Although Fang Lang’s proposal was incomprehensible to everyone in the conference room, it was undoubtedly the best choice for the situation they were facing.
They had no objection to Fang Lang's idea of increasing the purchase price of trainer aircraft to share the research and development costs.
General Nero Mora was very clear about the relationship between Fang Lang and Fangyuan Group, and understood that Fang Lang's current actions were definitely to give him face, which touched him deeply.
"General Fang, I will always remember your friendship, and all my colleagues in the Air Force will also remember it deeply. Thank you for solving our biggest problem."
In fact, Fang Lang felt that this matter was actually a trivial matter. Although Fang Lang described it as very complicated, it was not difficult for Fangyuan Group to redesign a propeller trainer aircraft.
Since Professor Tan Ke is not interested in this type of propeller aircraft, it is a good opportunity for other young designers who have not had the opportunity to display their talents to gain some training. With Professor Tan Ke's guidance, young people will definitely grow quickly.
This may not be a bad thing for Fangyuan Aircraft Manufacturing Company. As for the funds required, Fang Lang does not think it is a big amount of money.
As for the piston engines used in aircraft, Fang Lang was not worried at all. You know, during World War II, Mercedes-Benz was also one of Germany's important aircraft engine suppliers, although it could not be compared with BMW.
However, the BD600-BD603 series engines he produced were also widely used by the German army. Unfortunately, this engine is an inverted V-type engine, which is somewhat different from the star-shaped layout of American aircraft engines currently used in Brazil.
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If we want to re-commission Mercedes-Benz to research the radial engine, it will obviously be time-consuming and labor-intensive and not cost-effective.
In addition, Fang Lang has several options, such as seeking support from the Bristol Company of the British Rhinehardt family and the Pratt & Whitney Company of the United States.
Given Brazil's current situation, the most appropriate thing to do is to seek support from Pratt & Whitney in the United States, or even purchase technology.
Pratt & Whitney's R-1830 "Wasp" radial layout engine is undoubtedly the best choice. Why did Fang Lang think of this engine first?
The reason is very simple. First of all, this engine was the most produced aircraft engine during the entire World War II. A total of 173,618 units were produced, accounting for 47.7% of Pratt & Whitney's total production during World War II.
Such a large production volume means that this is a very mature product, and the repair and maintenance costs will be very low.
Second, during the war, General Motors helped HP produce 50,000 of this model, and had already mastered the technical points of this engine. With Fang Lang's cooperative relationship with the Morgan family, it was not difficult to negotiate the technical license for this engine.
Third, among the fighter jets currently used by his naval aviation force, the F4F "Wildcat" fighter and the C-47 "Skytrain" transport aircraft all use this engine. If this engine is introduced, the subsequent maintenance costs will be greatly reduced.
With so many advantages, it was inevitable for Fang Lang to choose this model. As for the difficulty of introducing it, Fang Lang was not worried. It should not be difficult to ask the Morgan family to apply for it.
In addition, Pratt & Whitney has already begun to switch to jet engine research, and it is clear that it does not attach much importance to this obviously outdated product.
If they really don't want to transfer it, Fang Lang can just use a measuring tape! As for samples, there are plenty in Shata's warehouse. Let the researchers make some changes to avoid some patent troubles and go straight into production.
Thinking of this, Fang Lang even felt that this piston engine trainer aircraft might be put into production earlier than the T-1 project!
He gladly accepted the gratitude from General Nero Mora without any embarrassment.
“General Mora, we are friends, there’s no need to be so polite.
However, if you want to turn the T-1 project into a fighter jet, you will need a lot of investment.
I have just said that the T-1 is not suitable as a carrier-based aircraft, so if we redevelop a piston engine trainer aircraft, it will be difficult for our navy to provide follow-up research and development funds. "
Everyone in the conference room was stunned when they heard this. Yes! Why didn't they think of this! If the navy no longer invests, it will be a huge burden for the air force to rely on itself!
However, Fang Lang had just promised that by persuading Fangyuan Aircraft Manufacturing Company to raise funds on its own to develop a piston trainer aircraft, it would have helped the Air Force solve a big problem.
It would be a bit unreasonable to blame the other party at this time for withdrawing investment and not helping you!
After all, it was the Air Force that gave up the T-1 trainer aircraft project!
For a moment, everyone in the conference room looked at each other, not knowing how to proceed.
Finally, General Nero Mora gritted his teeth, looked at Major Leo Kant, who was in charge of contacting Fangyuan Aircraft Manufacturing Company, and said in a serious tone:
"Did Fangyuan Company tell us how long it would take and how much money it would cost to increase the overhaul time of this turboprop engine to more than a thousand hours?"
Major Leo Kant, who was standing in front of the blueprint waiting for the boss to discuss the results, was stunned when he heard this, and his eyes involuntarily looked at Fang Lang next to General Nero Mora.
Fang Lang didn't look at him, so he could only bite the bullet and say:
"This... they didn't say."
Hearing this, General Nero Mora and the air force officers in the conference room all frowned and were speechless for a moment.
In fact, Fang Lang was also paying attention to this issue. He had also heard about the actions of the Power Research Laboratory. As far as Fang Lang knew, Professor Tan Ke personally recruited some outstanding talents from Germany to join the power research and development team.
Among them were engineers who had participated in the development of the world’s first mass-produced turbojet engine, the Junkers Jumo 004B, although the working time of this engine did not exceed 150 hours.
But this was because Germany was blockaded and lacked many trace metal elements. Brazil does not have this problem now.
As a professional, Professor Tan Ke knows very well what kind of talents he needs, so Fang Lang actually has very high expectations for this engine.
Seeing the expressions of the people in the conference room, he was a little worried that if he didn't encourage them, the Air Force Department might not dare to invest in the future.
“General Mora, don’t worry. As far as I know, the Power Research Laboratory is already trying to solve these problems.
If my guess is correct, within a year, we will be able to meet the Air Force's requirement to increase the engine overhaul time to more than one thousand hours."
Of course everyone believed what Fang Lang said, after all, he was the boss behind the Fangyuan Group.
After taking Fang Lang's reassurance, General Nero Mora's face immediately turned rosy. He laughed at everyone in the conference room and said:
"If it's a year, everyone should be able to withstand the pressure!"
Only then did Fang Lang realize that the reason why General Nero Mora invited him to the conference room to discuss these issues in front of so many people was probably because different voices had emerged among his followers!
Seeing that the independent training aircraft development project led by him did not achieve the desired results, some people raised objections, which put him under great pressure!
After all this time, it turns out that this involves political struggle!
So it is not that General Nero Mora really thinks that the T-1 has excess technology and wants to abandon the more advanced turboprop engine and adopt the outdated piston engine.
It seems that this piston engine trainer aircraft project is essentially a political compromise project!
Upon hearing this, all the air force generals in the conference room laughed and said:
"No problem. In a year, we will definitely be able to withstand the pressure."
"Yes! Yes! We will ask for less military expenditure this year and will fully support the improvement of the T-1 into a fighter jet."
Although everyone was smiling, Fang Lang had made a judgment in his mind. When he looked at the expressions of these people again, he could find many interesting details that he had not noticed at first.
I didn't expect that the Brazilian Air Force, which was established less than five years ago, has already started to become divided into factions!
Compared to the Rio de Janeiro aircraft carrier battle group that he built himself, General Nairo Mora is not having an easy time!
Turning his head to look at General Nero Mora beside him, Fang Lang really wanted to ask him, now that he knew that the overhaul time of the engine could be increased to one thousand hours within a year, whether he should give up the backward piston engine project and continue the T-1 trainer aircraft project.
But after seeing the other person's serious expression, Fang Lang chose to shut up.
Anyway, the manufacturing of the T-1 prototype has been completed now. Once the engine overhaul time is improved, the T-1 project can be declared a success.
Fangyuan Group can start selling this trainer aircraft equipped with a turboprop engine, and Fang Lang doesn’t care whether the Air Force buys it or not.
As for developing a fighter jet based on the T-1, in fact, it does not require much effort at all, because when the T-1 project was first developed, many of the suggestions Fang Lang made were to ensure that the T-1 project had the basis for transformation into a fighter jet.
This is to make the T-1 a series model like the successful "Super Tucano" of Brazil in the future.
Therefore, the purpose of today's Air Force meeting was to let Fang Lang agree to persuade Fangyuan Aircraft Manufacturing Company to manufacture a piston engine trainer aircraft, proactively lowering the technical level of the trainer aircraft.
At the same time, Fang Lang, on behalf of the Navy, stated that the Navy would no longer participate in the project to transform the T-1 into a fighter jet, saving the Navy some subsequent research and development funds.
As for the success of engine research, T-1 will naturally be successful, and the Navy can directly obtain the technical ownership of this model.
From this perspective, the political struggle within the Air Force was a complete waste of resources and completely unnecessary. Even Fang Lang felt that it was a waste of his time.
General Nero Mora was obviously very dissatisfied with this. After hearing everyone say that there was no problem, he stopped talking and stood up and said:
"In that case, this meeting ends here."
After saying this, he looked at Fang Lang beside him and said:
"General Fang, I'm really sorry to have caused you so much trouble.
I hope you don't mind coming to my office for a cup of tea."
Hearing this, Fang Lang pretended to be ignorant and stood up, smiling and said to General Nero Mora:
"General Mora, you are joking. I came here because I heard that you invited me to tea. Of course I have to go to your office for tea.
But now, drinking tea alone is not enough, you have to treat me to a big meal."
Fang Lang's performance made General Nero Mora breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that Fang Lang was not angry because of his actions this time.
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