In fact, this time the military (mainly Lieutenant Colonel Hoffman) did not have high requirements for the new tank. Actually, it's "Trailblazer" (again Hoffman's name, meaning that this new weapon expands the way combat is fought). The main indicator of the upgraded version of the tank is to reduce the failure rate of the tank.

So the three people who had no idea in Constanta came to Constanta to try their luck, but they didn't expect to really touch them.

After listening to Sodaval's presentation on the freestanding cylindrical coil spring suspension system, all three felt that this was what they had been looking for. All three of them felt that this structure was simple, the reliability was good, and the elasticity was also good, and this suspension system could allow the tank to have good performance. As for its outstanding shortcomings, it takes up too much space inside the car body, and the three of them also feel that this is bearable.

Because since Lieutenant Colonel Hoffman received this batch of tanks, he has more than once asked the three to improve the failure rate of the tanks. Failures caused by suspension systems currently account for half of them. The three of them were also forced by Lieutenant Colonel Hoffman to have no choice, so they came to try their luck at the Ploiesti Machinery Factory, the main manufacturer of tracked vehicles in Romania, but they didn't expect to really run into it.

After encountering a problem that can solve the suspension system, the three plan to visit the machine shop again to see if there are other gains. Sodavar is also quite supportive of their work, after all, he can be regarded as his own friend. And if they can make excellent new equipment, it will also give the machine factory a new way out. After all, the order of the military cannot be given only to Volkswagen, the manufacture of tracked vehicles, they are specialized in the Ploiesti Mechanical Plant.

The trio continued to visit the Ploiesti Machinery Factory, which really inspired them.

For example, when designing the Trailblazer tank, they still used the same variable box front as the wheeled vehicle. At the machine shop, they found that most of their tracked vehicles had variable boxes in the rear. They asked the designers of the machine shop and received the reply that the rear of the variable box can facilitate maintenance, reduce the height of the vehicle, reduce the power loss, and allow the engine to exert greater performance.

However, the disadvantage of this is also obvious, it will lengthen the body and is not conducive to handling. There was no way to do it for the body extension machine, but for situations that were not conducive to operation, they used a hydraulic control system to change the situation.

Because they produce civilian vehicles, there is no such thing as people staying in the body. Therefore, whether this scheme can succeed on the tank requires the demonstration of three people. The trio were most interested in the advantage of reducing the height of the vehicle. Because the current Trailblazer tank is tall enough (3.48 meters), if you add the independent cylindrical coil spring suspension system, this height is estimated to be 4 meters. The trio were also people who had designed tanks, and they were interested in the technology that would reduce the height of the vehicle, knowing that not only would it require more armor, but would also make it less adaptable to the terrain.

In addition to the discovery of the rear of the variable box, their machine shop has other gains. Among them, the rear of the driving wheel is another major discovery of theirs. Because the Trailblazer tank is a wheeled armored vehicle, its power is also the same as that of the armored car, using a front-engine design. In order to facilitate power transmission, the power wheel is also front-mounted.

In the machine shop, they found that many of their tracked vehicles have power wheels rear-facing, only to learn after inquiry that it is because the structure is compact and does not take up too much space, and there is no complex front-wheel steering and drive structure. However, the disadvantages are obvious, the rear axle load is large, and there is a tendency to oversteer in terms of handling.

After some deliberation, the three of them decided that this was not a significant disadvantage for the tank they had developed, after all, they did not produce speed sports cars but combat vehicles, and they were not responsible for the problem of handling. Now the main problem is that the tank failure rate is too high, and the engine and power wheel rear can optimize its structure to reduce the failure rate. For the three people who have been trying to reduce the breakdown, this is drowsiness and encountering a pillow, which is simply not too good.

So the trio immediately decided to use the layout in the same way in the new tank.

After spending five days carefully understanding the various technologies suitable for their use at the Ploiesti Machinery Plant, the three of them also became more and more confident in the new tank indicators required by the military.

The three of them are also very clear about the help given by their friend Sodavar. So before leaving, the three invited Mr. and Mrs. Sodavar to a dinner to express their gratitude.

In a French restaurant in Ploiesti, several people are eating a farewell lunch.

Herke picked up the red wine in his hand and said to the Sodavars. "Thank you for your help to the three of us, if it weren't for the great support of the machine factory, we wouldn't have gained so much."

After Herke finished speaking, Biak and Wang Chaoqiang also raised their wine glasses and expressed their respect to the Sodavars.

In the face of the trio's tribute, Sodavar and his wife Hestina also paid homage to the trio. After drinking the wine, Sodavar told the three of them what his father-in-law had asked him to take. "You look at this 'tank' pair of vehicles with this strange name, and I think it's actually the Ploiesti Mechanics Factory that is the best choice."

Because this is a secret equipment developed by the military, Sodawar is also very interested in replacing it with a special vehicle in public. Without waiting for the three of them to reply, he continued.

"Did you find out? In the development of this special vehicle needs tracks, we in the Ploiesti Machinery Plant have the most experience, you need the diesel engine as the power, or our Machinery Factory has the most experience. Basically, all kinds of special vehicles you have developed can be found in our factory with technicians in this area. ”

Sodaval concluded. "So I think it's best for you to come to our factory."

In fact, Sodavar has always felt this way, but the purpose is different from his father-in-law's desire to connect with the military, he is thinking about himself and his three friends. If the three friends were working on wheeled armored vehicles, he would not have asked this question at all. It's just that their research is really in line with the machine factory, and he can't bear to let the three of them run back and forth for this.

Hearing his friend's words, the three of them couldn't help but fall silent. In fact, the three of them also feel this way, but now they are transferred to the Ploiesti Machinery Factory, which makes the three of them have a hard time. They are also afraid that because they leave, Volkswagen will have their own gossip, after all, the three of them have learned a lot in Volkswagen, especially in terms of technology, and they will be discussed if they leave like this, and the three of them are thin-skinned.

Faced with a quiet scene, it was Sodavar who was the most experienced. He spoke immediately. "Let's not talk about that now, it's just a gathering of friends."

It was still Herke who had the most experience, and he immediately picked up. "Yes, that's right. Today we are only talking about gatherings, about life. ”

"For us, we only talk about parties, we talk about life."

Sodavar looked at the expressions of his three friends and knew that his words had left a mark on their hearts, and that was enough. Their choices in the future also need to be decided by themselves.

After a few people had lunch, Sodawar put the three friends in the car. Looking at the slowly moving train, his wife Hestina asked. "Will they come to the machine shop?"

Sodavar replied. "It should be, but not now."