Forty-eight years of Qianlong

The handle of the bucket points to the east, and the season of spring is returning to the land outside the pass.

The white ice in Vladivostok Harbor was swallowed by the green waves, and the rivers and rivers were filled with spring water. As soon as the rhododendrons bloomed on the green meadow, wild geese and red-crowned cranes flocked over the top of Vladivostok, obliquely. After crossing the Sikhote Mountains, they flew towards Heilongjiang, where they gave birth to their children.

The spring breeze of melting rain brought migratory birds returning to the north, and also ushered in the period of flow for all the major rivers under Beihai Town.The huge and crystal-clear ice platoons floated and swam along with the undercurrent of the surging river, colliding with each other and making roars.This scene is indeed extremely magnificent for those literati and refined scholars, but for those villages along the river, it heralds the coming of disaster.

It is said that the upper reaches of Heilongjiang flow from west to east. After passing Heilongjiang City, it turns to flow southeast, and after passing Kubutlin, it turns sharply to the south, making this section of the river form a big bow.The Songhua River and the middle reaches of Heilongjiang have low latitudes, and the temperature rises quickly first, while the upper reaches of Heilongjiang, which have high latitudes, open later, resulting in the formation of an "inverted Kaijiang".

Once the blue and hard ice gets stuck, it will form an ice dam, and then squeeze each other and rush to the river bank.The solid ice two or three meters high will run rampant against the ground, destroying everything encountered along the way, trees, rocks, roads, villages, and cultivated land.The most serious consequence of this is the destruction of arable land, making it impossible to grow food crops, and even the humus soil on the surface will be damaged, and it will take several years to restore the soil.

Since the construction of the "Bohei Railway" started five years ago, at this time, the North Navy stationed in Boli and Heilongjiang City will be ordered to dispatch to blast the ice on key river sections.After the ice age begins, artillery will be dispatched to bombard important river sections that are prone to ice dams.

Located in an open space two kilometers northwest of Humar Military Station, six 75mm field guns are lined up.Because bombarding the ice is not a battle, no bunkers were dug.

However, what is different from previous years is that in another open space 800 meters away on the west side, there is a 105mm howitzer that is different from all the artillery pieces of the Beihai Navy. The 1.5-meter-high parapet, in addition to six artillerymen, there are several military-industrial complex technicians on the gun emplacements.

At an observation point on a hill 600 meters north of the position, Zhao Liang, wearing a thick military overcoat, leaned over the artillery rangefinder and squinted for a while, then asked casually, "Are you all ready?"

"Report to the chief, all shelling parameters have been calculated."

"Where's the ammunition?"

"Twenty rounds have been sent up."

"It's getting late, let's prepare for test shooting." After Zhao Liang finished speaking, he turned his head and sighed to a technician next to him, "I've been busy for more than two years. Whether it's a mule or a horse depends on today."

The technician pursed his lips and said, "It's not a big problem, more than 300 rounds have been fired on the test field."

"Prepare in 1 minute!" On the walkie-talkie at the artillery observation station, the artillery battalion commander issued an order, and then entered the countdown countdown. "...5, 4, 3, 2, 1, let it go!"

Accompanied by an earth-shattering bang, the muzzle of the 105mm howitzer shot out flames, and the shock wave stirred up a large cloud of smoke and dust behind the gun, instantly shaking the snow on the ground, revealing the dark land.Immediately, accompanied by the sound of a dull explosion, flames and gunpowder smoke rose from the thick ice on the river, splashing a column of water dozens of meters high.

"The artillery fires normally!"

"The trajectory is normal!"

"Hit the target!" In the temporary artillery observation center, the voices of passwords came and went.Several technicians recorded various data in the notebook.

Soon, the loader on the gun position of the 105 howitzer had finished loading the second round of shells, and the gunner quickly adjusted the firing angle and direction of the artillery according to the firing orders issued by the squad leader.Then there was another loud bang, and a huge ice cube with a thickness of three meters and an area of ​​more than 2 square meters was shattered where the shell fell.

"God! This is too fierce. Compared with it, our artillery is just a joke!" On the position of the 75mm artillery, several artillerymen stuck out their tongues, their faces full of envy.

"I don't even look at his caliber, it's almost as thick as our thighs!"

"I just don't know when this big guy will be equipped for us. Ouch!" As soon as the gunner finished speaking, he was kicked hard on the buttocks.Looking back, it turned out to be the monitor.

"Stinky boy! This is why you like the new and hate the old? No gun is as good as our 75 gun, which is fast and accurate. I used this gun back then, and the Raksha ghosts cried and cried."

The artillery squad leader was about to say more when he heard an order from the walkie-talkie: "Test firing of each of the 75mm guns! One minute to prepare!"

After that, the test firing of six 75 guns was completed in sequence.Although the shots were quite accurate, the shelling effect seen with the naked eye was not a bit worse than that of the 105mm.Basically, if you shoot one shot at 105, you have to fire two shots at 75 to have the same effect.

The artillery squad leader who kicked people before spat on the ground, thinking that I should change this cannon.

After the "Battle of Usoliye", the issue of the artillery configuration of the North Navy became more and more prominent, mainly because the range of the 82mm mortar and the 75mm gun was not much different, and the lethal power of the former was significantly higher than that of the latter. Those who are high.

82毫米迫击炮在使用6号装药的最大射程是4660米，使用远程装药的最大射程是5700米，而75毫米炮的最大射程也不过才6000米。再加上野战炮的机动能力不如迫击炮，这就使得75毫米炮显得有些鸡肋。

After all, the purpose of imitating this gun was to get rid of the dependence on the 122 howitzer. At the same time, in order to give the military-industrial complex a try, it chose a model that was not too difficult to process the barrel and relatively easy to make shells.

Of course, the navy is quite satisfied with the 75mm gun, which has a fast rate of fire and low recoil. Only I can bully others, and others can't bully me.

In addition, because the 122 grenade Beihai Town is currently unable to produce, Zhao Xin has to spend a huge amount of money to purchase each time, so the Beihai Navy urgently needs to develop a heavy artillery for this time and space.

After comparing the data of howitzers of various calibers during World War I and World War II in another time and space, Zhao Liang finally proposed to imitate the LeFH18/40 105mm howitzer, making it the main equipment of the Northern Navy artillery in the next 20 years.In addition, the 75mm guns will gradually withdraw from the front-line support firepower, and all the artillery companies attached to each regiment will also be replaced with 82mm guns.

Speaking of the 105mm howitzer produced by the Germans in another time and space, the early models were very heavy. Together with the ammunition cart, at least six pack horses were needed.The later derivative leFH18/40 is different. In addition to the more efficient muzzle brake to reduce recoil, the barrel is also installed on the gun mount of the 75mm Pak40 anti-tank gun.The new gun mount has lightened the overall body of the gun body, and the rate of fire has also been increased.

In addition, the production volume of 105mm howitzers is very large. In another time and space, there are collections of both private and museums. It is easy to buy two or three guns and bring them back as samples.Zhao Xin even spent a lot of money to get a complete set of design drawings in German.

Zhao Xin certainly welcomes things that can save him money, and save a lot of money.You must know that he bought every 122 shells in gold today, which is not only distressing, but also painful.

But he is also very clear that the leap from 75mm to 105mm is by no means as simple as making the barrel thicker. In addition, the problem of shells is always a big mountain in front of the military-industrial complex.

The manufacture of shells is different from bullets. The warhead and armoring process of bullets are all automatically completed by machines, while shells start with the manufacture of steel billets and go through more than 30 machining processes before and after the assembly of gunpowder and cartridges.

In addition to the lathes, cutting tools, fixtures, and measuring tools, all of them must be manufactured by themselves, and even the oil-based cutting fluid supply system for processing must be manufactured by themselves.Both cutting fluid and Vaseline are large-scale consumables, and they must be produced by themselves. Zhao Xin alone can spend a lot of money buying them.

So since three years ago, the military-industrial complex led by Zhao Liang began to study how to climb this mountain. In addition, Zhang Bo's petroleum system and Fang Hua's chemical laboratory also started the production of oil-based cutting fluid and Vaseline.

In the process of buying samples of cannonballs, Zhao Xin accidentally obtained a video file of cannonballs produced in the early 20th century. A step and the lathe tools and fixtures used determine the process step.When everyone was done watching, Zhao Liang divided these workers into different processing groups to specialize in their respective processes.

Since the autumn of 1790, the military-industrial complex has been selecting sites in various places in the outer northeast, and finally selected the foot of Wanda Mountain in the northwest of Boli Town.The choice here is due to the flat terrain and convenient transportation. The Kuru River, a tributary of Heilongjiang, is not far away, so it can be transported by water in spring and autumn.

By the end of the muddying period in the spring of 1791, the construction of the shell factory, the artillery factory, the fuze factory and the final assembly factory broke ground. At the same time, a short-distance railway and road from Khabarovsk to here was built.

It took more than a year for the four factories to be fully built, and a lot of equipment was installed. The people in the power system also cooperated to pull out a dedicated power supply line from the supporting power plant of the steel factory, and built a distribution station. .When the factory was ready for use, Zhao Liang's workers also made the first batch of jigs and measuring tools for processing.After that, I tried again and again, and failed again and again. The key is the machining accuracy of the workpiece, which is not even a millimeter away.

The cannonball factory is busy conquering the mountains, and the steel factory and the artillery factory also have their own heavy responsibilities.What electroslag remelting, medium carbon nickel-chromium-platinum alloy steel, self-tightening barrel, rifling, chrome plating, etc.Although there are corresponding equipment for electroslag remelting furnaces, large drilling machines and boring machines for boring, the problem is not too big, but self-tightening and rifling of barrels are not so easy.

The method Zhao Liang took was to sell dog meat as a sheep's trick. In the name of a middleman in an underdeveloped country, he ordered two sets of [-]-ton steel pipe hydraulic presses from a domestic factory, which cost Zhao Xinda several million.As for the rifling machine, it can only be manufactured by itself. With reference to the scale of the barrel rifling machine, the material of the equipment and the cutter head must be different.

Compared with the other three factories, the final assembly plant has the highest safety standards. In addition to high-standard guards, it is also far away from the three factories. Workers are all wearing white protective clothing, anti-static gloves and gas masks.Ion fans and ion wind rods are also installed inside the factory to eliminate static electricity; you must know that static electricity will detonate explosive particles in the air, which is really no joke.

In this way, the thousands of skilled workers trained in Beihai Town over the years worked hard for two years, and the departments of iron and steel metallurgy, chemical industry, and petroleum worked together to finally manufacture two qualified 1793mm howitzers in the winter of 105. And the first batch of 105*155 high-explosive bombs.

According to Zhao Xin's opinion, as long as there are no accidents in the test firing of [-] rounds, this artillery is basically considered a successful imitation, and then it can be mass-produced and replaced.

Entering May, the Beihai Navy started a new round of personnel changes, for which Zhao Xin has been deliberating for a long time.In general, except for the troops on the Western Front, all officers who have served as regimental commanders for more than two years have undergone changes.

Although the transfer of the chief officer will take at least half a year for the officers and soldiers of the army to run-in, in order to avoid hilltopism within the army, Zhao Xin must do this, and he must persevere.According to his consideration, after the personnel adjustment this time, until the troops enter the customs, they will basically not move.

According to the order of the Northern Navy Command, Sheng Haizhou and Zhao Jiuzang finally left Pingshi City, which was formerly known as "Yenisesk".The former, the titular chief of staff of the North Navy, will be transferred to Jiaodong to take over Lu Shoushan's overall command of Shandong's combat missions.

It was Yang Zhongming, the head of the former [-]th Infantry Regiment, who was in charge of replacing Jiuzang to Pingshi City.Monk Zhou, the head of the [-]th regiment, was transferred to Chiyan City. Together with Yang Zhongming, he went south and north to assist the Cossack Emirate in its battle against Tsarist Russia.

Huji and Mishilang who were stationed at Uliasutai were also transferred back, and they were replaced by the deputy head Cao Chao and the deputy political commissar.Yin Bingwei, who had previously served as his guard company commander, was transferred to Kulun and promoted to regiment commander.

In terms of the deployment of the chief officer of the troops on the eastern front—that is, the offensive troops in the direction of Shengjing, Zhao Xin plans to promote Mi Shilang to the brigade commander and lead four regiments to be responsible for the attack direction from Changchun to Changtu; Li was promoted to brigade commander and led three regiments, responsible for the attack direction from Changtu to Weiyuan Fort Gate.

Lu Shoushan went to Hunchun and was promoted to the commander of the garrison brigade. In addition to stabilizing the newly acquired Tumen River line, he was also responsible for the flank attack on Shengjing from the direction of Changbai Mountain.

Chen Jishan, who was the first to serve as the commander of Zhao Xin's security company, was transferred from Mergen City to Jilin Ula to serve as the commander of the garrison.

Li Rui's position was promoted to the chief of staff of the Eastern Front Army. When Deng Fei was away, he was in charge of all daily and emergency combat affairs.

In addition to the chief officer, the political commissars and deputies of each regiment have also been changed.All promoted officers will first report back to Fuldan City, and then attend the officer training course hosted by Zhao Xin before they can perform their duties.

Zhao Xin is such a waste of brains!He doesn't want to delegate power in the army, so no one helps him at all.He had to consider each person's personality traits, military experience, and each person's faction. A large number of personnel files made him dizzy.

When he finally finished the adjustment plan and was rubbing his sore and swollen temples, there was a knock on the door outside the study.

"Come in."

The door opened silently, and A Miao walked in carrying a tray with ginseng soup.

Zhao Xin took the bowl habitually, took a sip, nodded in satisfaction, and was about to ask what he would have for dinner.Seeing that A Miao's face was blushing, she looked like she wanted to speak but hesitated.So he casually asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's been a month."

"Huh? What are you trying to say? What happened after this month?"

"After this month, I'll be eighteen." A Miao said in a softer voice, her face flushed, her head was lowered, and she was digging at the bottom of the tray with her fingers.

"Oh. What gift do you want?" Zhao Xin nodded indifferently.After a while, he suddenly realized, slapped his forehead, and said loudly: "Oh!! I understand!"

A Miao said shyly and stupidly: "What do you know?"

Zhao Xin smiled, put down the bowl and stood up, walked to the opposite side of the table, leaned over and gently wrapped his arms around the other's slender waist.