Chapter 186: 185, Cost Of Making One Bullet, Mass Production Achieved
Understanding of bullet production line equipment continues.
The 10 universal milling machines bought back from the United States were actually modified, adding other functions for making bullets on the basis of their original functions.
This kind of bullet production line from the late World War I era is fully handmade, and even during World War II, it was mainstream equipment.
It includes manual screw stamping machines, which can stamp and form bullet heads and cartridge cases, two structures.
The stamped bullet heads also need to be trimmed on the universal milling machine. The roundness, pointedness, and specifications of the bullet heads must be as consistent as possible, and the primer area at the bottom of the cartridge case also needs to be specially made.
Making one bullet is easy. With Huo Duanyang’s help in making the primer and propellant, plus Fang Wen’s mechanical perception ability, it can be done.
But that doesn’t mean mass production is equally easy.
Mass production of 7.92 mm bullets requires more resources.
Skilled technicians, copper material and lead material, and the production of detonating agent and propellant are all necessary.
Therefore, having equipment alone is not enough.
But these are not impossible to achieve.
Fang Wen and Huo Duanyang immediately returned to Shanghai, preparing to poach people from Jinling Arsenal and bring over a batch of skilled bullet production workers.
With these technicians, then consider other issues.
At dawn, f.220 landed at Shanghai Airport and was parked in the hangar.
Fang Wen and Huo Duanyang got off the airplane and walked out of the hangar, heading directly to China Airlines’ waiting flight area.
There, the pilot flying the morning flight was actually Fei Yizhen.
Fang Wen patted the cockpit, and Fei Yizhen hurried out: “Master, long time no see.”
Back then at China Airlines, Fang Wen had trained two flight cadets: Yue Jinping and Fei Yizhen. Calling him Master was not wrong.
Fang Wen smiled and accepted it, replying: “Those Americans have you flying the morning shift?”
“Another batch left, saying something about US dollar devaluation and wages being too low to continue. The company found another batch of pilots who are in training waiting to start work, all from your Taishan Airlines.” Fei Yizhen replied.
Taishan Airlines’ first batch of flight apprentices were selected on merit, but that doesn’t mean the other flight apprentices were bad. Some stayed at the company for ground crew and training work, while the rest went out to find their own paths, some to flight school, some became pilots.
Fang Wen was not surprised by this and continued the conversation: “Is today’s airplane fully booked? Huo Duanyang and I are going to Nanjing.”
“Not full. Why don’t you fly it?” Fei Yizhen said with a smile.
“Sure.” Fang Wen was not modest and negotiated with the control tower staff who came to register.
His flight commissioner title was still at China Airlines. Although it was honorary, it allowed him to fly passenger aircraft.
Everyone at China Airlines knew that the general manager of neighboring Taishan Airlines came from their company and had top-notch piloting skills, so they naturally agreed.
Sitting in the Detroit person’s airplane cockpit, Fang Wen felt like he was playing with a toy.
Having flown large passenger aircraft and strategic bombers, he no longer looked up to such a simple old-style passenger aircraft.
After the passengers boarded, he took off immediately, flying steadily all the way at high speed, arriving in Nanjing in just over an hour.
After disembarking and bidding farewell to Fei Yizhen, Fang Wen and Huo Duanyang took the shuttle bus into Nanjing City.
At the Confucian Temple, they switched to a rickshaw and arrived at the north gate of Jinling Arsenal in Yanghu Lane.
At the gate, Fang Wen and Huo Duanyang discussed.
“Let’s first find the factory director and talk to him directly under the pretext of recruiting for a foreign arms factory.”
Huo Duanyang was puzzled: “If the factory director finds out, won’t he stop us? It’s better to recruit quietly.”
Seeing that Huo Duanyang didn’t understand his intention, Fang Wen explained:
“Think about it. If a domestic arsenal comes here to poach people, it’s a competitive relationship between them, definitely not allowed. Local governments won’t agree either. But recruiting for a foreign arms factory is different; there’s no competition. As long as the kickbacks are in place, the opportunity is greater.”
Huo Duanyang suddenly understood.
Fang Wen instructed again: “When the time comes, you introduce me. Don’t say anything about Taishan Airlines general manager. Just say I’m a British Navy personnel sent to Yangon to build a new arms factory.”
After this explanation, Huo Duanyang finally got it.
He and Fang Wen registered at the main gate and then entered the arsenal.
Led by Huo Duanyang, they passed through factory buildings one by one and arrived at the factory director’s office.
Knock on the door.
The factory director opened the door and saw it was Huo Duanyang, smiling: “Little Huo, you’ve been out for a few months. How’s it going outside?”
“Not bad, factory director. I went abroad for a trip.” Huo Duanyang replied.
This made the factory director’s eyes light up. “Really? Come in, sit down, tell me about your observations abroad.”
“I haven’t been out long, nothing much to tell. This time I’m here with my leader to discuss some matters. By the way, let me introduce. This is my current leader, the acting factory director of the British Burma Yangon Arms Factory, Tong Junyong.” Huo Duanyang introduced Fang Wen beside him to the factory director.
The factory director of Jinling Arsenal, seeing a colleague from abroad, immediately raised the specifications.
He invited the two into the office while asking the factory office staff in the next room to brew tea and serve water.
After the pleasantries, the factory director of Jinling Arsenal smiled at Fang Wen.
“Director Tong, what brings you here this time?”
Fang Wen smiled: “It’s all business. My boss above heard that bullet demand is huge in the Asian region, so he got some bullet processing equipment and plans to build a factory in South Asia to do some bullet business. But the people in South Asia are dull and hard to train into skilled workers. To not delay business, we came up with the idea of recruiting technicians from China. Huo Duanyang is from your Jinling Arsenal, so we came here first.”
This statement explained their background and purpose completely.
But the factory director of Jinling Arsenal didn’t answer and instead laughed it off: “So you’re guests. Let’s go out and have a meal first.”
This was a brush-off. Fang Wen understood; the man wouldn’t act without seeing the rabbit.
He placed the suitcase on the table and took out a stack of banknotes.
“This is ten thousand US dollars. I want to recruit 50 skilled bullet production workers.”
“Ten thousand US dollars?!” The factory director of Jinling Arsenal’s eyes gleamed, but he added: “That’s too much.”
It was indeed too much. Ten thousand US dollars for 50 workers meant 200 dollars per person.
Almost 600 silver dollars each.
Fang Wen smiled in response: “This is your service fee. The workers’ treatment is paid separately.”
This changed everything.
A full ten thousand US dollars to pocket was a very tempting condition.
While he hesitated.
Huo Duanyang pretended to ask: “Factory director, are you worried that recruiting too many at once will make it hard for the ammunition workshop to operate?”
The factory director, who was staring at the US dollars, replied: “Bullet workers are not short. The factory has machine shop, wrought iron shop, foundry, woodworking shop, gunpowder factory, sea mine factory, gun factory, cannon factory, totaling thousands of workers. Losing 50 can be filled by internal adjustments; it’s not a big problem. The key is whether they are willing to go with you. Here’s what we’ll do: I’ll set up a gathering, bring them outside the factory, and you talk to them privately. If it works out, the rest is on me.”
This approach was very safe for him; success or failure wouldn’t affect him.
Fang Wen agreed immediately, and they discussed the meeting place and time together.
The day passed unknowingly, the sun set in the west, and the sunset glow spread.
Jinling Arsenal also ended work.
More people left the factory gate today, and they were led out by factory office staff.
They chatted and laughed, marching grandly through Yanghu Lane, finally arriving at a large courtyard.
It was originally a textile factory that had long shut down, with machines removed and sold, leaving only an empty courtyard.
It was said to be run by the factory director’s relative.
They entered the courtyard. The factory office staff left first, but the factory director came out.
He smiled and said: “Brothers and sisters of the bullet workshop, calling you here this time is for a great opportunity.”
The factory director usually ignored them, but now calling them so affectionately made the bullet workshop workers feel a bit unaccustomed.
“Factory director, whether good or bad, just say it straight. We’ll take it.” One worker voiced everyone’s thoughts.
“Ahem, I can’t explain this clearly. Someone else will tell you.” The factory director quickly stepped aside, and Fang Wen and Huo Duanyang came out.
Seeing Huo Duanyang, people started discussing.
“Isn’t this the university student from the gunpowder factory’s inspection room?”
“Heard he quit and left a few months ago.”
“Now he’s back, must have made it big outside. Look at the factory director’s attitude.”
Amid the discussions, Huo Duanyang spoke: “Hello everyone, I’m Huo Duanyang. Some of you may know me. I used to work here. Now I’m staff at South Asia Arms Factory. The one beside me is the acting factory director of South Asia Arms Factory. We’re here this time to specifically recruit a batch of skilled bullet manufacturing workers with excellent treatment.”
Everyone looked surprised at their own factory director, who looked calm: “I’m thinking of you all. They offer too much. Listen and then decide.”
Fang Wen spoke: “Base salary of 20 silver dollars per person per month, piece-rate assessment, bonuses for exceeding the base quota, and an extra month’s salary at year-end as end-of-year welfare.”
This treatment was the same as for bomb factory workers, and naturally the same for bullet factory.
Just like when recruiting bomb factory workers back then, the bullet workshop workers of Jinling Arsenal were stunned by this generous treatment.
Too high—over three times the wages, enough for these technicians to support their families and live better lives.
Immediately, someone asked for details.
Fang Wen and Huo Duanyang answered one by one.
“Where to work? Do we have to go abroad?”
“Yes, to the coastal city of Yangon in British Burma.”
“How to get there?”
“The company has dedicated channels to send you, by airplane.”
“When can we come back?”
“Once every six months for family visit leave, and at Spring Festival year-end, a unified 15-day spring break, with the company covering round-trip travel expenses and arranging transportation.”
One question after another perfectly resolved their doubts. If true, it was undoubtedly much better than their current jobs.
They thought this basic treatment for future migrant workers was too good.
Then, a question everyone cared about more arose.
“What kind of people qualify?”
Fang Wen replied: “In three days, we’ll arrange relevant tests just outside Nanjing Airport. If you pass, you’re hired.”
That person asked again: “If I’m hired, what about here at Jinling factory? What if they don’t let us go?”
Everyone looked at the Jinling factory director in unison.
Fang Wen also looked at the Jinling factory director, who smiled: “The factory will absolutely not obstruct and won’t deduct wages, guaranteeing your smooth resignation.”
After this exchange, most of the bullet workshop workers were willing to take the test.
After completing sign up, Fang Wen and Huo Duanyang left first.
The two stayed temporarily in an old house outside the airport, and the next day returned to Shanghai to bring back that universal milling machine.
The universal milling machine was placed in Fang Wen’s old house in Nanjing.
Three days later, the workers arrived one after another.
They registered outside, then went inside for testing.
The test content was operating the universal milling machine for bullet processing.
For this integrated bullet processing equipment, it was the workers’ first contact, but after explanation, they weren’t too nervous. After all, it differed from daily bullet processing procedures but not greatly.
After two days of learning, they began operating.
In the operation assessment, 62 met Fang Wen’s requirements. After discussing with the Jinling factory director, all 62 workers were hired.
Next came their resignation procedures and settling-in fee distribution.
The workers resigning from Jinling factory each received 20 silver dollars as settling-in fee, leaving them no way back.
They were actually a bit scared inside, fearing they would be sold abroad as coolies like indentured laborers in the early years.
But what followed made them drop their guard.
They really went by airplane.
And it was a large passenger aircraft not yet available domestically.
The 62 technicians took d.332 from Shanghai, transited at Xiangxi Airport, then flew straight to Yangon.
Upon arriving in Yangon and disembarking, the first thing the workers felt was the heat here.
Besides the heat, everything else was fine.
Enthusiastic local Chinese people had their own living circles, providing all kinds of daily necessities without needing adaptation, and food options included Chinese cuisine.
Their workplace was straightforwardly named as recruited: South Asia Arms Factory.
Now with equipment and workers, all that remained was materials and perfecting the production process.
Huo Duanyang returned to Xiangxi Airport and immediately started setting up the primer and propellant formulation work.
Fang Wen stayed in Yangon to solve the final step: the bullet materials problem.
In this era, copper was a precious strategic resource.
Bullet cartridge cases worldwide were basically made of copper, as were gun barrels, and various other demands related to copper.
Plus daily consumption of copper products, the resource demand was huge. Many places were self-sufficient, with little export, and large-scale sourcing channels were not plentiful.
Purchasable copper ingot sources included: Japan Toyo Smelting Plant, Chile Chuquicamata Smelting Plant, Michigan’s Horne Smelting Plant, Arizona’s Mickel Smelting Plant.
Fang Wen converted all these plants’ quotations into US dollars.
Japan Toyo Smelting Plant’s copper ingots: around 400 US dollars per ton, fluctuating, high selling price.
Chile Chuquicamata Smelting Plant’s copper ingots: 370 US dollars per ton.
Michigan’s Horne Smelting Plant and Arizona’s Mickel Smelting Plant export price the same: 350 US dollars per ton.
Japanese copper would not be bought—too expensive and risk of attracting Japanese spies.
So only American copper could be chosen.
At this price, plus freight, delivery to Yangon would add one-third to the selling price.
Meaning, importing copper ingots from the United States would cost about 460 US dollars per ton comprehensively.
A pure copper lead-core bullet: bullet head 10 g, propellant 3 g, lead core 3 g, total bullet weight 26 g.
Meaning it consumes 20 g of copper.
One ton of copper can make nearly 50,000 bullets.
About 0.92 cents of copper per bullet.
Plus labor, gunpowder, and miscellaneous expenses.
Totaling 1.5 cents cost per bullet.
This account was not expensive for Fang Wen.
Completely affordable.
Immediately, the bullet workshop started production.
