Steel Soviet Union

Karamov promised Malashenko that there would be no problems, and that is exactly what happened.

Unlike combat troops that focus on combat skills and literacy, the field maintenance battalion under Karamov can be said to be the unit with the highest level of knowledge in the entire brigade.

After several successive recruitments, reconstructions and expansions, the field maintenance battalion under Karamov's command remained unchanged, but its total number of personnel had almost doubled.

This was not an unauthorized act by Karamov, but was jointly approved by Malashenko and his political commissar comrades after discussion.

After all, the Stalin Guards 1st Heavy Tank Brigade has developed to this day, and its military strength and technical equipment have been increasing step by step, step by step.

With more equipment and more tanks in need of maintenance and repair, the number of tanks that need maintenance and repair will increase accordingly. The expansion of Karamov's field maintenance battalion personnel is a must. If the original establishment is maintained, there will undoubtedly be insufficient manpower.

Under Karamov's command were technicians and master workers from various factories in the rear who had abandoned their jobs and joined the army.

They have specialized skills in machinery due to their original jobs. Although their original jobs may have nothing to do with tanks, after all, they have this technical foundation and the basis of the industry. It is important for them to master the maintenance and repair skills of tanks. Far easier than ordinary people.

In addition, Karamov's men also have bespectacled intellectuals and students who abandoned their pens and joined the army because they felt that their country could no longer accommodate a desk.

The maintenance of machinery is a technical job that requires a cultural foundation, and it cannot be done by just a casual boss.

Based on the starting point of striving for excellence, Malashenko tried his best to assign the intellectuals and skilled workers in each wave of supplementary troops to Karamov's command to expand their strength and maintain and repair the tanks for continuous improvement. Lay a solid foundation for future troop expansion.

Therefore, even during the most critical period in Stalingrad, under the formation of the First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment at that time, the Field Maintenance Battalion was also the most complete unit with the most complete personnel. It almost never had too fierce a fight with the Germans. Conflict, although these maintenance soldiers and technical soldiers also carry self-defense weapons that are not inferior to those of infantry.

Fortunately, Malashenko gritted his teeth and worked hard to overcome all the bad situations at the most critical moment, and today he is rewarded.

The soldiers of the field maintenance battalion carried their own tool boxes and tool bags, and carried tools and small notebooks used to measure and record parameters in their arms, and were busy working around these new heavy tanks that had just been delivered.

The engine compartment cover was opened and the turret roof pointed upward.

The IS2 heavy tank, which was inspected from the inside out, was thoroughly inspected, and all important technical parameters were recorded in detail and conclusively.

The details that had been personally inspected by Kogin and Shashmulin before leaving the factory were once again maintained and renovated by Karamov himself.

Use a wrench to tighten the screws and nuts that are not tightened. Pull out the fuel supply pipe and carefully check the oil outlet to confirm that it is correct before reinserting it carefully. Even the filter screen of the engine cooling window was removed, and I started using a rag on the spot. When wiping, all the details that may cause problems are checked one by one, leaving no hidden dangers.

"Why are the people in Karamov so slow!? I swear I can't wait any longer. This is such torture! Do you understand how I feel now? Kirill."

Iushkin looked around anxiously like an ant on a hot pot, as if his butt was on fire. He was either standing or sitting uncomfortably, and was wandering back and forth. Kirill and Seryosha who were watching on the side shook their heads repeatedly.

"Iushkin, can you stop? It's like a big buzzing fly swaying in front of my eyes, and it's preventing me from smoking."

Seryosha, who was sitting on the stone with a cigarette in his fingers, was the first to complain, followed by Kirill, who was sitting next to him and waiting for his attack.

"Seryozha is right, Iushkin, no matter how fast you turn, the speed of the comrades in the field maintenance battalion will not be affected in any way. You have to understand this."

Seryosha and Kirill echoed and complained, and Iushkin, who felt that it was nothing to do with his wandering back and forth, stopped and sat down next to them. , took out the cigarette case from his pocket and started smoking.

"Seryozha, you drove the tank all the way back. You are the only one who has been in the new tank."

"Tell me, how do you feel about using this new tank?"

"Well, tell me how you feel."

Seryosha seemed to be deliberately trying to whet his appetite, but Kirill felt that Seryosha was trying to organize his words. All in all, it really made our gunner comrade Iushkin extremely anxious.

“To be specific, I don’t feel like there’s anything too special. The positions of the joystick and accelerator pedal are the same as our previous IS1, and the gear settings have not changed. But I do feel that the control is better than before. It has become more labor-saving. Maybe the gearbox and transmission mechanism have been improved. Anyway, I don’t have to work so hard anymore.”

Seryosha, who is accustomed to driving bulky and heavy tanks, is the strongest one in the No. 177 crew. Compared with him, Kirill, the loader, is as tall as a primary school student or a junior high school student.

Seryozha's arms are very strong and strong. Even through his clothes, you can feel that the muscles in the relaxed state are extremely strong. They are like a pair of unicorn arms.

Seryozha's body shape, which is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, was simply trained by pulling heavy tanks.

The earliest KV1 heavy tank directly used the transmission system of the Hongqi tractor. This terrible shit-like operating mechanism can make Seryosha sweat profusely every time. Driving in a "boxing fight" style would be really awkward there. A very commonplace meal.

Now with the IS1, the newly designed transmission system and gearbox are much easier to drive than the previous KV1. Seryosha, who has already driven the IS2, feels that it is easier than the original IS1. Such news Immediately, Iushkin, who was originally absent-minded, was shocked.

"It seems that what the engineer said is true! It must be so!"

"Although it looks similar on the outside, the internal improvements are completely different from before! Oh, damn! I really can't wait to go in and take a look. Why can't time pass faster!"

Maybe he heard Iushkin’s complaints, or maybe it was just that Karamov’s men were fast enough.

All in all, when Malashenko waved his hand towards Iushkin just a few minutes later, Iushkin, like a rabbit, rushed towards his "beloved girl" almost blindly. .