A tree spring scene, drizzle falling flowers, Qingming quietly arrived. At a certain research institute of the Weapons and Equipment Group, this year's Qingming Dynasty, everyone expressed their deep remembrance of a small arms expert in various ways.
On December 5 last year, Shen Wenjie, the former deputy chief engineer of the institute, unfortunately passed away, and his life was forever fixed at the age of 66. Looking back on Shen Wenjie's scientific research life, he devoted all his enthusiasm and energy to his beloved small arms cause. This scientific research veteran and the team worked together to push the development of light weapons on the mainland to the world's advanced level.
During his lifetime, Shen Wenjie impressed and infected the people around him with a perseverance; after leaving, he turned into a star, illuminating the path of innovation for young researchers. Today, let us reminisce about this small arms expert and feel the light and heat emanating from his scientific life.
"Military products must be fine products, and products reflect character"
——Recall shen Wenjie, former deputy chief engineer of a research institute of the Ordnance Equipment Group
■ Special correspondent of the People's Liberation Army Daily, Zhan Chuanyuan, correspondent Zheng Shuangyan
Shen Wenjie's work photo before his death. Courtesy of the author
Light duties Heavy deeds
There is a beam of light in the eyes, designed for scientific research and innovation
Shen Wenjie's colleagues commented that he was a man with a light in his eyes and "almost obsessed with the study of small arms and light weapons."
In 1996, Shen Wenjie, who was then the deputy director of the first office of a research institute, took the initiative to propose to the leaders of the institute to resign from his personal administrative position and concentrate on scientific research. Shen Wenjie, who graduated from East China Institute of Technology, has been working here for more than 10 years and has been promoted to a leadership position.
"Let good leadership not do it, and engage in scientific research with one mind?" In the face of the confusion of colleagues and family members, Shen Wenjie's answer was simple and powerful - "This is a careful choice"
In the 1990s, military science and technology developed rapidly, and the development of world light weapons accelerated and shifted gears. This is a rare opportunity and an unprecedented challenge for the cause of light weapons on the mainland. As a "veteran" on the scientific research front of light weapons, Shen Wenjie is keenly aware that the heavier the model tasks undertaken by the institute, the greater the challenges brought about by technological upgrading, and for the rapid development of the mainland's light weapons cause, it is necessary to dive into the heart and devote all our energy to the research and development of light weapons.
For Shen Wenjie, technical research can mobilize his enthusiasm and burst out of creative vitality. Later facts also proved this -- as the chief division, Shen Wenjie participated in the development of a certain type of aviation machine gun, which was the first aviation machine gun developed by the mainland itself, leaving the reputation of "the first gun of Chinese aviation" in the history of the development of small arms in the mainland.
It is well known that aviation machine guns play a role in suppressing firepower in combat against ground targets. At that time, most of the aircraft machine guns equipped with our helicopters were imitations of the Soviet Union, and the models were old and technically backward.
It is imperative to create a new and easy-to-use aviation machine gun. Just a year before Shen Wenjie proposed to resign from the leadership position, the institute began the establishment of the project and the demonstration of the new aviation machine gun.
The sword blade came out of the grinding. The successful development of a new type of aircraft machine gun has to go through countless arduous researches. Put forward technical and tactical indicators, principle prototype gun verification, design stereotypes... For Shen Wenjie, who is in charge of the project, and his R&D team, each stage is a difficult one. In one test, the sample gun suddenly had a broken shell problem, and several reviews did not find the root cause of the problem. For a time, the on-site technicians were helpless. Time is not waiting for people, and if the problem cannot be solved, it will affect the progress of the next step.
"No matter how hard it is, you have to gnaw down this 'hard bone'!" Shen Wenjie led the team members, after more than 2 months of research, finally found the cause of the shell break and the improvement method. In the end, the test results were validated.
In the final evaluation link, industry experts gave such an affirmation: "This type of aviation machine gun has a simple structure, good reliability, strong environmental adaptability, many ammunition types, and convenient operation and maintenance, which has effectively improved the comprehensive combat level of our military's aviation equipment." Subsequently, Shen Wenjie turned his attention to the development of more new weapons and equipment - he led the team to participate in the development of a number of models of projects, pushing the development of mainland light weapons to the world's advanced level.
Talk lightly, do more and do more
At his feet are a pair of "hot wheels" that run for small arms tests all year round
What kind of gun makes officers and soldiers feel at ease?
For this question, Shen Wenjie has his own answer in his heart: "The gun that 'never drops the chain' on the battlefield." ”
As the "second life" of a soldier, the performance of a gun directly determines the combat effectiveness. In order to verify whether the performance is up to standard, a gun must undergo repeated testing and demonstration. After the test demonstration is passed, the new gun can smoothly move from the factory to the battlefield.
"Mr. Shen has a pair of 'hot wheels' at his feet, and he has been running for small arms tests all year round — either at the test site or on his way to the test site." In the impression of He Qingguo, a scientific researcher at the institute, Shen Wenjie, as the chief division, often traveled all over the motherland in order to create a good gun, participating in all aspects of the weapon trial production test.
In the northern suburbs of the capital, the institute's small arms testing and test center, the country's largest light weapons "physical examination center", shoulders the heavy responsibility of checking the quality of firearms, and also witnesses Shen Wenjie and his team members fighting on the road of scientific and technological innovation.
"After a set of professional 'physical examinations', it is clear at a glance what problems the gun has, which can provide a strong basis for the later treatment of 'diseases'." For developers, field trials are often boring and monotonous. Taking a certain type of gun with a shooting life of 10,000 rounds as an example, these 10,000 bullets must not only be fired in the field, but also alternately carried out under high and low temperature conditions, and the entire test will take dozens of days.
Survival of the fittest is the unchanging law of nature. In Shen Wenjie's thinking, the world of guns is also defined in this way: whether it is cold or hot, whether it is the Gobi desert or the dense jungle, only if it can withstand the test of different battlefield environments, it can be called a good gun.
"The more strictly we 'physically inspect' guns, the more secure officers and men will be when they go to the battlefield." It is this design concept of "coming from the battlefield and going to the battlefield" that makes each gun developed by Shen Wenjie stand the test of actual combat.
The latching mechanism is the core component of the machine gun, and its performance reliability has a great impact on the overall system. In the sample gun identification test, a certain type of aircraft machine gun had the problem of latching card iron fracture. Shen Wenjie immediately carried out technical research at the test site, and finally successfully solved the problem by adjusting the size of the structure and replacing the material. Not only that, he also overcame a number of major technical problems such as the start of the first launch, the reliability of the ammunition supply, and further optimized the design of the aviation machine gun.
"Military products are fine products." Shen Wenjie spent his life to fulfill this promise. Many years later, Wu Yongjun, a scientific researcher involved in the research and development of a certain type of aviation machine gun, is still deeply impressed by Shen Wenjie's work style of "nailing in the field to overcome difficulties". He said: "During the project period, Mr. Shen and we rushed to the trial workshop and the test site, he was like a rapidly rotating gyroscope, and he could not stop for a moment. ”
Light ego heavy inheritance
There is a fire in the heart that ignites the youthful dreams of young people
As a well-known expert in the field of small arms and light weapons, Shen Wenjie was rehired by the institute after retirement, responsible for program review, major technical problems and other related work. Engaged in these jobs, he is naturally surrounded by young researchers. Everyone said: "With Shen always there, the test is very supportive - he is a 'wisdom star' who solves various difficult diseases." ”
Shen Wenjie is very concerned about the growth and progress of young researchers. In his daily work, he pays attention to guiding and helping young people, and he always patiently answers difficult questions raised by young people. People often say: "Many programs are always checked by the applicant, and you can always get some unexpected innovative inspiration." ”
In the past, the research and development of continental sniper rifles did not have a systematic concept, and they were equipped with ordinary rifle bullets or machine gun bullets, which had a great impact on the accuracy of sniper rifle shooting. When developing a certain type of sniper rifle, Shen Wenjie led young researchers to carry out exploration and research, systematically sorted out and compared the system construction, technical path and development trend of the world sniper rifle, and came up with the advanced concept of "integrated system design of guns, bullets and mirrors". Later, this concept became a major innovative highlight of the new gun, which was unanimously affirmed by industry experts.
"Military products must be fine products, and products reflect human character." Over the years, Shen Wenjie often used this sentence to teach his students. Wang Haijie, a researcher at the institute, is the first graduate student under the supervision of Shen Wenjie. 16 years of time with her mentor made her feel particularly deeply about it. On the eve of the Qingming Festival, she published an article titled "Forever Miss My Mentor" in the WeChat circle of friends, which aroused strong resonance among her colleagues. In the text, Wang Haijie's affectionate monologue is also the voice of everyone's heart: "It is my honor and pride to become a student of Shen Zong! ”
"Care for the younger generation and guide the growth of talents." Thinking of this, Liu Feng, a researcher at the institute, felt warm, saying: "There is a fire in Shen Zong's heart, igniting the youthful dreams of young people. In the research and development task of a certain type of aviation machine gun, Liu Feng, as the chief designer, is mainly responsible for the research of gunpowder start-up technology and the calculation of the size chain. With shen wenjie's encouragement, he boldly innovated. In order to solve the technical problems, he designed a simulation device and adjusted the starting equipment parameters of the gunpowder bomb. The experimental results show that Liu Feng's innovative design has achieved good results.
After solving the project problems, Shen Wenjie, as the chief division, encouraged Liu Feng to continue to explore and strive for greater results. After Liu Feng systematically summarized this innovative achievement, the paper he wrote was well received by industry experts. Accomplish tasks, improve your abilities, get recognized... Multiple harvests at a time made Liu Feng full of confidence.
"Light weapons are not 'light', attitude determines the quality of the product." For the scientific research and research work of light weapons, Shen Wenjie is meticulous and assured, and everyone not only admires his excellent professional and technical skills, but also has a rigorous and meticulous work attitude.
Wang Haijie still remembers that Shen Wenjie's eyes were on and his heart was thinking about the scientific research work of small arms, "until the morning of his death, he was still writing and revising the speech materials for the review meeting the next day..." Speaking of this, Wang Haijie's eyes flashed with tears.
The dead are gone, and the living weep. Tears are a dialogue between the living and the deceased across time and space, and the silent words on the tombstone are also vivid with memories at this moment. Looking far away, the mountain, the tree, the flowers that bloom on the branches are all another continuation of the life of the deceased.
A certain type of pistol made in China. Courtesy of the author
Members of the reconnaissance team of a certain composite regiment of the Southern Xinjiang Military Region used a certain type of sniper rifle made in domestic production for shooting training. Photo by Kong Lingzhi