Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 47, Potez 25: The Coppersmith and Parts
With the transaction completed and a document bearing the military order in place, the aircraft was considered converted from military to civilian use.

Or rather, private transportation. In any case, traffic management in the Republic of China was chaotic, not to mention aviation. As long as there was a place to take off and land, no one cared about piloting an airplane as a means of transportation.

The next day, the young marshal's Ford tri-engine plane took off and returned north.

Before takeoff, the adjutant in charge of the transaction subtly conveyed a message, inviting Fang Wen to the Northeast Army.

Fang Wen did not go, politely declining.

After the plane took off, Manager Liu finally spoke:

"The young marshal loved flying. He and Feng Yong worked together to establish the air force in Northeast China, and he even learned to fly planes. At that time, the Northeast had a completely new look."

Fang Wen remained silent, but he was recalling what his adjutant had said at the dinner table the day before.

More than two hundred planes, just like that, were lost for nothing. As someone who loves airplanes, he felt quite uncomfortable.

Even if only a small portion of them were capable of fighting, they would still be a formidable fighting force, yet they were left stranded in Northeast China without firing a single shot.

Shaking off his thoughts, Fang Wen turned and strode towards Potez 25, reminding himself that one must look forward.

It's time to start major surgery on this military aircraft.

The Potez 25's internal structure is aging, especially the engine and fuel lines.

According to the adjutant, without original French parts, these warplanes purchased in 1927 were essentially scrap.

Fang Wen, however, did not see it that way.

He can use his mechanical senses to understand the internal situation of the aircraft, so he naturally knows where the problem is and how serious it is.

Most of the problems are minor; the main issue is that they haven't been properly repaired over the years, and these small problems have accumulated to cause the current situation.

Replacing the aging and damaged parts should restore the equipment to its former glory.

He and Howard were discussing it under the plane.

"I've found the cause of the oil leak: this section of the fuel line is damaged and needs to be replaced."

“This is a French-style oil pipeline, and I don’t have a replacement of the same specifications.”

"There are also some minor issues with the spark plugs and ignition coils."

"Let me see, it should be fine after cleaning."

"I also feel that the seal between the valve and the valve seat is not good."

"The rubber rings there are worn out; I can replace them."

"Can you replace the piston, cylinder, and crankshaft parts with new ones?"

"Then there's nothing I can do. These large parts need to be specially forged. I suggest that you don't do any major repairs on these parts while they are still usable."

After some discussion, Fang Wen confirmed it with Howard.

Some parts are replaceable; if some parts are still usable, try not to tamper with them.

But there are still some problems that Howard can't solve.

Fuel lines, fuel filter.

These two items have developed serious problems after repeated use due to engine failure and must be replaced.

Howard removed the two damaged parts and handed them to Fang Wen.

Fang Wen crouched down and crawled out of the plane, looking at the thing in his hand in the sunlight.

A copper pipe, a section of the fuel line, has a hole in its wall, causing fuel to leak when it is delivered here.

A metal sieve, or metal mesh, is a fuel filter used to remove impurities and contaminants from fuel, ensuring that the fuel entering the engine is clean.

These two things are small, but I don't know if there are any places in the country where replacement parts can be produced.

Shunzi leaned closer. "Young Master, what's that in your hand?"

"These two parts on the plane are broken. If we replace them with new ones, it should be able to fly again."

"Then let's exchange it. We've already spent three thousand silver dollars, this little thing isn't worth much." Shunzi asked, puzzled. "It's not easy to exchange it. It has to be made to the same specifications, without any errors," Fang Wen replied.

"It's made of copper, right? A skilled coppersmith should be able to make it," Fang Shouxin suggested.

This gave Fang Wen a direction; regardless of whether it would work, he should give it a try first.

"Uncle Fang, you and Shunzi go out and find a coppersmith, the best one, and bring him back."

Fang Shouxin and Shunzi then set off.

Fang Wen crawled back under the plane to work with Howard on repairs.

In the afternoon, Fang Shouxin and Shunzi brought in an old man and a young man.

They each carried a wooden box on their backs and were dressed very simply.

Fang Shouxin introduced, "Young master, this is the best coppersmith in the area. It's a family heirloom. His son has been learning from him since he was a child and can help out."

Fang Wen handed the fuel line and fuel filter to the old coppersmith.

"Can you do these two?"

The old coppersmith first inspected the fuel lines. He wiped the copper pipes clean with a cloth, tapped them with a small fork, and even bit them with his teeth.

"It's not pure copper, nor is it brass, but its hardness is about the same as brass. I can make the same one out of brass, but I can't say whether it will work."

"Okay, take a look at that one too."

The old coppersmith wiped away the black oil stains on the fuel filter, but there were still many impurities in the small holes between the mesh. He carefully used a thin metal hook to remove them.

"This is for filtering things, right? The material is the same as the last one, but the process is different. If I were to make it, I would have to hollow out the entire piece of brass, and I could still make a similar filter."

Fang Wen was somewhat surprised to hear the old coppersmith's certainty.

"Just do it, and we can talk about the price if you do a good job."

Immediately, the old coppersmith and his son took out their tools from their respective boxes and began to work.

They made the copper pipes first.

The process involves filling with melted wax, creating a plaster mold, then melting and pouring copper.

After removing the plaster, you get a roughly made copper pipe of similar specifications.

Next, it's time to take your time and do things meticulously.

The old coppersmith used a small hammer to carefully hammer, polish, and meticulously carve spirals at the joints on both sides of the copper tube before finally polishing it.

Meanwhile, his son also started making fuel filters.

This time, he used a different method; he took out a whole piece of brass, compared it carefully, and then cut it.

Once it's cut to roughly the right size, start tapping it repeatedly to make its shape resemble that of a fuel filter.

After the outer ring cap was made, he took out a small chisel and carefully chiseled out holes one by one, according to the size of the original fuel filter mesh and the slope of the wall.

This craftsmanship is truly exceptional; he is indeed the best coppersmith in the vicinity.

Even Howard was mesmerized; to him, this meticulous and precise handcrafting was a form of art.

More than three hours later, the old coppersmith finished the fuel line.

Another hour later, his son finished cleaning the fuel filter.

Howard eagerly took the two handmade parts and began to assemble them.

The copper pipes crafted by the old coppersmith have threads on both sides that are exactly the same as the originals, and they fit together securely. Apart from a slight difference in color, the specifications are identical.

The fuel filter seems a little too big.

But Howard soon discovered that the large size was just a visual illusion; the new handcrafted fuel filter could also be screwed into the interface, making it tight and seamless.

"Fang, try starting it up," Howard called out after the installation was complete.

(End of this chapter)