章 22: Planning 3
Compared to the humble Tukhachevsky, the Soviet engineers around him couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Our Soviet tanks, even if they are poor, are at least developed and produced independently. What about you Germans? Suppressed by the Treaty of Versailles, you can't even engage in research and development. How dare you come here and criticize the tanks of others?
Although he couldn't read minds, Guderian could still sense the palpable disdain and dissatisfaction from the Soviet people. However, he continued to speak confidently according to His Highness's previous orders.
"Have you ever heard of the M1928 tank designed and developed by American engineer Walter Christie? This tank's suspension system is named after him, called the Christie suspension system. It's uniqueness is that it can use wheels to drive on the road, or use tracked belts in the field. Its maneuverability is quite impressive. Undoubtedly, it is currently the most advanced suspension system in the world."
During World War I, tanks commonly used rigid suspensions, which led to low speed and significant jolting. (Early tanks had poor performance, and tank crews endured harsh working conditions. Tanks in World War I had rigid suspensions without shock absorbers, often causing the crew to suffer injuries. After firing the cannons, the inside of the tank would be filled with acrid gunpowder smoke, and the crew would sometimes have to wear gas masks. The temperature inside could exceed 60 degrees.)
As the saying goes, war is the catalyst for technological progress. Tank designers from various countries are constantly pursuing tanks with superior performance. Among them is an engineer named Walter Christie. In 1919, he designed the first tank, incorporating a balanced suspension system on two bogie wheels and adding springs. This balanced suspension system made his tank far more advanced in terms of stability compared to tanks of other countries at the same period.
However, despite the suspension system added to Christie's tank, the military at the time did not realize its significance. After examining the prototype, the US military believed that although Christie designed two turrets for his tank, his turrets could not rotate 360 degrees. Moreover, the engine power of this tank, named M1919, was relatively low, and its speed was too slow, so no orders were placed.
After some improvements, in 1928, he successfully designed and manufactured a new tank, the M1928, and this time, the turret of the M1928 tank could finally rotate 360 degrees.
Since the M1928 met the military's requirements, after witnessing the test performance, the US military immediately ordered five prototype vehicles from Christie. This tank went down in history as the "Christie" tank, and at the time, people named it the "T3 Christie" tank.
The "Christie" tank had a unique appearance, with a wedge-shaped front that already possessed a well-designed sloped armor profile. The most remarkable feature of this tank was still its suspension system. It was the outstanding suspension system that made the "Christie" tank famous.
For the first time, the "Christie" tank used four large-diameter bogie wheels, with the drive wheels located at the rear and no idler wheels used for steering, connecting the bogie wheels to the hull with large spiral springs. The last bogie wheel was in a horizontal spiral state, increasing the travel of the bogie wheels. When the second bogie wheel was highly compressed, the remaining three bogie wheels were still in an extended state. This allowed the tank to reach a high speed of 44 kilometers per hour.
Furthermore, even if the tracks were damaged, the "Christie" tank could still maintain its normal speed with the bogie wheels, and its speed was even faster, reaching 75 kilometers per hour on well-maintained roads. (I believe many military enthusiasts have played games like "World of Tanks" or watched "Girls und Panzer," and one memorable line from the series is, "Report, commander! We broke the enemy's tracks! Now they're running even faster!" It adds a touch of humor to the situation.)
Upon hearing Goodrian's words, the Soviet engineers around nodded in agreement. It seemed that this Major still had some knowledge in his mind and wasn't just talking nonsense.
Soviet tank designers not only focused on independent tank development but also closely followed the progress of their foreign counterparts. They were familiar with the Christie suspension system and found it quite interesting. Comrade Voroshilov, the People's Commissar for Defense and Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council, was actively trying to acquire this suspension system.
Observing the Soviet's reaction, Wilhelm felt pleased. Because the US military quickly discovered the weaknesses of the "Christie" tank.
Its vertical system was inflexible, and due to the crowded suspension components inside the tank, the interior space was cramped. Additionally, the lifespan of its tracks was short, and it could only achieve high speed in wheeled mode, incapable of overcoming obstacles and more.
Even the process of removing or installing the tracks was enough to give tank crews a headache. It was really troublesome!
Due to these numerous shortcomings, the US military soon lost interest in the "Christie" tank. Furthermore, Christie and the military had disputes over the positioning of the T3 tank. The military eventually demanded that Christie design another tank that met their requirements, but Christie refused this request, and as a result, the T3 tank was not put into mass production in the United States.
Unexpectedly, the Christie suspension system that didn't receive mass production in the US gained attention from the Soviet Union.
In 1930, a Soviet puppet company in the US signed a patent buyout contract with Christie. Subsequently, two tanks equipped with Christie suspension, with their turrets and weapons removed, were secretly transported to the Soviet Union under the guise of "tractors" (this should be an old trick, and the reasons should be well understood by everyone). By the time the US discovered it, the transport ship had already left the port, leaving the Americans dumbfounded. However, due to this "illegal" transaction, Christie faced legal troubles.
Once the Soviets acquired the technology, they applied the Christie suspension to the BT and early T-34 tanks.
After listening to Guderian's words, Tukhachevsky expressed his appreciation. "It seems that Major Guderian has great insights into tanks. I believe your side must have conducted in-depth technical research in this area, right?"
A smile appeared on Wilhelm's lips. "Major Guderian is the commander of our future armored forces. General Tukhachevsky, would you like to have a match with him? Of course, on the sand table. As for tank technology research, we cannot bypass that treaty. However, we can send a group of experts to collaborate with your side if you welcome it."
To see whether the Soviets would agree or not— if they agreed, they would play together and completely lead them into a trap.
Tukhachevsky pondered for a moment and replied, "The issue of joint development requires approval from higher authorities before it can be answered. As for the match with Major Guderian, I am very much looking forward to it. Let's do it tonight."
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