Chapter 337 Skinner
Another reason why the U.S. military does not pay attention to the bazooka is that this thing is not the original intention of the military's research and development... The military just wanted to check whether the rocket has the value of being used as a weapon, so it randomly organized a "Special projects" with neither funding nor assistance.
Captain Skinner was a member of this project. It took his assistant less than a year to successfully test this simple shoulder-launched rocket launcher that uses a smoothbore barrel and is stabilized by the tail. Not interested in it, so no one cares about it.
Major Johnson will know this because he has been working at the Aberdeen Proving Ground until then.
"I believe it's not complicated, is it?" Shulka continued on the subject.
"Yes!" Major Johnson nodded and said, "Its structure is very simple, almost like an iron pipe, which loads and fires the rockets. The disadvantage is that the accuracy is not high, so I doubt that it can play any role on the battlefield. ..."
"Can it destroy tanks?" Katukov expressed a little interest.
"I don't know!" Johnson shook his head, that thing is an almost neglected thing in the proving ground.
"Can you send some samples for us to look at?" Shulka asked, "I mean, if it's convenient for you!"
Shuerka tried his best to behave calmly, because he knew that the more he did this, the more likely he would get it...Otherwise, if he behaved too much, the U.S. military would find this "baby" and then it would be difficult.
"I don't know, Captain!" Major Johnson replied, "But I can ask you!"
"Thank you very much!" Shulka said, "I hope this doesn't make things difficult for you!"
"Of course not, Captain!" Major Johnson said: "This is what an ally should do. We have common interests, don't we?"
After Major Johnson left, Colonel Katukov turned his suspicious eyes to Shulka.
"I don't think we can place too much hope on it, Shulka!" Colonel Katukov said: "It has too many uncertain factors!"
Katukov is right. Uncertain factors include whether this equipment is useful, whether the United States is willing to release it, whether it can be mass-produced in a short period of time, etc. All of these as long as there is a problem, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade will count on it not on.
However, from Shulka's point of view, there are not so many uncertain factors, because he knows that this thing is feasible and can be mass-produced in a short time.
But of course Shulka wouldn't answer that.
"Yes, Comrade Colonel!" Shulka said: "But we have no other choice now, it at least gives us hope!"
"You seem to know something about it?" Katukov asked.
"No, I just think..." Shulka said: "We need such a piece of equipment to solve the problems we are facing now. As I said before, these tanks are more suitable for dealing with enemy infantry, so who will deal with enemy tanks? This kind of portable anti-tank equipment is a good choice!"
Katukov nodded noncommittally, he seemed unwilling to continue the discussion on this topic.
This is understandable, because "the horoscope has not been written yet", too much discussion does not make much sense.
When he returned to the battalion headquarters, Shulka was a little restless. He didn't want to go to the battlefield with these tanks, even if it was a counterattack... Once attacked by the enemy's armored division, even the Guards Tank Brigade would not be able to escape the British army. A fiasco in North Africa.
A phone call from Katukov half an hour later completely relieved his hanging heart.
"They agreed, Comrade Shulka!" Katukov said. "Although I don't know what that thing does, but... they promised to send us two samples, and they will also send a few technicians. They will follow A batch of air cargo will arrive tomorrow."
"Great!" Shulka was so excited that he almost jumped up.
Katukov on the other end of the phone was a little puzzled: "It seems that you take it very seriously!"
"I don't deny it, Comrade Katukov!" Shulka hastily concealed: "I don't want to give up any hope!"
"Very good!" Katukov said: "Then, you will be responsible for communicating with them. The specific time has not been determined yet, and I will contact you tomorrow!"
"Yes, Comrade Katukov!"
In the evening of the next day, Shulka was boringly signing the documents submitted by Maximovich... This is a troublesome thing to be a battalion commander. If the company commander only manages the training and task execution of a company, the battalion commander What needs to be managed extends to logistics.
So there are many things that need to be signed by the battalion commander Shulka.
At this moment the phone rang, Maximovich took it and handed it to Shulka.
"Comrade Shulka!" Katukov's voice came from the phone: "Come to my headquarters!"
Shuerka intuitively thought that this should be the arrival of the "Bazooka", so he answered, dropped a lot of documents and pushed the door out.
Sure enough, when Shulka arrived at the regiment headquarters, he saw Katukov entertaining several Americans, including Johnson, of course.
"This is Comrade Shulka!" said Katukov.
"Hey, buddy!" A U.S. military captain immediately got up and shook hands with Shulka: "Nice to meet you, I've heard of you...'Breakout Hero', it's amazing!"
"Thank you!" Because Shulka can speak English, there is no obstacle in communicating with them.
"My name is Skinner!" The American captain said, "I heard that you are very interested in my bazooka!"
"Skinnai?" Shulka couldn't help looking at the young captain in front of him. They actually sent the father of the bazooka here? !
But there seems to be nothing wrong, the US military has not noticed the role of the rocket launcher, so Skinner is still an ordinary army captain at this time.
"Yes, you've heard of me?" Skinner said and laughed: "No, I'm not as famous as you!"
While talking, Skinner stomped his feet and took a sip of hot tea, saying, "It's really cold here, I should really bring more clothes!"
"I warned you!" said Major Johnson.
"But Major!" Skinner replied: "You only told me minus thirty-seven degrees, I don't know how cold it is!"
Several people couldn't help "coaxing" and laughed.
The relationship between American soldiers and officers is relatively casual in peacetime.
But that wasn't Shulka's concern.
"Captain!" Shulka said, "Did you bring your bazooka...? I'd like to exchange a pile of cotton clothes with you!"
"Deal!" Skinner replied, and the soldiers laughed again.
(end of this chapter)
