Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 223, Section 222: Ministry of Education Recommendation Order, Yunhe Aircraft Modification, Encounter with Type 92 Japanese Fighter Planes

"General Manager Fang, I got this at your request. Your aircraft manufacturing plant should open as soon as possible. The higher-ups are eager to see your aircraft take off and land on domestic waterways."

Quan Yuncai pointed to the approval document on the table.

He is a very opportunistic person; he will only work so diligently for people who are valuable to him and his boss.

It seemed that the other party had agreed to his seaplane plan, and Fang Wen eagerly picked up the approval document to check it.

[Ministry of Education Recommendation Order]

Ministry of Education of the Republic of China Order No. 343 of the 23rd Year of the Republic of China
Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant, in recent years, has been dedicated to the development of my country's aviation industry and has achieved remarkable results, truly a significant symbol of the nation's industrial progress. To cultivate talent and promote the continuous innovation and leap forward in my country's aviation technology, it is now launching a campus recruitment campaign open to all universities in the country. In view of this, this Ministry hereby issues this order, hoping that all renowned universities in the country will actively respond, fully cooperate, and make this a great undertaking.

Recruiting party

Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant, adhering to the principle of "saving the nation through industry and revitalizing China through technology," is committed to the independent research and development and production of advanced aircraft to strengthen the country and enrich its people. Given the complex and volatile international situation and the increasingly prominent importance of the aviation industry, there is an urgent need to recruit a group of outstanding young talents with excellent character and lofty aspirations to enrich its research, production, and management teams and jointly plan for the long-term development of my country's aviation industry.

Recruitment Scope
This campus recruitment is open to all higher education institutions in China that offer majors in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemistry, management science, and related fields. In particular, prestigious universities such as National Huaqing University, National Peiping University, National Central University, National Zhejiang University, National Wuhan University, and Nankai University should actively respond and encourage their students to participate.

Cooperation matters
Publicity and Mobilization: School leaders should fully and actively cooperate to widely publicize the recruitment information of Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant and stimulate students' enthusiasm for participation.

Organizational Recommendation: Schools are requested to actively recommend outstanding graduates to participate in this recruitment based on students' academic performance, overall qualities, and professional expertise.

Coordination and Arrangements: To ensure the smooth progress of recruitment activities, each school needs to assist in arranging campus recruitment presentations, interview venues and times, and provide necessary support and convenience.

The revitalization of a nation depends on its talent; the prosperity of talent depends on education. All universities are urged to prioritize the national interest, actively respond to the Ministry's call, and jointly supply outstanding talent to the Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant, contributing to the rise of my country's aviation industry. This order is effective immediately, and all universities are expected to comply without fail.

Ministry of Education of the Republic of China

signature.

After reading it, Fang Wen asked in surprise, "There are official documents like recommendation orders?"

"We didn't have it before, but we do now. Don't worry, it's in black and white with a red stamp. All the schools have been notified. Just take this approval document and you won't go wrong."

After Quan Yun finished speaking, he stood up and patted Fang Wen on the shoulder: "General Manager Fang, I know you have a patriotic heart, and we won't stop you. Industry can revitalize the country, and making more money on the side is not a conflict. You can do it. As long as the annual revenue goes up, I will have done my job."

After saying that, he took his leave.

Out of courtesy, Fang Wen saw Quan Yun off downstairs, and after everyone left, he immediately went to his wife's office.

"Mingzhu, I'm going out again tomorrow."

"Where to?" Kuang Mingzhu asked, looking up.

“Beiping, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan. There are many Japanese spies in Beiping and Tianjin; it would be too dangerous for you to go. I'll take you somewhere else after I return from the north,” Fang Wen replied.

“There are many Japanese spies in Beiping and Tianjin, which is also very dangerous for you. Why don’t we send someone else?” Kuang Mingzhu asked worriedly.

Fang Wen explained, "I have to go so that the students of the three universities can feel valued. I will find a way to solve the safety issue."

After comforting his wife for a while, Fang Wen left the office building and went to the hangar of Taishan Airlines at Shanghai Airport.

There is a mechanic's workshop that Fang Wen and Howard built together.

In order to deal with potential problems in Beiping and Tianjin, he and Howard would make some modifications to the Yunhe.

As Fang Wen's private jet, the Yunhe is bound to be more powerful than the same series in the future. What Fang Wen wants to improve is stronger power, longer range, and a certain air combat capability.

Fang Wen already had a plan in mind for this kind of transformation.

Replace the two Pratt & Whitney R1340 aircraft engines with Pratt & Whitney R1830 engines.

Replacing an engine with a different power output requires replacing the corresponding shaft and propeller, which should be a tedious and complicated process.

However, Fang Wen's trip to the United States had already resulted in the purchase of propellers and shafts to match the Pratt & Whitney R1830, making things much simpler.

Fang Wen is currently only making an upgrade and modification. Through mechanical perception, he has a thorough understanding of the equipment's data and can also use a universal milling machine to manufacture missing parts based on changes in the data.

And so, under the astonished gazes of Howard and several Boeing mechanics, Fang Wen led them to complete the power system upgrade and modification of the Yunhe aircraft.

With two Pratt & Whitney R1830 engines, it has a total of 1600 horsepower.

With such powerful propulsion, performance will inevitably be greatly improved, and appropriate changes can be made to the original internal structure.

Subsequently, the rear compartment of the aircraft was fitted with a rear-opening door, allowing cargo to be loaded and unloaded via the rear door, or to be parachuted in and airdropped.

At the same time, the stern and middle sections were connected, becoming a single, unified space.

This makes the space much larger, allowing for the storage of more supplies.

Therefore, the two rows of seats in the middle cabin were completely removed, and the seats were installed on both sides of the aircraft, five on each side, which actually allows more people to sit.

(Demonstration of the internal structure of the middle compartment of the Yunhe after its renovation)

After the modifications were completed, Fang Wen piloted the aircraft for a test flight. Through mechanical sensing, he determined the data of the Yunhe.

The data from the refurbished Yunhe is quite peculiar.

11 meters long

The aircraft is 4.06 meters high (including the float).
Wingspan 13 meters

Wing area 16.79 square meters

Empty weight 1200 kg
Maximum takeoff weight: 3100 kg
The cabin (cargo and passenger) can carry 1.5 tons of cargo, and the fixed benches on both sides can seat 5*2 people.

Range: 1500 km (normal fuel tank) – 2500 km (with auxiliary fuel tank)

Cruising speed 320 km/h
Maximum speed 350 km/h
Service ceiling 7500 meters

Powertrain: Pratt & Whitney R1830 engine, 800 horsepower, first generation version (two units).

Driven by two high-performance piston engines, the Yunhe has achieved a qualitative leap in performance.

However, this leap in performance also has its drawbacks. The excessively powerful engine makes it much more difficult to operate. Fang Wen estimates that only top-notch pilots can handle this aircraft with its unpredictable speed changes.

He then continued the modifications.

Auxiliary fuel tank added.

Air combat weapons should also be added.

Auxiliary fuel tanks are easy to make, but how about combat weapons?

Fang Wen pondered this.

With the propellers on top of the Yunhe, the weapons must be placed on the bottom, so the two will not interfere with each other.

The key question is which weapon firing mode is more suitable.

Fang Wen felt he didn't need a machine gunner; in his mechanical perception state, he was far more capable of controlling the machine gun than a machine gunner.

That would require changing the machine gun's firing mode.

He created space for the installation of a forward-mounted machine gun in the sealed compartment at the bottom of the Yunhe aircraft.

It was equipped entirely with Czech-made ZB-53 heavy machine guns.

This heavy machine gun, which uses 7.92mm bullets, has a large recoil and was designed with a fixed firing platform to prevent it from affecting flight during firing.

The firing platform cannot be moved, but the gun itself can be adjusted left, right, up, and down using a gear mechanism.

The front control of the gear traction device is located to Fang Wen's right in the driver's seat.

Now that the weapon system is complete, it's natural to test it.

Fang Wen and Howard transported the modified Yunhe to the water's edge and put it down, then boarded the aircraft.

The plane took off from the water and headed towards the target range.

That's the airborne training base.

In preparation for this live-fire test, Sun Debiao prepared many large balloons below.

When it was time to release the balloons, Sun Debiao ordered the special operations team to release the first large balloon.

The large balloon ascended, trailing a white cloth as a target for guidance. Fang Wen could then enter mechanical sensing mode and lock onto the balloon.

In his superpowered state, he became one with the machine, locking onto targets while simultaneously operating the firing control device with his right hand.

The machine gun at the front was adjusted to a firing angle, and then the firing switch was pressed.

In an instant, the ZB-53 machine gun spewed orange-red flames, and the flash of the ammunition belt shot forward.

The white cloth trailing the giant balloon was torn to shreds by bullets and scattered across the sky, before the balloon itself was shot and burst.

The first test launch showcased the general manager's prowess, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

Then, two large balloons rose into the air, one on the left and one on the right.

Then came the test launch of multiple balloons.

Faced with one or two targets, whether in front or behind, Fang Wen can easily handle them through manipulation, and his hit rate is extremely high.

But if the quantity is too large, say five, then we'll be overwhelmed.

This should be his current limit, Fang Wen commented on his abilities.

The Yunhe seaplane has been modified.

This is Fang Wenxin's trump card.

Overall, it is similar to the Shrike, and is among the aircraft with the fastest cycle speed in the world.

However, its explosive power is not as great as that of the Shrike, and it cannot achieve an explosive speed of 377 kilometers per hour.

Its maneuverability is also somewhat inferior to that of the Shrike.

However, its range, payload, and firepower are much stronger than those of the Shrike.

It can be said that the Yunhe is a well-rounded seaplane, one that only Fang Wen can master, while it is a useless aircraft in the hands of others.

With it, Fang Wen felt more confident about his trip north.

He felt he could go, and bringing the action team along would ensure everything went smoothly.

He then immediately set about creating recruitment posters, copy, and brochures.

Promotional posters are easy to make; businessmen in Shanghai often use them to attract customers.

Copywriting can also be outsourced.

The propaganda brochure used the same format as the instruction manual for the Red Army's battlefield first aid kit that was airdropped last time. It was first printed as a large one, and then cut and folded into the shape of a brochure.

After doing all this, Fang Wen should have gone to Beiping.

But at this time, a professional magazine brought some changes to Fang Wen's journey to the north.

10 month 8 day.

Fang Wen, who is preparing to leave tomorrow, has returned to the company to work since everything is ready.

He and his wife went upstairs together and opened his office. He had been away for a while, and there were some unprocessed documents on the desk.

Looking at the documents, Fang Wen signed them one by one, and quickly finished his work for the day.

In addition to documents, there were also some newspapers and magazines.

The newspapers carried current events from Shanghai, while the magazines were shipped from the United States.

It's a Kodak photography magazine.

These days, Kodak's photography magazines are very professional, and Fang Wen, who also enjoys photography, naturally subscribed to one.

However, due to shipping issues, it was already a month ago.

He picked up the magazine and started flipping through it.

Although it's in English, it doesn't affect readability.

Most of them are about photography skills and camera maintenance.

Occasionally, you can also find pages with printed color photos.

Looking at these is a good way to pass the time.

Until Fang Wen saw a report about alternative optical photography.

"Infrared photography differs from ordinary photography and requires special equipment. It often costs tens of thousands of dollars and is beyond the reach of ordinary photographers."

The content describes a photography enthusiast who paid a high price to have a device made that can capture infrared light.

He used this device to take many strange infrared photos.

However, this method of capturing infrared light was not always successful, so he wrote an article about it and published it in Kodak magazine.

Fang Wen put down the Kodak magazine, his eyes sparkling with interest.

Infrared photography?
The magazine was discussing a new application of an optical instrument, but for Fang Wen, it was a bolt from the blue.

So infrared devices already existed in this era.

Infrared technology is incredibly useful.

For example: thermal imaging and night vision, infrared remote control, and shooting positioning.

Infrared thermal imaging technology can detect infrared radiation emitted by objects, thus generating images even in completely dark environments.

It is a good way to discover hidden targets and lock onto attack targets.

Fang Wen even wondered if he could also have infrared sensing capabilities if the infrared device were installed on an airplane.

In that case, one's perception at night will be magnified many times over.

Realizing the immense benefits that infrared technology would bring him, Fang Wen immediately made it a matter he needed to understand during his trip north.

The next morning, Fang Wen led a fully equipped team of nine people to Jiaxing Seaplane Airport.

Those who went there together included Kuang Mingzhu, Manager Liu, Sun Debiao, Fang Shouxin, Pan Jiafeng, and Shao Sishen.

Everyone was very worried about Fang Wen, so they all urged the nine members of the special operations team to make sure the general manager was safe.

The nine men patted their chests and promised to protect Fang Wen. Then the plane took off and flew north under the watchful eyes of the passengers.

Two hours later, as the plane flew over Jinan, Fang Wen's expression gradually became serious.

"Attention, we are very likely to encounter Japanese aircraft next. Don't panic, follow my orders."

Heading north from here, although it was still nominally the territory of the Nationalist government, the Japanese could now come and go as they pleased because they had lost the right to station troops there.

An hour later, the plane entered the airspace over Beiping.

A Japan Airlines passenger plane flying from the northeast unexpectedly encountered Fang Wen's seaplane.

The two planes were parallel. Behind the window of the opposite plane, Japanese women and children in kimonos were laughing and talking happily, and her husband was waving to the outside of the window.

"Pah! Who greeted you? You've taken over our land and you're acting all innocent!" Zhao Wanping cursed. As the only female team member, she had the right to curse first.

The others drew their curtains and remained unmoved.

After all, this was a civilian aircraft, and it was over Beiping. If a fight broke out, the crashed plane would inevitably harm the people of Beiping, not to mention that there might be fellow Chinese citizens on board.

The only possibility for them to take action is if Fang Wen gives the order.

At this moment, Fang Wen, in his mechanical perception state, was paying attention to the back of the Japan Airlines plane.

Those were three Type 92 Japanese fighter planes.

(Type 92 biplane fighter, one of the main fighter planes of the Japanese Kwantung Army 37 years ago.)
(End of this chapter)