Chapter 259: 258, Aerial Refueling Tanker Project Shelved, Three Red Army Flight Cadets, Elite Assessment
Republic of China year 25, January.
Because of the Northeast airdrop matter, Fang Wen continued to stay in Yangon to modify Xuanming.
This time, the challenge was a round-trip ultra-long-distance flight of 8000 kilometers.
There were two solutions:
1, Mid-route resupply along the waterway system.
2, Aerial refueling.
Xuanming itself was a seaplane. Although its size was large, it could also land in relatively wide water areas.
But Fang Wen wanted to use this opportunity to solve the problem of aerial refueling.
That was the aerial refueling tanker.
This technology actually appeared during World War I.
The earliest aerial refueling method was extremely dangerous. It involved a refueling crew member climbing from one biplane to another biplane, manually injecting five gallons of fuel from the fuel tank to complete the refueling.
It was simply aerial death-defying acrobatics.
But now, with the popularization of airplanes in war, various countries were researching this aerial refueling technology that could extend the range of long-range bombers and provide emergency fuel supplements for other airplanes.
From what Fang Wen understood, this aerial technology was not complicated. The principle was to connect the oil pipe of the aerial refueling tanker with the fuel inlet of the receiving aircraft to complete the refueling process.
The difficulty lay in the coordination between the aerial refueling tanker and the receiving aircraft.
Fang Wen felt this could be one of the capabilities of the Elite Aviation Team in the future, to cope with some emergencies.
So, he first challenged the research and development of Taishan’s own refueling aircraft.
For the experimental effect, he also had his disciple Pan Jiafeng come over.
After Pan Jiafeng arrived, Fang Wen had already finished modifying an aerial refueling tanker with the engineers from the aircraft manufacturing plant.
Fang Wen brought Pan Jiafeng to visit that aerial refueling tanker.
Looking at that airplane, Pan Jiafeng said in surprise, “Isn’t this our company’s seaplane?”
Fang Wen nodded: “This aerial refueling tanker is prototyped from the Shuiyun Type 1 commercial seaplane. After modification, its cabin became a large fuel tank, and there is a retractable oil pipe in the front section. What you need to do is to maintain consistency with the receiving aircraft in the air, then insert the oil pipe into the fuel inlet. The model of the fuel inlet is like this, a one-meter diameter conical opening.”
“Docking in the air, Master, that’s too difficult.” Pan Jiafeng said troubled.
Pan Jiafeng was a very honest person. If he said it was difficult, it was definitely difficult, absolutely difficult.
Even with the low-speed flight of the Shuiyun Type 1, it was hard to guarantee control of the fuselage for such precise displacement.
“Give it a try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll switch to another method.”
Then the two separately piloted the aerial refueling tanker and Xuanming to begin the attempt.
The two airplanes flew at high altitude.
Side by side.
Fang Wen made a hand gesture, signaling to start.
Pan Jiafeng suppressed the tension in his heart, controlled the airplane to fly steadily, then turned the right mechanical winch.
The oil pipe slowly extended obliquely for a distance of more than 10 meters, slanting downward.
（Schematic diagram）
Then, Xuanming, flying below the aerial refueling tanker, released the fuel inlet on its roof. The one-meter diameter fuel inlet moved little by little toward the refueling pipe under the airplane’s control.
The entire process was extremely thrilling.
There could be no deviation up and down, and the speed had to be kept consistent.
Pan Jiafeng was sweating profusely, hands tightly gripping the control stick, afraid that any fuselage displacement would cause a disaster.
Fang Wen, in mechanical perception state, controlled the airplane to approach bit by bit, and finally connected.
The front section of the oil pipe was a hose, which easily locked into the fuel inlet upon contact.
Fang Wen pressed the closing device.
The mechanical ring of the fuel inlet locked the oil pipe, and also opened the oil delivery process.
Then, the pressurized oil pipe sprayed the fuel over.
Completing the refueling took time. The upper aerial refueling tanker had some power instability, causing a speed deviation.
Fang Wen, in mechanical perception state, immediately adjusted the speed to stay consistent with the aerial refueling tanker.
Five minutes later, the oil delivery was complete. Fang Wen opened the closing device, the airplane actively flew away, and Pan Jiafeng, realizing the aerial refueling was successful, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then the two aircraft returned to base and landed separately on the sea surface.
The two came out from the airplanes and went ashore separately on the pickup boat.
Fang Wen rarely announced: “This project is not suitable for the Elite Aviation Team. Keep it sealed and stored.”
In his view, the aerial refueling tanker was a failed attempt. Implementing this technology on piston aircraft carried very high danger.
Fang Wen felt that each refueling carried great risk.
If the airplane control ability was poor, the two aircraft might collide because of it.
Oil leaks during the oil delivery process could also cause accidental fires.
Only two pilots with very rich driving experience could complete this operation through skilled coordination.
Based on this consideration, he decisively abandoned this attempt. Even if there were successful cases in the future, they had limitations in different eras.
His carefully selected elite pilots were not to be consumed in such dangerous accidents.
But it was not completely useless. The test just now showed that he himself could still do it. In special situations, it was a killer move.
The aerial refueling tanker project was sealed. The highly tense Pan Jiafeng finally relaxed.
He and Fang Wen chatted while eating in the canteen.
“Master, good thing you stopped this project. Our two airplanes were only a dozen meters apart earlier. If the speed got out of control, even a little bit, we would have collided. By the way, Master, this is the latest intelligence collection. I brought it for you.”
The intelligence collection was a good thing, allowing one to understand recent world changes.
Fang Wen took the handbag handed over by Pan Jiafeng, opened it, and took out a stack of information.
January 1st——January 15th, Far East intelligence summary.
【Recently, silver has continuously plummeted. Multiple Japanese trading companies sold off silver. It is reported that these silver-hoarding trading companies suffered huge losses, causing turmoil in the Japanese economy.】
【Shanghai cultural circles Salvation Society declaration, proposing to stop all civil wars, economic embargo against the enemy, release all political prisoners, and other 12 items. However, it was not accepted by the National Government.】
【This month, a laboratory in the United States issued an announcement claiming to have invented a pulse radar with a detection range of 40 kilometers, resolution of 457 meters, mainly used for detecting airplanes and other aerial targets. Additionally, there is another intelligence about radar: in the United Kingdom, the first radar station was also established this month.】
Fang Wen stopped reading. The United States had taken the lead in completing radar research and development. Although the resolution was 457 meters, it still achieved positioning capability ahead of time.
This made Fang Wen a bit disappointed. Today, first the aerial refueling tanker project was sealed, and now the radar project was behind.
But he quickly adjusted his mindset. Positioning capability competed on computation. Tsinghua University was not short of mathematicians. In an era without computers, Chinese people were no worse than Americans in computing power.
“Pan Jiafeng, when you go back, tell Manager Liu to make a trip to Beiping, increase funding for the radar project, and have them recruit more mathematicians.”
“Got it, Master. I noted it down.” Pan Jiafeng took out his notebook and recorded what Fang Wen instructed.
Fang Wen continued reading this month’s intelligence summary.
【This month, British King George V is critically ill. According to internal reports and analysis from the British side, the old king is beyond saving. The first in line successor is Prince Edward. After becoming king, his regnal name will be Edward VIII.】
There were quite a few major events this month, Fang Wen sighed somewhat.
Fang Wen knew this historical celebrity Edward VIII; he was the future Duke of Windsor.
This one seemed to have been king for only one year before abdicating to his brother.
It was precisely because he abdicated that a whole series of royal family members came later.
And he spent the rest of his life completely unaffected by World War II, even freely going to Germany, living a luxurious life.
Brushing away his thoughts, he continued flipping through.
【This month, the German government organized the Far East economic inspection group led by Kepu to visit and inspect China, hoping to understand the state of Chinese commercial economy and seek ways to increase trade between China and Germany. Expected to arrive in February. Additionally, this inspection group intends to sign a “barter trade” contract with the National Government for raw materials in exchange for munitions.】
【From August 1st to August 15th this year, the Berlin Olympics will be held. The Republic of China Government is recruiting athletic talents to form the China representative team to participate in this Olympics】
Republic of China Olympics, must go see it. Fang Wen noted this in his heart and continued flipping through.
Among the remaining intelligence summary, one item caught his attention.
【This month, the Japanese side announced withdrawal from the London Naval Disarmament Conference. The delegation has left London and returned.】
The participant in this conference was Imperial Japanese Navy Naval Admiral Nagano Shuu. He was back, and Yoshida would also return with him.
Then his chess piece planted inside the Japanese Army could finally be activated.
Just unsure whether Yoshida, after returning, would stay by Nagano Shuu’s side or go elsewhere.
Thinking of this, Fang Wen took Pan Jiafeng’s notebook and wrote a string of incomprehensible numbers on it.
“Hand this to the Shanghai lurk point. They will know what to do.”
Pan Jiafeng realized the importance and carefully put away his notebook.
Then, Fang Wen smiled and spoke of his arrangement for him: “I’m planning to establish the Elite Aviation Team to pilot military fighter jets. Want to join?”
Pan Jiafeng was instantly overjoyed: “Of course I do.”
“Then when you return from Shanghai, report here.”
Time passed bit by bit.
It was approaching the end of January.
During this time, George V passed away, and Edward VIII succeeded to the throne.
The radar positioning calculation team in Beiping, with increased funding, recruited a batch of master mathematicians and began a new round of calculations.
At the same time, a telegram came from Xiangxi Airport.
The Red Army requested an airdrop of supplies to Tangyuan County in Heilongjiang on the 28th evening, to the upstream river section of the Songhua River.
Looking at this telegram, Fang Wen immediately took out the map to design the flight path.
Heilongjiang was in the farthest north of China, and Tangyuan County was in its northwest corner.
The area was vast and sparsely populated, with harsh climate, and little Kwantung Army presence, so the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army chose this place for their founding conference.
The transaction point had latitude and longitude coordinates, on the Songhua River, plus there would be guides, so it wouldn’t be hard to find.
The problem was that it was January now, with average temperature there at -19.4℃, and even colder in the northern areas.
This was a flight environment Fang Wen had never challenged.
Under such low temperatures, moisture in the fuel might freeze, causing poor fuel flow or even clogging the fuel line. This would directly affect the engine’s fuel supply, thereby reducing engine power, or even causing engine failure.
Engine oil would also become more viscous at low temperatures, making it difficult to circulate inside the engine, thus affecting lubrication and increasing the risk of engine wear.
If moisture in the air froze inside the cylinder, it would occupy part of the combustion chamber space, leading to incomplete combustion, thereby affecting engine performance and power output.
The aircraft structure was fine; aluminum alloy could maintain performance under such low temperatures.
Additionally, in extreme cold weather, the temperature inside the airplane cabin would also drop accordingly. Without good insulation and heating systems, it would be very dangerous.
Low temperatures could also affect the performance of electronic equipment, instrument panels, and other equipment on the airplane, increasing malfunction risks.
For these situations, Fang Wen had to make responses.
1, All gasoline used for this flight would be replaced with high-octane aviation gasoline. This high-quality gasoline not only resisted knocking but was also low-freezing-point gasoline.
2, Add an air-cooling device next to the water-cooling system inside the airplane to cope with the freezing of cooling water under low temperatures.
3, Install a heating device inside the cabin and increase airtightness.
After completing these temporary modifications, Fang Wen waited for the 28th to arrive.
Yet Xiangxi Airport sent a telegram.
At Xiangxi Airport, Director Fang Shun received three strange guests.
Their attire was different, as if they didn’t know each other, yet they all came to the airport outskirts in the past two days.
Only today did Bai Yunfei, in disguise, bring them to meet Fang Shun, and he learned their backgrounds.
“They are the ones coming to be elite pilots?” Fang Shun was a bit suspicious.
“That’s right, all carefully selected from various troops.” Bai Yunfei replied.
“Alright then, I’ll send a telegram to Water Dragon. Wait a moment.” After Fang Shun finished speaking, he left.
Looking at the telegram, Fang Wen was very curious what these three Red Army soldiers would be like.
He immediately had Pan Jiafeng, who was preparing to return to Yangon, go pick them up.
A few hours later, Pan Jiafeng piloted a Boeing 247 and flew back.
Fang Wen waited at the airport.
The hatch opened, and Pan Jiafeng came out first. “Master, I brought them.”
Behind him, three men who were not tall but very lean walked out.
Lean was a special description. These three had extremely slim builds, but their muscle lines were obvious, with no excess fat, presenting a tight, explosive state.
Plus the aura they had, Fang Wen felt like he was seeing the strongest killer under Gang Leader Wang.
The three proactively introduced themselves.
“First Front Army of the Red Army, Qi Baoqian, Reconnaissance Company Commander, skilled in reconnaissance and assault. Reporting here.”
“Report, Red Second Front Army, Du Jiahua, dagger squad soldier, skilled in shooting.”
“Red Fourth Front Army, Shao Deqing, Cavalry Team Correspondent, skilled in close combat guerrilla fighting and horse riding.”
Fang Wen nodded: “Do you know why you came here?”
The three answered simultaneously: “Yes, learn to fly, protect you.”
“I know you definitely all have your own skills, but those are not essential for pilots. Here, you have to start from scratch. If not suitable, I can only send you back.”
Fang Wen put the ugly words upfront, but the three remained unfazed, standing straight.
This mentality had already passed.
“Alright then, follow me to the living quarters. Tomorrow, do some tests.”
One night passed. Fang Wen got up early and called Pan Jiafeng to see the three Red Army flight cadets.
The three were already awake and exercising in the small courtyard.
This self-discipline made Fang Wen think even higher of them.
He spoke out: “Today is the pilot entry test. After breakfast in the morning, physical fitness test; afternoon, psychological fitness test; evening, flight test.”
