Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 246 Aircraft Manufacturing Process Improvement, Taishan Airlines 2-Year Development Plan

The Yunhe is returning from the north.

The medical first aid kits are still in production and are stored in a classified warehouse in the industrial park along with the bullets produced, awaiting the next airlift.

Fang Wen then turned his attention to replicating the PBY seaplane.

More than a month has passed, and with the division of labor and cooperation among the twenty engineering teams, the fuselage structure of the aircraft has been completed.

Fang Wen also joined the next stage of the process, including the installation of the engine and propeller, the fuel storage and delivery system, and the installation of internal circuits and electronic equipment.

It took a week for the plane to regain its ability to take off and land.

Other internal structures do not need to be perfected for now; we should proceed with test flights first.

Only data obtained through test flights can determine whether an aircraft passes the test; if it fails, the problems must be addressed and corrected.

Therefore, the plane was transported to the seaplane base near Yangon Port and launched into the sea via a slide rail.

A large seaplane, 20 meters long and with a wingspan of 30 meters, floats on the sea surface of the sea airport.

All 20 engineering teams involved in the aircraft manufacturing were watching from the shore, eagerly anticipating the success of the first test flight.

Under their watchful eyes, Fang Wen approached by boat.

At this moment, all the members of the engineering team were on edge, and the entire scene was completely silent.

Test flights at aircraft manufacturing plants are a very dangerous thing.

At that time, only the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA), the predecessor of NASA, had large wind tunnel facilities. Other countries mostly determined the functionality and safety of their aircraft through flight tests.

The test flights of the Yunshui series aircraft and the current aircraft at Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant were both conducted by the general manager himself. The employees of the aircraft manufacturing plant privately admired the general manager's actions and were also worried about his every risk.

Faced with this situation, Fang Wen remained calm. He waved and boarded the plane.

Seated in the driver's seat, I turned on the instrument panel and started the two Pratt & Whitney 800 hp R-1830 radial engines, and the propellers began to spin.

Fang Wen, in a state of mechanical perception, conducted a preliminary physical examination of the aircraft.

The power system is normal, the oil circuit is unobstructed, the propeller is normal, and there are no problems with the electrical circuit and instruments.

He took out the onboard wired phone and spoke to the person in the front cabin.

"Weigh anchor."

Upon receiving the order, Liu Yinfeng, who was in the front cabin with the test flight, immediately went to the mooring cabin, turned the winch, and retrieved the anchor that had sunk underwater.

Only after reaching this point can test flights begin.

Fang Wen controlled the aircraft to turn and gradually accelerated towards the open sea.

As engine power increases, the thrust generated by the propeller gradually increases, propelling the aircraft forward on the water.

During acceleration, the wingtip floats on both sides of the wing successfully shared the buoyancy of the water surface, thus reducing the power required for takeoff.

Three waves swept across the sea surface. As the gliding speed increased, the lift generated on the wings gradually increased until it was enough to overcome the aircraft's own weight.

Fang Wen pulled the control stick, and the plane began to gradually leave the water.

The takeoff test was not over yet. After leaving the water, the aircraft retracted its wingtip floats, continued to accelerate, and climbed to a safe altitude.

During this stage, Fang Wen, in his mechanical perception state, closely monitored the aircraft's flight status.

Finally, he circled in the sky a few times before landing steadily on the sea.

When he disembarked by boat, all the staff involved in the aircraft project gathered around him.

Their thousands of words can be summed up in one sentence.

"General Manager, is there a problem with the plane?"

Fang Wen nodded: "All project team leaders, please gather in the conference room for a problem-solving meeting."

The leaders of the twenty project teams gathered in the factory's conference room, anxiously awaiting the outcome.

They wanted to know where the problem lay, but they were also worried that the problem might be in their own work process.

A dozen minutes later, Fang Wen came in.

He explained the situation directly.

"During this test flight, I discovered that the connection between the wing and the fuselage is unstable. Under high-intensity turns or in strong storm conditions, the connection may break off. In addition to this major problem, the overall stability of the fuselage is also lacking."

After a pause, Fang Wen continued, "My requirement for this aircraft manufacturing is that civilian aircraft must achieve the performance and safety of military aircraft. Therefore, it must surpass the Shuiyun series, with improvements in performance and safety. Does anyone have anything to say about this?"

His strict requirements were for the future military aircraft. After all, this civilian prototype was a copy of the PBY military amphibious aircraft, and with slight modifications, it could be converted into a military aircraft for production.

Inside the meeting room, the project team leaders were discussing the matter animatedly.

As frontline workers, they naturally have a deeper understanding of the situation, and through discussion and exchange, they have reached their own conclusions regarding the issues raised by Fang Wen.

Subsequently, a representative was selected to explain to Fang Wen.

"General Manager, we believe the instability at the wing-fuselage connection is a problem with the bolt assembly. Additionally, the welding of the internal fuselage structure is also a reason why performance and safety cannot be improved."

Fang Wen pondered these words.

The connection between the wings and fuselage of the Shuiyun-1 aircraft is modeled after the Boeing 247 structure, with the wings inserted horizontally into the fuselage.

This structure is integrated, offering high stability and security.

However, it lacks sufficient lift to achieve heavy loads and long-distance flights.

The current copy of the PBY seaplane has large wings that are separated from the ship's fuselage, thus greatly increasing lift.

However, this structure also places higher demands on the aircraft's internal components.

In addition, given the military-grade stability and security requirements, welding is not an option.

Therefore, physical fasteners are more effective for supporting the internal structure of an aircraft.

In order to achieve higher performance and safety, Fang Wen abandoned the original aircraft manufacturing process.

Welding will be significantly reduced.

In future aircraft manufacturing, aluminum alloy skins will be entirely riveted, while internal structural components will increasingly rely on bolt connections.

Welding is only used in a few processes that cannot be replaced.

If the internal structure were completely replaced with bolted connections, a large number of fasteners would be needed.

These components can be ordered directly from Europe, or they can be manufactured by purchasing equipment.

After some deliberation, Fang Wen decided to open a fastener and rivet manufacturing plant.

The reason for building a new factory is mainly for cold heading machines, which are production equipment for fasteners and rivets.

This thing can not only be used to make fasteners of different types, but also to make cartridge cases.

With this, the efficiency of the bullet production line could be improved. To this end, Fang Wen specially took his own international flight to Europe to purchase a cold heading machine.

However, reality differs somewhat from expectations; cold heading machines are indeed available in Europe.

However, it is not the digital machine tool equipment of the future; it requires the corresponding parts to be customized and manufactured before leaving the factory.

In other words, what can be done is fixed.

To produce fasteners, rivets, and cartridge cases, different cold heading machines are needed.

Even so, it is still much more efficient than producing parts by hand using a universal milling machine.

In the end, Fang Wen spent money to order 6 cold heading machines, 4 for fasteners due to the large number of models, 1 for rivets, and 1 for copper cartridge cases.

After the first cold heading machine arrived, the corresponding fasteners were manufactured to support the production.

For better performance and safety, the testing machine was disassembled and remodeled.

Many internal welds were replaced with fastener connections, which delayed the project until October.

This is only the second test flight.

The second test flight in October was very successful. Under Fang Wen's mechanical perception, no major problems were found.

Based on the data obtained from his mechanical perception, this prototype of the PBY seaplane is performing quite well.

It's time to embark on a trans-Pacific commercial flight and snatch the first honor before Pan Am.

Mid-January 1935.

A radio wave from the United States carried Pan Am's trans-Pacific plan.

Upon receiving this information, Fang Wen immediately convened a meeting of senior executives of Taishan Airlines.

At his headquarters in Wuhan, members of his inner circle gathered to attend the meeting.

There are elderly people among them.

Deputy General Manager Kuang Mingzhu, Group Chief Accountant Liu, Group Aviation Distribution Manager Sun Debiao, Domestic Aviation Flight Supervisor Pan Jiafeng, Group Administrative Director Fang Shouxin, Xiangxi Airport Supervisor Fang Shun, Group Training Department Director Shao Sishen, Group Aircraft Maintenance Department Senior Engineer Howard, Yangon Chemical Industry Supervisor Huo Duanyang, and Group International Route Security Department Director William.

There are also newcomers.

Bai Zeshan, Director of the Office of the Aircraft Manufacturing Plant; Li Tiezhu, Manager of the International Flight Business Department of the Group; Wu Yingzong, Supervisor of the Security and Defense Department of the Group; Zhao Wanping, Manager of the Training Section of the Security and Defense Department of the Group; Zhang Yunfei, Security Supervisor of the Aircraft Manufacturing Plant; Li Jinrui, Director of Jinghong Pharmaceutical Factory; and members of the Special Action Team Chen Suoxin, Liu Yingshou, Zhou Pomen, and Liu Yinfeng.

Those who did not participate were: Lin Shuiwang in the United States, and Qian Yinxing and Liu Yubao, who replaced Wu Yingzong and Zhao Wanping in Shanghai.

Facing these trustworthy people, Fang Wen explained the reasons directly.

"There are two things I've called this meeting for: one is the group's overall expansion plan, and the other is the plan to establish an international air route across the Pacific Ocean to Asia and America."

Both of these things are undoubtedly important to those attending the meeting.

Everyone listened attentively.

Fang Wen continued, “Taishan Airlines started with just one aircraft and has grown into a large company spanning Asia and Europe. But my ambitions don’t stop there. Taishan Airlines will become even stronger in the future. The group plans to establish a new route from Asia to the Americas within two years and to further develop the China Airlines business, aiming to increase the group’s fleet size to more than 200 aircraft.”

If someone else had said these words, they would probably have been considered ravings of a madman.

But what Fang Wen said sounded very credible.

It's important to know that Fang Wen personally flew both the domestic and Eurasian routes. All the pilots in the group company still use the route identification methods he taught them. The general manager's contribution to the company's success is undeniable.

While credibility is important, it's still necessary to have valid questions.

Manager Liu asked, "General Manager, we currently have 3 D.332s, 20 Shuiyun-1 seaplanes, and leased assets of 4 Boeing 247s and 1 Boeing 80. With just this many aircraft, we have already used up our reserve of pilots for 3 years. Where are we going to get so many pilots for 200 aircraft?"

Fang Wen nodded and explained, "We can't really muster that many pilots, but there are enough pilots in all of China. We can do it by simply changing our business strategy."

He gestured to the special operations team to hang a picture on the wall behind him.

Then he continued:

"The seaplane issue has attracted a lot of attention. Airplanes can take off and land wherever there is water, they are easy to operate, and they can greatly increase people's travel speed, so everyone wants a piece of the pie. This is an official document from the Nationalist government to Taishan Airlines, establishing the China Seaplane Joint Company in the name of the Nationalist government, together with various local branches and Taishan Airlines' domestic branches, to purchase 200 Shuiyun-1 type aircraft for operation within two years. I set their price at 20,000 silver dollars."

Manager Liu quickly took out his abacus to calculate.

A moment later he had the result: the plane cost 1.5 silver dollars to build, and each plane could earn a gross profit of 5000 silver dollars. It couldn't be said to be a profit; after deducting the hidden costs, it could only be said to break even.

As the group's chief accountant, he wouldn't reveal this top-secret cost, but he vaguely guessed that the general manager had other plans.

Manager Liu had no objections, and naturally, the others had no objections either.

The meeting then moved on to the second point.

A flight across the Pacific Ocean.

Another painting appeared on the wall behind Fang Wen.

He explained, "This is a trans-Pacific route designed by our competitor, Pan Am, starting from San Francisco, passing through Honolulu, Midway, Wake Island, Guam, Manila, and finally arriving in Hong Kong. The entire journey is 14300 kilometers. The aircraft used is a Martin M-130, which cost $417200."

Fang Wen then revealed Pan Am's ambitious plans.

For this trans-Pacific flight, Pan Am commissioned a Martin M-130, which cost a staggering four times more than Douglas's DC-2 passenger plane.

This doesn't even include the cost of building airports and oil depots on several transit islands.

After listening to Fang Wen's explanation, Shao Sichen asked, "General Manager, what about our Pacific route?"

Fang Wen asked the action team members to show another picture.

"This is our trans-Pacific route, starting from Guangzhou, passing through Guam, the Marshall Islands, Honolulu, and finally arriving in San Francisco. The entire journey is 14000 kilometers. The aircraft used is the latest long-range seaplane from Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant, the Shuiyun II, named 'Xuanming'. The cost was 30 silver dollars."

To everyone's surprise, the general manager had prepared so thoroughly.

The plane has been built, and even the flight path has been designed.

Kwong Ming-chu, who knew more than most people, was somewhat worried.

She said, "Do you want to fly yourself again? What about resupply along the way? Pan Am has set up resupply points on transit islands in advance, but you don't. On the vast ocean, if you don't have resupply, even if you can fly thousands of kilometers, it's useless. If safety isn't guaranteed, I don't want you to go."

Unexpectedly, the general manager's wife disagreed, leaving everyone stunned and unsure of what to say.

Fang Wen was a little embarrassed, but he understood his wife's concerns. He patiently explained, "The company in the United States will send three ships to stop in Guam, Majuro, and Honolulu. They will be my transit and supply depots."

Hearing Fang Wen's explanation, Kuang Mingzhu was finally relieved. She was genuinely worried about her husband's safety and had completely forgotten that the American company also had an ocean shipping business.

However, the three cargo ships originally sailed the Atlantic route. Now that they are switching to the Pacific route, they need to pass through the Panama Canal, make some preparations in San Francisco, and then sail to the three islands in the Pacific.

This will take a month.

It happened to be the time when Pan Am's Martin M-130 was taking off.

Since that's the case, let's set off at the same time, one on the left and one on the right, and see who reaches the destination first.

Fang Wen informed the American company of this idea and asked them to contact Pan Am.

(End of this chapter)