Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 214-213 Major US Procurement: Aluminum Alloy for Aircraft Engine Propellers

With all the silver sold, Fang Wen had a large sum of cash.

After deducting all costs and fees, the total amount of money was $850 million, which was sufficient for various purchases.

If that's not enough, Taishan International's funds can be used for emergencies.

The available funds total approximately $1200 million.

Therefore, Fang Wen felt like a nouveau riche when he made this big purchase.

He only calmed down after he had thoroughly studied a series of aviation company documents in order to make the purchase.

If you want to build an aircraft manufacturing plant, the first thing you need to understand is naturally aircraft engines.

Britain currently holds an advantage in the field of aircraft engines.

Rolls-Royce (a car manufacturer and specialized aircraft engine manufacturer)

Bristol Aircraft Ltd. (Aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturer)

Although Germany was restricted from directly producing aircraft engines by the Treaty of Versailles after World War I, its BMW and Mercedes-Benz engine divisions had the capability to produce engines.

There is also the Friedrichshafen engine manufacturer, which once produced engines for Zeppelin airships and was famous for its heavy-duty diesel engines. Due to the Treaty of Versailles, German companies' products were prohibited from being used in aircraft, and their products could only be used in locomotives, tanks, and ships. It is also a company that can switch to producing aircraft engines at any time.

In the United States...

General Motors has the best engine manufacturing division in the United States.

There's also Pratt & Whitney, a company founded just over ten years ago that specializes in manufacturing aircraft engines.

And Allison Engine Company, the manufacturer of the 1710 engine, which was acquired by the Fang Wenteau Mafia.

Japan.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will provide engine equipment for various combat aircraft of the Japanese Air Force in the future.

Choosing the right engine supplier is crucial, and since aircraft manufacturing is a systematic project, handling it well can help resolve other issues.

Fang Wen gave this matter much thought.

In addition to manufacturing engines, Rolls-Royce is also a car brand.

Unlike their car business, which can be sold freely, their aircraft engines are military products and must pass official review before they can be exported.

It's hard.

Bristol Aircraft Company, formerly known as the Colonial Aircraft Manufacturing Company, had close ties with the British government and was therefore more difficult to deal with.

In Germany, the Nazis were at their most aggressive, clamoring to dedicate all industrial power to armaments. Why would they cooperate with the outside world at this critical juncture?

After much thought, Fang Wen realized that the only country that could currently obtain high-quality engines was the United States.

Fang Wenxian contacted General Motors regarding the relationships between General Motors, Pratt & Whitney, and Allison Engine Company.

Unfortunately, this large company has made it clear that it is currently focusing its efforts on developing the automotive engine sector.

After failing to get a response from GM, Fang Wen turned to two other companies for help.

Allison Engine Company could not supply the 1710 engine because the high horsepower produced by the 1710 engine was valued by the US military.

In the end, only Pratt & Whitney remained.

Fang Wen, however, took it in stride.

The reason is that the Boeing 247 uses Pratt & Whitney's Wasp engine, which has very stable performance. Fang Wen's first seaplane used the same Wasp engine as the 247.

He had also studied the 1710 engine during this period, but it was not yet a perfect product. Even if it were used in an aircraft, he was probably the only one who could operate it.

For aircraft to be mass-produced, stability is essential.

He then immediately traveled to Hartford, Connecticut.

Fang Wen piloted a Waco aerobatic plane from New York.

The northeastern part of New York State borders Connecticut, and the flight took just over half an hour to reach Hartford.

When the plane landed at the airport, he was greeted by Pratt & Whitney employees.

A bald man in a suit came over to greet Fang Wen warmly after he parked the plane in the rest area.
"Hello, I'm Joris Swan, Head of International Sales at Pratt & Whitney. It's a pleasure to have you at our company."

Fang Wen shook hands with him, saying, "I hope we can reach a consensus on cooperation during this visit to Pratt & Whitney."

The other party smiled and led Fang Wen out of the airport, introducing the Pratt & Whitney company.

From the information revealed in his words, Fang Wen understood that the other party was currently producing well and had no shortage of orders.

特别是随着波音247的热销，他们配套的R-1340-S1H1G（550马力）和R-1340-S3H1（600马力）也一直处于持续生产供货状态。

This can be described as a miracle for Pratt & Whitney, whose first series of aircraft engines was highly valued by major manufacturers.

Fang Wen listened patiently to what the other person had to say, occasionally replying with a word or two, maintaining a friendly and amiable attitude, which made Joris Swan very talkative.

As Joris Swan spoke, he drove to the Pratt & Whitney company in East Hartford, and had already taken a liking to the very cultured Eastern guest, Fang Wen.

After he got out of the car, he took Fang Wen directly to the company's engine showroom.

Inside the hall, there are a series of models of Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engines.

R-1340-S1H1G 550马力（410千瓦）和R-1340-S3H1 600马力（447千瓦），波音247专用。

R-1340-B— 450马力(336千瓦)和R-1340-D— 500马力(373千瓦)，适用于小型飞机。

Looking at a series of engine models, Fang Wen found another one, the R-1340-27 600 horsepower, which was the engine model of the P26. Unfortunately, that one was marked as a military engine and could not be purchased.

After reviewing all the engine models, Joris Swan smiled and asked, "These are the best civilian aircraft engines, suitable for all the needs of your aircraft manufacturing plant."

Fang Wen feigned ignorance: "You only have aircraft engines with a maximum horsepower of 600?"

“Of course not, we are also developing a more powerful engine. Would you like to see it?” Yoris Swan said mysteriously.

"Is that okay?" Fang Wen asked in surprise. He had only wanted to bluff the other party, but he hadn't expected this kind of response.

Joris Swan explained, “We’ve just finished a new series, and people from Boeing and Douglas are watching the test flights. I can take you there.”

So that's how it is. They sneaked in with other large company inspection teams.

Fang Wen didn't mind at all and followed Yoris Swan to the engine laboratory.

（普惠R1340航空发动机，又称黄蜂发动机，使用机型：波音247、p-26战斗机系列、洛克希德VEGA5、德哈维兰DH-3水獭、北美航空T-6德州人、西科斯基S-38等。）
Inside the engine lab, a large crowd had gathered, including not only people from outside but also Pratt & Whitney's own technical staff.

They eagerly anticipate the birth of a powerful aircraft engine.

Fang Wen was among them, and Yoris Swan beside him whispered, "This is the R1830 engine we just developed, 800 horsepower."

Fang Wen nodded and watched the test run attentively.

The engineer started the engine from the back, and with the roar of the engine, a puff of white smoke came out, and the propeller connected to the front bearing began to spin rapidly.

Fang Wen, possessing a keen sense of mechanical perception, had a unique ability to judge aircraft engines, able to determine the power consumption of the equipment simply by observing the propeller's rotational speed and blade size. It was indeed 800 horsepower, a fact subsequently confirmed by the engineers' reports.

But even so, the Boeing and Douglas companies that came to observe didn't seem very excited.

After they left, Fang Wen asked in surprise, "I thought the engine was great, why did you leave?"

Joris Swan lamented, "They've already ordered high-horsepower engines from other companies, and the reliability of our high-horsepower engines is still uncertain."

Upon hearing what Joris Swan said, Fang Wen had an idea. The Pratt & Whitney R1340 aircraft engine was a bit underpowered, and the seaplane he was building would need two engines to maintain its performance.

If replaced with Pratt & Whitney R1830 aircraft engines, the dual-engine configuration can be converted to a single-engine configuration, and the dual-propeller design can also be changed to a single-propeller configuration.

He reasoned that a single-propeller aircraft, lacking an engine, would have a much simpler structure and be relatively easier to maintain.

The single spiral is easier to operate, and the cost will be lower accordingly.

For individuals and groups who can afford to buy seaplanes, simplicity, practicality, and ease of use are what they need most.

With the added performance of the 800-horsepower engine, it should be able to open up sales channels in the Asian market.

Thinking about it, Fang Wen couldn't help but ask.

"Swan, can I buy a Pratt & Whitney R1830?"

"You want to buy the Pratt & Whitney R1830? This is an experimental model; even we ourselves aren't sure if it can guarantee long-term stable operation," Joris Swan exclaimed in surprise.

Fang Wen was certainly aware of these things, but it was precisely because of this that he had the opportunity to bypass those American airlines and preemptively obtain the right to use Pratt & Whitney R1830.

Moreover, he felt that there was nothing wrong with the aircraft engine.

He replied sincerely: "I am willing to be the first purchaser of Pratt & Whitney R1830, and will maintain communication with you in the future aircraft manufacturing process, passing on various actual operating data of Pratt & Whitney R1830 to you, which will be used for the development of the next generation of Pratt & Whitney R1830. In the future, I also hope that you can continue to provide better models of Pratt & Whitney R1830 series engines."

This proposal is in line with the direction of a strategic partnership, and if done well, it will benefit both parties.

Joris Swann couldn't make that decision. He told Fang Wen to wait while he went to report to his superiors.

This process took three days.

"Piston-engine test run, Pratt & Whitney R1830."

Three days later, Pratt & Whitney's board of directors was still debating whether to agree to a sales and cooperation agreement with Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Company for the Pratt & Whitney R1830.

Initially, they thought that Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant had no reputation and no production, and did not want to rush into cooperation.

But later, they learned more about the situation.

The Easterner named Fang Wen, who is currently waiting at Pratt & Whitney, is the owner of Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant. He owns an airline that spans Asia and Europe, which, although not long established, has developed rapidly.

They then learned about the relationship between Taishan Airlines and Taishan International.

They had also witnessed Taishan International's success on the NYSE, which made them look at Fang Wen with new respect.

Ultimately, Pratt & Whitney's board of directors felt that cooperation was a viable option, as it could be a way to open up international markets.

Once it's confirmed that cooperation is possible, the next step is to negotiate sales pricing.

Fang Wen, who has a huge amount of money at his disposal, cannot handle this situation alone. The next step should be handed over to lawyers and business negotiation experts.

Immediately, his personal lawyer and legal counsel for Taishan International, John Harvey, assembled a negotiation team to come over.

As per Fang Wen's request, they will negotiate a long-term purchase agreement with Pratt & Whitney for 50 Pratt & Whitney R1830 engines.

Buy 50 units at once!
The people at Pratt & Whitney didn't expect this.

They simply didn't have that much inventory, so they had to change the production schedule, reassigning some of the workers who were originally producing Pratt & Whitney R1340 engines to the R1830 engine production line.

The two sides engaged in a fierce tug-of-war over the price.

Pratt & Whitney was sticking to a price of $3 per unit, while Fang Wen's negotiation team was only willing to pay $2.

Ultimately, both sides compromised and reached an agreement on a price of $2.4 per unit.

According to the agreement, Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant ordered 50 R1830 engines at a price of US$2.4 each. Pratt & Whitney was required to deliver 10 finished engines to Taishan International every month, which would then be transported to Asia by Taishan International's ocean-going freighters.

Ordering 50 high-powered aircraft engines leads to a production plan for 50 aircraft, and other aircraft manufacturing materials and equipment are also indispensable.

As a result, various procurements continued thereafter.

American companies, now free from tariff restrictions, are very welcoming of foreign purchases, and the entire United States is even thinking about expanding exports, which has given Fang Wen an opportunity.

With a huge sum of money at his disposal, Fang Wen can only afford to buy the best.

The high-quality propellers come from Douglas's propeller manufacturing plant. Douglas doesn't need that much propeller production capacity; they'd rather let the propeller plant generate more profit.

The aluminum alloy for the fuselage is sourced from Alcoa, the same company that produces the aluminum alloy for the Boeing 247 fuselage.

This company is currently the largest producer of aluminum products and aluminum alloys in the United States.

Fang Wen led the purchasing team to conclude negotiations on the propellers and then chartered a plane to the headquarters of Alcoa.

With a large group, the atmosphere was different. Coupled with prior publicity and promotion, Alcoa understood that Fang Wen was a wealthy Easterner they were happy to welcome, and they sent people of appropriate caliber to the airport to receive him.

The group was taken to the headquarters of Alcoa for procurement negotiations.

After some conversation, Fang Wen asked directly, "What type of aluminum alloy does the Boeing 247 use? I want to buy the same one."

Aircraft alloys—it sounds like a big order, and the negotiators were very happy.

He had two samples brought out and introduced them:
"The aluminum alloy used in the Boeing 247 is the 2024 aluminum alloy that our company developed two years ago. The alloying element of 2024 is copper, which has high strength and is very suitable for machining, but has poor corrosion resistance. We later developed the 6061 aluminum alloy, which is weaker than 2024, but has excellent machinability, is more suitable as a welding material, has good corrosion resistance, high toughness, and does not deform after machining."

After hearing what the other party said, Fang Wen became interested in both alloys.

2024 has high strength and can be used as the main material for skin.

6061 is easy to process and can be used as an intermediate material in structures such as fuselage frames, fuel tanks, and wall panels.

He hinted to John Harvey to place orders for both alloys simultaneously.

After purchasing the engine, propeller, alloy materials, and various spare parts, the procurement process began.

There was no other way; China was in dire need of rebuilding and had nothing, so it could only purchase from the United States, the world's factory at the time.

In the end, the money wasn't all spent.

The $200 million purchase secured enough materials to produce 50 aircraft.

If all of them are produced and sold, it will definitely be a profitable business.

This will also allow Taishan Aviation to build its industrial production capacity, laying the foundation for the production and manufacturing of other equipment in the future, a win-win situation.

With this dream in mind, Fang Wen couldn't wait for the first batch of supplies to be loaded onto the ship, so he took a ship back to Europe ahead of schedule, and then took his own plane back to Yangon.

He needed to bolster the aircraft manufacturing plant's workforce before all the supplies arrived, otherwise he and five French aircraft engineers alone wouldn't be enough.

(End of this chapter)