Chapter 244: 243, Replicating The Catalina Seaplane, Custom Battlefield First-aid Kits For The Red Army, In Peril
In order to make Taishan Airlines the first airline company to cross the Pacific Ocean, Fang Wen hurried to research and develop a new seaplane.
His current goal is to replicate the PBY seaplane.
However, the PBY seaplane blueprints obtained by Mitsubishi from the Nazis are incomplete, probably undrafted blueprints, and it’s unknown how they fell into the Nazis’ hands.
Fang Wen even saw the Nazis’ evaluation of it in that information.
“The PBY seaplane is a custom model for the US Navy. Its competitor, the Douglas YB-10 amphibious bomber, is more likely to be selected. But we don’t need this low-speed long-range seaplane bomber. Relatively speaking, the US Army’s B-10 land-based bomber is our real competitor.”
Indeed, Germany has few colonies overseas, so the navy and seaplanes are not urgently needed. Land-based bombers and fighter jets are what they demand.
That’s why they discarded this information.
But for Fang Wen, it was too important.
Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant is currently following the seaplane route. Once the PBY seaplane is replicated, it will greatly improve the plant’s technology.
In order to fully grasp the technology and design concepts contained in this incomplete blueprint, Fang Wen began to study it day and night.
（PBY seaplane blueprint）
From the overall structure.
The PBY seaplane uses twin engines and a monoplane wing.
The wings on both sides have retractable wingtip floats, increasing the aircraft’s stability and buoyancy on the water surface.
This three-point water surface support mode effectively alleviates the disadvantage of the center of gravity concentrated on the fuselage, making it more conducive to overcoming the difficulty of static water takeoff.
Aircraft fuselage hull shape.
The PBY’s hull is still based on the clipper ship prototype. This high-speed sailboat-type hull has proven its effectiveness on multiple aircraft.
The bottom of the PBY seaplane hull is designed as a shallow and wide semi-circular shape with a large bottom area, allowing the aircraft to generate more buoyancy when contacting the water surface, which is beneficial for water takeoffs and landings and stability.
Wing design.
The wing is cantilevered, located above and in front of the central cockpit where the pilot sits.
The central part of the wing is rectangular with tapered outer panels, and the overall structure uses stressed skin full metal construction.
To reduce tare weight, the ailerons and trailing edge use fabric skin.
The wings on both sides have retractable wingtip floats, which are installed on pivot-rotating frames and can be electrically controlled to retract.
In flight, the floats can form wingtips, increasing the wing’s effective area and lift.
During landing, the wingtip floats become two water surface buoyancy supports, dispersing the water surface stress.
Power system
Not finalized in the blueprint, but planned as twin engines with over 800 horsepower.
This is the best news. The new Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engine that Fang Wen has ordered is exactly 800 horsepower.
Fang Wen even suspects that when the PBY seaplane is truly put into production in the future, it will also use this highly cost-effective R-1830 radial engine from Pratt & Whitney.
Propeller
The 800 horsepower engines drive variable-pitch three-blade constant-speed propellers, which are mounted in the central nacelle of the fuselage and equipped with a cooler to maintain normal operating temperature.
Fang Wen also has this kind of propeller. Yunhe uses this custom propeller produced by the American Hamilton Standard Company.
And there are three pairs in stock.
Internal fuselage facilities
The upper bow is equipped with a large forward observation cabin that can accommodate two attendants side by side, with a turret-style panoramic window for good visibility. And a mooring compartment for temporary mooring at sea.
The forward middle section is the engine room and fuel storage room.
Further back is the space below the pilot cockpit.
That is the living cabin: equipped with berths, kitchen, and food storage facilities. These designs allow the PBY to perform ultra-long-range missions across oceans.
The blueprint also includes weapon and equipment plans.
Nose machine gun turret: one 7.62 mm Browning machine gun.
Both sides of the waist: two 7.62 mm machine guns.
One 12.7 mm autocannon in the ventral cabin.
In addition, the outer wing pylons can carry various bombs and torpedoes.
After reviewing all the PBY seaplane information, Fang Wen began thinking about how to transform it into a civilian version.
First, its internal fuselage passenger cabin space has only 2 compartments.
One in the forward section, one in the middle section. The space at the rear of the fuselage can only be used for luggage.
Since the civilian version doesn’t need weapons and bombs, the payload will increase.
The original bomb racks can be converted into auxiliary fuel tanks to restore the aircraft’s original design balance.
Besides these changes, Fang Wen decided to copy the original design to make a template prototype first, then use his mechanical perception ability to identify problems and modify them.
Immediately, Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant assigned a team of 20 engineers to the newly built aircraft workshop.
There, Fang Wen divided the aircraft wing and fuselage structure into 20 work task groups and assigned them to them.
At the same time, he personally tracked and guided the entire aircraft manufacturing process.
Although there was a blueprint, since the data wasn’t 100% accurate, the manufacturing process still encountered many difficulties.
For example, errors in the fuselage frame proportions caused misalignment when installing the wings.
Also, fuselage balance issues, and internal space modifications misaligned with the original design space in the blueprint, etc.
When these problems arose, they had to be fixed, consuming a lot of aluminum alloy materials. But each error correction brought them one step closer to success.
The aircraft fuselage and wings are still being manufactured. Engine propellers are expected to be installed in one month, and test flight testing in one and a half months.
During this time, Fang Wen found time to do something else.
Battlefield medical kit.
By now, the Long March should have reached its most difficult stage. The Central Red Army may have crossed the grassland and climbed snow mountains. Later, other Red Armies heading north to rendezvous will also pass through those harsh environments like snow mountains and grasslands.
In such field environments, dysentery is the most common disease. If penicillin fights infection and cinchona bark treats dysentery, it will produce very good therapeutic effects.
No wonder Bai Yunfei is so urgently in need of the battlefield medical kit.
Therefore, Fang Wen disguised himself and took a Taishan Airlines international flight back to Shanghai.
Taishan International Flight A-3 landed at Shanghai Airport.
The attendant stood at the boarding gate and announced: “Passengers, this flight has arrived at the final stop Shanghai. Please line up to disembark, and collect your luggage at the tail exit with your tickets.”
Disguised Fang Wen got off the plane with the passengers, then went with the other passengers to the tail exit to collect luggage with tickets.
This method is different from the future, but simpler. In reality, it can only be done this way.
After collecting luggage, all passengers left from the airport exit and boarded the shuttle bus to the urban area.
Fang Wen did not get on the bus. He carried his suitcase past the now-empty former Taishan Airlines Headquarters and left Airport Street.
After leaving Airport Street, the surrounding area became more suburban. Houses were unplanned and scattered randomly.
Fang Wen’s destination was among these residential buildings. He walked along the field paths to an ordinary blue brick courtyard.
Knock on the door.
The one who opened the door from inside was an old man, somewhat hunched, moving shakily, completely like a man on the verge of death.
He said tremulously: “Who is it? There’s no one left in my house, just me watching the place.”
Fang Wen didn’t answer, but tapped on the door frame with his fingers.
The peculiar tapping rhythm made the old man change.
His back straightened, the senile appearance gone, with sharp light in his eyes.
“General Manager, your disguise technique is getting more realistic. I didn’t recognize you.”
“You’re Qian Yinxing? I wouldn’t have recognized you without your voice.” Fang Wen laughed.
“General Manager, come in quickly to avoid suspicion from nearby residents.” Qian Yinxing replied.
Fang Wen nodded and quickly entered the house. Qian Yinxing casually looked around and closed the door.
The two entered the room. There was really only Qian Yinxing in the house.
He reported proactively: “General Manager, as per your instructions, the seven of us have been recruiting personnel in the name of the Resist Japan Volunteer Army across Jiangnan and the north, and have achieved some success. However, these people all have some skills but are troublemakers, unwilling to yield to each other, and hard to integrate.”
Fang Wen nodded.
He had anticipated this situation beforehand.
Jianghu people are the least disciplined. They can do tasks, but making them follow rules and collaborate as a group is difficult.
After all, those who make a name in Jianghu not only have skills but also big tempers.
Fang Wen wants to use these people’s abilities for himself and make them disciplined for group actions, so he must conduct training and integration.
He said: “Bring the recruited people to Yangon first, let them adapt to the Yangon environment. Later, I’ll find someone to train them.”
“Yes, General Manager. I’ll contact the others at today’s telegram contact time and have them execute.” Qian Yinxing replied.
The matter of recruiting for Taishan private army ended here. Fang Wen continued: “Do you remember the battlefield first-aid kits we made last time? I’m preparing to make another 20,000 sets. Come with me to Kang Yuan Can Factory in the city to custom order another batch of iron boxes and celluloid medicine bottles.”
Qian Yinxing looked troubled: “General Manager, after the air competition last time when you shot down the noble’s fighter jet, the Japanese have been secretly looking for you. Going to Shanghai is dangerous.”
“It will be more dangerous in the future. We must adapt in advance.” Fang Wen replied. He was already prepared. In another two years, the situation would be worse. Now is the time to temper himself.
Seeing the General Manager’s determination, Qian Yinxing said no more. He did a new disguise and became a young man.
The two exited from the back door of the blue brick courtyard, passed through the field paths, and returned to Airport Street.
Then they took the shuttle bus to the urban area.
After getting off the shuttle bus, Qian Yinxing originally wanted to wave for a rickshaw puller, but was stopped by Fang Wen.
“No need. I still have a car stored in Shanghai, just right to use today.”
He led Qian Yinxing to a small Western-style building in the French Concession. The landlord was an action team member of the Northeast Treasure Hunting Group.
The landlord opened the first-floor garage and handed the car key to Fang Wen, saying regretfully.
“This good car returns to its owner. I really hate to see it go.”
Fang Wen smiled and replied: “If nothing happens this time, the car stays with you.”
After saying that, he called Qian Yinxing to get in the car, drove out of the French Concession, and entered Hongkou.
After a few months, there were even more Japanese in Hongkou.
When the car passed the Japanese Naval Landing Corps Headquarters building, Fang Wen and Qian Yinxing both felt tense.
But the Japanese soldiers on guard at the door had no reaction to the car.
It seemed that the events of that day had long been forgotten.
The car turned and entered Huade Road.
This road is named after Ward, the captain of the foreign gun team during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period, spanning Hongkou and Yangpu.
The Kang Yuan Can Factory Fang Wen was going to is located roadside on Huade Road in Yangpu.
The car proceeded along Huade Road.
There are many interesting buildings on this road.
Huade Road Hall, a place of worship built by Russian Jews.
Now it gathers many Jews who came from Europe.
After the synagogue, you can also see Huade Road Prison, which is the concession prison.
Ten minutes later, the car entered the YP area and stopped roadside.
Across the street is the gate of Kang Yuan Can Factory, with the address Huade Road No. 965.
Qian Yinxing said in a low voice: “General Manager, wait in the car. I’ll go in.”
Fang Wen nodded. Then the disguised Qian Yinxing got out and walked across the street.
Sitting in the car, Fang Wen watched Qian Yinxing enter Kang Yuan Can Factory and waited quietly.
This is a relatively remote area of the Shanghai International Concession, with sparse population.
There was a newsboy waving newspapers and selling them on this remote road.
“Buy a newspaper, read the news, know the world affairs, and understand business conditions.”
There were few people on the road, so the newsboy couldn’t do business no matter how he shouted.
Fang Wen stretched his hand out and beckoned the newsboy over.
Seeing business, the newsboy ran over happily: “Mister, what newspaper do you want?”
“Why sell newspapers here? You can’t sell them here.” Fang Wen asked with a smile.
“Mister, I just entered the trade. The good spots are all taken.” The newsboy answered honestly.
A bit pitiful. So young and selling newspapers, bullied by colleagues.
Fang Wen took out a silver dollar: “Give me a Shen Bao. No need for change.”
The newsboy was delighted, bowed deeply in thanks, and specially gave Fang Wen an extra copy of another newspaper.
“Thank you, mister. You’re a good man and will be rewarded.”
Fang Wen smiled but didn’t speak. There are too many poor people in this world; helping one doesn’t make much difference.
He waved away his sentiment and picked up the newspaper to read.
The newspaper was full of old international news.
Weimar Republic President Hindenburg died last year, and the newspaper is just publishing it now.
With Hindenburg dead, no one can check Little Mustache anymore. The Nazis are a done deal.
And domestic news.
Mainly focused on suppression of communists and people’s livelihood.
Suppression of communists articles are mandated by the National Government; they must be published. Fang Wen skipped them directly.
He looked at the livelihood ones, mainly focusing on the sudden depression caused by this year’s deflation.
With less money, the middle and lower classes have no surplus, naturally unable to support Shanghai’s nightlife.
But the commentary articles in the newspaper are all optimistic predictions.
They believe the money shortage problem will be resolved soon.
Moreover, some articles are already warming up for issuing legal tender.
Fang Wen couldn’t help thinking that the Republic of China avoided the 1928 Great Depression thanks to the silver standard welfare, but probably can’t avoid it this time.
China’s Great Depression will begin with the issuance of legal tender.
Fang Wen closed the newspaper, no longer in the mood to read.
The newsboy’s call came again: “Buy a newspaper, read the news, know the world affairs, and understand business conditions.”
It seems getting a silver dollar didn’t make him stop working.
Fang Wen admired the child’s seriousness and was about to give him some life advice.
But unexpectedly, the newsboy ran over himself.
He said loudly: “Mister, buy another newspaper.”
Then lowered his voice rapidly: “Mister, someone is watching you. More than one.”
