My German Empire - Chapter 36:

Speaking of production, we have to talk about the industrial production in Germany during World War II. A major mistake of Hitler was to exclude large-scale industrial production represented by standardization. Before World War II, standardization was the exclusive tradition of American industry. Soviet Union introduced American technology and equipment in the 1920s and 1930s, along with part of the standardized production process and technology.

The German tank parts had poor or almost no versatility, and the tanks had to be returned to the factory for overhaul. Not only tanks, but other vehicles were also the same.

As we all know that there were many types of half-track armored vehicles in Germany, everyone knows that, but what about the actual number?

Take the Sdkfz 251 armored vehicle as an example. The first prototype of the Sdkfz 251 half-track armored vehicle was delivered in 1937. The vehicle began mass production in 1938 and was delivered to the army in the summer of 1939. In World War II, Sdkfz 251 armored vehicles were divided into four sub-models A? B? C? D based on different body structures. According to the installation of different military weapons and equipment, the Sdkfz 251 armored vehicles were divided into 23 official variants and other modified vehicles. type.

23 kinds! This is still only the variant of Sdkfz 251! !

If all types of armored vehicles in Germany in World War II are counted, there will probably be hundreds of them.

The most fatal thing is that if there are so many variants, even the same model will have parts mismatch. The Sdkfz.251 half-track armored vehicle has 6 wheels in the same part and three different styles. The semi-track truck, also nicknamed “Mule”, is completely different in appearance and even the internal structure of things produced by different German manufacturers…

This is simply killing the rhythm of the logistics department!

This made the German engineers crazy, and they proposed the E series tank plan, which is the general tank plan. They emphasized “universal” parts for the first time.

It is undeniable that the design concept of the E series is more advanced, and its general design concept is also quite forward-looking. But as Germany retreated in the war, Hitler pinned his hopes on a variety of weird new weapons, leaving little research and development resources for the E series. The E series also failed to be put into production and actual use. Finally, with the collapse of the Third Reich, the E series and various other novel designs were captured by the Allies, and they became the talk of future military enthusiasts.

Wilhelm sneered when watching several persons in charge glance at each other. “If you can’t solve the problem of standardization and generalization, then in order to ensure the convenience and smooth flow of the logistics department, the military will only purchase products from one company.”

After an intimidation, Wilhelm walked to the small blackboard that Annie had prepared in advance. “Now let’s talk about the design of the tank. You should all know about a warship’s tilted armor? Its purpose is to increase the thickness on the horizontal plane and make the shells slippery. Since the warship can be designed like this, why not the tank?” He picked up the chalk brush and drew a few lines.

“After the armor is assembled at an inclined angle, if on the battlefield, the trajectory of the incoming projectile is a parabolic trajectory, and the inclined armor is touched during the ascent phase or at the basic level, then there will be an obvious protective effect.” .

Seeing these corporate bosses nod frequently, Wilhelm couldn’t help but feel refreshed. “The tank gun can be used with a 50mm caliber, but it needs to be upgraded to 75mm with a coaxial machine gun in the later stage. The front armor thickness cannot be less than 40mm. The rear transmission, torsion bar suspension, and the engine are horizontal. The speed must reach 45~50 Kilometers per hour. The off-road range must reach 200 kilometers.” As for the engine, the gasoline engine is still used. Although many people think that the diesel engine is the best power choice for tank engines because of its fuel-efficiency, reliable, and non-flammable characteristics, currently Germany can not use a perfect diesel engine at all. It will be almost the same even after 10 years.

Germany had the best diesel engine technology during World War II, and related products had high technical content. The air force’s Junker-86R special high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft uses diesel engines (this thing can reach a practical ceiling of 14,400 meters, which can be called U2 in later generations). Navy submarines and battleships also have diesel engines, and there are Maybach high-power diesel engines on land. . Even the V2 engine of the Soviet Union was made by the introduction of German technology.It actually became the standard power of Soviet tanks.

But the biggest problem is the lack of oil. German oil cannot meet their own needs. Two-thirds of the fuel supply in Germany relies on coal-to-liquid chemicals, and the cost of coal-synthesized gasoline is much lower than coal-synthesized diesel. One third of the fuel is supplied by the Porojesti Oil Field in Romania, and the diesel from this part of the oil is mainly supplied to the Navy. Therefore, considering the strategic needs, the German Army had to discard diesel, and use gasoline engines.

After speaking for a while, the head of Daimler-Benz raised his hand. “His Royal Highness, I have a question.”

Wilhelm nodded. “please say.”

The person in charge of Daimler-Benz made a few gestures with his hands. “If you use inclined armor, it will affect the interior space, right?”

This is a superficial question. Although the inclined armor is good, it is not perfect. One is that the space inside the car is narrow, and the other is that if the angle of the front inclined armor is too large, there is an unexpected problem-the driver’s access hatch is not well arranged .

All countries have also encountered similar contradictions. Sherman of the United States used a 56-degree angle of inclination in the early stage, but because there was not enough space for the driver to open the top door. Therefore, the Americans couldn’t bear it later and reduced the inclination of the armor (47 degrees), and thickening the upper armor basically solved the above contradiction.

Wilhelm explained the solutions of some countries and let them choose the most suitable solution.