Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 437 433 Boeing 314 seaplane, a cigarette company in cooperation with the Eighth Route Army

Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas, is more than 1800 kilometers from New York City.

The area is rich in hot spring resources and was already famous during the gold rush era in the west.

In 1921, the city established the Spa City National Park with its 47 hot springs, making it a popular tourist destination.

The booming tourism industry has also made transportation here very convenient.

In addition to cars and railways, there are also airplanes.

June 28, 1938.

The Xuanming-type long-haul seaplane flew to Lake Hamilton, south of Hot Springs, and landed on the water.

The plane landed steadily on the water, but Fang Wen did not immediately turn around and head to shore.

He spotted another large seaplane.

Because of his profession, he couldn't help but want to take a few more glances.

That's Boeing's A314 seaplane, which has a typical clipper boat shape.

In comparison, the Xuanming type looks much slimmer.

In terms of performance, they are comparable, both capable of long-distance flights of thousands of kilometers.

This is a formidable competitor to the Xuanming type.

Fang Wen was not worried about this, because the Boeing 314 seaplane was large and expensive, and very few people could afford to use it. It was estimated that only a dozen or so would be produced after it went into production, for use in luxury long-haul shipping.

He was looking at the Boeing 314, and the people on the other plane were also paying attention to the Xuanming type.

Two flight crew members stood on the bottom side of the aircraft and waved to the Xuanming type.

Fang Wen waved to them through the transparent glass of the cockpit, then turned the plane around and docked at the pier on the shore of Lake Hamilton.

Afterwards, leaving five people to guard the plane, Fang Wen led the others to prepare to enter the city.

At that moment, the Boeing 314 also arrived. After the plane landed, the people on board jumped onto the dock and ran over.

Seeing that Fang Wen and the others were about to leave, he quickly called out, "Please wait a moment."

Fang Wen stopped and turned to look at the man.

He was startled and ran back, asking, "Excuse me, are you Pan Am Airlines? Are you planning to establish domestic routes here?"

Fang Wen shook his head: "No. We are manufacturers of the Xuanming type."

"Taishan Aircraft? I can't believe I'm meeting you in America. Hello, my name is Isaac, a Boeing engineer. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He warmly extended his hand, wanting to get to know his colleague from the Far East.

Fang Wen smiled, shook hands with him, and began to talk.

Is your Type 314 undergoing flight testing?

"Yes, we also came here to soak in the hot springs."

“I think the same thing,” Fang Wen replied with a smile.

Isaac turned to look at the Xuanming type and tentatively asked, "Can we enter each other's aircraft to learn about each other? We are very interested in the Xuanming type."

"You mean, I can also enter your Type 314?"

Fang Wen showed a strange expression. With his mechanical perception ability, as long as he entered the 314 model, he could basically understand the structure and performance of this prototype machine.

When the other party goes to the Xuanming type, they can at most see some structural design details.

He was naturally happy to accept such a good opportunity, since it wouldn't take up much of his time anyway.

“Of course, we welcome suggestions from our colleagues,” Isaac replied earnestly.

“Alright, I’ll take you to see the Xuanming type first,” Fang Wen replied.

Immediately afterward, Isaac ran back and summoned five Boeing engineers and pilots, who, accompanied by Fang Wen, boarded the Xuanming model.

They thoroughly inspected the interior of the aircraft and were quite surprised that the Xuanming-type, despite its compact size, possessed a full range of functions.

It's important to know that this is the standard structure for future passenger aircraft, a standard feature of streamlined fuselages.

After seeing the Xuanming type, they also invited Fang Wen to board the 314 type.

After boarding the aircraft, Fang Wen appeared to be following the Boeing engineers on a tour and listening to their presentations.

In fact, he had already activated his mechanical perception to gain a comprehensive understanding of the aircraft.

This 314 prototype used the massive wings of the Boeing XB-15 to meet the range requirements for transatlantic and Pacific flights.

Like other Boeing aircraft, it uses robust metal ribs and beams to ensure safety, resulting in a fuselage and cantilevered wings that do not require external support structures that increase drag.

Its engine and propeller are installed in the upper space of the aircraft.

Inside the massive clipper ship

The next level has eight cabins, including four standard passenger cabins, one small restaurant, one luggage storage area, and two VIP cabins.

The next level is for the flight crew, accessible via a staircase at the front of the fuselage. It includes the crew lounge, storage rooms, and the cockpit further up.

The internal structure of such a massive fuselage requires an astonishing amount of resources. Fang Wen estimates that the amount of electrical wires alone is several times that of the Xuanming type, not to mention the huge quantity of sheet metal, wires, rivets, bolts, and other stabilizing components.

Such lavish construction is actually a waste, and Fang Wen would not waste resources like that.

Finally, Fang Wen focused his attention on the plane's engine.

Those were four large aircraft engines, a type that Fang Wen had never seen before.

Withdrawing his mechanical senses, he asked aloud, "What kind of engine does your Type 314 use?"

"The Wright GR-2600 twin-cylinder engine, 1500 horsepower, is Wright's latest high-power aircraft engine. It is because of it that we were able to fly the 314."

To demonstrate the power of their aircraft, the pilots even started the engine and circled the lake.

It was this experience that made Fang Wen lose interest in this type of engine.

Clearly, the technology used in this engine is not mature. It is prone to overload during operation, and the heat dissipation is also poor. During engine operation, the heat waves emitted make the adjacent storage room unbearably hot.

Even if improvements are made in the future, it will take a long time and multiple versions to be updated.

Now that we have the technology for European aero engines, we shouldn't be too greedy, lest we have too much but not enough expertise.

After the tour of the interior of the 314 aircraft, Fang Wen and the Boeing engineers set off together.

They took a tour bus by the lake to the hot spring town, which was 6 kilometers away.

It's called a town, but it's not very big, just two streets. Because it's peak tourist season, all the hotels on the streets are full of tourists.

Boeing employees had nowhere to stay because they hadn't booked rooms in advance.

Fang Wen, however, was different. Several men in short suits approached him. The burly man in the lead had a fierce look on his face.

He spoke very politely.

"Mr. Fang, I am Big Jack from Little Rock. I am here to serve you on behalf of Taishan Amusement Park."

Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas and the state's most populous city.

This group is a gang from Little Rock, a powerful criminal organization in the state.

They have a gaming hall at Tarzan Land in Las Vegas, which is a partnership.

At the same time, they also want to cooperate with Taishan Amusement Park to establish a gambling and entertainment company in the hot spring town.

Therefore, when Zhao Jiu asked them to come and cooperate, they came without any hesitation.

Fang Wen smiled and shook hands with Big Jack. "Have you found the person I'm looking for?"

Big Jack replied, “My men asked at all the accommodations. They found a man registered under the name Skode. He was a man in his forties, staying at the spa hotel with his wife and daughter.”

Where is the hot spring hotel?

"I can arrange accommodation for you over by the park."

Fang Wen nodded, glanced at the Boeing engineers, and said, "Arrange accommodation for them as well, and I'll cover the cost."

"Okay, please follow me."

Big Jack and his group led Fang Wen and the Boeing engineers through the bustling streets to the North Parking Lot.

There, about twenty people boarded a bus and headed to the hot spring park in the north of the city.

The hot spring park area is much better than the city.

It's not that fewer people are coming here, but rather that the place is very large, and tourists are scattered across different hot spring areas, making it feel less crowded.

Fang Wen and his group's bus stopped in the parking lot of a place called Hot Spring Hotel.

After getting off the bus, the group checked into the hotel under Big Jack's guidance.

After settling in, Fang Wen and Da Jie went to the hot springs behind the hotel.

There, many people soak in open-air hot springs, enjoying the therapeutic benefits of the sulfurous and mineral-rich waters.

The men were wearing shorts, and the women were wearing swimsuits.

Gong Xiuneng, who was always by Fang Wen's side, blushed immediately.

He whispered, "Commander, why are the women here bathing with the men? Aren't they ashamed?"

Fang Wen laughed and said, "That's not so bad. On the Japanese side, men, women, and children bathe together in a big pool without wearing anything."

"The world is going to the dogs," Gong Xiuneng sighed.

Just then, Big Jack's men who had been sent to find people returned. Big Jack came over and pointed to a spot near the hot springs, saying, "There, the Skod family."

Fang Wen looked in the direction Fang Wen was pointing and saw a bald man soaking in the hot spring with his eyes closed, resting. His wife was sitting next to him, while his daughter was sitting on a chair by the hot spring reading a small comic book.

"Is there any way for me to contact him?" Fang Wen asked.

"I'll figure something out. In the meantime, you can relax here for a bit."

After Big Jack finished speaking, he left with his men.

Since the matter was entrusted to the local gang, Fang Wen planned to let them handle it first and not interfere himself for the time being, so as to avoid any unforeseen complications.

Therefore, he and Gong Xiuneng returned and took Bai Yunfei, Zhao Junping, and 13 other soldiers to soak in the hot springs.

The group arrived at the hot spring resort, and just like Gong Xiuneng had done earlier, they watched the women in swimsuits walking around, unsure of where to look.

Fang Wen coughed: "Relax, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Everyone here is like this, they're just dressed less. As long as you don't have any evil thoughts, nothing will happen."

These words made the soldiers feel ashamed. Bai Yunfei took the lead and said, "You're right. If you're upright, you have nothing to fear. Let's not look at this place with our domestic mindset. It's just taking a bath."

"Yes, it's just a normal bath. Everyone, come with me to change your clothes."

Fang Wen led the group into the changing room, changed into their swimming trunks, and then went down into the hot spring.

The hot spring was 30 degrees Celsius, which was a little hot, but it became very comfortable after a while, and everyone gradually relaxed.

Gong Xiuneng and the soldiers swam and played in the hot spring, Zhao Junping communicated with a boy of the same age by gesturing, while Fang Wen and Bai Yunfei rested by the hot spring pool.

"Have you found the person you're looking for?"

"Found him, he's in that pool over there, the bald guy."

Bai Yunfei turned his head and looked over, "What do we do next?"

"I'll leave it to the locals to handle, just wait."

After a pause, Fang Wen changed the subject: "What do you think of the Taishan walkie-talkie?"

Bai Yunfei replied, "Very good. In the past, we tried many methods to maintain communication, including telegrams, message trees, alarm bells, and human relay by signalmen on foot. But compared to the Taishan walkie-talkie, they are all too outdated. Is its production volume large? If possible, the higher-ups want me to tell you that we can place a large-scale order. In addition to the Taishan walkie-talkie, we also want to purchase the grenade launchers that you sent us for combat testing before."

This was exactly what Fang Wen wanted. He replied, "Okay, after you return to China, send me the order requirements via telegram, and I will airdrop the supplies over."

Bai Yunfei hesitated for a moment, then asked, "How much?"

This is a difficult problem. Whether it's the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, or even the area around Yan'an, the economy is very difficult. They can't even equip themselves with ordinary equipment. These high-end communication and special weapons are too expensive for them to afford.

However, Fang Wen had already planned for this.

He smiled and said, "You forgot we also have a tobacco cooperation project. I have a suggestion: let's jointly establish a cigarette production and sales company. You provide the tobacco and cigarette manufacturing, and we'll be responsible for sales. Then you can use the profits to pay for military purchases."

"Is this feasible?" Bai Yunfei asked, puzzled.

“You don’t understand how profitable cigarettes are,” Fang Wen explained. “Before the full-scale war of resistance against Japan, several domestic and foreign tobacco companies spent a lot of money on advertising to sell cigarettes. Their profits from cigarette sales could even account for one-tenth of the Nationalist government’s tax revenue. Later, our Taishan Airlines got involved in the cigarette distribution business and gained control of a large number of regional sales channels. As long as we have a cigarette brand that is of good quality and not expensive, we will definitely be able to seize the market and get those profits. In this way, we can not only pay for our military procurement, but also use it for other purposes.”

Bai Yunfei was immediately interested. He was familiar with the tobacco business; several years ago, he was in charge of transporting and selling tobacco to Taishan Airlines.

Restarting now shouldn't be a big problem.

He replied, "Okay, I'll report back to my superiors when I get back."

Fang Wen became more talkative and decided to share more of his ideas to avoid having to ask Bai Yunfei to communicate with the Eighth Route Army later.

"I also have some good things that I can offer you: radio detection equipment, pocket transmitters, pen guns, and eavesdropping devices."

Hearing this, Bai Yunfei was bewildered.

Fang Wen explained, “The radio detection equipment can locate the positions of lurking enemy radio stations. As long as the Japanese spies send a message, we can capture them. The pen gun is relatively simple; it looks like a pen and can write normally, but after unscrewing the cap and loading special bullets, it becomes a special agent weapon with an effective killing range of twenty meters. The eavesdropping device was something I developed a couple of years ago. Back then, there was no semiconductor technology, so it was quite large and inconvenient to hide. Now that we have the technology, I can make a smaller listening device when we get back and install it behind enemy lines to eavesdrop on enemy conversations and thus obtain their intelligence. As for the miniature radio transmitter, I have it with me. Would you like to see it?”

Bai Yunfei nodded vigorously. These things were extremely important to the underground party members working behind enemy lines.

Seeing this, Fang Wen lost interest in continuing his bath. He and Bai Yunfei got up and left the hot spring pool, returning to their residence first, where Fang Wen demonstrated how to use the miniature telegraph machine.

(End of this chapter)