Chapter 376: Female stepfather’s business
There are many tragic characters here in Lao Maozi. During World War II, those designers who worked during the day and designed at night were miserable. During the Cold War, Lao Maozi went all out to develop military industry. Some were proud and others were frustrated.
Yakovlev is one of the more tragic figures. He rose to fame during World War II and was marginalized during the Cold War.
And Alexeyev is even more tragic.
When his project received attention, he was directly promoted to the director and chief designer of the Central Hydrofoil Design Bureau. Therefore, this design bureau was also called the Alexeyev Central Design Bureau. At that time, he had great influence With power, all funds can be used to develop ground-effect aircraft. This is how the Caspian Sea monster can come out in a few years.
However, when the new leadership came to power, he was not taken seriously and was demoted to the director of the ground-effect aircraft program. He could no longer interfere with the design bureau's funds.
Alexeyev was very annoyed. He went to his superiors countless times to ask for money, people, and projects. Therefore, he finally **** off the senior management. He was eventually demoted to an ordinary employee and had no power to ask for money. .
Alexeyev was deeply hit and soon fell ill. Just like Makarov at the Black Sea Shipyard, he finally died in depression because of Varyag's departure.
But fortunately, he still has a daughter. His daughter will inherit his wishes and continue to develop ground-effect aircraft.
"In 1980, our only KM prototype was damaged during testing and could not be repaired. Seeing that the project had to be terminated, I decided to lower the project requirements and focus on practicality, so I built this smaller flower tail. Pigeon." At this time, Alexeyeva, as if she had found someone to talk to, told all her experiences over the years.
"We installed six anti-ship missile launchers on it. In this way, it has actual combat capabilities. By relying on high speed and flying close to the sea, it can launch attacks on the enemy. In this way, it has obtained Funds were used to build this Pigeon." Alexeyeva said: "However, after the collapse of the Red Empire, our project had to be stopped, and the country no longer had any funds to support it."
“There must be technical problems, right?” Qin Tao said: “For example, the fuel consumption of the first eight engines must be quite high. Moreover, flying close to the sea surface will be more corroded by sea water.”
"Yes, there are technical problems, but no technology will mature all at once. We always need to keep trying and improving." Alexeyeva said: "In fact, its biggest technical problem is , it is not these engines, but when flying on the sea, its steering is very difficult and the turning radius is large. At the same time, this device is neither a ship nor an airplane, and it is very difficult to operate."
"If this is the case, it may be solved with current advanced technology." Qin Tao said: "For example, there is already a digital fly-by-wire flight control, which can be transplanted to greatly increase its operability. As for the difficulty of steering, problems can be solved using vector control technology.”
“Yes, these technologies are what we are considering, but now, we have no funds.”
“If I provide you with funds, will you continue this project?” Qin Tao asked Alexeyeva.
"Are you willing to support this project?" Alexeyeva was happy at first, and then her eyes dimmed: "You don't understand, this project requires a large amount of funds. The Cold War is over, and no one will support us in this kind of project." project."
"No one? Am I not a human being?" Qin Tao looked at Alexeyeva speechlessly: "I have already said that I can provide you with funds. Of course, for the purpose of cost control, I think it can be done again Reduce the demand and build a small ground-effect aircraft. At the same time, conduct a large number of wind tunnel experiments to find out the flight control rate. In this case, an initial investment of 50 million US dollars should be able to guarantee five years of research, right?"
Fifty million dollars?
Alexeyeva's eyes were full of surprise: "Are you so rich? Are you willing to spend 50 million to support my project?"
"I'm not very rich, but this little money is nothing to me. It's just that you need to go to the East and go to us to establish a professional design unit. By the way, if you want to be able to bring your previous research Information would be even better.”
“The main information is all in the design bureau. However, here are the work notes of me and my father. There are about ten notebooks. We... By the way, I don’t know your true identity yet.”
Alexeyeva is not a three-year-old child after all. If she is deceived by these words, she would be too mentally retarded.
“I’m not a big shot either. I opened a shipyard in the East and am now the CEO of Mingzhou Group.”
“Is it the Mingzhou Group that stole the show at the Asian Defense Exhibition?” Alexeyeva opened her eyes wide.
"Yes, it is." Qin Tao said: "Last month, we bid for the Gwadar Port, and then came to Parthia to check the progress of the Abbas Shipyard. Later, by some strange combination of circumstances, we came here. So, would you like to come with us?"
“I want to know how I can confirm your identity. I don’t want a business card.”
Qin Tao smiled: "I can give you our passport, but passports can also be forged. Now, we have nothing to prove our identity. Everything depends on your intuition and judgment."
So, the scene became quiet again.
Alexeyeva is obviously thinking.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes.
She finally let out a long breath: "Okay, I decided to believe you. Even if you are an organization that sells human QG, I will admit it. I will go with you."
What Qin Tao said, such as the bidding for Gwadar Port and the Abbas Shipyard, are all the concerns of talents in the industry. If it were other organizations, they might not fabricate them so realistically. Moreover, after the two people came up, each of them She heard all these emotions, and she probably came here because she liked this big guy.
Now, she wants to take a gamble. She knows that it is impossible for Damao to continue investing in this, and she can only change her employer.
“Okay, let’s go, but how do we get to this place?”
"This place is actually an escape passage we designed." Alexeyeva said: "Once we encounter danger and want to jump into the sea to escape, we will go down here, so the bottom floor can also be used opened."
As she said that, she went to explore the corresponding mechanism.
However, there was no movement below.
"If you are flying over the sea, it can indeed be opened, but now, there is sand below, and the door opens outward." Qin Tao saw the problem at a glance: "So, the door cannot be opened temporarily."
It is actually not difficult at all to open a hatch on this hull-like belly and keep it airtight, because all kinds of seaplanes have this device. The belly of the seaplane is like a boat. When it comes to land, there is another one under the belly. You have to open your mouth to retract and retract the landing gear.
It’s just that it’s not easy to open the hatch on this beach.
Alexeyeva’s expression changed.
The door below cannot be opened, and the side cannot be climbed up, because since it is used as an escape route, when they were doing it, the side was specially made to be very smooth, just like riding on a slide, but now it has become a burden.
what to do?
“Then we can only call for help here.” Qin Tao said.
Actually, Xu Zhengyang is capable of going up. After all, although the steel rope around his waist was blown away, he can still retract it, rewind it, restore the mechanism, and shoot out.
However, Qin Tao did not choose this option, because if he had the ability to go up easily, but ended up staying here chattering, would he be suspected by others?
"Help? There is no one around here. The nearest village is five kilometers away." Alexeyeva was a little worried, but Qin Tao had already shouted.
“Help, come here!”
Xu Zhengyang also shouted, and at the same time, he pressed the switch of a transmitter he carried with him.
Footsteps soon sounded outside, and then, among the thumping sounds, there were footsteps stepping on the car that Qin Tao and the others had left behind. They jumped on the wing and got into the cabin. They were about to search forward and backward. In the open hole in the back passage There was a sound.
“We accidentally fell, give us the rope!”
So, a rope was hung down.
The sound of footsteps leaving.
Qin Tao and Xu Zhengyang came up, and then directed Alexeyeva to tie the rope around her waist, and they worked together to pull her up.
By the time Alexeyeva came up, no one else could be seen except Qin Tao and Xu Zhengyang.
“Where is the person who saved us?”
"I just left. I want to give them money, but they don't want it. It's true that you do good deeds without leaving your name." Qin Tao said.
"Oh." Although Alexeyeva was a little suspicious, she didn't ask. Anyway, just come up.
“It would be better if this flower-tailed pigeon could move, and we could take it away with us,” Qin Tao said.
"No, in the past few years, due to lack of funds, it has not undergone any maintenance, especially its engine, which has actually been scrapped." Alexeyeva said.
In this case, Qin Tao had no choice but to give up. He originally thought that as long as he flew across the Caspian Sea to the Parthian Kingdom on the opposite side, he could call the An-225 over and fly back on the back of the An-225, but now , and can only give up.
Lao Maozi's engine has a really short life. Normal operation only lasts for 300 hours. When used in an environment like the seaside, the only Dove ever built was built in 1980, so the engine must have reached the end of its life.
“Besides, this ship is Damao’s property and we have no right to take it away.”
"Okay." Qin Tao nodded: "Then we will take you and your father's diary and leave in the car. By the way, how did you get up here?"
Qin Tao and the others used the car as a step, climbed up the wing, opened the door, and then got in. Ordinarily, where was Alexeyeva? How did such a fat woman get up there without a gangway?
“There is a passage at the back, with a gangway leading directly to the ground.”
There is indeed a shortcut, but Qin Tao is not familiar with it either!
Getting the diary, he walked through the passage where the cover could be opened again. Xu Zhengyang walked at the front, reached the handle, and put down the notebook he was holding.
“I’m so tired, I’ll take a rest here.”
Xu Zhengyang pinched his arm with his hands and watched several people pass by, feeling relieved.
Alexeyeva walked to the front and opened another handle. These are purely mechanical designs and do not require electricity, compressed air or hydraulic pressure. The tail hatch opened and a tall gangway appeared.
Back in the car, Xu Zhengyang started the engine and slowly left here.
Alexeyeva finally turned her head and glanced at this huge creature, her heart filled with nostalgia.
As the car started moving, this huge creature gradually moved away. Alexeyeva's heart was full of mixed feelings.
Qin Tao was also very emotional.
He just wanted to come and see the imperial heritage. Even Qin Tao never thought that he would meet Alexeyeva here and take her away.
Ground effect is called the hand of God, and the ground effect aircraft is held up by the hand of God. However, I don’t know whether this thing is practical.
Because, the research and development was not mature in the Red Empire era, and it was not mature in later generations. Although all countries are researching, there are still many technical difficulties.
For Qin Tao, this is an adventure.
However, doing business is inherently risky. Once you have money, you just want to make various investments to continuously promote the development of science and technology in the motherland.
Taking advanced quantum technology as an example, all countries think it is impossible, but hasn’t the motherland matured this technology? Perhaps, Mingzhou Group can also mature its ground effect aircraft?
Moreover, since it has become a project of the Mingzhou Group, it means that although this thing is called a ground-effect aircraft, it will eventually be boiled down to a boat. After all, Alexeyev was also studying hydrofoils at the time. , something like this.
Qin Tao glanced at the flower-tailed pigeon for the last time. He knew that just tonight, a fire would be ignited here, causing countless people to sigh. The precious property of the empire was finally ignored by the hateful bureaucrats, and finally burned down by an accidental fire. Got it!
Of course, Lao Maozi didn't pay attention to it because it was an abandoned product of the empire. The technical data of this flower-tailed pigeon were still left in the Central Hydrofoil Design Bureau. They didn't know that for a brand-new When it comes to products, designers are very important.
An incompetent designer will not be able to bring out a project. In the future, Lao Maozi will just use the legacy to continue to make models for display. It is no longer possible to continue development.
As for the future, the Fourth Design Office under Mingzhou Shipbuilding Industry Group will continue to shine in this regard.
By the time Qin Tao returned to Huating, half a month had passed and the time had entered June.
In Pudong New Area, Mingzhou Group has acquired a piece of industrial land. The newly built R&D building on this land has a sign of the Fourth Design Office.
Alexeyeva stood in front of this sign, still feeling like she was dreaming.
She believed in her intuition, so she followed Qin Tao. Along the way, she passed many means of transportation and walked many roads that she had not taken before. Now, she finally arrived at her destination.
Construction is going on everywhere here, and it looks lively. The buildings here have become institutions specializing in the study of ground-effect aircraft, which makes her a little unbelievable. It feels like she is in a dream!
"Alexeyeva, you will work here from now on." Qin Tao said: "This place has been equipped with advanced computer systems for auxiliary design, but at present, you are only one person, so next, You need to move around.”
“What are you doing?”
"Go to various universities in our country to give lectures and lure the college students to become the main technical force in the development of ground-effect aircraft." Qin Tao said: "Someone will take you along, but whether you can pull the team together depends on you. publicity."
In this day and age, college students are allocated by the government. Qin Tao and his Mingzhou Group are unable to coordinate with various prestigious universities and request that college students be assigned.
However, the number of college students under the Mingzhou Group is increasing. Of course, they have fooled them. It is already June, and the college students are supposed to get their registration cards soon and report to various distribution units.
However, there are always some people who are dissatisfied with the assigned jobs, and there are also some people who cannot stay in big cities because they have no connections. At this time, Mingzhou Group will appear in front of them and tell them to go to Huating, go to Mingzhou Group Work, the newly established design office designs advanced ground-effect aircraft!
Whether you are majoring in aviation or shipbuilding, you can come in!
It doesn’t take much, just fool a dozen or twenty college students, and the design office can officially start work. After all, Alexeyeva is the only one, and that is absolutely impossible.
Alexeyeva nodded: “I’ll try my best.”
Even if this matter was arranged, when he returned home, Qin Tao lay lazily on the sofa, enjoying a moment of peace and tranquility.
Creak!
The door rang, and two people walked in. One of them had a bulging belly.
"You're back?"
“Yes, everything is finally arranged.” Qin Tao looked at his wife: “Be careful, don’t run away.”
Zhao Ling sat on Qin Tao's side and felt Qin Tao's palm caressing her belly.
“Daughter, I haven’t heard my father’s voice for half a month. Do you miss me?”
“How did you know she was a daughter?” Zhao Ling asked funnyly.
“Okay, son, half a month…”
“How do you know it’s your son?”
"Okay, kid, the kid is finally done, right? Kid, do you miss your daddy?"
“Think about it.”
This voice was of course made by Zhao Ling. Qin Tao smiled and looked at his wife with affection.
“Ahem, cough, Taozi, what do you want to eat tonight?” Zhao Xiu’e’s voice sounded.
“Anything is fine, I can say it. By the way, Mom, don’t we have a nanny? Let the nanny do it and you can rest.”
“Mom is also idle when she is idle.”
The sound of footsteps came again outside, this time it was Wu Shengli.
“Dad, have you just come to Huating, or have you never left?”
"Of course I just came here." Wu Shengli said: "It's not because of you, boy. You did a great job this time. You bid for Gwadar Port. Your superiors are very satisfied with you and want to call you to the capital. I was stopped."
“Thank you, Dad.”
"Your superiors are very satisfied with your third-phase plan for Gwadar Port." Wu Shengli continued: "Especially the construction of the third phase, the superiors will also seriously consider it. This is a strategic matter for us. event."
"Um."
“I heard that you also made a fortune?”
“Not much, just 200 million. By the way, there are also a batch of missiles mounted on the Su-27, which will be shipped when the time comes. With this batch of missiles, if our navy..."
Qin Tao originally wanted to say that if the navy was useless, then it would be given to the air force. After all, it was only used by the air force's Su-27.
However, unexpectedly, Wu Shengli immediately waved his hand: "Why is it useless? Keep it for our navy. Our navy's J-82 fighter jets can also be used after they are modified with avionics."
J-82, modified avionics? Qin Tao was stunned for a moment: "Have you installed the radar on the MiG-29?"
However, Qin Tao still finds it a little strange. The project of modifying the J-82's Bug radar seems to be a foreign trade project. Why is the Navy still paying attention to it?
Although China has begun to introduce the Su-27 production line and assemble this kind of fighter itself, the initial production capacity is very low after all, so it still has to provide the air force first. For a long time, the navy only has the J-82 to play the leading role. Therefore, it is understandable if the Navy wants to introduce the Beetle radar. After all, there is no money in the pocket, so it is appropriate to make do with it after modification.
Wu Shengli nodded: "Yes, the 601 Institute still hasn't given up on the J-8. After all, we modified it ourselves. Modifying the avionics is just a small step. They also have a more important J-83 project. This avionics is just one of them."
Qin Tao shook his head helplessly: "Oh, what a waste of money."
Qin Tao has heard of the J-83 project to some extent. This project is to benchmark the F-16A and Mirage 2000. It will be equipped with turbojet-14 engines and a full set of advanced avionics. It also has a loud slogan. , called the opportunity to strive for success.
But what’s the result?
The turbojet-14 is a collection of several existing domestic jet engines. After being installed on an aircraft, it is claimed to have a thrust-to-weight ratio of more than 1.1, but it has continued to malfunction, with a total of 15 mid-air stops. Specific problems include oil leakage from pipelines, root fractures of high-pressure turbine blades, and surge shutdowns.
As for avionics, it seems that they are planning to gain experience from the Peace Model project and create a mature model. However, due to insufficient technology, it seems that they are planning to directly transplant the Beetle radar.
This project will definitely fail in the end.
However, it is somewhat inappropriate for Qin Tao to pour cold water on him. After all, he is a shipbuilder, so he can only sigh with emotion.
"You, the navy and the air force, bid. I will sell to whomever offers the higher price." Qin Tao can't care about anything else, but he can care about what he handles.
“Taozi, if you want to surrender to the Air Force, just say so. Do you need to be so rude?” Wu Shengli was dissatisfied.
“I really don’t like that little money. The funds obtained can be donated to the J-31 project.”
(End of this chapter)