The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

After the Overseas Chinese Federation received the news, they naturally contacted Feng Ru, who readily agreed. "Chairman, Feng Ru is truly a genius. Through years of diligent study of mechanical engineering, he mastered the manufacture and design of numerous machines, including pumps, pile drivers, diesel engines, steam engines, telephones, and radio receivers. He is truly China's own inventor. Feng Ru contributed greatly to our current radio upgrades."

When Feng Ru was chief engineer, he discussed the military value of aircraft. He said, "The Russo-Japanese War was extremely detrimental to China. I believe that in this era of great power competition, aircraft are indispensable to the military. If we have a large number of aircraft stationed at China's coastal ports, we can defend against invasion by the great powers." Furthermore, Feng Ru personally led the manufacture of our aircraft engines.

Zhang Yinghao listened, nodded, and said, "We serve the people. For Chief Engineer Feng, all we can do is provide him with an environment where he can work with peace of mind, help him purchase more equipment and books, and allow him to better utilize his talents and abilities. How much weight can this plane carry into the sky?"

"Right now, we can only carry 50 kilograms of stuff into the sky. But if we carry 40 or 50 kilograms, the range of the plane will be shortened."

Zhang Yinghao was truly excited upon hearing this news. He had already explained all his requirements for the aircraft to his comrades, including the need for a machine gun. Since Chen Yiwei dared to boast about his achievements, and since it could carry 50 kilograms of bombs, it meant the aircraft was fully combat-capable. This was the advantage of concentrating resources on major tasks. Currently, none of the major powers were paying attention to emerging technologies like aircraft; their current focus was on industries like automobiles and chemicals. Zhang Yinghao knew that he couldn't develop a large-scale navy in the short term, so aircraft held unparalleled military value and were the primary force in defending coastal areas. Aircraft development was still in its infancy. As long as they could keep pace and get on par with Western nations, their aviation industry would likely not lag behind. Aircraft were their primary focus, and they absolutely could not lag behind. If they could achieve large-scale production, tens of thousands of aircraft could be produced immediately after war broke out. If, even then, the aircraft manufacturing industry still couldn't develop, Zhang Yinghao would have to accept it.

"It's all right. Who told us we have so little experience? But don't rush now. First, conduct secret research and then make improvements. Ideally, we can achieve a range of 500 kilometers. Such an aircraft will have great military significance. Comrade Feng Ru's prediction is correct. After we liberate the coastal provinces in the future, if the foreign powers intervene and bombard our coastal cities, we will need these aircraft. At the same time, we must start training pilots. It's better for people to wait for the aircraft than for the aircraft to wait for people."

"Alas, pilot training also needs to start from scratch. Right now, not only in China, but also in other countries around the world, there are no popular aviation education courses. We still need to explore, and there are not enough teaching materials and courses. Therefore, most of the time, we train comrades who have passed vision, fear of heights, and courage training to take the aircraft for test flights. However, Feng Ru usually tests it himself. In his own words, if you don't fly the plane yourself, you won't know the specific situation."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yinghao quickly said, "Comrade Feng Ru must be restricted from conducting test flights himself. He shouldn't be allowed to do so unless absolutely necessary. He's our precious child; his value doesn't need to be demonstrated through test flights. If anything were to happen to Comrade Feng Ru, it would be a huge loss to the entire nation. Not only would our aviation industry suffer setbacks, but many other areas of our work would also be impacted. You must have a good talk with Comrade Feng Ru and convince him."

"it is good."

"Then you can make a phone call and inform them that we will take our comrades to see our plane tomorrow."

"Row."

As soon as Chen Yiwei left, Zhang Yinghao summoned Wu Jiesen, the head of the water conservancy department. Water and fire are merciless, and Zhang Yinghao still vividly remembers the floods of his previous life. Furthermore, this year's rainfall in Sichuan is clearly off; a long drought can easily lead to floods. In this era, the destructive power of floods is unmatched in later generations.

"Jason, you're here. Please sit down. Sichuan has been experiencing drought for several years now. The weather this year is clearly not right, with a significant increase in rainfall. Has your water conservancy department formulated any plans? Sichuan is a basin-shaped area, extremely prone to natural disasters such as floods, landslides, and mudslides. We must reinforce the embankments."

"Chairman, we have received relevant instructions and conducted relevant investigations very early on. We have also reported the relevant situation to local government departments and have made corresponding plans. We have now contacted comrades in the infrastructure department, and many areas have already begun repair work."

"That's good. Water conservancy issues are related to food security, so we can't be careless at all."

"Yes, to be honest, the dams in Sichuan are in a very bad state right now. Many of them have fallen into disrepair. The Minjiang River, Jinsha River, Dadu River, Jialing River and other rivers are all in very bad condition. Many of the dams were built during the reigns of Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong, which is a long time ago. If they are not reinforced soon, I am afraid they will become dangerous. And such dilapidated water conservancy facilities are almost everywhere in Sichuan. They need to be repaired as soon as possible, otherwise there is no telling when danger will arise."

Zhang Yinghao was aware of the numerous major disasters recorded during the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, each affecting millions of people. However, Chinese scholars were not inclined to record these "minor events," so they were often briefly mentioned. Minor disasters were also a constant occurrence. In a country like China, with its monsoon climate and vast north-south and east-west boundaries, it was not uncommon for floods and droughts to occur simultaneously.

"Jason, do we have enough funding now? How are we dealing with manpower?" "We have a special allocation, so the funds are barely enough right now. It's mainly because of the public support. When our comrades go to their area to build dams, with just one call, countless people will volunteer to help. We just provide them with a meal, or even volunteer for free. As the locals say, they're working for themselves, so why should they ask for money? The stones and cement are also carried by the people on their shoulders and hands. Our people work the hardest."

"Yes, I've said it before. As long as the people can live a good life, then no force can stop their enthusiasm. The Chinese people just want to live a better and more peaceful life. The Qing Dynasty didn't even allow them to have such a wish, so it was bound to be overthrown by the people."

"Haha, the Qing Dynasty deserved death, but now some scholars have started writing in the newspapers that we are abusing the people's power."

The newspapers Jason was referring to were the ones that suddenly mushroomed after Sichuan stabilized. Seeing that the Progressive Party hadn't completely silenced their voices, those old intellectuals and latent reformists began to express their opinions in the newspapers. Of course, they didn't dare criticize the Progressive Party's policies, such as land reform, so they played by the rules, seemingly trying to test the party's limits.

Hearing Jason talking about the newspaper, Zhang Yinghao's eyes flashed coldly. He waved his hand and said: "Don't pay attention to those people's nonsense. They are like dogs, they can only bark a few words, it's no big deal. They don't understand the needs of the people.

They don't know that if the white people can lead them to live a better life than before, they will burst out with ten times the enthusiasm.

These people think they are high and mighty, that they can manipulate the world with their pens, but they never understand that history is created by the people, and that only these ordinary workers are the most lovable people.

"Yes, they are indeed the most hardworking group. If working people can't have enough food and clothing, then there is indeed something wrong with the country. I just want to know if we can give these people who come here to work some wages."

Zhang Yinghao gave a wry smile and said, "I'd like to give them money, but our current problem is poverty. A poor man's ambition is short, and a lean horse's hair grows long. We're trying to convert all our supplies into silver and foreign exchange to purchase machinery and equipment. If we solve the wage problem by issuing more banknotes, that would be like drinking poison to quench thirst and would be of no use."

“That’s indeed the case.”

"However, if we can build a railway to Shaanxi, then Mongolian cattle and sheep could enter Sichuan on a large scale, filling the gap in the Sichuan market. This is the fundamental solution to the problem. We can make a lot of money from trading with China. If we don't have enough goods to consume, inflation is inevitable."

Chapter 386:

Although Wu Jiesen and the others didn't fully understand the concept of inflation, they did understand the basic concepts. They knew that when there was too much money, it would become worthless, so they didn't say anything more.

After Zhang Yinghao understood the specific situation, he immediately set about building the Sichuan-Shaanxi Highway. Even if the railway couldn't be built temporarily, building a highway wouldn't be a problem. Having a highway could solve countless problems.

………….

The next day was a beautiful, sunny day. The Science and Technology Commission began tinkering in the open space outside Chengdu. Slowly, two massive objects emerged. One was a new, oval-shaped hot air balloon, about 3.5 meters in diameter and over 10 meters long. It contained a massive hanging basket filled with sandbags and a propeller behind it, providing power. A massive cable was attached to a large winch, which was then rotated and raised by specialized personnel.

This new hot air balloon could carry hundreds of kilograms of people and cargo, flying for hours at speeds of 30 kilometers per hour. Once carried aloft in the basket, people could observe distant areas and command ground forces from above. This was no longer a hot air balloon, but rather a basket-carrying airship.

Even larger than the hot air balloon is a 40-meter-long blimp. Why is it called a blimp? Because German-made blimps are over 100 meters long. While this 40-meter-long blimp is just child's play, it's a behemoth in today's China.

As soon as these two behemoths appeared outside the city, they immediately attracted countless people's attention without any publicity. People in Chengdu fled the city, leaving the streets empty. On the other side of the two behemoths, two real hot air balloons slowly rose, each with a large hanging basket underneath. However, these hot air balloons were obviously much smaller. Although they were burning with a blazing flame, people were more interested in seeing the flameless behemoths.

Airships and new balloons weren't powered by magic, so they weren't as stable as the immortals flying swords in novels. The comrades in charge of the performance and the on-site commanders were quite nervous. However, the participants had learned the principles of balloon launch and how to control the huge machines. Although they were nervous, they were mostly excited.

As the time was running out, three men wearing goggles stood on the oval hanging basket. One of them was the team leader. He began to give orders to the team members below and the comrades beside him. He shouted a command, and the other team members immediately shouted a command and followed suit.

"Pull in the cable!" "Pull in the cable!" "Let out the cable!" "Let out the cable!"

"Put a sandbag on the left!" "Put a sandbag on the left!" "Put a sandbag on the right!" "Put a sandbag on the right!"

As the commander and the flight crew shouted commands alternately, the cable was retracted into the basket, the sandbag was thrown to the ground, and with a vibration of the basket, it slowly rose into the sky.

Everyone's heads slowly lifted up as the hot air balloon rose, watching the huge object slowly move. The hot air balloon was as big as a house. Men had a special preference for "big". Such a huge object flew into the sky, making the people on the ground cheer wildly.

After reaching a certain altitude, the propeller at the back began to turn, and the entire hot air balloon immediately flew towards Chengdu, intending to cross the entire city. Everyone watched the behemoth take off, letting out earth-shaking roars and shouts, and the entire crowd was immersed in a sea of ​​joy. Everyone shouted something at the top of their lungs, and some children even ran after the hot air balloon.

Everyone has seen Kongming lanterns, but no one has ever seen such a large aircraft before. This is the charm of industry, it can make mountains bow and rivers give way.

Someone, jumping and shouting with such excitement, actually fell into a paddy field, but this minor incident didn't dampen the crowd's excitement. As they passed over Chengdu, the comrades in the hanging basket suddenly released pieces of paper, which rained down to the ground. Everyone picked them up and saw only a few words inside: "We're in space!" Zhang Yinghao had created these words overnight as a souvenir.

Anyone with a bit of cultural background, seeing this scene, immediately recalls the phrase: "Heavenly maidens scattering flowers." All humans have dreamed of flying; as we grow, we inevitably dream of ourselves flying or running as if we possessed extraordinary feats. The murals within the now-secretly protected Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang feature numerous scenes of goddesses soaring into the heavens. In this era of information isolation, while some knew Westerners had invented a means of flight, most had never seen one.

Looking up at the hot air balloon soaring high above, everyone wanted to experience the feeling of looking down on the world. However, the military wasn't particularly surprised. After all, in many battles, artillery had used hot air balloons to calibrate parameters, providing a clearer view of the battlefield. Furthermore, the military had undergone literacy campaigns and knew that these balloons were essentially large-scale sky lanterns.

Seeing the pieces of paper falling to the ground, some people rushed to pick them up to see what was written on them. Some children became even more excited and shouted: "Paper is falling from the sky!" "Paper is falling from the sky!"

Now no one knows the value of the few words on this piece of paper, and of course no one will preserve it properly. Many of them have ended up in the toilet or used to start fires. However, in order to preserve the value of these words, Zhang Yinghao put in some effort and stamped a small seal. Zhang Yinghao would not advertise that people should pick up the paper and take it home to hide it. It all depends on the heart and fate. However, some people still picked up a piece of paper, inspiring themselves to study hard and make contributions to the country in the future. Until later, the family found this piece of paper, took it out and posted it online. After verifying its authenticity, the price immediately rose to the price of a house, making these families a small fortune.

After the hot air balloon departed, the airship took off next. After the massive airship was ready, it slowly ascended. Rising to about 500 meters in the air, it also circled Chengdu. Countless people along the way pointed at the airship, as if they had seen something divine.

The hum of the motor echoed, and then a massive airship flew by. Those who had never seen it before were amazed. In reality, it was just a spectacle for the layman; only those in the know could see the real deal. For those with a basic understanding of Western technology, seeing Westerners capable of soaring into the heavens and burrowing into the earth, what a feeling it must have been. Flying through the air, escaping the earth—isn't that the stuff of magic?

After a busy day, the entire city seemed infused with an inexplicable vitality, becoming more vibrant, and people were buzzing with discussion about these flying objects. Even after the lively flight show ended, the shock it brought to the people was far from over. After witnessing the powerful power of science and technology, after their horizons were broadened, people will rapidly grow.

Many comrades knew that Zhang Yinghao had a methodical approach to everything, and this time was no exception. Seeing the flying show's success, Zhang Yinghao immediately promoted it in various cities. Taking advantage of this technological trend, he exhibited soilless plants from his laboratory, plaster human viscera samples, and microscopes in various cities, explaining the importance of drinking boiled water and fertilizing plants.

When people looked through microscopes and saw that clean water was teeming with microorganisms, and that tiny bugs were lurking in the cracks of their fingernails and even in their hair, they immediately accepted that illness was caused by these bugs. What Zhang Yinghao hadn't anticipated was that this exhibition would once again prompt a large number of people to cut off their braids.

Since Zhang Yinghao launched the revolution, he never forced anyone to cut their braids. Forced cutting was pointless. He understood that it's easier to cut a braid than a braid in one's heart. Moreover, Zhang Yinghao, coming from a later era, had no prejudice against braids. Many children still wear a small tuft of hair at the back of their heads, didn't they? If you want to keep your braid, keep it; if you want to cut it, cut it. Only when people voluntarily cut their braids did the revolution have meaning. Indeed, many who cut their braids found it strengthened their revolutionary consciousness when they saw those who didn't. After all, seeing a braid reminds them that the revolution hadn't succeeded, which is a good thing. Of course, this incident also served as evidence for overseas revolutionaries attacking Zhang Yinghao, arguing that if they didn't force people to cut their braids, it must be a fake revolution.

Zhang Yinghao had another purpose for allowing these people to keep their queues. It was easy to tell if they were counter-revolutionaries. It was clear they were not on the side, and those with queues couldn't get into the ranks. Could those with queues still dare to commit blatant crimes? Keeping their queues would only expose them to invisible surveillance by the masses. If these counter-revolutionaries who didn't intend to align themselves with the Forward Party had their queues cut off, it would make it easier for them to infiltrate the revolutionary ranks, which would be even more detrimental.

After the popularization of science, except for some old people and those conservative literati, most people actually wanted to cut off their braids. After all, it is not easy to manage a braid. Moreover, cutting off the braid is a must to join a new government department. The change of customs was actually completed inadvertently.

Zhang Yinghao and other senior officials of the party, government and military naturally did not go to watch the excitement of hot air balloons and airships. Instead, they drove to the flight base to watch the aircraft performance.

At that time, pilots had to undergo rigorous screening. Those with a fear of heights, needless to say, were out of the question, as were tall individuals. They had to be small and fearless. Being a pilot at that time was an extremely dangerous profession; flying one day meant you didn't know if you'd be able to fly the next. But who would have thought that airplanes, still mostly made of wood, would become a crucial factor in determining the outcome of wars in just a decade?

Zhang Yinghao looked at the plane before him. It was truly rudimentary. However, he had seen pictures of the planes designed and built by Feng Ru in his previous life. They were even more rudimentary than the one before him. The pilot was completely exposed, completely exposed. This plane, after all, had a simple cockpit. While there was no cover to protect the pilot from wind and rain, it was still much better than riding a high-speed bicycle.

At that time, the vast Sichuan plains were filled with clear skies, a vibrant spring scene, and pleasant temperatures. Feng Ru was overjoyed, excitedly introducing the aircraft, which was like his own child. He first explained the basics of aircraft manufacturing and piloting to his comrades, then addressed Zhang Yinghao, "Chairman, this aircraft is a biplane, a single-engine piston engine with a wingspan of 11.8 meters and a length of 9.8 meters. It carries two people, with one pilot. It's equipped with a machine gun and has a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 490 kilograms..."

Zhang Yinghao nodded as he listened. The data was basically the same as Chen Yiwei's. Feng Ru finished his presentation, and the wind speed was just right. Zhang Yinghao and his team arrived at the observation room. The pilot immediately climbed into the cockpit of the powered glider, started the aircraft, and it began to run down the runway. After traveling a short distance, the aircraft took off.

Everyone's eyes followed the movement of this simple plane, as if it had an eye-catching magic, and were firmly attracted to it. Everyone's heart was entangled and they were worried about it.

One second, two seconds, three seconds... three hundred seconds... the plane was still soaring in the blue sky, circling around the field. It had been flying for more than ten minutes and the flight distance was more than ten kilometers. At this time, the plane was only about fifty meters above the ground.

Zhang Yinghao was the first to applaud and took off his military cap to salute the pilots. Others followed suit, applauding and praising, and the technical workers also shouted loudly to celebrate.

The pilot was also excited on board. He had received advance notice that their beloved Chairman Zhang would be attending his flight demonstration. Glancing at the comrades watching below, he immediately pulled upward, increasing his altitude. The plane continued to climb, quickly reaching an altitude of over 200 meters. He then circled the large area once more, adjusted his position, and headed for the designated target.

By this time, the pilots had concluded that takeoff, landing, and bombing were the most prone to accidents. The closer he got to the bombing area, the more nervous he became. A comrade nearby, constantly observing the target and calculating, suddenly shouted, "Drop the bomb!"

Upon hearing the order to drop the bomb, the pilot immediately pulled a release rod hard and dropped the cement bomb hanging under the plane.

The moment the object hanging from the underside of the plane fell away, the plane jolted violently, seemingly accelerating significantly. The pilot knew that two previous accidents had been caused by the engine stalling after dropping objects. He immediately checked the propeller and, finding no problem, breathed a sigh of relief.

After another flight, the pilot was about to land on the training grounds runway, which made him even more nervous. Because in all his previous flights, except for two incidents after bombing, all other accidents occurred during landing and takeoff. Especially during landing, if there were no accidents, it would be fine. If there were, it could result in minor fractures or even death.

The apron you see from the sky is completely different from the one you see from the ground. The apron on the ground is huge, but it looks just like that from the sky. The plane flies at a speed of 20 to 30 meters per second. When landing, a slight hesitation or deviation can make a huge difference when you reach the ground.

Two test pilot captains encountered problems during landing: one suffered a broken arm, and the other died heroically. The situation was reported to Chairman Zhang Yinghao, who, in response to this situation, invented a parachute and safety harness specifically for the pilots, which deeply touched them!

Chapter 387:

Before Chief Engineer Feng Ru arrived, even though they had a political commissar, he had no experience with aircraft, and the casualty rate was too high, making political work difficult. However, since it was Chairman Zhang Yinghao's order, all the comrades had trained with the utmost devotion, becoming numb to the casualties, but the political commissar was helpless.

Many parts of today's aircraft are made of wood, and some are simply covered with iron sheets, making them very fragile. Flying aircraft nowadays is very demanding in terms of weather conditions. Unless absolutely necessary, most training flights are conducted in clear, sunny weather, as inclement weather can easily lead to accidents. Furthermore, the temperature difference between the sky and the ground can easily cause problems with engines and propellers.

From the time pilots were selected and began training and test flights until now, he'd heard of dozens of plane accidents. Aside from a few lucky comrades injured, many others nearly lost their lives instantly. Everyone fears death, especially when faced with something as surreal as flying. However, if something were to go wrong in the sky, it was essentially a matter of fate, and the plane itself would become the pilot's coffin.

But after Chief Engineer Feng arrived, and after he personally flew the plane and explained its purpose, the comrades' mindsets completely changed. If someone from overseas could bravely serve their country and their people without fear of life or death, what else could they fear? When the Party and the people need them, why should they fear death? From this point on, the comrades' mindsets shifted, and they all became more enthusiastic about training in flying the plane, vowing to safeguard national security.

Pilots still think Chairman Zhang Yinghao's words are better: Training is war, and how can there be no casualties in war? If we are afraid of death during training, can we expect to not be afraid of death on the battlefield?

In reality, the concept of air combat didn't exist at the time, so naturally, some people considered aircraft insignificant. While there was no problem with these comrades charging into battle, it was inevitable that they would feel a certain degree of resistance to seeing them die in secret units. However, Zhang Yinghao knew the brutality of air combat. Pilots in World War I had the highest mortality rate of all military personnel. Back then, pilots were essentially death squads, with little hope of survival after several battles.

In the Battle of Verdun, the British suffered 576 pilots killed or wounded and lost 782 aircraft. In the Battle of the Somme, the average survival period of British pilots was only four weeks.

Throughout World War I, the average mortality rate for pilots from participating nations was as high as 16%, with mortality rates approaching 100% during large-scale offensive operations. In the latter half of the war, due to the urgent need for pilots on the front lines, newly recruited pilots were sent to the front after only 20 hours of training. This meant they were forced to engage in aerial combat as soon as they learned to fly. They had to develop their combat skills through self-development in aerial combat, learning war through war. This significantly shortened pilots' lifespans. In April 1917, the survival rate of new Allied pilots assigned to the front was only 17 days! The average flight lifespan of British pilots fighting on the Western Front was a mere 69 hours.

During World War I, pilots who shot down five or more enemy aircraft were called "ace pilots," while those who shot down 20 or more were called "super ace pilots." This classification was first proposed by French newspapers. Many pilots' credits far exceed official certifications, as downed aircraft that fell into enemy territory and insufficient evidence could be provided to obtain official certification.

Even though shooting down enemy planes required official verification, thousands of ace pilots emerged during World War I. The main ace pilot numbers were as follows: 1046 from Britain, 480 from the United States (including those who joined the British army), 391 from Germany, 178 from France, 45 from Italy, 27 from Austria-Hungary, and 20 from Russia.

From these data, it can be seen that the great powers have truly experienced everything. In terms of experience, the Chinese army is far behind. It really is the truth: once you join the army, you must be prepared to lose your life at any time, whether in training or in combat. Zhang Yinghao wanted a group of soldiers who obeyed orders and were capable of fighting, without any melancholy or nostalgia.

However, after changing his mind, the pilot felt that being able to fly was already a miracle, and even if he died, he would have no regrets.

Seeing the plane land safely, he breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, he also knew that the development of the aircraft industry could only rely on demand. So Zhang Yinghao turned to Feng Ru and said, "Chief Engineer Feng, thank you for your hard work. This plane is much better than the ones we made before. Our country is far behind the other powers, so let's start catching up with the aviation industry."

I will select another 100 comrades to learn to fly aircraft, and I will also reserve aviation reserves. Therefore, on behalf of the Military Commission, I will first order 30 aircraft from you for training. I don't know how long it will take to deliver these 30 aircraft."

Feng Ru, upon hearing Zhang Yinghao's affirmation, immediately placed an order for thirty aircraft. While delighted, he was also troubled. Training pilots wasn't a big deal, as everyone was slowly developing through the trial and error phase, but mass-producing aircraft truly stumped Feng Ru.

Feng Ru calculated silently in his mind, gritted his teeth and said: "It will take a year to deliver thirty aircraft, no, it will take ten months."

In the past, Zhang Yinghao rarely visited the aircraft research center because he was at zero. He didn't know how to build an aircraft himself, so no matter how much he talked, it was useless. It even annoyed the comrades who were doing the work, who thought he was bossing around, an amateur giving instructions to the experts. But now, he had upgraded from zero to one. Zhang Yinghao was now the customer, and the customer was God. When God had a demand, the production comrades naturally had to do their best to meet it. So, it was time for Zhang Yinghao to step in and give guidance.

Zhang Yinghao smiled and said, "Mr. Feng, planes also have problems all the time. If we find a problem with the plane we are flying and need you to make an improvement, do you think we can complete it on time?"

"This~"

Yes, this is a real problem. This isn't about ordering 30 identical aircraft, but rather continuous production and immediate delivery. If you discover a problem and don't address it, you're playing with the pilot's life.

"Actually, our production capacity is too low." Feng Ru could only sigh helplessly.

Naturally, the reason is that the production capacity is too low. If the production capacity is sufficient, completing an order and then improving production after discovering problems will result in another order.

After listening to Feng Ru's words, Zhang Yinghao nodded and said, "Mr. Feng, have you heard of modular design and assembly line production?"

Seeing Feng Ru nod and then shake his head, Zhang Yinghao didn't know whether Feng Ru knew or only knew a little. Zhang Yinghao didn't care. He explained the content and said: "This is our confidential unit, there is nothing we can't say. Our guns and other ammunition manufacturing are all produced with all the parts.

We are also working hard on the research and development of the car, trying to make the parts as universal as possible, so that each part can be mass-produced and then assembled in one place, which can greatly improve production efficiency.

The same is true for our aircraft. The current challenge lies in the engine and other precision components. Once we overcome these challenges, mass production will follow. We can then assemble the aircraft step by step according to the production sequence. This will not only greatly improve efficiency but also reduce the risk of errors and require fewer skilled workers.

We can collaborate with other factories or establish our own parts supply plants, or even centrally purchase necessary parts from overseas on a large scale, making it easy to negotiate prices. Then, we can assemble and produce our aircraft on an assembly line. Once we are able to carry out assembly-line production and have an adequate supply of parts, we will be able to produce tens of thousands of aircraft every month. Imagine if we had tens of thousands of aircraft flying in the sky, capable of dropping at least 50 tons of bombs at a time, enough to defend our land and our people. Who would dare to invade us?

Before Ford invented the assembly line, the automobile industry was entirely a handicraft workshop, requiring 728 man-hours to assemble each car. At the time, car production was pitifully low, making them a mere luxury.

In 1913, Ford applied innovative thinking and reverse logic to the idea of ​​automobile assembly: the chassis would move at a constant speed from one end to the other on a conveyor belt. As it moved, the engine, air conditioning system, cabin, steering wheel, instrument panel, lights, windows, and wheels were gradually installed, and a complete car was assembled. This first assembly line reduced the assembly time of each Model T from 12 hours and 28 minutes to a remarkable 10 seconds, increasing production efficiency by 4488 times!

Zhang Yinghao strongly advocated for division of labor and cooperation in the manufacturing industry in the liberated areas. From Zhang Yinghao's initial work in building houses and producing bamboo products to his later work in garment manufacturing, the roots of assembly line manufacturing can be seen throughout. Zhang Yinghao simply couldn't tolerate one person doing everything. Not only was this inefficient, but the entire process required skilled labor, making it impossible to produce large quantities of products and meet the massive demand. Moreover, if one person could complete the work, how could Zhang Yinghao find more jobs?

The assembly line isn't exactly high-tech. Without CNC or robots, everything still relies on manual labor. It's all about liberating one's mind. Even if the liberated areas can't completely follow the assembly line, by dividing repetitive processes into several sub-processes, each of which can run in parallel with the others, this can significantly save time and improve efficiency. Product quality and output can also be significantly improved, greatly promoting the standardization of production processes and products. This solves the organizational problem of effectively integrating production materials, technology, organization, and production processes, and also solves the problem of employment for a large number of people.

The airplanes of this era were still very primitive, having just appeared. Even the fuselage was made of wood, not to mention the electronic equipment. The most important thing was the engine. As long as the manufacturing difficulties of engines and other components were solved, aircraft assembly lines and large-scale production were not a dream at all.

Once air battles began and people realized the importance of air supremacy, the demand for aircraft would surge to tens of thousands. Without assembly line production, it would be impossible to complete the production tasks and meet the demand.

Zhang Yinghao's words excited the comrades who had come with him, including Feng Ru, and the factory comrades. Imagining the scene of thousands of planes flying overhead, Feng Ru excitedly said, "If that were true, it would be fantastic. No one would dare invade us again. The Chairman's proposal is a good one. I'll start researching it right away."

Zhang Yinghao continued, "The Great Wall wasn't built in a day, so we can't be impatient. Furthermore, the foreign powers have bullied us for decades, and we can't drive them away in a day or two. Even if we have to wait a little longer, we can afford it. We can't fall behind in aircraft research either, so our aircraft should be able to be produced one generation, trial-produced one generation, pre-researched one generation, and explored one generation..."

Zhang Yinghao explained the meaning of a few words, and Feng Ru's eyes lit up when he heard it. He admired Zhang Yinghao so much that he took out a notebook to take notes.

Zhang Yinghao spoke even more excitedly, continuing, "We now have an aluminum plant. Aluminum alloy is lightweight, so as long as the material is suitable, all wooden panels can be replaced with aluminum plywood. We need to develop aircraft for different purposes. For example, a bomber's primary requirement is a large payload, and other functions can be appropriately neglected. A fighter's primary requirement is escort, so one machine gun isn't enough; we're not too satisfied with installing ten or eight. We also have reconnaissance aircraft, and so on. Aircraft requirements vary, and so do performance and size. However, one key point is to ensure that parts within the same aircraft are as universal as possible. This way, when upgrading them later, we don't have to completely demolish existing factories and build new ones, thus avoiding excessive waste. Also, when researching aircraft, don't be stingy; they should be ambitious. Build ten or eight machine guns, aim for a payload of one or two tons, and achieve a speed exceeding 200 kilometers per hour and a range of 500 kilometers. The direction of aircraft research is to build larger aircraft, fly higher, have a longer range, and have greater firepower..."

Zhang Yinghao talked a lot with Feng Ru this time and also exchanged some monoplane manufacturing technologies with him. Although Zhang Yinghao only knew a concept, he still communicated with the knowledge-hungry Feng Ru for most of the day as if no one was around. Except for jet aircraft, Zhang Yinghao told Feng Ru everything he knew.

It wasn't until dinnertime that Zhang Yinghao suddenly heard a rumble of protest from his stomach. Feng Ru, upon hearing it, smiled awkwardly and said, "Chairman, you are truly amazing! I have benefited greatly from your teachings. Please accept my greetings."

After saying this, he stood up and bowed deeply to Zhang Yinghao. In this era, the master-disciple relationship was still very important. Feng Ru could naturally feel Zhang Yinghao's generous teaching. Feng Ru was also a grateful person and immediately expressed his gratitude to Zhang Yinghao.

Zhang Yinghao immediately helped Feng Ru up and said, "Everything is for the country and the nation!" Feng Ru was deeply moved by this. He had seen the prosperity of the United States and had suffered hardships. He also said, "Everything is for the country and the nation!"

In media interviews, the elderly Feng Ru repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Zhang Yinghao, saying that without Zhang Yinghao's help in freeing their minds, they would have been stuck in the dark, groping for this new technology, and would never have made such rapid progress. China's current state of aviation is inseparable from Zhang Yinghao's guidance and support. Without the Chairman, the aviation industry would have been dark.

"Chairman, how about we have a candlelit chat after dinner?"

Zhang Yinghao laughed heartily after hearing this and said, "No, you've already emptied my mind. Confucius said that when three people walk together, one of them can be my teacher. Actually, it's not just humans; eagles and pigeons in the sky are also your research subjects. Bionics will definitely be a research direction for us in the future."

Feng Ru heard this and immediately said, "I understand, Chairman. We still need a huge laboratory. The test site should preferably be in a grassland, desert, or somewhere with good wind."