Steel Soviet Union

Unlike the vehicle body's heading machine gun, which is directly manually operated by the electromechanical operator. Although the KV1 heavy tank's main gun coaxial machine gun is still the same 62mm DT light machine gun model, it is connected by a mechanical operating structure and is manually operated by the gunner. A pedal-fired weapon.

In addition to the task of destroying enemy infantry and unarmored vehicle targets, this main gun coaxial light machine gun also has many other tasks such as using tracer bullets to indicate trimming targets for the main gun, assisting the gunner in measuring the ballistic descent of the main gun, etc. It is A rare helper and important secondary weapon under the control of the gunner.

It is not easy to disassemble this light machine gun that is mechanically fixed next to the breech block and connected to the firing pedal under the gunner's feet. The complex firing connection device and the fixed lock structure connected to the breech block are enough to make people busy. It lasted for a while.

But even so, Malashenko, who was unwilling to lose the firepower of any machine gun, finally made the extremely difficult decision.

"You and Kirill are responsible for removing the rear-facing light machine gun from the turret, and I'll remove the main gun's coaxial machine gun! When I'm done, hand the rear-facing machine gun to me so that the coaxial machine gun can continue to fire. do you understand?"

On an ever-changing and extremely complex battlefield, such an order to replace the main gun and coaxial machine gun is simply unthinkable for Iushkin and loader Kirill, who are responsible for the duties of the gunner. It’s a fantasy.

"Comrade Commander, are you sure you want to do this!? Time is too tight for us!"

Faced with the almost unanimous advice from Iushkin and Kirill, Malashenko, who had already bent over and ducked into the turret fighting room next to the gun bolt, immediately responded without looking back.

"Disassemble the machine gun! Quick!"

After looking at each other, Iushkin and Kirill had no choice but to immediately turn around and reach out to dismantle the turret rear-facing vehicle-mounted DT light machine gun.

This DT light machine gun, which is placed at the rear of the turret and extends out of the back of the KV1 tank turret, was originally designed to deal with enemy infantry trying to outflank the rear. However, in actual combat, it is generally not of much use. The Soviet army, which pays attention to the coordinated operation of large corps and multiple arms, rarely has tanks without infantry cover.

Kirill and Iushkin were quickly dismantling the fixed lock of the rear-facing machine gun of the turret in their hands and removing it. On the other side, next to the gun block at the front of the turret, they were hunched over and in an uncomfortable and awkward posture. Malashenko, who got to the front of the gun breech, was also carrying out his own mission at the same time.

The large internal space of the KV1 heavy tank's turret is only compared to the extremely cramped T34 tank inside the turret. The KV1 heavy tank turret, which uses a small-angle inclined armor and a semi-curved mantlet to enhance the turret's defense, is still essentially A closed combat environment with little room for movement.

Malashenko, who has a Slavic standard tall figure, is nearly 1.9 meters tall. Such a broad and strong figure is already uncomfortable for Soviet tanks, which have never paid attention to human-machine functions, but now they are forced to As Malashenko, like Zhang Fei doing embroidery, got into the front area of ​​the breech covered by the semi-curved mantlet to disassemble the coaxial machine gun, the difficulty can be imagined.

Malashenko, who was barely hunched over the gap less than 40 centimeters wide like a disabled person, was already sweating profusely from the heat. Malashenko, whose arms were tightly restricted, reached out and untied the connection. The firing device on the trigger of the DT light machine gun, then moved the field of view to the next key point - the breech lock.

The coaxial machine gun fixed lock reinforced on the breech block by welding in tandem is a standard purely mechanical structure without any hydraulic assistance. There is no other way to unlock it except manually. .

Being squeezed like a meat pie in the narrow space at the front of the turret, it was difficult to move. Malashenko gritted his teeth and held his breath, and struggled to move the wrench in his hand to disassemble the fixed lock as quickly as possible. The black oil stains stained with dust were removed in a matter of seconds. Malashenko’s hands were so stained that the original skin color was completely invisible.

"Okay, done! Pass me the machine gun, quick!"

Kirill, who heard Malashenko yelling, quickly handed forward the rear-facing machine gun that had been removed from the tail of the turret. Malashenko, who held the barrel of the gun with one hand, then pulled it forward with all his strength. The already narrow and compact activity space suddenly became more cramped due to the arrival of the DT vehicle-mounted light machine gun at hand.

It is natural to imagine how hot the DT vehicle-mounted light machine gun that is still placed on the fixed lock is unscrewed, and the barrel is still smoking. It is natural to imagine how high the temperature is, but everything is ready and Malashenko only needs Dongfeng. He no longer cared too much about the time on the battlefield where he had to race against time.

Malashenko gritted his teeth and immediately stretched the palm of his right hand to the front half of the barrel of the turret's coaxial machine gun, and slapped it back hard.

Chi——

The delicate skin of the palm of the hand came into contact with the overheated gun barrel, which had a temperature of hundreds of degrees Celsius, and instantly made a terrifying sound that could make people grind their teeth and numb their ears.

Although Malashenko had already been mentally prepared, he had tried to shorten the contact time between the palm of his hand and the overheated gun barrel, but the heart-burning pain that penetrated into his soul still came from the palm of his hand immediately and was directed instantly. whole body.

Malashenko, who suppressed the pain in his palm that was almost burning on the spot, did not dare to delay at all. With a blow from his palm, the DT light machine gun was forcibly shot out of the firing hole of the turret next to the breech. After fully moving, Malashenko stretched out his left hand to grab the retractable butt of the DT vehicle-mounted light machine gun, and immediately swung it and threw it behind him.

After solving the hot potato in front of him, Malashenko, who knew what to do next, immediately put the fixed lock on the other brand-new DT vehicle-mounted light machine gun and put it in place.

The feeling of the burnt skin on the palm of his right hand coming into contact with the cold gun body was as if human skin was being forcibly peeled off from the palm of his hand, which was instantly painful.

But even so, Malashenko, who gritted his teeth and overcame this difficulty, still held on to his will and closed the two coaxial machine gun locks on the front and rear breech blocks. The mechanical firing device connected to the machine gun trigger was also immediately closed. Rashenko gritted his teeth and completed the connection.

"Bulletin!"

Shouting in his mouth, he stretched out his hand and took the fully loaded cartridge that was handed to his palm. After pulling the bolt and pushing the bullet into the chamber, Malashenko immediately retreated from the position beside the gun bolt at the front of the turret. He turned around and patted Iushkin's shoulder lightly.

"It's time to work, do what you have to do!"