Chapter 115

Inside the cafeteria.

"Hmph, these Easterners are simply daydreaming; so far they haven't a single qualified turboshaft engine, yet they dare to mock our engine!"

Eastern cuisine is delicious, especially for these foreign technical advisors; after they arrived, the food standard became that of pilot treatment.

At this moment, Qiewaliye was spearing a piece of sweet and sour pork with his fork, putting it in his mouth, and muttering.

"Yeah, the engine's cold-start difficulty is indeed a problem, but… most of our French aircraft customers are in tropical and temperate zones, rarely encountering such extreme cold. Damn it, I've had enough of this cold during my time here!" Another engineer spoke up: "So, this problem, we never solved it before; the Easterners definitely can't solve it either!"

He said that, putting the chicken together with mushrooms into his mouth; not bad, it's still chicken, while Westerners only fry or roast it, this Eastern method gives a refreshing feeling.

They ate while talking, but Auguste remained silent the whole time.

"Auguste, what are you thinking about?"

"We… still need those composite materials; this time our relations have become a bit strained; next, we need to find a way to make amends. Right, we should also send a telegram domestically, asking them to send over the targeting devices and missiles for the armed helicopter..."

This might perhaps recover something; if the Easterners take a liking and want to buy, we could get more business.

"Alright, after finishing the meal, I'll go get in touch!"

Everyone chatted while eating, unknowingly an hour or two passed; when they were about to leave the cafeteria, they heard from the distant airport direction the unique whine of the engine.

"This sound is loud, not inside the hangar; could they have dragged the aircraft out again?"

"Hmph, in the time it takes to eat a meal, how could they possibly have fixed the fault? Just wait… huh, the sound is rising higher; this is the sound of the engine starting!"

"Good grief, they actually solved it?"

The crowd chattered, strode out, wrapped tightly in their military coats, boarded the prepared 212, and sped to the airport; by the time they arrived, the whine had stopped.

"Great, the cold-start problem is solved!"

"Well, let's test again tonight when it's minus thirty degrees!"

"I think the rotor can be installed; surely there'll be no problem!"

The site was filled with excited voices.

"Comrade Qin Miao, this fault's resolution is thanks to you!" Zhao Zhiqiang exclaimed excitedly: "Right, Director Mao, give Ha Gong Da a call and tell the professors from the second department not to come..."

As they spoke, the 212 appeared before them, and several senior professors from the second department got out: "What's the situation? Tell us! We brought our bedding rolls; if we can't solve the problem, we won't leave!"

"Old Zhou, you're late; the problem's already solved." Cough cough… Director Mao chuckled, and the cold wind rushed into his mouth, making him cough twice.

"What? How was it solved?"

Director Mao was about to speak when he saw a group of French people get out of the car, so he shut his mouth and gave a glance.

"I think we should go eat first; after we finish eating and come back, the aircraft will have been outside freezing for an hour or two, then we can test again!"

After Lao Lin finished speaking, he patted Qin Miao's shoulder: "Today I'm happy; come on, let's go have a few drinks!"

Thus, everyone scattered in a hubbub, leaving only a group of Frenchmen standing in the biting north wind, staring at the aircraft, wondering how it was improved? The engine cowlings were all installed, so they couldn't see inside at all! Take it apart? In this freezing weather, unless they drag the aircraft into the hangar, but Lao Lin said before leaving that it should stay outside to freeze for a few hours, then be restarted for testing.

The north wind howled, the cafeteria was really lively.

"Come, Comrade Qin Miao, in the Capital I'd heard some things about you; now I finally meet you, this glass of wine, let's drink it together!"

Glug… Lao Lin downed the wine in one gulp, Qin Miao looked a bit dazed.

The Northeast is cold; drinking alcohol can warm the body, so everyone can drink, but… Qin Miao can't; he grew up in the suburbs of the Capital, a bookworm since childhood, hardly ever drank alcohol.

"Why aren't you drinking? This is Maotai I brought!"

Qin Miao could only raise his cup, imitating Lao Lin's style, he tilted his neck back… glug, it all went into his stomach.

No spicy sensation, his belly warm and cozy; this good liquor really is different!

Glug glug… Lao Lin poured another for Qin Miao; such treatment, you'd hardly find a few people like that nationwide.

"Today, the shameless face exposed by those Frenchmen really makes one angry; thanks to Comrade Qin Miao giving us a vent, come on, this second glass of wine..."

Qin Miao realized clearly that if he drank more, he'd really get drunk today; so he quickly said: "Lao Lin, we still need to test-start the engine this afternoon!"

"Yeah, that's right; today at noon we'll have three cups, then tonight we'll really let loose!"

Holy cow… no, I gotta quickly think of a way!

"Lao Lin, right now in the south only the Army is fighting, the artillery is showing its might; this won't do, our Air Force also needs to go up!"

"Yeah, that's exactly it; our Air Force has placed its hopes on the Zhi-9, hurry to develop an armed variant, mount our Red Arrow-8 anti-tank missiles and rocket pods, let the enemy know our strength!"

Lao Lin sighed: "This is also the only thing our Air Force can do; the rest… higher-ups don't allow it!"

On the southern battlefield, the ground fighting is intense, but there's hardly any movement in the air; why is that?

The reasons are multifaceted.

First, this war is a limited conflict; back then the old leaders said during overseas visits, "If children don't listen, spank them!"

This means the war's scale won't be too large; fighting on the ground is fine, but once air power is deployed, it could escalate the conflict; the southern air forces are very strong, and possibly even the old Russians might fly in to join, turning it into a nationwide war.

Our task is to develop the economy, not to wage a nationwide war.

Moreover, at that time the Air Force lacked precision strike weapons; if they accidentally hit civilians, their international image would suffer.

Although armed helicopters can fly, they only fly as high as a tree; compared to traditional air force power it's nothing much, yet they can precisely strike enemy fire points; if available, they can go up for a try!

Now, armed helicopters are still considered part of the Air Force, but after the 1984 parade they will be reorganized and placed under the Army, which also shows their nature.

"Too bad the Zhi-9 platform is still too weak." Qin Miao sighed: "Actually, a ten-ton-class helicopter would be most suitable."

The four-ton Dolphin Helicopter has an empty weight of two tons, personnel and fuel etc. one ton, leaving a payload of one ton!

While a ten-ton-class helicopter has an empty weight of five tons, personnel and fuel two tons, still leaving three tons of payload! Whether fully loaded with anti-tank missiles or slung with Humvees etc., it can handle it!

"We of course know the Black Hawk is good to use, but the problem is the price is too high; where can the Air Force afford to buy one!" Lao Lin sighed.

In the 1980s, the East purchased 24 Black Hawks, unit price six million dollars, plus accessories, costing 150 million!

Now, fifty Dolphin Helicopters, including the complete machine and engine production rights, cost only over seventy million altogether!

Qin Miao nodded: "Yeah, the current problem is lack of funds, so… we still need to think of a way from those Frenchmen!"

Everyone's eyes lit up.