Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 209, 208: Penicillin Successful, Site Search for Factory, Encounter with Thai Army Hawk-2
1934 October.

Fang Wen went abroad for a month.

Although living abroad, I still keep a close eye on things happening in China.

The matter of Japanese military human experimentation was completely suppressed.

Without public media discussion, the matter was only spread within the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas.

Taishan Airlines remains the same, developing steadily and making small progress every day.

Due to a shortage of aircraft, there are still only five domestic routes, but the airline distribution companies are growing bigger and bigger.

Businessmen saw the appeal of airline distribution, which allowed them to quickly seize market share.

Therefore, after tobacco and medicinal herbs, another high-value-added product was added: alcohol.

These were all normal developments and were not unexpected by Fang Wen.

As for penicillin and radar...

The development of radar is still stuck on positioning, not because there is no clue, but because of the accuracy of positioning.

The Department of Physics at Tsinghua University is working with the Department of Mathematics to overcome this challenge, attempting to find a specific formula as a fixed solution for radar positioning devices.

That would simplify the entire positioning calculation process, greatly improve efficiency, and thus make real-time positioning possible.

Regarding penicillin, a large number of different mold strains were collected during this year.

Through experiments with these strains, they discovered many Penicillium strains that were more efficient than the original strains.

The best source of bacteria was a moldy orange.

This is also a similar asexual filamentous fungus, but it is much better than the original strain, and can produce more penicillin.

If we can cultivate it in large quantities, we can produce penicillin in large quantities.

When the news reached Yangon, Fang Wen was overjoyed, as the first antibiotic drug produced during the war would be mass-produced in China.

In order to keep this secret and the clandestine cultivation of microorganisms, the Wuhan Biological Laboratory had to be relocated. However, the situation there became complicated as the Nationalist government consciously relocated industries, greatly increasing the possibility of leaks.

But where should they move to?

Fang Wen is considering it.

Based on domestic feedback, the temperature for culturing the bacteria must be below 27 degrees Celsius, and the ideal average indoor temperature is 25 degrees Celsius.

While a suitable temperature can be created by regulating indoor temperature, a suitable outdoor temperature is also important for fungal growth.

Which place is the most suitable?
He had his company's people secretly investigate climate conditions in various regions.

Different places have different climate conditions.

The central and southern regions are hot in summer and cold in winter, making them unsuitable.

The cold winters and cool summers of the North won't work either.

It finally landed in Yunnan.

It is located on a plateau in the subtropical zone.

The climate is warm and humid year-round, with no distinct seasons, only a dry season and a rainy season.

But if they wanted to build biological laboratories and penicillin factories there, they would have to get past the local warlords.

Chairman Long is a man who has managed Yunnan so well that it's practically untouchable. If he knew the value of penicillin, would he let it go?

No, Fang Wen gave the answer.

Is Yunnan truly completely under the control of the dragon?
Fang Wen opened the map and looked towards the southwest corner.

The General Office of the Sipu Colony was established.

That was a newly established department during the Republic of China era, which managed the area of ​​the former Qing Dynasty's Cheli Pacification Commissioner's Office.

That is, the future Xishuangbanna.

Here, a Republican-era version of the "abolition of the native chieftain system" is underway, replacing the original chieftains with appointed officials.

In reality, the local chieftains still held power, and both the officials appointed by the Republic of China government and the chieftains had influence in the area.

Such a chaotic place is actually perfect for establishing a penicillin factory.

What needs to be done is to establish connections with local authorities in advance.

Therefore, he summoned members of the company's special operations team to Yangon, preparing to have them do this.

As Taishan Airlines continues to develop, the original senior staff have gradually taken on management positions. They have their own things to do, and it's time to cultivate a new generation of talent.

The special operations team members are young, energetic, and visionary—perfect fit.

Fang Wen also needs a group of people like this.

After his request was sent back home, a Taishan Airlines international flight, D.332, made an emergency landing at Yangon Airport en route to Kolkata.

The 11 members of the action team disembarked from the plane and looked around curiously.

They had never been abroad and were curious about everything here: the wooden houses, the unique ethnic costumes.

Until two cars drove in.

The first car was driven by Fang Wen, who wore a hat to protect himself from the hot sun.

"Get in the car first, we'll talk about it when we get back," he said.

"General Manager." "Good morning, General Manager."

After a respectful response, the 11 people jumped into the car and drove to the Taishan Industrial Park in Yangon.

That was Yangon's first industrial park, and it was Fang Wen who suggested this name to the British.

The industrial park has bullet factories, aircraft repair and modification plants, and all kinds of shops; it's small but has everything.

As for the refinery, it's located over at the port.

Fang Wen parked the car, led the group to the dormitory, arranged their temporary accommodations, and then took them to a place to eat.

During the meal, Fang Wen said, "I called you here for two reasons. 1. Four of you will go to Yunnan. I need people to take care of some things there beforehand. 2. The rest of you will stay with me."

After saying that, he got up and left, leaving behind the words: "Think it over. Once you've decided on four people, come find me at the aircraft repair and modification plant."

This was to give them time to discuss and negotiate. The 11 people looked at each other and then began to discuss among themselves.

"How do we choose? Is it better to go or stay?"

"Going there will be a test of your abilities. If you succeed, the general manager might give you an important position."

"I think so too, but it will definitely be very difficult. If we can't do it, the general manager will look down on us."

"I think even if I don't go to Yunnan, staying by the general manager's side won't be bad, and there will still be many opportunities in the future."

After analyzing the situation, everyone concluded that the four most capable individuals should be the ones to go.

Through their last collaboration, they were able to determine who was better.

Wu Yingzong is the most quick-witted and capable of leading the team.

The most capable fighter was Chen Wanping, the only female player.

They both wanted to impress Fang Wen, so naturally they had to participate.

The other two?

It was Liu Jinrui, the eldest of the three Liu brothers, and Li Tiezhu. Liu Jinrui was the representative of the Liu family and had to fight for it; Li Tiezhu, on the other hand, requested it himself, and no one was competing with him.

After the four of them made their decision, they left the cafeteria and headed to the aircraft repair and modification plant.

There, Fang Wen was making parts, easily transforming a small iron rod into an octagonal screw in his hands.

After finishing, Fang Wen casually tossed the item aside and then walked towards the nearby rest area.

"Come sit down, let's talk business."

At his invitation, the four of them came over and sat down.

Fang Wen unfolded the map and pointed to the border of Yunnan.

"The General Office of the Simao-Pujiang Border Colonial Area. That area is complicated. It just got the policy of replacing the native chieftains with appointed officials. Four years ago, the Ministry of the Interior approved the proposal of the Yunnan Provincial Government to change the county seat and establish seven counties: Cheli, Nanqiao, Fohai, Zhenyue, Liushun, Simao, and Jiangcheng. The area is sparsely populated. The native chieftains govern the land, while appointed officials govern the city. I need you to get the local connections sorted out for me first."

Li Tiezhu asked, puzzled, "General Manager, what's so good about such a remote place?"

Fang Wen smiled and said, "The four of you are going there to find out the secret, of course. Can I trust you?"

The four of them were stunned.

Wu Yingzong was the first to speak up: "General Manager, you have avenged my family's death. From now on, I will be your shadow and will never betray you."

Fang Wen patted Wu Yingzong on the shoulder, "Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt has its debtor. The Japanese navy was the one who harmed your parents, sister, and brother. We'll deal with them in the future."

He then looked at the other three and asked, "And you?"

Zhao Wanping replied, "My parents said that if I stay with the general manager, I'll be able to find a good husband in the future. I think that makes sense. You can rest assured about me, General Manager."

Fang Wen noticed that Zhao Wanping was looking at Wu Yingzong while she was speaking.

What a bad fate!
At this point, the other two also expressed their opinions.

Liu Jinrui stood up: "Our Liu family must have someone who doesn't become a tomb raider, and I think that's me. General Manager, please rest assured and trust me."

Li Tiezhu touched his bald head: "I'm straightforward. My dad followed the Axe Gang, so he's been a member of the Axe Gang for life. I followed the General Manager, so I'm stuck with him for life."

After the four expressed their opinions, Fang Wen was willing to believe them and then said:
"This is extremely important. It must not be spread outside of those who know the details. Do you know what's most important on the battlefield?"

Before anyone could answer, Fang Wen continued, “Life is the most important thing. How many soldiers are wounded on the battlefield, their wounds become infected and incurable? Some have their limbs amputated and are lucky enough to become disabled, but they still survive. Many more die in their hospital beds. I brought back a pharmaceutical method from Europe that can produce a miraculous medicine that can save the lives of thousands of wounded soldiers, and they won’t need to have their limbs amputated anymore; they can be discharged healthy. This medicine is ready, but it needs a suitable place to manufacture it. I’ve looked around, and the General Office of the Sipu Colonial Border is a good fit. There, the higher-ups can’t control it, and the chieftains have also shared power. If you can establish connections there, the pharmaceutical factory can be built there. You should understand the future benefits.”

"So that's how it is," Wu Yingzong was the first to understand. Such a miraculous medicine must be of great use, and he would definitely do this well for the general manager.

After he made his statement, Zhao Wanping followed suit, and Liu Jinrui and Li Tiezhu followed closely behind.

Fang Wen said with satisfaction, "That's good. I will prepare supplies for you, mainly some gold and jewelry, as well as telegraph machines. This time, you don't need to fight. The main thing is to find out the needs of the locals, get them to support our factory construction, and be willing to protect our interests. The supplies are ready. You can stay here for a week, learn some Dai language, and then I will fly you over."

The week of language learning passed quickly. The four of them learned everyday conversational phrases, and although they couldn't speak fluently, they could already communicate.

They got ready, got into the car with the inscription, and drove to the seaside.

A seaplane was moored at the harbor dock.

It was the very one that Fang Wen designed and assembled himself.

Looking at the planes rising and falling on the sea, Li Tiezhu exclaimed in surprise, "There are even planes floating on water!"

Fang Wen boarded the plane first and called out from the cockpit, "Come on up. This time you don't need to parachute. We'll land directly on the Lancang River, where someone will meet you."

The four stepped onto the wooden planks, entered the plane, and sat down. Fang Wen immediately started the engine for takeoff.

Both seaplanes and land-based aircraft require acceleration for takeoff, but they are not entirely the same.

Unlike on land, it is important to understand the dynamic properties of water, including hydrostatics and hydrodynamics.

Hydrostatic properties mainly involve buoyancy, static stability, anti-sinking ability, and rotational properties; hydrodynamic properties involve the variation patterns of motion parameters such as hydrodynamic drag, pitch angle, and lift during takeoff and landing.

Fang Wen didn't understand these things at first, and almost caused a disaster, but his mechanical perception quickly made up for this deficiency.

Now, he finds piloting seaplanes easier than land-based aircraft.

As the speed reached takeoff level, he called out, "Hold on tight."

The plane, leaving long trails on the water, took off and flew northeast.

(Yangon-Xishuangbanna temporary route, seaplane)
Yangon to Jinghong, Xishuangbanna, a flight distance of 750 kilometers.

For a seaplane with two 625-horsepower Wasp engines, twin propellers, a top speed of 290 km/h, and a maximum range of 1500 km, this is too easy.

Flying in it was very pleasant, without any sense of tension.

Fang Wen couldn't help but think that, apart from its slow speed, this aircraft met all the civil aviation requirements of this era.

Yes, a thought flashed through his mind.

Isn't this exactly what Southeast Asia needs?

Taishan Airlines doesn't need to buy expensive European and American aircraft to establish Southeast Asian routes; it can meet local demand by manufacturing these seaplanes.

If he can build one, he can build two or three, no problem at all.

It seems that after seeing off the four people, it's time to take a trip to Southeast Asia.

Brushing aside his thoughts, Fang Wen looked down.

Looking down from 3000 meters, everything is so clear.

Why is there an army below?

Moreover, they were well-equipped regular troops, with tanks and artillery.

Fang Wen immediately took out a map to check it.

After some calculations, I discovered that I am currently in Thailand.

This is a short section that must be passed during a straight flight, and it only takes about ten minutes to cross.

Unexpectedly, there was an army below, and I wonder if there will be any problems.

Whatever comes to mind, comes.

An airplane took off from below and chased after Fang Wen's seaplane.

Fang Wen knew about this aircraft; Howard had recommended it years ago, but Fang Wen rejected it because it was a biplane.

American Hawk II fighter jet.

Its speed was 325 kilometers per hour, faster than Fang Wen's seaplane, and it caught up with him in no time.

The pilot looked at Fang Wen and waved.

In aviation sign language, this means a request to land on the spot.

Generally speaking, violations of airspace are met with expulsion, and landing is rarely requested, since landing would be considered as capturing the other party's aircraft, which could cause international disputes.

But this time, the other side actually demanded to land, and Fang Wen had no intention of surrendering.

He shouted, "Fasten your seatbelts, grab the handrails, I'm going to shake off this fighter jet!"

After saying that, he suddenly slammed down the fuselage and swooped down.

The Hawk II fighter jet was not to be outdone and followed suit with a dive.

Seaplanes are large, slow, and have high wings, so when they dive, they can't shake off the Hawk II fighter jets, and may even bring the two aircraft closer together.

But this was not Fang Wen's real plan.

Aerial combat involves both feints and real attacks; the true essence of tactics lies in combining the two.

(End of this chapter)