Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 383 381 Laying out the world's first semiconductor industry, a trip to Changsha, a targeted commissioned training program

Fang Wen, who completed the semiconductor equipment all by himself, couldn't help but feel excited.

Before he time-traveled, he worked a typical 9-to-5 job and never imagined that one day he would be making a transistor radio by hand and leading a world trend.

He was confident that he could make this civilian product the most popular electronic device in the world during the Republic of China era.

But before that, he wanted to share it with the people at the research institute.

Then, he opened the door and walked into the large laboratory.

There, researchers are discussing and researching first-generation semiconductor technology radios.

"Stop, everyone. I have something to announce," Fang Wen said.

Everyone stopped discussing and turned around.

Then they saw Fang Wen standing at the door, holding something the size of a woman's jewelry box.

Fang Wen raised the object in his hand and continued, "I also made a small transistor radio, which should meet my requirements for integration and miniaturization."

The researchers immediately gathered around.

Fang Wen demonstrated it in front of them.

"The front has a speaker, the side has a tuning knob, and the back has a battery slot where you can directly install a size D battery. One battery can last for 40 minutes. There is also a power cord for using AC power."

As he said, the device isn't big, but it uses the largest permanent flashlight batteries, otherwise it really wouldn't be able to power this little guy.

Even so, it still surprised the researchers immensely.

When Fang Wen opened the box and explained the internal structure and principles to everyone, they immediately understood.

These people are all elites in the electronics industry of this era. It's not that they can't do it, but that they lack the ideas.

Fang Wen demonstrated what integration truly means: various small components on a single substrate constitute all the elements of the entire device, making the product more suitable for people's needs.

Imagine carrying this little radio; you can turn it on while taking a walk and listen to the radio anytime.

It can also be placed at home and plugged into a power source for the whole family to use.

In comparison, it immediately distinguishes itself from bulky vacuum tube radios.

Seeing that everyone understood his idea, Fang Wen immediately said, "My radio is rather simple and crude. You can continue to improve it, including its sensitivity, sound quality, and appearance. Once you've improved it, design a production process immediately so that it can be mass-produced."

This requirement was very challenging. Wuster Kane, an electronics engineer from the Berlin television company, was the one among these people closest to the actual production of electronic devices.

Worcester Kane said with difficulty: "Transforming technology into production is a very complex process. Even if we transform the preparation methods in the laboratory into large-scale production technology, it will still require a lot of skilled workers. But right now, we have nothing but ourselves."

Fang Wen replied confidently, "You don't need to worry about that. China has the most hardworking and intelligent people in the world. Once you develop the production technology, I guarantee they will be able to master it very quickly."

Foreign researchers expressed skepticism, noting that even in Germany, a skilled industrial worker requires a long period of training and cannot be acquired simply by wishing for it.

But if the boss said it was possible, then it was definitely possible. They didn't say anything and started organizing research on the technology for mass production of polysilicon, as well as the manufacturing process of various components.

Fang Wen left the research institute with a sense of joy.

After leaving the Taishan Research Institute, Fang Wen went directly to the office building.

He wanted to share this joy with his wife.

"Mingzhu, the radio is finished, look."

Kuang Mingzhu, who was working, looked up at the small radio in Fang Wen's hand.

"Is this it? It's so small."

"Let me tune you to a channel."

Fang Wen turned the knob and tuned to the local radio station in Hankou.

"Hankou Radio Station is broadcasting. With the Spring Festival approaching, we present to you a song called 'Double Loyalty' from Meicheng Theater."

The radio was playing local Wuhan opera, specifically the Han opera melody.

"The double-leafed dragon gate opens with one leaf open, now I descend from the Heavenly Terrace by imperial decree. Pearl curtains hang from golden hooks, and Nuwa arrives with imposing grandeur. I am the Goddess Nuwa. Now Yang Guozhen, bearing the dragon of the future dynasty, comes before my divine temple and must be protected. All the gods and generals, display your divine might."

The voices of several characters echoed clearly in the room, making Kuang Mingzhu's eyes light up as she listened.

She stood up, took the small radio, and weighed it in her hands.

"That's great. It's not heavy, only about two pounds. If we could produce this, it would definitely sell well."

Fang Wen nodded: "Indeed, the loan agreement I signed with three American consortia specifically states that they will only continue to issue loans after seeing the developed product and its effects. This is the first one. If it can be mass-produced, I want to sell it abroad in large quantities to earn foreign exchange."

"Will it work?" Kuang Mingzhu asked.

“Sure, I’m going to Changsha to commission the joint university there to train a group of technical engineers,” Fang Wen replied.

“You did this once before when you were at the aircraft manufacturing plant, and many people in the country criticized you for it. Now that you’re recruiting college graduates again, it probably won’t be so easy,” Kuang Mingzhu said worriedly.

This matter has indeed had an impact.

After all, in this era, many people believed that scholars had a class status. Fang Wen recruited college students to go to Yangon, and although he actually built an airplane, some people still said that he had disgraced scholars.

Fang Wen didn't care about that. In the future, college students wouldn't be so aloof. In this era, it wouldn't be a bad thing for college students to participate in industrial development to save the country.

Immediately afterwards, he took Gong Xiuneng and flew to Changsha in a seaplane.

The distance from Wuhan to Changsha is only about 280 kilometers, and the seaplane took only one hour to reach the airspace over Changsha.

The plane flew to the Xiangjiang River section and landed at Taishan Aviation Sea Airport near the Yuelu Mountain section.

After landing, Fang Wen and Gong Xiu got off the plane and went directly to the sea airport.

The rickshaw drivers outside the airport immediately surrounded them.

"Where are you two going?"

Gong Xiuneng asked, "Do you know about the Southwest Associated University?"

The rickshaw pullers shook their heads blankly.

Fang Wendao: "Those are the schools from the north."

“Oh, in the leek garden,” the rickshaw pullers replied.

Fang Wen then selected two rickshaws, and the two rickshaw drivers happily pulled the passenger eastward.

(Changsha during the Republican era, before it was affected by war. The photographer was on Yuelu Mountain, with Orange Isle in the middle and CS city on the opposite bank.)
Two rickshaws, one in front of the other, traveled along the streets of Changsha.

The city is bustling, in a traditional and classical way.

The city was full of wooden buildings, with tall buildings only two or three stories high.

Looking at these scenes, Fang Wen, the pilot, couldn't help but think of something else.

If the Japanese army were to attack Changsha, these wooden buildings would likely be easily ignited by fire, causing a city-wide fire.

It seems that such an accident really did happen in history.

After traveling for a while, the driver passed through a unique type of urban architecture, a towering brick and stone building.

Fang Wen had never been here before and couldn't help but ask, "What kind of building is that?"

The rickshaw driver was unaware of the Southwest Associated University, which was from elsewhere, but he knew very well about the origins of the building.

He replied, “Sir, this is called Tianxing Pavilion. It was originally a place for observing celestial phenomena. Later, a fortune teller said that the terrain here is high and the earth veins are rising, which corresponds to the heart of heaven and is an auspicious sign of flourishing literary fortune. So it was renamed ‘Tianxin Pavilion’.”

Hearing this, Fang Wen thought, "The Southwest Associated University was built in the nearby Jiucaiyuan area, could it be because the area has a strong academic atmosphere?"

(Tianxin Pavilion, built during the Republic of China era, was destroyed during the War of Resistance against Japan and later rebuilt.)
After passing Tianxin Pavilion, continue east for another 3 li (approximately 1.5 kilometers) to reach Jiucaiyuan (Leek Garden).

Contrary to expectations that the area would be deserted during the upcoming Lunar New Year, it was actually quite lively.

These students who left their hometowns, some of whose homes had become Japanese-occupied areas, could not return home and could only spend the Spring Festival at school.

Fang Wen asked a student walking towards him.

"Excuse me, do you know where the school leaders are?"

The student looked at Fang Wen and asked, "Are you Mr. Fang Wen from Taishan Airlines?"

"Oh, you know me?" Fang Wenqi asked.

“That year, I was at Peking University, and I happened to see you at the school,” the student replied.

Fang Wen smiled and talked with the student: "It was about recruiting at two universities in Beiping in 36. Two years have passed in the blink of an eye. Many students who were enrolled at that time have already graduated. You were only enrolled in 36."

"Yes, Mr. Fang. I heard that you were fighting the Japanese in the north. Your troops had planes, artillery, and tanks, and you made the Japanese cry for their mothers."

"It's not that outrageous, but we've fought quite a few battles."

"Can I join your army? I'm in great shape; I even won the 500-meter championship at this year's school sports meet."

"I think you should go somewhere better; the army isn't right for you."

Fang Wen politely declined.

Seeing this, the student was somewhat disappointed and pointed to a three-story building in the distance: "If you want to find school leaders, go there."

After saying goodbye to the students, Fang Wen and his companion walked for a few minutes before arriving at the school's office building.

There, Fang Wen found the faculty and staff who remained at the school.

They were discussing something in a classroom on the first floor.

"Now the school is moving to Yunnan, which is a long way away. We need to plan the route carefully, and each route needs to have someone leading the group so that they can't wander off or get lost along the way."

"Yes, more than a thousand students are going to be relocated to Yunnan. We can't be careless."

"We plan to take the female students and the physically weak male students to Guangzhou via the Yuehan Railway, and then through Hong Kong and Vietnam to Yunnan."

"Teacher Liu and I led a group of students on the Xiang-Gui Highway to Guilin, then through Liuzhou, Nanning, and Vietnam into Yunnan."

"Two hundred students from the student union requested to go on their own; they plan to cross the three provinces of Hunan, Guizhou, and Yunnan."

Listening to the lively discussion, Fang Wen couldn't help but chime in.

"I can help send all the students to Yunnan."

The discussion immediately stopped, and the teachers looked at Fang Wen outside the door.

Some people know Fang Wen.

Professor Wen from the Physics Department exclaimed with delight, "It's Mr. Fang from Taishan Airlines! If he can help, there won't be so much trouble."

Even those who hadn't met Fang Wen knew that Taishan Airlines had transported tens of thousands of civilians in half a month, so they were definitely capable of sending a mere 1000 students to Yunnan.

Suddenly free from his worries, he warmly welcomed Fang Wen.

Fang Wen quickly declined, saying, "No need. Let's just talk about when to send the students, and set some rules so I can make arrangements when we get back."

Professor Wen replied, "We plan to depart after the Spring Festival and strive to have all students at the new campus in Kunming before the start of the new semester in March."

Fang Wen thought for a moment and replied, "Our Taishan Airlines has a water airport on Dianchi Lake in Kunming. We need to transfer at a water airport on the Yuanjiang River. The estimated flight distance is 1100 kilometers and it will take about five hours to arrive."

There is no harm without comparison.

The teachers' original plan was to travel to Kunming in the southwest, which would take anywhere from twenty days to more than a month due to the winding roads.

You can take a plane; the journey of over 1000 kilometers only takes a little over 5 hours.

The difference is just too big.

Therefore, they can better understand the significance of Fang Wen's help.

One professor said with emotion, "Mr. Fang, you have been a great help. On behalf of the students and teachers of the school, I thank you."

This was a perfect opportunity for Fang Wen to speak, so he immediately went along with it, saying, "No need for thanks. I'm here today because I have something I'd like to ask you all for help with."

"What is it?" "Just tell us," the teachers said one after another.

Fang Wen took out a small radio.

"This is it. My research institute has developed a new type of electronic device that can be carried around and receive broadcasts. I want to industrialize this electronic device, mass-produce it, and sell it all over the world. But this electronic device requires a lot of technical talent, and I would like to recruit a group of students from your school."

The teachers fell silent.

Professor Wen said with a wry smile, "General Manager Fang, you're recruiting again. Last time you recruited many of our outstanding students, and this time we finally trained a batch, and you're going to recruit them all again."

His words represent the sentiments of many teachers.

In this era, university students are the best talents. If Fangwen recruits too many, other places will have fewer.

Fang Wen said seriously, "The batch of college students I recruited have now become engineers at the aircraft manufacturing plant. In Asia, apart from the Japanese invaders, they are the only ones who can manufacture airplanes. Isn't that a good thing?"

“But this time you’re not hiring an aircraft engineer,” one teacher replied.

It seems that the perception of electronic engineers has changed over time.

People of this era may not understand the crucial role that electronics engineers will play in the future.

Fang Wen settled for second best.

“Then let’s try a different approach: targeted training. I will send 500 students to your Yunnan campus for targeted training. You will have to teach them the basics of electromagnetism, radio, circuit electronics, and other electrical knowledge within three months.”

These 500 students, all college students from Nanjing to Wuhan, were originally promised by Fang Wen to join Taishan Airlines and serve the country in another way. Now is the perfect time.

Teachers are not opposed to the new teaching method of targeted commissioned training proposed by Fang Wen.

Mastering the basics of electricity in three months varies in difficulty from person to person; a smart and eager learner may be able to master it in less than three months.

After some internal discussion, they agreed to Fang Wen's request.

That made things much easier. Fang Wen immediately flew back to Wuhan and organized a fleet of seaplanes.

This batch of seaplanes will transport 500 students from Wuhan and more than 1000 students and teachers from Changsha to Kunming in the southwest after the Spring Festival.

(End of this chapter)