Chapter 230 Chauchat Machine Gun?

In the conference room of the Ritz Hotel, Charles briefly described the requirements for the aerial bomb to Steed, including the fuse.

The aerial bomb fuses had to be different.

If a trigger fuse is still set on the front end like ordinary artillery shells such as mortars, a serious problem may arise: the wind is too strong on the plane, and once the bomb is released, the strong wind may cause the bombs to collide with each other or even directly trigger the fuse. Detonate it.

This is one of the reasons why bombs were rarely carried on airplanes for bombing during this period. If they were, they were usually dropped by hand at low speeds. Even so, accidents were inevitable.

The solution is to use the "wind wheel trigger fuse" unique to aviation bombs.

It just installs a small propeller behind the tail.

When the safety is released, the small propeller is driven by the wind and begins to rotate. At this time, it will not explode.

After the bomb is dropped, the propeller continues to rotate with the wind. It is not until the explosive hits the ground and loses the wind, stops rotating or rotates very slowly that the bomb is detonated with a "bang".

(The picture above is a scene taken from the movie Pearl Harbor. The Japanese bomb is a "wind wheel trigger fuze", and the red circle is a small rotating wind wheel)

This method not only ensures the safety of the aircraft itself but also allows the bomb to explode after landing, so it is called a "wind wheel trigger fuze".

"This is confidential." Charles said to Steed: "The technicians and workers who produce this kind of bomb must undergo strict scrutiny!"

"No problem, Colonel!" Steed replied confidently: "Leave these to me, we can make it soon."

The Saint-Etienne Arsenal has a very mature management mechanism, and their level of confidentiality is even higher than that of the military and government. After all, this is related to the interests of the capitalists themselves.

"But I may be in trouble, Colonel." Steed looked embarrassed: "I know you are very busy, and I probably shouldn't bother you with these little things, but..."

"What's the trouble?" Charles asked.

"That's it." Steed took out his cigar out of habit, but after glancing at Ciel, he immediately put the cigar back: "Do you know the Pito Arsenal?"

"I've heard some." Ciel nodded.

"It was originally an arsenal that mainly produced machine tools," Steed said. "It produced tools and equipment for us. But now it has begun to produce rifles, and it is producing Bétier rifles."

"Bétiers rifle?" Charles had heard the name of this gun, but he didn't remember it for a moment.

"Yes." Steed explained: "It is a shortened Lebel rifle, originally used to equip cavalry."

Ciel said "Oh", and then he remembered.

The French Lebel rifle could not be used by cavalry due to loading defects, so a cavalry gun was modified.

Not only does this gun have a shorter barrel, but the tube loading has also been changed to a vertical loading. However, it can only hold 3 rounds due to the bullet taper problem.

Unexpectedly, this cavalry gun was very popular with the infantry. Everyone thought that this rifle, which was not taken seriously by the government and was used by the colonial troops, was much better than the original Lebel.

This shows how unpopular the barrel-loading method of the Lebel rifle was. It was a disaster for recruits who would go to the battlefield within a few weeks of training, including Charles.

"They originally planned to let the American Remington company improve it to make it more suitable for infantry combat." Steed continued: "But now they have given this task to Pito Arsenal."

Charles was a little surprised. Regardless of proficiency or scale, the improvement work should be left to the Saint-Etienne Arsenal.

Steed added: "It is said that this is the result of Schneider's operation."

This makes it clear to Ciel that Schneider will suppress anyone who cooperates with Ciel.

This not only compresses Ciel's development space, but also warns others not to cooperate with Ciel.

Fundamentally, this is not a Saint-Etienne thing, but a battle between Charles and Schneider.

Steed said worriedly: "It is said that the Pitot Arsenal is still developing a new type of machine gun. You know, the foundation of the Saint-Etienne Arsenal is rifles and machine guns. If Lebel's rifles and machine guns are all taken away by the Pitot Arsenal..."

Then Saint-Etienne is no longer Saint-Etienne.

Ciel understood what this meant.

Because Saint-Etienne has the production base and strength, whether it is bombs, grenades, or 37-guns, Saint-Etienne can produce them in a short time as long as the drawings are thrown away or the requirements are briefly described to Steed. .

This is not a matter of money, nor is it just machines, but also skilled workers and related talents, a complete set of systematic talents.

If Saint-Etienne loses its orders for rifles and machine guns, these workers and talents will be lost, and then it will lose its manufacturing capacity.

"So, you want a more advanced rifle?" Charles asked.

"It would be nice to have a rifle," Steed replied: "But we are more eager to produce a machine gun. In fact, we are already developing a machine gun, but we have been unable to solve its shortcomings..."

This was after the Saint-Etienne machine gun was eliminated. As the owner of the Saint-Etienne Arsenal, Steed certainly had to consider upgrading the machine gun instead of letting others take away this cake.

"So, where's the machine gun?" Charles asked doubtfully.

"Wait a moment, Colonel." Steed glanced towards the door: "I'm very sorry. I asked my son to bring the machine gun. He is an expert in this field. I think it will be clearer if he talks to you."

After a while, there was a knock on the door, and then Dominic walked away carrying a long box.

Charles looked at him doubtfully: "Instructor, what are you doing here..."

Looking at the long box in Dominic's hand, Charles suddenly understood that Dominic was the son Steed mentioned!

Dominic was also stunned when he saw Ciel. Steed only told him to come with a machine gun, but did not say that he came to see Ciel.

Steed was stunned for a moment: "Do you know each other?"

"Of course, father!" Dominic said with a smile: "You forgot, I am an instructor at the police training base."

Steed said "Oh" and nodded. Dominic was responsible for a series of trainings such as mortars and 37-guns. These equipments were all invented by Charles. Of course they had met before.

However, Steed still introduced: "My son Dominic, he has no other hobbies except guns."

Dominic's old face turned red, and he remembered the incident at the officers' club again. Fortunately, Charles didn't seem to have any impression at all.

Steed spread his hands, and Dominic then reacted. He quickly put the long box on the conference table, opened it, and took out a machine gun. While unfolding it, he introduced it in detail: "This is the machine gun we just developed, and it is the same as the machine gun we just developed. 8MM Leiber bullets common to rifles, with a capacity of 20 rounds..."

Charles was a little dizzy when he saw this machine gun. Shaosha, who is known as the "worst machine gun"?