bookrandom Chapter 120: Training of the M10 'Wolverine' Tank Destroyer Crew (Part 2) (350 Gifts Plus)
Chapter 120: Training of the M10 'Wolverine' Tank Destroyer Crew (Part 2) (350 Gifts Plus)
"Keep the speed, turn left and pass, speed up slightly!" Lou Jianbai's voice on the radio was a little nervous and excited, like a conductor guiding the rhythm of the band.
"Understood!" The driver Lao Zhou responded. He gripped the left and right joysticks tightly, and after hearing the command, he pushed the joystick hard with his right hand.
The M10 'Wolverine' responded immediately to the driver's control, and the right track began to rotate at a faster speed. The speed difference between the two tracks, one fast and one slow, immediately caused the 29-ton tank to turn left.
After quickly turning and passing the obstacle, Lao Zhou pushed the two joysticks with both hands, and the left and right tracks rotated rapidly together, and the M10 'Wolverine' began to accelerate on the straight road.
The engine roars and the tracks leave deep marks on the soil. Every turn is a challenge to reaction speed and every acceleration is a test of courage.
The driver had only a single slit in the hull to see outside, and this slit was filled with a piece of bulletproof glass about six fingers thick. (Back then, bulletproof glass depended entirely on thickness. The Japanese Type 6 tank simply had a slit to save weight, leaving no bulletproof glass. Therefore, it was possible to kill the driver through the slit, though this was still difficult to do in practice.)
Therefore, Lao Zhou, who had limited vision, relied entirely on the tank commander Lou Jianbai, who was sitting in the convertible inside the turret, to tell him in advance about the upcoming terrain so that he could predict how to operate. Naturally, his operation was bumpy.
However, at this moment, the sun is shining brightly on the training ground and the wind is blowing gently, as if nature is also cheering for this tank.
Just as he took a deep breath and prepared to start the tank target practice, the cold voice of Battalion Commander Li Hongbo rang out again: "Okay, Sparrowhawk No. 1, your vehicle just ran over an enemy anti-personnel mine, and the right track was blown off. Please replace it with the spare track immediately!"
"Damn it, this old devil Li just enjoys tormenting us. If there really is a landmine on the ground, how can Brother Zhou not see it?" Xiao Liu, the loader who climbed out of the turret, looked reluctant.
Driver Lao Zhou was previously a member of the Nanyang Mechanic Team and had experience in transporting goods on the Burma Road under the bombing of Japanese planes. He knew very well that any accidents could happen in actual combat, and more practice would only benefit him and not harm him.
He patted Xiao Liu on the head and said viciously, "Shut up. The training ground is a battlefield. If you keep talking too much, you will attract the devils sooner or later. Just do your work obediently."
According to the armored corps regulations, the commander Lou Jianbai stayed in the vehicle at this time, standing guard with the M2HB machine gun mounted on the roof.
The gunner patrolled the area with the M3 submachine gun carried on the vehicle to prevent any Japanese from approaching.
The remaining three people, with M1911 pistols on their waists for self-defense, hurriedly removed the spare track hanging on the front armor of the vehicle, picked up various tools and began to replace the "intact" right track.
After spending some time, Sparrowhawk No. 1 re-entered the shooting range under the instructions of Li Hongbo.
A wooden target simulating the silhouette of the Japanese Type 97 medium tank had already been erected in the venue.
After Lou Jianbai took out his binoculars and observed for a while, he soon found a target representing a Japanese tank parked sideways in the bushes that was as tall as a person.
"At 9 o'clock, the Japanese Type 97 rifle is 1200 meters away and facing us sideways." Lou Jianbai spoke slowly.
"Lao Zhou, turn to 9 o'clock, we are facing the enemy head-on. Xiao Liu, load an armor-piercing shell. Dahai, aim at the center of the vehicle. The Japanese gunners and ammunition are in the middle fighting room." As Lou Jianbai gave orders in an orderly manner, the M10 'Wolverine' quickly completed the shooting preparations under the concerted operation of the five-man crew.
Since the initial velocity of armor-piercing shells is more than 100m/s higher than that of high-explosive shells, it means that the drop is smaller and the long-range shooting is more accurate.
Therefore, even though the Japanese light tanks were very fragile, Zhang Chi still recommended using armor-piercing rounds rather than high-explosive rounds in the manuals issued to tank commanders. Unless the two sides were very close, high-explosive rounds would be the best choice.
"Fire!" Then, with Lou Jianbai's order, gunner Dahai stepped on the firing pedal, and the M62 capped armor-piercing bullet in the breech was immediately fired. The powerful recoil caused the entire tank body to shake.
After more than 1 second, the shell flew just over the target and flew towards the distant mountains.
"The shot was too high. The direction remains unchanged. Aim lower this time and shoot again!" Lou Jianbai, who had been observing with a telescope, spoke immediately.
"Oh..." The gunner Dahai sighed after missing the first shot, turned the elevation wheel to lower the muzzle slightly, and then Xiao Liu quickly loaded the second round of ammunition.
"Fire!"
The second shot lived up to expectations and smashed the wooden target.
"Hit it!"
Everyone in the car cheered.
"The simulation training of Sparrowhawk No. 1 is completed, with a total time of 43 minutes, which is progress. Now Sparrowhawk No. 1 exits the training ground and Sparrowhawk No. 2 enters." Li Hongbo's voice rang out, interrupting the cheers of the crowd.
On a three-story stand in the distance, Lieutenant Colonel Li Hongbo, commander of the armored battalion, put down his high-powered binoculars and nodded.
As one of the few Chinese in Nanyang who graduated from the Saint-Cyr Military Academy in France and has some understanding of armored warfare, he spoke very highly of the simulated training of his superior Zhang Chi shooting.
This set of procedures is a training link designed by Zhang Chi based on the armored troops competition in later generations. Although Zhang Chi believes that this set of procedures is not very close to actual combat, in Li Hongbo's view, this is a huge improvement compared to the armored cavalry of the Republic of China who are still training formations in a rigid manner.
This simulation process can not only simulate various accidents that the crew may encounter on the battlefield, but also train the crew's ability to withstand pressure in a timed and tense situation, and it is also very effective in testing the basic technical and tactical levels of the crew.
As long as specialized training such as formation formation and combined infantry and tanks is supplemented, an elite armored force can be trained on the training ground to the greatest extent possible. Of course, to forge truly elite soldiers, the intense fires of the battlefield are also needed.
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After the intense training, it is naturally time for a happy meal.
Under Zhang Chi's deliberate maintenance, the 212th Division maintained strict military discipline. Smoking opium, playing with women, rolling dice and other entertainment activities that were common in the old army were not allowed here. Violations of military discipline would result in punishment with a stick or confinement at the lightest, and expulsion from the army or direct execution at the worst.
In order to maintain the morale of the soldiers, Zhang Chi organized various entertainment activities such as night school, watching movies, listening to storytelling, and holding sports competitions.
What if the soldiers still have endless energy after participating in these things?
Zhang Chi smiled crookedly, saying that you just need more practice, so go to the training ground and practice more. When you fall asleep at night, you won’t have any extra thoughts.
Of course, in addition to entertainment activities, a variety of rich and delicious meals every day are also essential to maintaining high morale.
Soybeans and beef from the Great Plains of North America, flown in on C-47s, were quickly transformed into a variety of Sichuan dishes that were both colorful and fragrant, along with various spices purchased from Yunnan Province.
As for why Sichuan cuisine?
Because the chefs currently in charge of cooking in the base canteen are all veteran chefs of Jianghu cuisine who were invited by Zhang Chi from the mountain city at a high price.
As soon as he entered the base cafeteria, loader Xiao Liu saw the today's menu written in chalk on the small blackboard and shouted:
"Mom, are we eating Mapo Tofu and Twice-Cooked Pork today? My butt is going to suffer again."
Before Lao Zhou could raise his hand to knock Xiao Liu on the head, a shrill alarm sounded. Everyone in the cafeteria stopped what they were doing. A tense atmosphere quickly spread, and the soldiers' faces were filled with confusion and uneasiness.
"That's the air raid sirens! Quick, take cover!"