Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 49 The MiG-23's kneeling landing gear really did kneel!
The Nile River meanders through the land, nourishing the land along its banks and creating vast oases that nurtured ancient civilizations. Beyond these oases lie vast deserts, desolate and uninhabited, with only the towering pyramids standing as silent witnesses to the ancient past.

In the distance lies the sea: the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east, making Egypt's geographical location all the more important.

On the plane, he saw spectacular sights, and when he got off the plane, he was given Moutai liquor by the flight attendants. Qin Liang really had the illusion that the customer is God. In fact, in this day and age, people who can afford to fly must be important people, so the service is naturally good.

But... as soon as he stepped off the plane, a wave of heat hit him, instantly making Qin Liang want to go back to an air-conditioned room.

Our motherland has entered autumn, a time of clear skies and crisp air, but here... it's still the sweltering heat of summer!

"What's wrong, Qin Liang? Are you... having trouble adjusting?" Tang, the deputy director of Factory 112 and head of the delegation, patted him on the shoulder with a smile: "Come on, it'll be cooler once we get on the bus!"

"Commander Tang, I think we shouldn't be wearing suits and ties. We should be like the locals, wearing robes and headscarves..."

As Qin Liang spoke, he loosened the tie around his neck. For some reason, ever since he put on this outfit, Qin Liang always felt like a salesman.

In fact... that's right. I came here to find an opportunity to promote the J-7! If I can sell the J-7, the entire aviation industry in the East will be revitalized!
“How could that be… After going abroad, we must be careful to maintain our image… Once we’re out here, we no longer represent ourselves, but the country!” Old Gu earnestly instructed from the side.

"Old Yao and Old Sun are here to pick us up!" Commander Tang looked at the people in front of him and immediately waved his arms enthusiastically.

Soon, the twelve people boarded a minibus. Seeing everyone dressed in suits, Old Yao began, "Now, let me announce the rules. First, once you arrive at the hotel, put these clothes away. Your mission for the next period will be clandestine; don't be too conspicuous. Wearing local clothes is best, so you can blend in and not stand out..."

Commander Tang gave Qin Liang a meaningful look. This kid hit the nail on the head!

Qin Liang knew why, of course. After all, even though the Russians had left, they still had to be careful when secretly taking away the MiG-23 fighter jets. They had to do as the Romans do to attract attention.

"Secondly, everyone should get a good rest tonight to adjust to the time difference. Don't watch TV or anything like that. Colonel Mustafa will pick you up tomorrow morning. The destination is Benisuev Air Base, which is 200 kilometers away from Cairo."

Qin Liang was immediately taken aback: "Why can't we watch TV?"

This discipline...

"Because... everyone's task is to rest, and for the next while, I'm afraid there won't be any chance to rest." Old Yao looked at Qin Liang's young face, thinking, "Young man, you are indeed still too young!"

Okay, Qin Liang seems to understand now. After the Fourth Middle East War, Egypt began to align itself with the West. This TV program might even broadcast programs like the BBC! Actually, he's already immune to that propaganda; only a fool would believe it.

The next day, before dawn, while everyone was still half asleep, they boarded a taxi and a van, the sides of which were painted with the words "Egypt Tourism." After leaving Cairo, they sped off.

The roar of the plane startled Qin Liang awake. He looked out the window and saw a variable-sweep wing fighter jet unfolding its wings and landing on the runway.

Have we arrived at our destination?
Looking at the others sitting upright in the car, Qin Liang couldn't help but shake his head. "You guys should at least sleep for a while in the car. There won't be any time to sleep after this!" Colonel Mustafa shouted.

As everyone disembarked, their eyes were all fixed on the MiG-23 fighter jet that was landing. This was the first time they had ever seen a variable-sweep wing aircraft!
Old Gu stared at the nose of the aircraft, Old Ma stared at the variable-sweep wing, and Old Tu stared at the engine at the tail; each had their own focus…

"The MiG-23 fighter jet that you see here is a world-class variable-sweep wing fighter. The wings can be fixed in three positions as needed..." Mustafa saw that everyone was very interested, so he introduced it to them.

Anyway, everyone came here for the MiG-23. After watching this plane land, it's not too late to go to the hangar to receive the MiG-23 that was reserved for them.

The landing gear was lowered, and its shape was somewhat strange, like crab claws.

Previous aircraft, from the MiG-15 to the MiG-21, had landing gear mounted on the wings. This resulted in a wider wheelbase and more stable landings, but it also limited the amount of payload that could be mounted under the wings. The MiG-23's variable-sweep wing also couldn't accommodate landing gear. So, Mikoyan was the first to mount landing gear on the fuselage!
Due to limited space in the fuselage, conventional outward-pointing landing gear could not be used, which greatly frustrated the designers!
"The MiG-23 uses a crab claw landing gear, designed by a female college student in the Soviet Union. It's compact in size and has a wide enough wheelbase..." Mustafa continued to explain to everyone.

Old Tu glanced at Qin Liang and said, "You're also a college student, yet your design skills are even better than that Soviet female college student's!" What's Qin Liang laughing at?
Calling it the crab claw pose is just self-aggrandizement; it would be more appropriate to call it the kneeling pose!
The rear landing gear got closer and closer to the ground, and then it touched down – it was almost a perfect landing!

Click!

Just then, a crisp sound echoed across the airport, and then, one of the MiG-23 fighter jet's legs broke off! The wheel was dragged behind, and the half-crippled "crab claw" touched the ground, scraping against the runway, sending a beautiful streak of sparks flying forward...

A sharp alarm sounded, and fire trucks and ambulances were already on the runway, chasing after the plane!

At this point, it all comes down to how tough the pilot is; after all, at zero altitude, even using an ejection seat would result in being smashed to pieces...

Finally, the plane came to a stop without flipping!

A pale-faced pilot climbed down the gangway, his legs trembling. If the plane flipped over and turned upside down, he would be left with nothing but his two legs...

A group of ground crew rushed over to examine the broken leg; their faces were grim.

Since the falling out with the Soviets, the supply of aircraft parts has been cut off. This plane can fly if you replace the landing gear, but... there are no spare parts!
"Sigh, this plane is probably..."

Just as everyone was looking helpless, a voice rang out.

"The landing gear steel used by the Russians is of very poor quality. It will crack after a few years of use. If it is not inspected frequently, it will easily cause problems. However, the Russians' landing gear is also easy to repair. It can be welded back on and still be used."

(End of this chapter)