Chapter 503: Chapter 503: Former "Minister of the Navy
Shire originally planned to completely hand over the rifle design to Dominic and Browning. This was also considered a form of training and test for Dominic.
However, the imminent crisis ahead forced him to "accelerate" the process.
In the FN factory conference room, Browning and Dominic were huddled together, staring at the blueprint in front of them.
Browning widened his eyes and carefully scrutinized every detail, his expression extremely complex, alternating between confusion and surprise. Occasionally, he would look up at Shire with an incredulous look in his eyes.
After a long while, Browning finally put down the blueprint and exclaimed, "General, is this your design?"
Shire nodded, "Drawn on the car, not very accurate."
This statement once again left Browning utterly shocked. Drawn on the car?
Antwerp is only 59 kilometers from Ghent. If the speed was fast enough, it wouldn’t take an hour. Could such a complex rifle really be designed in an hour?
The key point was that everything looked very reasonable and perfect, as if it had gone through countless tests and modifications before finally being solidified into a mass-production product.
Browning guessed correctly. What Shire provided was indeed the finalized mass-production design of the M1 Garand rifle.
On the surface, this rifle did not seem difficult, but the key was that it was meant to replace bolt-action rifles. Infantrymen almost required one per person, and production would be in the millions.
With such a large number, even the smallest issue could potentially lead to irreparable massive losses.
Therefore, the United States spent over a decade testing and modifying it before finally having a finished product.
(The image above shows the M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle, designed in 1919, developed successfully in 1921, but not put into production until 1937 due to wartime pressure, with continuous testing and modifications for 16 years.)
What Shire provided was the final version of the Garand rifle, essentially skipping all the intermediate processes in one go.
The reason it is said to be "essentially" is because Shire could only roughly specify the dimensions, magazine capacity, and clip data but could not detail every internal part.
However, these were not difficult for Browning, who had designed semi-automatic shotguns.
"I hope this will be a rifle based on the new 7.5mm rimless French ammunition," Shire said. "Due to the urgent military situation, I hope we can enter mass production next month."
"That’s impossible," Browning exclaimed in shock. "General, you don’t know what mass production means. We must be sufficiently cautious about this..."
"We urgently need this rifle, sir," Shire reminded, "I know you hope for more testing time, but I think the best testing ground is the battlefield. It’s wartime now, and we can’t hope to perfect it and then use it as if it were peacetime."
This situation was different from the ten-plus years of modifications in the United States, which had no wartime pressure and the time and conditions to modify the rifle.
Moreover, what Shire provided was a finished product that required few modifications.
Shire then added, "We can produce it in small batches, sir, just equipping my troops. The first batch is set at... ten thousand rifles."
Shire was considering the mechanized division, which needed more long-range firepower.
Browning nodded, "No problem, General, but I can’t guarantee its quality."
"Of course," Shire replied, glancing at Dominic beside Browning.
Dominic remained relaxed from beginning to end, knowing what the situation would be.
One day, when Browning produced and tested this type of rifle, he would exclaim, "Oh my God, it hardly needs modifications; it’s meant to be this way!"
Dominic had seen this kind of thing countless times and had become accustomed to it.
This might be the difference between genius and hard work, Dominic sighed inwardly, no matter how hard he worked, he could never surpass Shire, this ceiling.
...
After finishing these tasks, Shire felt somewhat relieved.
The reason he was so urgent was that he anticipated the upcoming battle might be the British-led "Battle of the Somme."
This battle in history was launched to relieve pressure on Verdun and was also the British hope to shine on the battlefield and outshine the French army.
However, under the heavy machine gun fire from the Germans, the British created the highest casualty record in human history: 60,000 casualties in one day.
If his armored units faced such an enemy, what would the situation be?
Bombers?
The Germans’ heavy machine guns were mobile; they would hide in trenches to avoid artillery, then bring up the machine guns when the enemy approached. Bombers would obviously be ineffective.
Tanks?
The Germans would dig one or more deep anti-tank trenches in front of their trenches, making it impossible for tanks to cross. Infantry would have to advance to clear the obstacles.
Mortars?
At this time, the range of mortars was only a few hundred meters, while the range of Maxim machine guns was a thousand meters!
Upon careful consideration, Shire concluded that only semi-automatic rifles could counter this: three semi-automatic rifles with alternating fire could suppress a machine gun.
Coupled with their own light and heavy machine guns and tank firepower, there was a possibility of victory in this battle.
Unconsciously, the car had already entered the airport.
Shire was almost asleep. He yawned groggily and stepped out of the car, seeing several British officers standing on the open airfield, pointing at the planes and observing the takeoff and landing of fighters with great interest.
What the hell? Shire thought, hadn’t Admiral Avis left yet?
However, Shire quickly realized he was mistaken. The Vice Admiral at the forefront was in navy uniform, and the captain beside him was in the army.
Before Shire could react, the navy officer noticed him and waved from a distance, shouting over the roar of aircraft engines, "Hey, Major General, we’ve been waiting for you for a long time!"
Shire finally recognized that it was General Winter.
No wonder they were interested in planes, the British Navy was not a group that rejected new equipment; otherwise, there wouldn’t be Dreadnoughts and aircraft carriers.
(Note: The world’s first aircraft carrier is generally considered to be Britain’s "Hundred-eyed Giant," developed in 1916.)
Shire lazily walked up to General Winter, asking as he walked, "What’s the matter, General? Has the Dardanelles Strait’s cleanup work been completed?"
This was Shire’s suggestion that General Winter finally heeded before beginning to withdraw forces from the Dardanelles Strait.
"Almost," General Winter replied, approaching with the army captain beside him.
To Shire’s surprise, General Winter was very respectful towards the army captain.
Moreover, the army captain looked somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.
As they got closer, General Winter introduced, "This is the former ’Minister of the Navy,’ Major General, he wanted to meet you."
Shire was instantly stunned, the former "Minister of the Navy"?
Army captain?