36 Chapter 36

When it comes to production, we have to talk about the industrial production situation of Germany in the original WWII timeline. One of the major measures taken by the little mustache administration was to reject large-scale industrial production represented by standardization. Before WWII, standardization was an exclusive tradition of American industry. The Russians introduced American technology and equipment in the 1930s and also adopted some standardized production processes and techniques.

For example, the parts of Sherman tanks were almost interchangeable, allowing for major repairs to be done in the field. So Sherman tanks had various modifications, but it didn't burden the logistics. The Russian T-34 series should also have some degree of interchangeability, where several damaged tanks could be combined to create a good one.

On the other hand, German tank parts had poor or no interchangeability, requiring tanks to be sent back to the factory for major repairs. It wasn't just tanks; other vehicles faced the same issue.

As everyone knows, there was a wide variety of armored half-track vehicles in Germany, but to what extent?

Taking the Sd.kfz.251 half-track armored vehicle as an example, the first prototype of the Sd.kfz.251 was produced in 1937. Mass production began in 1938, and the vehicle was delivered to the army in the summer of 1939. During WWII, the 251 armored vehicle was divided into four sub-models (A, B, C, D) based on the different body structures. With the installation of various military weapons and equipment, there were a total of 23 official variant models and other modified versions of the 251 armored vehicle.

A total of 23 different types! And this is just for one variant of the Sd.kfz.251 model!!

If we were to count all the armored vehicle models in Germany during WWII, it would probably reach hundreds.

What's even more deadly is that even for the same model, there were instances where the parts didn't match. The Sd.kfz.251 half-track armored vehicle, which is also nicknamed the 'Mule,' had six wheels in the same area with three different styles. The same 'Mule' half-track truck produced by different manufacturers in Germany had completely different appearances and internal structures...

This was truly a logistical nightmare!

As a result, German engineers, driven nearly insane, proposed the E-series tank project, also known as the Universal Tank project. They remarkably emphasized 'universal.'

It is undeniable that the design concept of the E-series was more advanced, and its universal design idea was quite forward-looking. However, as Germany suffered defeat after defeat in the war, the little mustache put his hopes on various peculiar new weapons, leaving limited resources for the development of the E-series. The E-series never entered full production and failed to fulfill its intended purpose in design. Eventually, with the collapse of the Third Reich, the E-series and other innovative design plans were captured by the Allied forces, becoming a topic of discussion for military enthusiasts in the future.

Seeing the puzzled expressions of the responsible individuals, Wilhelm sneered. "If you can't solve the issues of standardization and universality, the military will only procure products from one company to ensure the convenience of the logistics department."

After delivering the threat, Wilhelm walked to the small blackboard prepared by Annie. "Now, let's talk about tank design. I assume you are all familiar with the concept of sloped armor on battleships, right? It aims to increase the effective thickness in the horizontal plane and allows for the possibility of shot bouncing. If we assume an armor thickness of 45mm sloped at 30°, then the effective horizontal thickness = 45/sin30° = 90mm." He picked up the chalk and drew a few lines.

"After assembling sloped armor at the designated angle, if the incoming projectile follows a parabolic trajectory on the battlefield and contacts the sloped armor during its ascending or near-horizontal stage, there will be significant protective effect. This is because the angle of contact between the projectile and the armor surface is small, resulting in late ricochets. If it doesn't ricochet, the equivalent thickness of penetration is indeed extended compared to the original thickness." This situation usually occurs in visual attacks, such as individual anti-tank rockets, anti-tank weapons without cannons, and tank-to-tank confrontations at visual distances. Since the distance is close, the projectile trajectory is usually in the ascending stage.

As the several business leaders nodded in agreement, Wilhelm couldn't help but feel pleased. "The tank gun can use a caliber of 50mm, but it should be upgradeable to 75mm with a coaxial machine gun. The frontal armor thickness should not be less than 40mm. Rear transmission, torsion bar suspension, and transverse engine placement. The speed should reach 45-50 kilometers per hour. The off-road range should be 200 kilometers." As for the engine, gasoline engines are still being used. Although many people believe that diesel engines are the best choice for tank engines due to their fuel efficiency, reliability, and low flammability, the current German technology cannot produce a perfect diesel engine. It will be about ten years before we can switch to diesel engines.

After all, in the original WWII timeline, Germany had the best diesel engine technology, with high technological content in related products. The Luftwaffe's Junkers Ju 86R special high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft used a diesel engine (this thing's practical ceiling could reach 14,400 meters, equivalent to the U2 in the future). Diesel engines were also used in the Navy's submarines and battleships, as well as high-power diesel engines from Maybach on land. Even the Soviet V2 engine was developed based on German technology, and initially, the Russians wanted to reduce the weight of this engine and use it for aircraft, which is why they made it out of aluminum. Unfortunately, the technology wasn't up to par, so it ended up being used on the ground and became the standard power plant for Soviet tanks.

However, the biggest problem was the lack of energy resources. As the saying goes, you can't make bricks without straw, and Germany's oil supply couldn't meet its needs. Two-thirds of Germany's fuel supply relied on coal liquefaction, as the cost of coal-derived gasoline was much lower than that of coal-derived diesel. One-third of the fuel was supplied by the Ploiești oil fields in Romania, and the diesel produced from this oil mainly supplied the Navy. Therefore, considering strategic requirements, the German army had to go with dieselization and use gasoline engines comprehensively.

After explaining all this, the representative from Daimler-Benz raised his hand. "Your Highness, I have a question."

Wilhelm nodded. "Please go ahead."

The Daimler-Benz representative gestured with his hand. "If we use sloped armor, won't it affect the interior space of the vehicle?"

This was a shallow question. While sloped armor was good, it wasn't perfect. First, it would cause cramped interior space, and second, if the angle of the sloped armor at the front was too large, there would be an unexpected issue—the placement of the driver's access hatch. The T-34 had a hatch on the roof, and the drivers of IS-2 and IS-4 tanks didn't even have a door; they had to either climb into the driver's position from the turret or enter through a bottom hatch until the IS-3 was modified with a sloped frontal hull that allowed for a roof hatch. However, at that time, the Soviets didn't have powerful enough pressing machines to manufacture integral sloped hulls, so they used welded plates. This not only created a weak point on the hull roof but also caused incidents of welded seams cracking and armor plates falling off.

It wasn't just the Soviet Union; other countries also faced similar contradictions. The early American Sherman tanks had a large sloping angle of 56 degrees on the front, but there wasn't enough space to provide a top hatch for the driver. As a result, two "weak points" were exposed on the front, and although additional armor plates were later welded to compensate for the protection "gaps," the angle itself was small, and adding 1-2 inches of armor plate was ineffective against the powerful German cannons. Moreover, the protruding parts increased the processing time. Eventually, the Americans couldn't bear it anymore, so they reduced the armor slope (to 47 degrees) and thickened the frontal armor, which basically solved the issue.

Wilhelm explained the solutions adopted by various countries and let them choose the most suitable approach for themselves.