Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 600 Polish Maritime Route: Aircraft for Technicians

A major transformation is about to take place in Europe.

Fang Wen instructed Taishan Airlines' European branch to closely monitor any information related to Germany.

On August 12, 1939, the lights in the underground chamber of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw flickered dimly.

The army chief of staff said with a bitter expression, "Three German armored divisions have arrived in Pomerania, and reconnaissance planes bombed two of our border posts yesterday!"

The atmosphere in the sealed room was extremely oppressive.

Interior Minister Janzelensky adjusted his glasses: "The situation is tense right now. While we are fully preparing for war, I think we should also consider the evacuation routes for the people."

All eyes turned to Polish Airlines General Manager Kazimierz Sokolovski, who stood up and took out a Polish civil aviation route map. Red lines radiated from Warsaw to various European countries, but at this moment, the route to Germany in the west was marked with a black cross indicating "danger," there was no air route to the Soviet Union in the east, Slovakia in the south was establishing an autonomous government, and Hungary was also pro-German.

“We have nowhere to fly out,” he said helplessly.

“Sokolovsky, the civilian aircraft fleet must take on the evacuation mission.” Zelensky’s voice carried an undeniable urgency, which was also the opinion of the other important figures.

Kazimir Sokolovsky could only offer a tentative idea: "We have another route we can fly, from the Baltic Sea to the North Sea, and then to Paris."

"Explain more clearly," the Interior Minister pressed.

“Not long ago, French art dealer Pierre successfully flew from Paris to Riga, Latvia, using a seaplane operated by Taishan Airlines. This proves it is feasible. However, our airline only has 12 old Ju 52s and no seaplanes. Furthermore, I believe that only seaplanes manufactured by Taishan Airlines can handle this type of flight. Therefore, if we want to open this route, we need to go to Paris and seek cooperation with Taishan Airlines.”

They discussed it among themselves and quickly reached a consensus.

The Interior Minister said to Sokolovsky, "You're right, go to Paris and contact Taishan Airlines—they have experience with intercontinental routes and might be able to help us open up a safe alternative route!"

Sokolovsky looked up abruptly, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, which was quickly replaced by determination.

He was aware of the risks of this trip: the Polish-German border was under strict control, and the surrounding area was predominantly pro-German; civilian aircraft could be shot down by German warplanes if they were not careful. Moreover, Taishan Airlines might not want to get involved in the Polish crisis on the eve of war.

But if we don't seize this slim chance, what else can we do?!
He gritted his teeth and nodded: "I'll leave tomorrow morning, fly to Romania, then go to Türkiye, where I can take a Taishan Airlines flight to Paris."

The next morning, as dawn broke over Warsaw Airport, a LOT Polish Airlines Ju 52 passenger plane quietly took off.

On the morning of August 16, Taishan Airlines Paris branch welcomed Sokolovski, who arrived in Paris after a three-day journey.

Paul met with him alone in his office. Sokolovski said urgently, "Mr. Paul, the German army may attack Poland at any time. We need the help of Taishan Airlines. Polish Airlines is willing to pay any price to open an evacuation route from Warsaw through the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to Paris."

Paul Lin was surprised.

"An evacuation route from Warsaw through the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to Paris? Sorry, I don't understand what you mean."

“Your company’s general manager flew this route not long ago, using a seaplane that you manufactured yourself. I know that very well,” Sokolovsky confirmed.

"Oh. You mean that time?"

Paul Lin recalled the general manager's instruction to the Paris branch to closely monitor any information related to Germany.

This situation is related to Germany, and it seems I need to report it to the general manager.

He smiled and said, "Our branch office can't make this decision. How about this, you rest at the company guesthouse, and I'll report to headquarters immediately. We'll leave everything to headquarters' decision."

Then, Paul Lin escorted Sokolovsky to the guesthouse, and then went to the telegraph room to send a telegram.

Radio waves traveled a great distance to reach Yangon.

Upon seeing the urgent message, the telegraph operator immediately took the telegram to the general manager's office.

An afternoon in Yangon.

Fang Wenzheng is signing a batch of internal company documents.

He wouldn't be staying in Yangon for long; after finishing these matters, he planned to travel to Guangxi and Guangdong.

The mission to Guangxi was to send back several Guangxi gunboat pilots who had completed their training, while the mission to Guangdong was to check on the situation of the Independent Regiment in Yangjiang.

Then they could fly directly to Lanzhou to complete the transaction of military technology and firearms production lines with the Soviet Union.

The door opened, and assistant Zhao Junping entered.

"General Manager, an urgent telegram from the Paris branch!"

The term "urgent" is rarely used within the company.

Fang Wen immediately stopped what he was doing, took the telegram, and checked its contents.

"Polarst Airways General Manager Sokolovski has arrived in Paris, requesting cooperation to open an evacuation route from Warsaw through the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to Paris, which requires our seaplanes..." Fang Wen read aloud, his brows furrowed. He walked to the map and used a red pen to outline the route "Warsaw-Baltic Sea-North Sea-Paris".

This route bypassed the German-controlled land areas, and since the German Navy did not yet control the North Sea and Baltic Sea, it was relatively safe in the early stages of the war.

Those who could come up with this route could indeed solve Poland's air evacuation problem.

Of course, those who could evacuate along this route would probably not be civilians.

Fang Wen didn't think too much about this; when it comes to foreign affairs, interests should always come first.

He continued to weigh the pros and cons.

Open cooperation was definitely out of the question, as it would alienate the Nazis, potentially leading to the closure of the Berlin store and impacting European civil aviation.

However, aircraft can be sold privately, and certain route flying experience can be provided.

What conditions should I set?

Fang Wen immediately thought of the Polish national aviation factory (Państwowe Zakady Lotnicze).

This factory is the core of Poland's independent aviation industry. It was established in 1928 by the Polish government to integrate domestic aviation resources. Headquartered in Milic, near Warsaw, it is now the largest aviation industrial plant in Eastern Europe.

Its core business is the research, development, and production of military fighter jets, bombers, and civilian transport aircraft.

The most famous products include the P-11 fighter jet (the mainstay fighter of the Polish Air Force).

P-37 "Moose" bomber
Although the technology for fighter jets is outdated, the design of bombers is quite good.

If the German army occupies Poland, could the technical personnel of the national aircraft factory be recruited and hired by Taishan Aviation?

Immediately afterwards, Fang Wen went to the telegraph room to send a telegram.

[1. Taishan Airlines is not cooperating. 2. A batch of decommissioned seaplanes are available for sale. 3. After the transaction, some advice on sea navigation can be obtained.]

[Condition: Exchange technical personnel from the national aviation factory. If the situation changes and Poland begins to evacuate, these technical personnel can evacuate to Paris by plane and join Taishan Airlines.]

August 17th.

Paul Lin looked at the telegram from headquarters in his office. The headquarters' reply was completely unexpected: instead of direct cooperation, they would offer to sell decommissioned seaplanes and provide flight advice in exchange for technical personnel from the Polish National Aviation Factory.

He understood immediately.

The company doesn't actually have any plans to phase out seaplanes; it's just for show for the Germans to avoid trouble.

He understood Fang Wen's considerations: he didn't want to offend Germany by openly cooperating with Poland, but he also wanted to gain practical benefits through this deal, especially the technical personnel at the Polish aircraft factory, which could play a key role in the future development of Taishan Airlines.

After gathering his thoughts, Paul Lin sent someone to the guesthouse to invite Sokolovsky.

Not long after, Sokolovsky rushed over, his face showing undisguised urgency: "Mr. Paul, is there any news from headquarters?"

Paul Lin gestured for him to sit down, handed him a cup of coffee, and slowly said, "Mr. Sokolovsky, I'm sorry, after careful consideration, headquarters is unable to directly cooperate with your company to open up an evacuation route."

Sokolovsky's hand, which had just picked up his coffee, suddenly froze, and he almost spilled the coffee: "Why?"

“Please don’t rush,” Paul Lin interrupted him. “Although headquarters doesn’t cooperate directly, they have offered another solution. Our company has a batch of decommissioned seaplanes. While their performance is not as good as the latest models, they are sufficient to complete the flight mission from Warsaw through the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to Paris. If you are interested, we can sell these aircraft to you and, after the transaction, provide some advice on sea flights to help you successfully launch your sea routes.”

A glimmer of hope rekindled in Sokolovsky's eyes, and he quickly asked, "What conditions do you require?" He knew very well that Taishan Airlines could not provide assistance free of charge in such a critical moment.

The cost would be very high.

Paul Lin didn't beat around the bush and stated the headquarters' conditions directly: "Our conditions are simple: we will exchange them for technical personnel from the Polish National Aviation Factory. These technical personnel must be core talents with extensive experience in the research and development or manufacturing of fighter jets and bombers. If the situation in Poland deteriorates further and your side begins to withdraw, these technical personnel must be able to evacuate to Paris by plane and then join Taishan Aviation to support our aviation research and development."

"Technicians from the National Aviation Factory?" Sokolovski's expression changed; he hadn't expected Taishan Aviation to make such a demand. The National Aviation Factory was the core of Poland's aviation industry, and its technical personnel were Poland's most valuable asset. Handing them over to Taishan Aviation would practically sever the very foundation of Poland's aviation industry.

“Mr. Paul, this is impossible!” Sokolovski stood up excitedly. “Those technicians are Poland’s hope. We can’t abandon them for a few seaplanes!”

“Mr. Sokolovsky, please calm down,” Lin Baoluo said calmly. “You should know very well that once the German army occupies Poland, the national aircraft factory will either be destroyed or taken over by the German army. The technicians will likely be forced to work for the Germans, and may even lose their lives. But if they join Taishan Aviation, they can not only save their lives, but also maintain their dignity and continue to pursue their beloved aviation career. Isn’t that a better choice?”

Sokolovsky fell silent; Lin Paul's words had struck a nerve.

He knew that Paul Lin was telling the truth. The German army's plunder of technical personnel was no secret, and after the Sudetenland was occupied, the large arsenals there were immediately taken over.

Once Poland falls, those technicians will indeed face the same fate.

His remaining dignity forced him to remain defiant.

"We may not necessarily lose; this route is just a backup."

“Yes, that’s just a hypothetical scenario,” Paul Lin continued. “The seaplanes we sell can help you evacuate more important personnel, including government officials, military personnel, and ordinary citizens. Exchanging a group of technicians for the lives of hundreds or even thousands of people is not a bad deal for you.”

Sokolovsky sat in his chair, clutching his hair tightly, his mind in turmoil. After a long while, he looked up, his eyes bloodshot: "I need time to report to Warsaw. This is a matter for them to decide."

"Of course, please follow me."

The two went to the telegraph room.

The matter concerning the sea routes in Europe was resolved quickly.

The other party agreed to add a group of aviation industry technicians to the evacuation list.

To ensure that the other party can execute.

Fang Wen made some adjustments.

He grounded five of the company's pilots and had them resign, then joined LOT Polish Airlines, flying newly purchased seaplanes across the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to northern Poland.

All five pilots were Chinese. Before heading to Paris, Fang Wen gave them a special training session.

The special training covered various details that needed to be considered during the entire sea flight.

The entire voyage was at sea, with no land navigation available; they could only rely on a compass and stars to determine their location.

With his powerful mental strength, Fang Wen recalled the entire process he had painstakingly worked on and wrote down the details in a manual.

The document explains the locations for transit stops, precautions for in-flight refueling, and the different air current conditions in different sea areas.

They've learned everything they need to. As long as these five company pilots take this matter seriously, there shouldn't be any flight accidents. After all, they're flying a low-speed seaplane, and with their flying experience, they can handle it perfectly well.

But there was another problem: the five pilots were worried about the Germans.

In response, Fang Wen gave them a piece of advice.

"Remember, you are just civilian airline pilots. Your safety and the safety of your passengers are the top priority. Fly when you are scheduled to fly, and land when you are scheduled to land. If you are forced to stop by German warplanes, do not resist to avoid unnecessary harm. I will do my best to rescue you afterwards."

The general manager's words gave the pilots confidence for this overseas assignment.

They trusted Fang Wen, and they believed that the general manager always kept his word.

Then, they boarded a flight to Paris and departed.

Watching the flight disappear into the distance, Fang Wen, carrying a bag of personal belongings, went with Gong Xiuneng to the aviation school to pick up the Gui Jun flight cadets who had completed their training and head to Guangxi together.

(End of this chapter)