Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 582 Technology Transaction, Coal and Power Equipment, "St. Louis"

Vasily, the head of the Soviet delegation, opened his briefcase and took out a stack of documents.

"During testing, our BM-13-16 vehicle-mounted rocket launcher experienced a 15% rocket drop rate. This problem has plagued us for a long time and has not been properly resolved. You see, these are descriptions of the rocket drop incidents that occurred during testing."

Ammunition drop rate is a specific term that refers to the proportion of ammunition that accidentally falls from a weapon mounting device, firing system, or storage location. It is generally expressed as the percentage of dropped ammunition out of the total number of ammunition.

This means that out of every 100 rockets mounted on the launcher and ready to be launched, an average of 15 will accidentally fall off the rails before launch for various reasons. This high rate of rocket loss will seriously affect the reliability and combat effectiveness of the weapon system.

Fang Wen took the documents and looked them over.

He observed very carefully and analyzed these accidents in conjunction with the Taishan Storm rocket launch system.

Having deconstructed the Soviet rocket launch system with his supernatural abilities, he personally developed and produced Taishan's own rocket launch system, making him highly authoritative on these issues.

After reviewing the materials, Fang Wen directly pointed out the problems.

"The BM-13-16 uses an I-shaped rail launcher, with two M-13 rockets mounted alternately on each rail. In this design, the rockets are secured only by the friction between the tail latch and the rail slot, without spring clips or hydraulic locking devices. When the vehicle travels over bumpy terrain, the rockets undergo longitudinal displacement due to inertia, and the gap between the latch and the slot gradually widens, eventually causing them to fall off."

“Yes, that’s it.” The representative from the Aerodynamics Research Institute exclaimed in surprise.

"And that's not all," Fang Wen continued. "From what I understand, the spacing between the upper and lower layers of the I-shaped guide rail is about 20 centimeters, but the M-13 rocket has a diameter of 132 millimeters. To ensure it can be installed on the vehicle, the actual spacing is narrower, causing some rockets to fit too tightly against the guide rail, resulting in deformation of the locking mechanism after forced mounting. In addition, the recoil force generated at the moment of rocket launch is transmitted to the chassis through the guide rail, causing structural resonance. This vibration frequency is close to the rocket's natural frequency, creating a 'mechanical amplification effect,' causing the already loose rockets to fall off more quickly."

Listening to Fang Wen's analysis, the Soviet experts nodded repeatedly, finding that it was basically consistent with the problems they had discovered in their research.

Commander Vasily quickly asked, "Then how do you avoid these problems during your Mount Tai storm?"

Fang Wen did not answer directly, but pondered in his heart.

The technical problems the Soviet Union is currently facing are not insurmountable. Even without its own research and development capabilities, they can still improve the situation, as evidenced by the Katyusha rocket.

Therefore, helping them solve their problems would only be icing on the cake. If we could help, we would, as it would earn us goodwill from the Soviet military industry and give us leverage in our deals.

What demands should be made to the Soviet Union in exchange?
Fang Wen was mainly considering this.

The Soviet Union will soon be at war with Germany, and at that time it will have no time to attend to the East. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to increase the procurement of materials from the Soviet Union as soon as possible and to get large quantities of goods shipped from there.

Thinking of this, Fang Wen smiled.

“We at Taishan also encountered the same problem at the beginning, but we have solved it after technical improvements. The rate of bullet drop is less than 1%. I can share these technical improvement solutions with you, but there is one condition.”

"What are the conditions?" Vasily asked eagerly. This was the purpose of his trip. If the BM series rocket launcher system could solve the problem of missile drop rate, it could be used in actual combat and would greatly assist the army in large-scale operations.

Fang Wen tapped his fingertips lightly on the table.

His gaze swept over the tense faces of the Soviet experts, and he recited the procurement list he had prepared in mind: "I can provide technical improvement solutions free of charge, and I am also willing to deepen trade relations. Fifty tons of seamless steel pipes, thirty tons of special steel, and 50 sets of T-20 tank castings and accessories per month are the basics. In addition, I would like to place an additional order, mainly focusing on power equipment."

Power equipment is also urgently needed at the northern Myanmar base, as the demand for electricity is increasing with the expansion of factories.

The electricity generated by the coal-fired power plants previously purchased from Europe is no longer sufficient. To ensure production, the factories are currently operating on a staggered shift system to produce in batches.

Given the current tense situation in Europe, power equipment has become a strategic resource. Therefore, obtaining new power equipment from the Soviet Union would be the best possible outcome.

When Vasily heard this request, he raised an eyebrow and subconsciously whispered to the person next to him.

After two Five-Year Plans in the 30s, the Soviet Union's power industry had formed a complete industrial chain from large generator sets to power transmission equipment. However, such equipment was rarely exported on a large scale before. After all, high-power generators, transformers and the like are not only basic industrial equipment, but also directly linked to the production capacity of military industry. Especially at present, with the preparation for war on the western border, each set of equipment can be regarded as a "scarce resource".

Fang Wen keenly noticed their hesitation and spoke frankly: "Commander Vasily, as you can see, our base in northern Myanmar is expanding its arsenal—a rocket production line and a precision weapon manufacturing workshop, each requiring stable, high-power electricity. The European coal-fired power plants we're currently using only have a single unit capacity of 500 kilowatts, and they frequently shut down due to component wear and tear. What I need are your TM-2 steam turbine generators, with a single unit capacity of at least 1500 kilowatts, along with 10 matching 110 kV transformers, and also 20 kilometers of high-voltage transmission line components."

Vasily replied, "The TM-2 model was finalized at the Stalingrad Tractor Plant last year and is mainly supplied to domestic heavy machinery plants. Currently, only 30 sets are in use. This type of generator is a strategic material that is prohibited from export, so it's impossible. If you want our country's power generation equipment, I can give you better suggestions."

When Fang Wen heard the "export ban," he feigned surprise, but in reality, he was not surprised at all—he had long anticipated that the Soviet Union would have reservations about the latest strategic equipment, and his proposal of the TM-2 model was partly a negotiation strategy of "seeking the middle ground with the high-end."

He leaned forward slightly, closer to Vasily: "Since there are export restrictions on the TM-2, we can compromise. But there's a bottom line—the single-unit capacity cannot be less than 1200 kilowatts. In addition, the stability of the equipment must be guaranteed. You know, a power outage in a military factory can result in huge losses, and some equipment may even malfunction as a result."

Upon hearing this, Vasily's expression softened slightly: "Then I recommend the ВГ-1 type steam turbine generator, with a single unit capacity of 1250 kilowatts. It began mass production at the Kharkiv Heavy Electric Machinery Plant last year, mainly supplying mines and factories in Central Asia. Although its power is slightly lower than the ТМ-2 type, it has the advantage of a mature structure and a failure rate of only 2%. Moreover, the matching transformer is the МТ-10 type, and the 110 kV specification is just right to match the transmission lines you need."

In order to acquire rocket technology and also to facilitate a good foreign trade deal, Vasily, an industrial official, gave a more detailed introduction to the coal-fired power engine that could be exported.

"This type of generator is also highly adaptable to different fuels; it can burn both coal and heavy oil. If coal resources in northern Myanmar are insufficient, heavy oil can also be used to generate electricity. As far as I know, you own an oil refinery in Yangon. However, there is a condition: the current production of the ВГ-1 type is not abundant. We can only provide you with a maximum of two units per month. The ten generators will need to be delivered over five months, and the matching transformers and transmission components will be shipped together with the generators."

Fang Wen's heart skipped a beat.

After refining gasoline and diesel, the Yangon oil refinery leaves behind a lot of heavy oil. This oil is viscous, difficult to volatilize, but has good combustibility and is a difficult waste to handle.

Using it for power generation would be a good way to utilize waste.

“Two units per month is acceptable, but the delivery order needs to be adjusted.” He looked at Vasily and said in a consultative tone, “The first generator and two transformers must be shipped within half a month. I have an urgent need for electricity. The power installation and commissioning personnel who are accompanying me also need to come along to ensure that the equipment can be put into use as soon as possible.”

Vasily turned to his assistant beside him and whispered a few words to confirm, then nodded: "Okay. I will have the Kharkiv Heavy Electric Machinery Plant prioritize the allocation of one ВГ-1 type and two МТ-10 type transformers, which will be shipped to Yangon via the Caspian Sea at the beginning of next month. I can make the decision on this sweater; we can sign the trade contract now."

Clearly, this Soviet official held considerable influence and a high position domestically, as he was able to approve foreign trade deals. Fang Wen couldn't help but think more highly of him, immediately establishing a trade agreement with him and having a contract drafted.

A day later, in the office area of ​​the base in northern Myanmar, Fang Wen and Vasily signed a package of trade contracts together.

Whether these contracts can be fulfilled depends not on law and credit, but on the feasibility of the rocket improvement plan provided by Fang Wen.

Therefore, Fang Wen needs to produce some truly substantial material.

In the research and development room of the rocket factory at the northern Myanmar base, two comparative drawings are spread out on the drawing board—the left side is a simplified structural diagram of the Soviet M-13 rocket, and the right side is a structural diagram of the Taishan Storm rocket.

Alone in the research and development room, Fang Wen, drawing on his knowledge of Soviet equipment and his manufacturing experience with the Taishan Storm, wrote down a series of improvement suggestions on paper.

At the dinner table, he mentioned the structural defects of the guide rail fixing device in Soviet equipment. His corresponding suggestion for rectification was to add spring steel plates to both sides of the guide rail slot, and provide additional friction through pre-tightening force to improve the shear resistance of the latch.

Modification suggestions were also proposed to address the coupling effects of the launch process and the environment.

The thermal expansion coefficient of steel causes the gap between the slots to increase by 0.2-0.3 mm, while the aluminum alloy part of the rocket expands even more significantly. Under the combined effect of thermal expansion of both, a "thermal lock-up" phenomenon can occur, which may result in a very small probability that the rocket will become stuck due to expansion and fail to launch. If forcibly disassembled, the locking mechanism may break. This problem can be solved by making minor adjustments to the shape and structure of the rocket body.

However, there is another very important improvement plan, which is the improvement of the centering ring.

In the launching systems of rockets, artillery shells, and other munitions, a centering ring is a ring-shaped structural component installed at the tail (or middle) of the projectile. Its core function is to ensure that the projectile is "precisely centered and glides stably" within the launch rail, gun barrel, or launch tube, preventing the projectile from deviating, colliding, or shaking with the inner wall of the launching device. This improves launch stability, reduces the risk of malfunctions (such as dropping or jamming), and optimizes the initial flight attitude of the projectile.

The Soviet M-13 rocket, being front-heavy and rear-light, was secured only by two latches at the tail. This made it prone to a "tilting moment" around the rocket's axis during bumps (similar to the tendency of a chopstick to tilt when one end is heavier than the other). The centering ring, however, adds two support points, increasing the number of contact points between the rocket and the guide rail from two to four. This effectively creates a "stabilizing support" for the rocket, dispersing the tilting force and reducing the tilting moment by 50%.

During launch, the airflow generates a lateral impact force at the tail of the projectile (due to the error in the tail fin installation angle, the airflow will generate uneven thrust as it passes over the tail fin). The centering ring forces the projectile to slide along the guide rail axis, preventing lateral deviation of the projectile in the early stages of launch, and allowing the airflow to flow more evenly over the tail fin. At the same time, the ring structure of the centering ring itself can also "sort" the airflow, reducing turbulence interference with the tail fin, and ultimately significantly reducing the fluctuation amplitude of lateral aerodynamic forces.

Therefore, the accuracy of the centering ring has a significant impact on rocket launch.

Fang Wen closed his eyes, and a three-dimensional image of Soviet rockets and launch rails appeared in his mind, which he then processed into data.

With the help of his superpowers, he identified the problem.

One of the root causes of the Soviet rocket drop problem was the swaying of the rocket body within the guide rail—the front-heavy layout made it like a 'crooked chopstick,' and during sudden braking or bumps, the low-precision centering ring would cause slight displacement of the guide rail, resulting in launch problems.

The root of the problem lies in the fact that the diameter of the centering ring is set at 134 mm, and the gap between it and the guide rail must be strictly controlled within 1 mm.

In reality, because rockets are produced on different production lines, the centering rings also differ.

The rockets that fell off during launch were all due to substandard manufacturing precision of the centering ring.

In this regard, Taishan Military Industry does a better job because of its strict requirements. Every rocket component is subject to a precision re-inspection mechanism. Only components that meet the required precision can be considered good products for assembly, thus avoiding a 15% drop rate.

After completing these improvement plans, Fang Wen bound them into a booklet, left the research and development room, and went to the guesthouse to find the Soviet inspection team.

When he arrived at the guesthouse, he could hear Russian singing coming from inside.

These people are drinking strong liquor and entertaining themselves.

Vasily, who was quite drunk, was dancing a Soviet dance in the open space of the canteen.

That was the Gopak dance, which would be called the 'Commissar Dance' in the future. It mainly consisted of squatting and jumping movements, and the dancers needed to rely on the strength of their limbs to complete the movements, which looked extremely difficult.

People in the guesthouse canteen watched and applauded enthusiastically.

Fang Wen didn't disturb their enjoyment, but watched from the sidelines until the dance was over before coming over.

"You danced well, Vasily."

“I jumped better when I was younger,” Vasily replied with a smile.

"The rectification plan has been completed." Fang Wen handed the bound rectification plan to Vasily.

Vasily immediately became serious, took the booklet, and showed it to the experts in the group.

After reviewing the document, the four experts stated that it was highly feasible, but the actual effectiveness would need to be proven through practical application.

Immediately afterwards, Vasily and his party ended their inspection tour, took a flight from Taishan Airlines to Türkiye, and then took a ship back to China via the Caspian Sea.

After seeing them off at the airport, Fang Wen went to the Yangon Industrial Park to inspect the trial operation of the assembly line at the military bicycle assembly plant.

Meanwhile, the German passenger ship "St. Louis," carrying approximately 1000 refugees, was returning to Europe from Cuba.

These refugees were refused entry, and the United States also refused to accept them, so they had to return to Europe, docking at the port of Southampton in the United Kingdom.

After the passenger ship docked, two refugees disembarked and hurriedly left the port, disappearing into the mist.

(End of this chapter)