Chapter 626 Torpedo Attack Aircraft

Charles had his dinner on the plane. It was a few pieces of cake and a can of jelly given by Wells before he left. These were a luxury for Charles, who had been eating dry bread for a long time.

However, it was not easy to eat in an open cockpit like the Avro. Charles had to shrink in the narrow belly of the plane and stuff the food into his mouth like a thief. He didn't even dare to open the fruit paste, as he was worried that it would splash all over his body if the plane bumped.

After dark, the fleet, including four escorting Camel fighters, landed smoothly in Paris.

The location was not the flying club's airfield, but an aircraft manufacturing plant.

Eric, who received the news, brought people to meet Charles. When he saw the plane landing, he happily went to greet it with brisk steps and his face full of anticipation and joy.

However, when he saw Charles jumping down from the plane, he was stunned. The little guy's whole temperament was different, not just because of the general's uniform, but because of the way he held his head high and was full of confidence, and his calm eyes seemed to be looking down at everyone around him from another height.

"What's wrong, Uncle Eric?" Charles stepped forward and patted Eric on the shoulder: "Can't recognize you?"

"Yes, General." Eric seemed a little embarrassed: "You, you seem to have become a different person."

"People always change." Charles replied, sighing inwardly.

He could understand Eric's strange feeling, which was the maturity honed by battlefields and political struggles. Even Charles himself felt that his mentality was different from before.

Some of the "conspiracies" that had been set up before had cost the lives of soldiers and officers (referring to Jean Bloux's seizure of power).

If it were in the past, Charles would definitely not choose these "cruel" practices.

But now, he doesn't even feel guilty about using it.

The reason is simple: Charles has seen the world clearly. He knows that if he wants to survive here, he must do everything he can, otherwise he will become a fish at the mercy of others.

Eric led Charles into the office, and the first thing Charles did was to sit in front of the stove and warm himself by the fire. He was almost frozen after flying in the sky for several hours.

Looking up, Charles watched in surprise as Eric walked towards the bookshelf. He took away a few books on one shelf and took out a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses from the secret compartment.

"Would you like a drink?" Eric smiled and waved the bottle at Charles: "Margaux from Bordeaux."

"Yes," Charles replied, and then asked: "I thought you had given up drinking."

Eric smiled and placed the glass on the coffee table next to Ciel, and replied proudly as he poured the wine: "This is my secret."

Charles smiled knowingly. It seemed that he had put a lot of effort into hiding it.

In other words, Mrs. Eric actually knew, but as long as Eric could control the amount, she would turn a blind eye.

"The aircraft manufacturing plant is doing very well." Eric sat down opposite Charles, raised his glass and clinked it with Charles's, his eyes full of respect and gratitude. "We have reached the top of the industry, General. People from all over the world come to us to buy aircraft. I never dreamed that the factory could develop to such a height."

Charles said "hmm".

This was within his expectations. Not to mention other domestic aircraft manufacturers, they could not compare with Charles' aircraft manufacturer at all.

Overseas, even the world's leading superpower, Britain, has to buy aircraft from the Shire Aircraft Factory, and there is no dispute that it is at the top of the industry.

(Note: At this time, the world's largest industrial country was the United States. However, because the United States did not participate in the war, its military industry and technology lagged behind Europe and it was still in a state of being big but not strong.)

But Charles was not interested in this. He said, "I am not here for business, Uncle Eric."

Charles did not expect the aircraft manufacturer to make money. After deducting the research and development funds, there would be little left. The only way to expect it to make money was after the air war with Germany was fully launched and the losses increased significantly.

But it cannot be without, because it is the most important strategic equipment, which cannot be measured by money.

Eric was not surprised at all. He laughed and said, "Is it because there are new demands on the battlefield?"

Ciel glanced at Eric in surprise.

Eric raised his chin. "Come on, General, it's not hard to guess. The engine has reached 225 horsepower. Everyone is guessing what new model you will come up with, especially those people in the research institute."

Charles said "Oh", it turned out that it was because of the improvement of the aircraft engine.

"I may disappoint you." Charles smiled. "At present, our fighter planes are still ahead of the enemy. We only need to change to a closed cockpit to further increase the speed. There is no need to launch a new model."

After a pause, Charles continued, "However, I think the research institute should be divided into more detailed parts."

"Yes." Eric agreed: "I have the same idea. They have to design the aircraft while upgrading the engine. The two can be separated."

In the early days of aircraft development, everyone was an expert, usually knowing how to do this and that.

However, when it develops to a certain level, as technology becomes more mature and equipment becomes more advanced, it is neither necessary nor possible for everyone to know everything. Instead, everyone should specialize in their own field so that they can develop better and more professionally.

Charles added: "We will also set up a torpedo attack aircraft research and development department."

This is Charles' main purpose of visiting the aircraft manufacturing plant this time.

"Torpedo attack aircraft?" Eric was stunned: "A new model?"

Charles just said there are no new models.

"No, not a new model," Charles replied simply: "Just use a Caproni bomber, replace its engine with 200 horsepower, and let it carry torpedoes."

Historically, Italy used the Caproni to carry an 800 kg torpedo when the engine was upgraded to 150 horsepower.

Total horsepower of the three engines is 450.

It's just that it's a bit difficult to carry, the speed is not fast, and all machine guns and unnecessary equipment have to be removed.

Now, Charles has replaced the engine with a 200-horsepower one, bringing the total horsepower to 600, which is enough to carry a heavy torpedo.

Eric didn't react for a long time after hearing this. He said with difficulty: "General, you mean to use bombers to carry torpedoes to... attack warships?"

He had always thought that bombers could only be used in land combat, but he didn't expect that they could also be used in naval battles and to attack warships.

Charles was a little confused. Isn't it normal to use fighter planes and bombers in naval battles?

Then I thought about it and realized that this concept alone was ahead of its time.

There were almost no fighter planes involved in naval battles of this era, and the ones that were involved were seaplanes used for reconnaissance. Their machine guns were just a tickle to the tough warships, so no one cared about the development of seaplanes.

(Not only at sea, many people in World War I were skeptical about the role of aircraft on land.)

(End of this chapter)