Siheyuan: I eat melons while doing scientific research

Chapter 1404 Good News for an Old Comrade and a Blow to the Head (5k)

"How are you feeling?" asked the comrade by the tent.

“No, the airport is already like this when it’s stationary. With the tarmac in motion, there’s almost no chance of a safe landing. Can we make the tarmac a bit bigger?” The crew member said to the comrades by the tent, holding a soft flight helmet in his hand.

One comrade looked at another person in military uniform next to him and asked, "Could we get a bigger boat?"

To have a larger helipad, you need to consider a larger ship.

The comrade in military uniform shook his head: "No, this type of amphibious assault ship is already the largest ship we have. Any larger, whether in terms of structural strength, original design, service performance, or modification space, would be insufficient to meet the standby requirements of helicopters."

Helicopters can't just be parked on a ship and used immediately; they require a complete modification of the maintenance and support system and equipment, as well as spare parts and fuel. Converting a regular ship is simply not feasible given the nature of the mission.

The comrades really didn't expect that such a large medium-sized landing ship would have such difficulty in accommodating this thing.

"Don't be fooled by the size of the medium landing ship. The Mi-6 is not small either. In fact, this ship is only a little over 3000 tons, 120 meters long, and just over 16 meters wide. After deducting the stern, bridge, and bow, the remaining length and width are not much. It's too difficult to handle a helicopter that is 33 meters long, with a rotor diameter of 35 meters, and a total length of over 40 meters." This comrade was probably related to the China-Island amphibious assault ship and knew its data very well.

"This thing is huge!" one comrade exclaimed, looking at the Mi-6 helicopter on the tarmac.

"Are there any other helicopters?" one of the comrades asked.

"No, there aren't any more. Better turboshaft engines are still under development, and new models haven't been finalized yet. The most mature helicopters we have right now are the Mi-4, the Mi-4 copy, and the Mi-6 transport helicopters, as well as the Ka-25 anti-submarine helicopter, which is being prepared for the early procurement of the next-generation destroyers." This comrade knew our helicopters like the back of his hand.

"Don't count on the payload capacity of the Mi-4 twins. In different regions, depending on the temperature, the payload capacity may even decrease. To put it bluntly, lifting a person or a 107mm rocket launcher is no problem, but the expected payload for this mission still exceeds the safety limit of the Mi-4 twins." He went through each model one by one.

"The Ka-25 is small and a specialized aircraft, so the cost of modification would be too high. Moreover, coaxial twin rotors are not suitable for this situation. Otherwise, we would not have considered using the Mi-6 for the mission despite knowing that the Mi-6 is so large."

Judging from his attire, this comrade should be from the Air Force.

"Hmm... let's think about it some more. Fortunately, the mission still has some time ahead of us." A comrade stroked his few remaining white hairs, which were fluttering in the air, and looked at the huge helicopter on the tarmac, sighing helplessly.
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"Zhendong, do you think it's possible for us to develop a helicopter with a capacity of over 10 tons in a short period of time?"

Listening to the words of the leaders of the National Defense Industry Committee, Gao Zhendong was both amused and exasperated. "Are you here to have your fortune told?"

"Is the engine ready?" Gao Zhendong asked. Although he hadn't been involved in the work, Gao Zhendong could guess that his comrades were definitely considering related work. After all, they had Mi-4 and Mi-6 aircraft. The Mi-4's piston engine was one thing, but the Mi-6 had a turboshaft engine. He didn't believe his comrades could hold back.

"No..." The leader on the other end was very straightforward: "The engine on the Mi-6 is large and complex, and it's difficult for us to downgrade and reverse engineer it. There's not much progress. It's not easy to modify a large engine to a smaller one. Besides, while the engine is usable, it has quite a few minor problems, so it's not a very ideal model to reverse engineer. As for the Ka-25's engine, it's a bit too small."

The D-25 turboshaft engine on the Mi-6 is the first generation of turboshaft engines used in practical applications by the White Bear. As for the first generation, those who know, know. It's impossible for it to be without problems.

As for our reverse engineering of the Mi-6 engine, the leadership didn't hide anything from us. It's such a novel thing, why would we hide it from them?

Gao Zhendong thought for a moment and asked, "Urgent? Even if we have an engine, I reckon it won't be easy to get this thing working in two or three years."

The leader hummed in agreement on the phone.

"Boss, if I remember correctly, we once sought out V-8A helicopters from the North, right? Those are 12-ton class." The V-8A, later the Mi-8, was a pretty good one. It didn't have many other advantages, but it was cheap and plentiful.

"This aircraft has been undergoing test flights and has not yet been finalized, so no contract has been signed. You know, the situation has changed somewhat, and things without a contract are not so easy to handle now."

Gao Zhendong exclaimed, "Ah!" He remembered that the final version of the V-8A was originally scheduled to begin test flights in August 1965. It was now January 1965, so it was indeed impossible for this aircraft to be finalized.

"What a pity," Gao Zhendong sighed inwardly. There was nothing he could do. No matter how fast he sped up, it was unlikely he could reach the comrades in the north. Most of their equipment would probably continue along the original path, with only minor changes.

Our army aviation will be the mainstay for a long time to come, compared to...

Hey, speaking of comparisons with so-and-so, Gao Zhendong remembered... back in the day, no, I mean, in the future, our Army Aviation was served by three major empires.

If we're talking about something that meets the leader's requirements, there really is one, and it happens to meet the urgent need. Although it's currently in the unfinished stage, it was actually finalized earlier than the Mi-8, and its performance is slightly better. It's at least a tiny bit smaller than the Mi-8, but its maximum takeoff weight is a little bit greater.

That is:
Forged through countless trials and tribulations, it has been developed into dozens of models, including the only early naval carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft, the first Dragonfly-equipped destroyer, and a renowned European-style aircraft from Gaul...

——SA321, Super Hornet!

Of course, the dozens of models mentioned here refer to those that were undetermined or informal. In terms of model designation, they still fall short compared to the J-8 fighter jet and the J-6 bomber. After all, both of those are known for occupying letters in their names, especially the J-6.

“Boss, who’s so eager to do business? If they don’t want me here, there are plenty of other places that will,” Gao Zhendong said with a smile.

The leader was amused. This kid must have found out or remembered something that the other members of the committee didn't know.

"Is there a chance? Speak quickly if you have something to say."

"Besides the north, we have another great partner, and in some ways, we've had even more exchanges with them in recent years than with the north!"

This reminder immediately brought it to the leader's mind: the second-largest economy in the West!

"Them? They have them?" You have to admit, if they really do have helicopters of that caliber, it would indeed be a great option.

At least for things that aren't particularly sensitive, they're still willing to take action. Even if they don't transfer the technology, exporting finished products is still good. Let's address the most urgent tasks first.

Gao Zhendong laughed and said, "Yes, yes, and I estimate they are willing to sell. Maintaining their complete military industrial system is very difficult for them. They will try every opportunity to export their weapons and equipment to reduce their own costs and keep their military industrial system running as much as possible. Our relationship with them is what it is now, so I don't think there will be any major problems."

The two sides are exchanging information on equipment such as medium- and long-range air defense missiles and homing torpedoes, which are far more lethal and sensitive. What's the big deal about a transport helicopter?

Moreover, Gao Zhendong knew that the Gauls were exceptionally persistent in selling weapons, showing less restraint than the other vendors.

There's no way around it; maintaining a basically complete military-industrial complex comes at a price. As for that shameful Five Goodnesses across the sea that's now lying low, let's not even mention it. They don't have much to offer to sell, especially land and air weapons.

"Hmm, your analysis makes sense; their intentions seem very strong. What kind of aircraft is it exactly? Why haven't our comrades mentioned it?" This is something the leadership hasn't figured out; does Gao Zhendong know more than the comrades in the committee?
Gao Zhendong laughed and said, "This thing is the same as the one our comrades in the north have; it's also an unfinished transport helicopter, but the progress is faster, so our comrades in the commission may have seen it but didn't think of it. My work here often involves them, so I have access to some of their materials. Based on the analysis of the materials, I estimate that this aircraft will be finalized by next year at the latest. It's a little shorter than the V-8A, but it's a 13-ton class helicopter. How about that? Not bad, right?"

As for exactly how much shorter, Gao Zhendong didn't say, although he knew. Too much detail would be excessive; just explaining the situation was sufficient. For the same reason, he didn't mention the model number, since it existed anyway. Gao Zhendong's work was indeed highly relevant to Gaolu, as he was involved in the vast majority of the technology and products sold and exchanged. Therefore, his superiors had no doubts about Gao Zhendong's statement.

Moreover, it's quite normal for Westerners to start promoting their research early on and to release preliminary data in advance.

Gao Zhendong said that his analysis suggests the model will be finalized within next year, and it is highly likely that it will indeed be finalized next year. In this regard, the leadership absolutely believes Gao Zhendong's conclusion.

As Gao Zhendong had expected, the situation of this aircraft indeed aroused great interest among the leaders. He was very familiar with the V-8A, after all, he had waited so long, even though he hadn't gotten his hands on it yet.

So when Gao Zhendong used the V-8A as a comparison, he immediately got a general impression of the aircraft Gao Zhendong was talking about, although it was vague, it was enough.

It's a bit shorter than the V-8A, but a ton heavier? This is the dream machine, it's perfect!

The leader mentally estimated that if Gao Zhendong's words were true, the aircraft would have no problem landing and taking off in the modified ship, and with a few modifications, it could even be carried by a second-generation destroyer.

Moreover, at 13 tons, the payload is more than enough; it's a natural transport aircraft, and even minor modifications for missions are easy to make.

Gao Zhendong added, "According to the information, this aircraft also has the ability to take off and land on water, making it very suitable as a multi-purpose transport helicopter."

It also has the ability to take off and land on water? That would be even more perfect! In a moment of desperation, it stopped on the water and slowly began operations.

perfect!

"Okay, I understand. We'll take care of it." The leader didn't say thank you; with Gao Zhendong, there was no need, and he couldn't possibly thank him in return.

Gao Zhendong was even happier than he was.

After hanging up the phone, Gao Zhendong clapped his hands. "Hey, my old comrades from the Army have to thank me again this time." He continued, "This aircraft won't be very useful to the Navy in the short term. After all, it's too big. It can be used for special missions, but not for general purposes. We don't yet have dock landing platforms or catapult platforms. Giving the Navy an aircraft of this size (like the Super Frelon) is still a bit too much."

The army is different. This class of transport helicopters is the main force, and in some ways, it is even more important than heavy or special helicopters such as the CH-53, CH-47, CH-54, Mi-6, and Mi-26.

Even if they can only buy a few or a dozen aircraft this time, Gao Zhendong believes that starting the reverse engineering ahead of time means that the reverse engineering will be successful ahead of time. Getting them ten or more years ahead of time means that they may be successful ten or even more than ten years ahead of time. If he puts in some effort on the materials, he is happy for his old comrades-in-arms.
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At a research institute under the Ministry of Applied Chemistry, several colleagues were counting several large wooden crates. The crates were well protected by cushioning material. Inside were acids, alkalis, toxic and harmful substances, equipment and materials—all sorts of things.

"This batch of stuff looks strange; it doesn't seem like what the 17th Ministry of Machine Building usually uses," a young man said with a puzzled look.

Another person, while counting and taking notes, said, "Why do you care what they do? Anyway, they asked for it, and the higher-ups approved it, so we have to prepare it and deliver it on time and in the required quantity. Occasionally, they will ask for some of these kinds of materials. It's not unusual for such a large ministry to use some materials that are not commonly used. And don't forget, the 17th Ministry of Machinery Industry is involved in metallurgy, which is more or less related to chemical industry. Don't look down on them. The biodiesel technology that was recently transferred to the institute to carry out mass production process implementation was developed by them."

Speaking of this, this comrade felt very surprised. Such a "chemical" technology was actually developed by those blacksmiths. He felt ashamed when he thought about it.

The 17th Ministry of Machine Building: It was not a fault of war, there is no need to feel embarrassed.

"Hey, Master, what do you think they're doing with all this?" the young man couldn't help but ask somewhat rashly.

His master's expression immediately changed, and he looked at him sternly: "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask! Don't you even know this basic rule? The 17th Ministry of Machine Building asked us to deliver the goods to their ministry instead of directly to the user unit. Can't you understand what's going on here?"

The young man shrank his neck and lightly slapped his own mouth. Well, he had been careless again.

However, his master changed the subject at this point: "You can't ask, but you can guess based on what you've learned. But don't tell anyone what you guess, whether it's right or wrong, even though we can't be sure in a short time."

If that's my guess, then there's no problem.

The young man got excited and looked at the list carefully for a while.

"FeCl2 and FeCl3, trisodium citrate, diethylene glycol, iron acetylacetone, oleylamine, octadecene, hydrazine... It's so complicated! Inorganic iron, organic iron, solvents, reducing agents, etc. I only know that the final product is definitely related to iron, but I can't see anything else."

His master nodded in satisfaction: "Hmm, it's about time to see this step. I can also tell that this is not a single process, but rather multiple processes, but the purpose is the same: to obtain iron(III) oxide."

"Can you see this?"

"How novel! Okay, that's all I can guess. I can't guess any more." He said this, but the expression on his face seemed to indicate that he was thinking about something.

He was very familiar with this area, and had even conducted related research. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been in charge of organizing the loading and unloading of these items. However, even so, he could only guess a little bit, and still knew very little about the purpose of the comrades in the Seventeenth Ministry of Machine Building.
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Everyone was busy, and Gao Zhendong was no exception.

He was drawing something, not drawing a lottery, but rather extracting the useful parts from the materials he had received.

Actually, that's not quite right. It's not about extracting the useful parts. This book, titled "Materials Invisibility," is useful from top to bottom. It provides basic preparation routes for some typical invisibility materials, some in detail and some briefly. The most amazing thing is that it even covers visible light invisibility, although it's not very practical for now.

Gao Zhendong knew about the ins and outs of this. There must have been some kind of treatment to desensitize it. But Gao Zhendong believed that decades later, even the most crooked and inconspicuous details of stealth technology would be transformed into a powerful blow to the enemy in this day and age!
What Gao Zhendong had to do was extract the usable parts, and the first thing he extracted was the principle of radar wave absorption.

It contains a very clear description of the principles of radar absorption, the types of absorbing materials, the structure, and some attenuation formulas. Although it is not in-depth, it is definitely enough as introductory material for radar absorption, and it can give the comrades at the Southwest Institute a good start.

At this age, they still need enlightenment; the comrades at the Southwest Institute have nowhere to reason with them.

The good thing about this part is that it is very theoretical and has little to do with time or anything like that. In short, it is all about theoretical analysis and doesn't need to consider whether it can be achieved now or whether it is even possible.

As I said, it's all theory. There may be dozens of paths in theory, but when applied to reality, there may only be one or two, or even no path at all.

Therefore, extracting the theoretical part is the simplest. Gao Zhendong doesn't even need to consider the current situation. He only needs to do one thing: remove the descriptions such as "XX published a paper in XX year, conducted research on XX theory, and proposed XX formula as follows", leaving only the essential information.

This part originally didn't have much content; the theory was simple, but the engineering difficulties were the norm, and Gao Zhendong copied it very quickly.

After copying out the section on radar stealth, Gao Zhendong fell into deep thought as he looked at the remaining chapters of the theoretical section.

Infrared stealth materials, laser stealth materials...

To copy or not to copy?

(End of this chapter)