Chapter 243: 242, The Red Third Army Returns, 50,000 Rounds Of Bullets, Pby Seaplane
Yangon.
Nearly two years of development.
Invested a large amount of manpower and material resources.
And established friendly and close relationships with the local British Army, local people, and overseas Chinese.
Taishan Group is already the largest foreign enterprise here.
The oil refinery in the southeast has its large chimney emitting black smoke every day, continuously refining crude oil.
Crude oil transported from Renanqiang in the middle reaches of the Irrawaddy River, and crude oil from the Persian Gulf, allow the refinery to produce large quantities of chemical products.
Fuel, lubricants, asphalt, paraffin, etc.
In the nearly 50,000 tons of annual fuel output, a portion will undergo deep processing, special treatment to increase octane value, becoming high-quality aviation gasoline.
This is technology brought by the American joint venture partner; high-quality aviation gasoline will make piston engines more efficient, and it is also an important part of Fang Wen’s aircraft industry.
The refinery is a stroke of genius, providing future fighter jets with high-quality aviation fuel supplements.
Expected annual production capacity of 3,000 tons of high-quality aviation fuel.
Fang Wen felt fortunate for winning the gambling match in Las Vegas back then.
These high-quality aviation fuels, except for a small portion supplied to his own company’s flights, are mostly secretly stockpiled.
Yangon has a fuel depot that can store 2,000 tons of fuel.
But important supplies cannot be kept in just one place.
Domestic reserves are also needed to cope with various emergencies.
Therefore, Xiangxi Airport also has a large fuel depot with 500 tons capacity.
Jinghong has a backup fuel depot, 500 tons.
Jinghong has a seaplane airport, so seaplane pilots can be directly sent to Yangon to transport fuel.
Xiangxi Airport is a land airport, so on the 15th of every month when the refinery’s premium aviation fuel is released, Fang Wen has to fly Taishan One over to transport the fuel.
July 15, 1935.
Time to transport fuel again.
Fang Wen stopped his work and drove Taishan One out of the hangar.
Then, the oil refinery director Huo Duanyang organized workers to transport barrels of aviation fuel into the aircraft cargo hold using trailers.
After loading the oil barrels, they continued to fill the two specially made auxiliary fuel tanks of the aircraft.
After everything was done, Huo Duanyang reported to Fang Wen: “General Manager, a total of 38 large 200-liter oil barrels, plus 1,800 liters in the auxiliary fuel tanks, this time’s 8-ton load is complete.”
Fang Wen nodded, signed on the release form; even as the group general manager, he had to sign for every fuel release, otherwise the accounts wouldn’t match later.
After signing, he boarded the aircraft, closed the hatch, sat in the cockpit, and used mechanical perception to check the aircraft’s pre-takeoff condition.
After confirming the hatch was closed and the engine and other equipment were fine, Fang Wen controlled the aircraft to take off and flew towards Xiangxi Airport.
After 7 hours of flight, the aircraft arrived over Xiangxi Airport; a brief radio communication confirmed, and it landed at the airport.
After the aircraft landed and parked, Shunzi trotted over and waited by the aircraft.
After Fang Wen came out, he immediately said: “Young Master, Bai Yunfei came to the airport a while ago. He also brought this year’s tobacco.”
Bai Yunfei is the alias of Shu Zhitao, the secret liaison officer between the Red Army and Taishan Airlines.
Fang Wen was surprised: “He came back? What about Red Third Army?”
“He didn’t say.” Shunzi replied.
Fang Wen pondered in his mind.
Since the Central Red Army began the Long March, the Red Army in various base areas, to support it, also started mobile warfare one after another.
Red Third Army left the base area last year and moved elsewhere to attract Kuomintang army firepower, relieving pressure on the Central Red Army.
This kind of continuous mobile combat military action, even the Kuomintang army doesn’t know their exact location; of course Bai Yunfei wouldn’t tell outsiders.
“Did he make any purchase requests?”
“Yes, bullets; they need a large quantity of bullets to replenish. Also battlefield medical kits. Bai Yunfei said battlefield medical kits are too important to them; no matter the price, as long as there is stock, they can buy.”
Fang Wen nodded.
Fighting across many places, bullets are consumed heavily; relying only on captures definitely can’t meet the demand.
Sunshine Bullet Factory has been in operation these past few months, with 50,000 rounds of bullets stockpiled, which can be airdropped to Red Third Army all at once.
As for battlefield medical kits, they were all airdropped at once before, no stock left, need to prepare anew.
He instructed Shunzi: “Find a way to tell Bai Yunfei that bullets can be provided first, a total of 50,000 rounds; battlefield medical kits are out of stock temporarily, need some time.”
“Okay.” Shunzi accepted the order.
Then, all the oil barrels on the aircraft were unloaded, the fuel inside poured into the fuel depot, and the extra 1,600 liters of fuel from the two auxiliary fuel tanks was also drawn out and filled into the fuel depot.
After unloading 8 tons of fuel, Fang Wen piloted the aircraft back to Yangon with 38 empty oil barrels.
Back in Yangon, he had the refinery people take back the empty oil barrels, then Fang Wen got off and went directly to the bullet factory.
In the bullet factory’s warehouse, rows of wooden ammunition boxes were placed.
Each ammunition box has 5*120 oiled paper packages, 600 rounds of bullets.
A total of 84 ammunition boxes, totaling 50,000 rounds.
He didn’t have the workers load them onto the aircraft, but waited for Shunzi’s reply.
After all, now with seaplanes, transport methods are diversified; can use airdrop, or hand over to Red Army ships on the river channel.
At Xiangxi Airport, Shunzi already had his wife contact Bai Yunfei.
An hour later, Shunzi’s wife Long Yumei brought back a man wearing a long gown, it was Bai Yunfei.
He met with Shunzi in a secret room inside the airport.
“Really 50,000 rounds of bullets?”
Bai Yunfei was a bit excited; long-term mobile warfare made bullets the biggest problem, he had heard soldiers discuss those pure copper bullets more than once.
Taishan Airlines’ secretly supported pure copper bullets, though penetration not as strong as copper-steel jacketed bullets, have good hit rate and great destructive power on hit.
Everyone discussed this in leisure time, all agreed it was due to good quality and fine workmanship.
Shunzi replied seriously: “Really have them, and this air transport can choose two methods: first is the previous airdrop, second is seaplane delivery.”
Shunzi stated the two delivery methods provided by Fang Wen, but didn’t expect Bai Yunfei to want neither.
“No need for the trouble, our troops have fought back.”
Shunzi said in surprise: “You fought back?”
This was something Shunzi couldn’t believe; under such Kuomintang encirclement, Red Third Army actually fought back.
That being the case, Yongshun is again under Red Third Army control; just need to transport the bullets to Xiangxi Airport.
Shunzi immediately left and sent a telegram to the south.
In Yangon, already afternoon, Fang Wen skillfully decoded the received radio waves telegram message.
The telegram message surprised Fang Wen; didn’t expect Red Third Army to be so capable, after twists and turns, fought back to the old base area, circling the entire Southwest Region.
He became more interested in Red Third Army, wanting to see them in person this time.
Immediately, Fang Wen went out and gathered workers to load all 84 boxes of bullets into Taishan One.
84 boxes of 50,000 rounds of bullets actually aren’t very heavy; with the wooden boxes, just over 700 kilograms.
For Taishan One, it’s a piece of cake.
After loading the bullets, Fang Wen piloted the aircraft to take off; after nightfall, it returned to Xiangxi Airport.
After the aircraft landed, Fang Wen instructed Shunzi: “When Red Third Army people come, you hand over the bullets to them; I won’t show up.”
Shunzi nodded; this was his job anyway.
The next day, a troop really came.
Fang Wen changed into local Miao ethnic group clothing, quietly left the airport, preparing to see this army that had been fighting with his own eyes.
Their military uniforms were full of patches, legs wrapped in gaiters, striding forward.
Looking closely, these soldiers all had a hungry look, not in good health.
But their spirit was very high; while marching, they could still sing loudly.
Such troops were very welcome by locals; people lined the narrow passage to greet them.
The troops camped near the airport for a day, but didn’t proactively contact the airport.
Until night, they quietly took over those 48 boxes of bullets from Shunzi’s people.
Shunzi brought, besides what was instructed above, food prepared by Fang Wen for them: cured meat, flour, fried rice, etc., all easy to carry and long-lasting march rations.
But this army didn’t accept the food; just took the instructed ammunition and disappeared into the night.
After they left, Shunzi sighed: “General Manager, they are too proud; what we gave is support, not losing face, why refuse. If it were me, I couldn’t stand hunger; eat when needed.”
Shunzi’s words gave Fang Wen a deeper understanding of the Red Army.
This is an army armed with spirit; they place revolutionary faith above all, a very rare quality even in this era.
Fang Wen thought.
Shunzi can’t do it, most of Taishan Airlines can’t do it, he himself can’t do it.
After the 50,000 rounds of bullets transaction,
When Fang Wen next learned news of this troop, they had already fought to Hubei, annihilating the 41st Division headquarters and 1 regiment.
Moved by this troop’s spirit, Fang Wen thought if his Taishan Group could have such discipline it would be great.
Of course, can’t expect everyone to have strict discipline and obedience; Fang Wen settled for second best, wanting a disciplined army of his own in Taishan Airlines.
For this, he gave the seven Special Action Team members an expansion task.
Letting these seven recruit army members themselves and conduct militarized training.
Relatively speaking, Fang Wen doesn’t require this troop to have the Red Army’s quality and spirit, but at least able to fight, dare to fight, not fear battle.
Such people exist; jianghu children also dare to fight and strive; as long as paid enough without worries, can gather a group.
Immediately, the seven Special Action Team Members returned to China, using family connections, starting a jianghu recruitment.
Meanwhile, Fang Wen continued his own affairs.
Designing a long-range aircraft capable of crossing the Pacific Ocean.
To defeat the opponent, must obtain opponent’s information; for this, Fang Wen spent big money to get related information from Shanghai and Europe.
In current aviation history, there are several examples of aircraft flying across the Atlantic Ocean, including Fang Wen who has flown across the Atlantic Ocean, and even airline companies preparing transatlantic flights.
But the Pacific Ocean has never been conquered by aviators.
The most feasible once was the Weimar Republic’s Do-X flying boat.
This half-ship half-aircraft behemoth had six propellers, 12 engines, and every takeoff was spectacular.
Unfortunately, after completing the transatlantic flight, it suddenly disintegrated in mid-air during a performance flight in Europe.
Fang Wen carefully studied this giant seaplane.
By his experience, this aircraft had no structural advantages at all; it could fly purely by brute force.
Clearly a failed direction in aircraft research.
The next to challenge trans-Pacific aviation was Sikorsky S-40.
This aircraft named after the designer is also a seaplane.
This model’s fuselage resembles the 19th-century American maritime trade clipper ship ‘Flying Clipper’, so names included the Flying Clipper suffix, like American Clipper, Southern Clipper, Caribbean Clipper.
By his experience, Fang Wen judged this aircraft’s structure lightweight, sufficient lift, indeed capable of long-range flight.
But it had defects.
This design was originally for small aircraft, yet used on large aircraft, and its wing external support structures for lightness even used exposed steel frames.
This design would make the aircraft’s support structure fragile, easily accident-prone in storm conditions or rough seas.
Precisely because of this, Sikorsky S-40 was eliminated after only 3 produced, completely impractical.
This aircraft had no reference value for Fang Wen; he skipped it.
The last aircraft, also Fang Wen’s competitor.
Martin M-130 aircraft.
This aircraft was created by Martin Aircraft Manufacturing Company inspired by Sikorsky S-40.
Its fuselage similarly clipper ship shape.
But wing and tail fin were more reasonably modified, structurally safer and more reliable.
Fang Wen carefully examined this competitor’s information.
From the obtained information, this aircraft is all-metal skin, 4 propellers, monoplane wing, vertical tail fin.
This information is too simple.
Fang Wen analyzed with his experience in manufacturing and piloting seaplanes.
Martin M-130’s fuselage is huge, internal space capacity large, plus wing propeller engine structure, causing its center of gravity forward and low.
This structure makes the seaplane have difficulty in static water takeoff.
For seaplanes like Martin M-130, if taking off in still water, it might increase takeoff difficulty because most of the fuselage is immersed in water（including nose and wingtips）. In this case, the aircraft may need to take off from water with some speed（like rivers or waves）, or from relatively flat land like beaches.
This means it cannot land on calm river surfaces and lake surfaces.
If must, need motorboats to tow.
Fang Wen instantly found Martin M-130’s weakness, but had no inspiration for his own solution.
What kind of aircraft design could surpass Martin M-130?
Martin M-130’s performance looks good, tested, should be capable of ultra-long-range flight.
To defeat it, can’t rely on tricks.
Fang Wen carefully recalled future memories.
Seems future large seaplanes all used this flying boat type.
The reason for this structure considers buoyancy, capacity, and other factors.
So what differs between future and current flying boat seaplanes?
This is not easy.
After racking his brains without solution, Fang Wen suddenly thought of the aircraft design information robbed from Vienna before.
That was what Mitsubishi bought at high price from Nazis; perhaps it has what he needs.
He went to the aircraft manufacturing plant’s secure blueprint room, took out those materials, and after flipping through, really found it.
Back then, Japanese not only bought heavy strategic bomber blueprints from Nazis, but also some attached materials.
For example, PBY seaplane design draft.
This is a military seaplane researched by United States starting in 1933.
Design company is Consolidated Aircraft Corporation; per design draft data, expected max range 4,000 kilometers.
Fang Wen’s heart immediately stirred.
This military seaplane has superior performance; even a simplified civilian version can beat Martin M-130.
More importantly, having production capability for civilian version means can produce military version later.
Now, what Fang Wen needs to do is replicate the PBY seaplane from the design draft.
(WWII’s highest production seaplane fighter: PBY seaplane, also known as Catalina seaplane)
