Chapter 79: 78, Boeing Trading Is Not A Shell Company, P26b Arrives At Port
Tung oil for airplanes became another popular buzzword in Shanghai.
There’s also airplane leasing.
These two fresh innovations made Taishan Airline Company the focus of attention again.
People were all very curious whether the airplanes, once shipped in, would really be leased to Taishan Airline Company to open new flight paths.
Most people didn’t notice that the matter itself was such a successful business case.
Did Taishan Airline Company pay money? No.
Yet it reaped benefits.
And among them, Boeing Trading Company gained the most profit.
The benefits were so great that Neil from Toledo was unsure if he could swallow this fortune.
As an airplane salesperson who frequently traveled abroad, Neil from Toledo had rich life experience and had seen many disputes arising from interests.
Plus, after fully witnessing a performance that was like business magic to him, Neil from Toledo felt he needed to have a good talk with Fang Wen.
In the afternoon, Boeing 80 returned to base and landed at Shanghai Airport on schedule.
Fang Wen carried the shrine off the airplane, turned back to Sun Debiao and Xie Yuwen, and said.
“I have something to attend to first.”
“President Fang, are you going to the tavern tonight?” Sun Debiao asked.
“Depends on the situation, things have been busy lately.”
After saying that, Fang Wen walked out of the airport, first went home to change clothes, then headed to the training center to check the situation.
At the training center, the flight cadets were still in class. Without more theoretical teachers, they could only do more physical strength and simulated flight training.
The so-called simulated flight was using a wooden airplane that could rock back and forth, left and right. The flight apprentice sat on it, while two other cadets assisted from the side to simulate various states in flight.
Though crude, this was also a form of pre-flight training.
After watching the flight apprentices’ performance, Fang Wen went over to Taishan Airline Company.
As the intermediary link in tung oil for airplanes, Taishan Airline Company temporarily set up a tung oil trade office, managed by Shopkeeper Liu to handle trade handovers with tung oil merchants.
Fang Wen went straight to Shopkeeper Liu in the chief accountant’s office at Taishan Airline Company to check the situation.
“How’s it today?”
Shopkeeper Liu, who was buried in work, took a piece of paper from the side, looked at it, and said.
“Two tung oil merchants came today to sign supply agreements. They will ship the tung oil to the designated warehouse by the end of the month to complete the handover.”
Fang Wen nodded. Things were progressing smoothly; the tung oil merchants from those letters of intent were coming one after another to complete the transactions.
Shopkeeper Liu continued, “Neil from Toledo is waiting for you in your office.”
“He’s here again?” Fang Wen left the chief accountant’s office and walked into the adjacent general manager’s office.
In the general manager’s office, Neil from Toledo was leaning back in a chair, reading a comic book with great interest.
These days, what was popular in the United States was a palm-sized pocket-sized comic book, convenient to carry and read anytime.
Fang Wen walked over, glanced at the comic book, and asked, “What’s the story inside?”
Neil from Toledo, who was reading intently, excitedly explained, “A hero named Dick Tracy lives in a future city. He uses his wisdom and skills to fight evil forces, protecting the city’s peace and justice.”
Fang Wen was surprised that individualism heroism was already popular in the United States in the 1930s.
He couldn’t help but become interested in the future depicted in the book.
He simply took it over to read. The future shown inside didn’t exceed Fang Wen’s expectations; it even felt a bit more backward than the future he had once lived in.
It seemed perceptions from different eras still had big differences. Even with wild imagination, people in the 1930s couldn’t envision the future imagery after rapid technological development.
Fang Wen returned the pocket-sized comic book to Neil from Toledo, sat down at the desk, ready to sign the company’s daily documents and then head home.
But Neil from Toledo put away the comic book, stood up, and said seriously, “Fang, we need to talk.”
Fang Wen, who was signing, didn’t look up: “Mm, you can say it now.”
“I have to admit something to you. Boeing Trading Company has absolutely no relation to Boeing Airline Company; it’s just my privately registered enterprise.”
Fang Wen stopped writing, looked up at Neil from Toledo. He wasn’t without such speculation, but what he wanted was results. Whether a Boeing subsidiary or Neil from Toledo’s private company, as long as it could get airplanes, it was fine.
So he calmly replied, “So what? It’s precisely because of your desire that this transaction could happen. As long as you stick with it and complete it, you won’t have to work hard anymore.”
Neil from Toledo showed a hint of longing: “I want to buy a piece of land, raise a lot of cattle, and hire a bunch of cowboys to work for me. But right now, the pressure on me is huge. I don’t know if I can handle this profit; it’s really too much for me.”
Fang Wen’s heart tightened, but he pretended to be calm and asked, “What are you worried about?”
Neil from Toledo took off his hat, rolled it up, gripped it in his hand to ease his inner tension, which also let Fang Wen see his unusual emotions.
“I’m very worried. Fang, you’re very capable. I think even if you went to Wall Street in the United States, you could become a tycoon. I’m afraid of being schemed by you. How about we partner up? Boeing Trading Company, we each take half the shares, so when we make money, I won’t be afraid of you turning on me.”
So that’s what it was for. Fang Wen had thought Neil from Toledo wanted to back out.
Fang Wen breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, walked to Neil from Toledo’s side, and to show closeness, specially put a hand on his shoulder.
“I understand how you feel. Alone in a foreign land, no friends, yet accomplishing a great feat to earn wealth for a comfortable rest of life—it’s easy to get mentally tense and overthink. How could I scheme against you? Don’t worry.”
“But I’m really scared. What you did is like the devil—no money spent, yet people go crazy and willingly cooperate.” Neil from Toledo stated the real reason.
Fang Wen was surprised, then understood. Ideals of the era were different; sometimes you couldn’t turn the corner.
After-sales leaseback and the credit generated by traffic effects were tricks future people had played to death.
Such examples abounded in the information explosion era, and people gradually accepted them.
But in the 1930s, they brought completely different impressions—some found it amazing, some unbelievable.
Especially for someone like Neil from Toledo who had fully experienced it and knew the whole process: the more details he knew, the scarier it felt.
He couldn’t understand this effect produced solely through ‘traffic’ without any payment, achieving credit exchange.
Therefore, no matter how Fang Wen explained, he insisted on partnering, as if only that would give him a sense of safety.
He even emphasized, “If you don’t agree, I’ll stop cooperating.”
This did scare Fang Wen, so he had no choice but to sign a Boeing Trading shares redistribution contract and press his handprint.
After finishing, Neil from Toledo crossed himself on the chest: “God, I made a deal with an Eastern devil; please forgive me.”
Fang Wen couldn’t help wanting to roll his eyes. Wasn’t most of this Neil from Toledo’s own overthinking? How did he become an Eastern devil?
But since they were now partners, it meant their relationship was even closer. Fang Wen straightforwardly asked:
“Now tell me how you’re going to realize tung oil for airplanes?”
“My plan is this.” Neil from Toledo regained his shrewdness and spoke eloquently.
This also let Fang Wen understand another side of this era.
In 1929, the United States enacted the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, imposing high additional tariffs on over 2,000 imported commodities.
This move led to global trade disputes, with other countries issuing counter measures in response.
After that, U.S. export trade declined year by year, reaching rock bottom by 1932.
In this situation, even Boeing Company was hurting.
To this end, they sent large numbers of airplane salesmen worldwide, trying to expand foreign export trade.
China was one market Boeing tried to open. Before Neil from Toledo, they had sent an airplane salesman, but that salesman was too heroic—he actually flew a fighter jet he was promoting into the sky, fighting five enemies alone and heroically sacrificing himself.
Then, Neil from Toledo sold the Boeing 80, rekindling Boeing Company’s interest in the Chinese market.
To secure this market share, they gave Neil from Toledo certain pricing authority and sample aircraft application rights.
In other words, Neil from Toledo could adjust prices within ten percent and obtain company sample aircraft application qualifications, sending two airplanes ahead to China as Boeing Company’s display items.
Thus, Neil from Toledo’s Boeing Trading Company had airplanes to sell, with profits from two sources: the ten percent price discount and the price difference in tung oil trade.
No wonder Neil from Toledo was so bold coming to Chinese territory and daring to propose ten thousand tons of tung oil trade—he had two airplanes as guaranteed minimum.
Fang Wen understood. Now that Neil from Toledo saw him as a partner, the subsequent trade would be easier.
He directly asked Neil from Toledo to order two Boeing 247 passenger aircraft as samples to be sent first.
He didn’t forget to inquire about his own fighter jet.
“Where’s my airplane?”
“Radio contact was made; it should arrive in another five days. Where do you want to unload this time?” Neil from Toledo asked.
Fang Wen pondered in his mind.
The docks in Shanghai definitely wouldn’t work; the Japanese were still watching him.
Best to find a nearby dock for unloading.
After seeing off Neil from Toledo and leaving the office to go home, he was still thinking about this problem.
Dinner time arrived. Fang Shouxin and Shunzi opened the food box and took out the meal from the canteen.
Fang Shouxin served Fang Wen a bowl of rice: “Young Master, time to eat.”
“Oh.” Fang Wen, snapping out of his thoughts, directly asked, “Uncle Fang, are there any ports near Shanghai suitable for sea vessels to dock? I want to find a safe place to unload.”
“It’s that airplane, right? Nowhere in Shanghai is safe. Better to dock at Jiaxing Port.” Fang Shouxin replied.
Jiaxing has a port? Fang Wen almost slipped up.
How could a Jiaxing native not know if Jiaxing had a port?
Good thing he didn’t say it. Fang Wen rephrased: “How’s Jiaxing Port now? Haven’t been there in a long time.”
“Young Master doesn’t go there much. When in Jiaxing, Shunzi and I went there often.”
“Can sea vessels dock there?”
“Of course.”
“Good then. I’m tied up with flying now, so you and Shunzi go back, make sure to arrange the sea vessel entry. Once arranged, telegram me, and I’ll have Neil notify the sea vessel to dock there. Oh, and take 1000 silver dollars back to pave the road outside the port—hard-packed smooth dirt road.”
Fang Shouxin and Shunzi left Shanghai Airport with Fang Wen’s orders.
The two took a boat back to Jiaxing, and when they returned, they looked completely different.
Fang Shouxin wore a clean long robe, with poised demeanor, looking like a gentleman.
Shunzi, who used to fool around in Jiaxing, had matured a lot, with capable and crisp manners.
Their changes greatly surprised the employees at Fang Family Rice Business, who crowded around as they returned to Fang Residence.
Entering Fang Residence, Fang Shouxin habitually bowed and reported, “Master, we were sent back by Young Master. He wants to dock a sea vessel at Zhapu Port.”
“Dock a sea vessel for what? Can’t it be Shanghai?” Old Master Fang asked puzzled.
“Young Master was sneak attacked by Japanese in Shanghai last time, so it’s inconvenient. And on the ship is the new airplane Young Master bought.”
The first half explained the doubt, but the second half shocked the whole family.
“He bought another airplane? Isn’t this squandering?” Eldest Young Master blurted out.
“How much does one airplane cost?” Second Young Master’s question was more direct.
Shunzi proudly answered, “Young Master’s previous airplane was bought from Young Marshal in the Northeast for just 3000 silver dollars. This one is directly from an American aircraft manufacturing company. I know people there; they said it’s 20,000 US dollars, traded with equivalent tung oil from Fourth Miss’s husband’s family.”
This statement brought varied expressions to the Fang Family. Father Fang smiled, Fang Wen’s birth mother was overjoyed, while the others looked dejected.
No need to compare, can’t compare. Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master suddenly lost all interest. This third brother was no longer someone they could bully at home as kids.
After explaining the home matters, Father Fang surprisingly took over this task himself.
He personally found friends familiar with port affairs and went to Zhapu Port, settling the entry issue in half a day.
Then, Fang Shouxin sent a telegram to the airport to prepare.
Meanwhile, the bumpy dirt road outside Zhapu Port was repaired by Fang Family hiring people.
This operation made nearby people very curious about what was going on.
Until a few days later, a sea vessel flying the Stars and Stripes sailed into Hangzhou Bay and docked at Zhapu Port.
There was only one cargo on the ship: a Boeing P-26b firmly secured with cables on the deck.
After the sea vessel entered the port, it didn’t unload immediately but waited one night.
The next day, with Boeing 80 under maintenance, Fang Wen arrived early at Zhapu Port in Jiaxing.
Upon entering the port, his gaze was drawn to the Boeing P-26b.
For a better look, he immediately boarded the sea vessel to inspect this long-awaited military fighter jet up close.
For some reason, Fang Wen’s first impression was that it looked a bit cartoonish.
Lower wing design, with support wires connecting the upper and lower wing to the fuselage to maintain the wing’s structure and rigidity.
The fuselage was all-metal semi-monocoque structure, with fixed landing gear below covered in streamlined fairings, looking a bit like bird claws wrapped in thick feathers.
Its cabin was open-style, with a windshield in front and machine gun telescopic sight mounted ahead of the windshield.
As for the internal structure and weapon system, Fang Wen needed to start the airplane to inspect them.
Now it was time to get the airplane off the sea vessel and fly it back to Shanghai Airport.
Then, people from the port brought a gantry crane and called in dozens of helpers to start unloading.
