barrel for this thing to squander at will. You must know that this super cannon with a caliber of up to 800 mm is a very wasteful thing.

Malashenko remembered that in the existing history, the Germans used Gustav's No. 1 machine to test and fight, and fired less than 300 shots in total to grind all the rifling of the barrel of this super cannon.

This is obviously a very low barrel life for a large-caliber artillery. It is indeed a very noteworthy problem to change the barrel after firing more than 200 rounds, especially for the Red Army that captured it.

In addition, Malashenko still remembers clearly what he had captured together with the body of this super cannon.

If Malashenko remembered correctly, the Red Army holding the "Red Stalingrad" should have only this barrel and less than 100 shells. Among them, there were more high-explosive shells and fewer armor-piercing shells. As for the exact number, Malashenko was busy protecting the thing and quickly pulling it away, and he didn't have time to count it carefully.

I just vaguely remember that the ratio of high-explosive shells to armor-piercing shells was about six to four, which was a relatively high ratio for the reserve of armor-piercing shells.

As for the reason, according to the Germans who were captured with this giant cannon, those armor-piercing shells were used to bombard the strongest strongholds in Stalingrad.

Like the basements in the industrial areas of the city, various underground ammunition depots and headquarters, etc., at least the information found by the Germans is indeed true and effective. Back then, Chuikov's army headquarters was located in a basement in an industrial zone, and was almost destroyed by the Germans who infiltrated through loopholes. If Malashenko hadn't arrived by chance and in time, it would be hard to say whether Comrade Chuikov is still alive or dead.

But now that I think about it, 40% of the nearly 100 shells that the Germans specially transported to the front line were armor-piercing shells. When the last shell was not fired, the guns and shells all fell into the hands of the Red Army and were seized. So many armor-piercing shells are not a bad thing.

You Germans wanted to pierce and blast the basements in Stalingrad, so I will give you a taste of your own medicine now. You Germans, prepare to die in the important basements in the city.

More importantly, Malashenko actually wanted to use the 800mm full-caliber armor-piercing shells to do other things, and that is something that only armor-piercing shells can do efficiently.

Comrade Lao Ma couldn't help but reveal a barely perceptible grin when he thought of this, but Zhukov on the side didn't notice this, and just led Malashenko and Kotin in front to visit and continue explaining.

"In order to ensure the success of the first and only actual combat in the Great Patriotic War, we have made sufficient preparations and guarantees."

"For example, the 17th Guards Artillery Brigade, which is a new special unit established under the personal approval of Comrade Stalin. All personnel are drawn from the artillery units and independent artillery divisions of various front-line units, all of whom are the most experienced personnel, which is somewhat similar to the original establishment of your leader's division."

"Their entire brigade has only this one gun, a main artillery weapon, and their only mission is to maintain, assemble, deploy, use and protect this super cannon so that it can exert its due combat effectiveness. In order to facilitate mobilization and coordinated command, the engineering corps and artillery corps were integrated into the same brigade, so they are not just pure artillery, they are very special, and more than half of the personnel in this brigade are from the engineering corps."

"After all, it takes much more manpower to serve this gun and make it ready to fight at any time than to keep it running in battle. Deployment and assembly are the most labor-intensive links. Once it is deployed, the number of personnel required to operate this weapon system will drop sharply, and all personnel will not be needed until it completes its combat mission and withdraws."

Malachenko, Kotin, and Zhukov, as well as some comrades who accompanied them on the tour, were walking together on the railway under the Red Stalingrad, talking about the situation as they walked.

The rising sun has now completely shone its golden light on the Red Stalingrad. Malashenko, who was walking under this super war machine, felt that he was shrouded in shadow and could not feel the warmth brought by the rising sun. Looking down and around, he saw the huge shadow cast by the Red Stalingrad.

Standing in the shadow, he raised his head and looked up at this huge and amazing war machine.

Even though he knew that it was now his "comrade", it still made Malashenko feel a little chilly. Malashenko, who clearly captured his inner emotions at this moment, was very sure of this.

"It's really a terrifying thing, but it's a pity that this fear now belongs to the Germans themselves. Let them taste the taste of their own sins."