Chapter 851 The Father of World Aviation (Second update, please subscribe)
Protect the heavy bomber airship with the combat airship!
Is this idea new?
It must have been very new in 1876; after all, airships had only been in use for six years.
"If you have a spear, you also need a shield!"
Emperor Zhu said directly.
"If the sky is the sea, the bombing airship is the battleship, and the combat airship is the torpedo boat. It can launch torpedoes to attack the bombing airship, and it can also intercept the enemy's combat airship before the combat airship gets close. The combat airship is both a spear to attack the enemy's airship and a shield to protect its own airship..."
This tactical idea is fresh!
This is absolutely a new idea that came out of nowhere. If it were in a world war I, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang could be called the "Father of Air Combat" based on this idea alone.
"Your Majesty, what is this helicarrier?"
"It's a warship that carries an airship. The airship is launched directly from the ship, and it can intercept the airship or bomb the enemy ship from a distance."
It is the airship version of an aircraft carrier. Emperor Zhu has thought it through. Just like the aircraft carrier in another world, it can be directly converted from a coal carrier.
"The helicarrier is used to coordinate with the fleet and can be mixed into the fleet."
This is the floating battle group!
Just thinking about it makes me excited!
Then Emperor Zhu mentioned special transport airships, bombing airships, and of course miniaturized reconnaissance airships. In a word, all the roles that later aircraft would play were included.
In this way, a complete floating aircraft system will naturally be formed. Following His Majesty's explanation, Wang Xinyue's originally nervous expression became more and more excited. If such a floating system is established, it will be the spring of the floating army!
Just as Wang Xinyue was fantasizing about further expanding the floating army and imagining a wide variety of airships, suddenly a word from His Majesty made him a little confused.
"But no matter what, the airship will be eliminated."
"What! Your Majesty!"
Wang Xinyue said in astonishment.
"What do you mean by eliminated? How can airships be eliminated? Are there any new aircrafts?" "There are definitely new aircrafts, but they are not airships. Airships have no future." Emperor Zhu ignored Wang Xinyue's astonishment and answered while writing something on a notebook with a pen.
"The new flying machine is called an airplane."
"airplane?"
The idea of a glider immediately came to Wang Xinyue’s mind.
"Glider? We've tried that thing before. Although it can fly for an hour or two, it has too many limitations, and it has no maneuverability in the air."
Airplane? I think it's more like a flying chicken...
"That's because the glider has no power. It would be completely different if it had power."
Emperor Zhu laughed.
"It's called an airplane because it's a flying machine."
"A flying machine? Your Majesty, do we have one now?"
"this."
It seems that they have used more than one ton of aluminum, but they have not yet produced a qualified engine. It seems that the aircraft is still a long way off!
While thinking about how to speed up the development of the aircraft, Wang Xinyue seemed to have made some new discoveries and asked curiously:
"Your Majesty, I am a little confused!"
"you say?"
"Since Your Majesty said that airships have no future? Then why did you propose to vigorously develop airships? And you formulated a plan to develop new transport airships, bombing airships, reconnaissance airships, and combat airships? And what about this floating carrier?"
"Oh, this, this is for the British and foreigners to see!"
Emperor Zhu explained with a smile,
"Airships have no future, so they are best developed by foreigners. In the past, although the British developed airships, they found that airships were not as powerful as they imagined. They could only bomb cities. If there was only one type of airship, its use would definitely be very limited. So we have to form a system. This time, the airship's attack on the warship was successful, and the most sensitive people must be the British. Of course, other countries whose naval strength is not as strong as that of the British will definitely vigorously develop airships. Developing airships costs a lot of money. Of course, the most important thing is to bring in the British..."
Dragging Britain into an "arms race" where it was doomed to be eliminated was what the Great Emperor Zhu had always wanted. However, after selling those airships, the British were very disappointing. They only built less than 150 airships and spent only a few million pounds. It was really a bit... unworthy of the title of the British Empire!
"Now that our airships are performing so well in all aspects, the British will definitely increase their investment in airships in order to maintain their maritime superiority. After learning that we have airships to protect the fleet, they will definitely develop and build corresponding airships to protect the fleet. If these projects are added together, at least tens of millions of pounds will be invested. The more the British spend on airship projects, the less they will invest in surface ships, underwater ships and aircraft. This is also an opportunity for us to surpass them and overtake them."
Overtaking on a curve!
This is exactly why Emperor Zhu wanted to choose the wrong technology tree for Britain. If Ming Dynasty wants to rise, it must not only seize the favorable opportunity of the Second Industrial Revolution, but also lead the enemy astray. Only when the enemy goes astray can Ming Dynasty be far ahead of them on the road to success.
Leading the enemy onto the wrong path and leaving them with no way out is the real magic weapon to win the competition between countries!
Just having some technological first-mover advantages does not necessarily ensure that you will always have an advantage. The most important thing is to disrupt the enemy's technology tree.
Of course, if you want to change their technology tree, you must invest a certain amount of money, but compared to Britain, Ming Dynasty only needs to make pioneering investments.
"Your Majesty, this, this..."
Faced with His Majesty's total rejection of airships, Wang Xinyue, the chief of staff of the floating force, was obviously unable to accept it, and he said directly.
"I think that since the airplanes that Your Majesty is talking about have not yet been invented, how can Your Majesty assert that airships have no future?"
After reading the proposal drafted by His Majesty, Wang Xinyue chose to be a loyal minister - firmly defending the development of the floating force.
"The power of airships is obvious to all. I think we should vigorously develop airships according to your majesty's draft. As for airplanes, it won't be too late to talk about it after they are developed!"
Wang Xinyue’s answer made Emperor Zhu Da serious.
"Airships... can be used when you have air superiority, but otherwise, they are practically useless..."
(End of this chapter)
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