Chapter Seventy-Four: The Airshow (

The twin aircraft formation takeoff—a feat of incredible difficulty—instantly captured everyone’s attention. The outstretched wings, towering vertical stabilizers, engines spewing orange-red flames, and the undulating heat haze trailing behind, all proclaimed this as a fierce and violent Tornado fighter. At this moment, the sky above the airshow belonged to them alone.

After takeoff, there were no flashy maneuvers; first, a low pass was needed to bring the audience up close and boost popularity. Yet, today’s pass was different. Yang Hui and Xie Lianfa chose to fly towards each other from opposite ends of the runway—a maneuver known as “head-on.” They flew by at the maximum sweep angle, which allowed for excellent low-altitude performance and reduced speed to a safe range for the head-on show without risking a stall.

As the two giants glided slowly at low altitude, the spectators could finally see them in full. Cameras were already positioned, tracking their flight paths, but nobody pressed the shutter yet, for all could tell the moment was not ripe.

The commentator at the booth suddenly remembered where he was and exclaimed, “Oh my, what are these two planes about to do?” He hadn’t finished his sentence before he instinctively leaned back.

The two models, one above and one below, performed a maneuver: the lower model rolled 180 degrees, exposing its belly to the sky. The two models, belly to belly, brushed past the commentary booth, separated by less than half a meter. In that instant, every camera on site clicked simultaneously, immortalizing this classic spectacle.

Returning to level flight, Yang Hui and Xie Lianfa exchanged thumbs-up in encouragement. Brimming with confidence, Yang Hui announced the next feat, “Set the sweep angle to minimum and let’s do the head-on again. This is where our true skill shines.”

“Got it.”

They flew past the runway, executed a tight-radius turn, drawing cheers from the crowd. Facing each other once more, the left hand pulled the lever and the wings began to retract. No increase in thrust, yet the models accelerated relentlessly—an effect of the reduced sweep angle. The smaller the sweep, the faster the speed and the more difficult the control, especially at low altitude.

Among the spectators were some experts who immediately recognized the upcoming maneuver as the real challenge. Hastily, they adjusted their cameras, knowing that capturing this moment would be truly worthwhile.

Even those unfamiliar with the technical differences sensed, from the sheer speed, that this head-on pass would be vastly more difficult than the last—its challenge multiplied several times.

Indeed, Yang Hui and Xie Lianfa watched the altitude of their models without blinking, not daring to move a single control surface for fear of ruining everything. Any mishap would mean a collision, just as had happened during their joint practice at the base.

The entire scene fell silent, every eye locked on the models, tracking their movement, not daring to blink lest they miss the breathtaking moment.

“Whoosh.”

Just a brief sound, and the two models completed the head-on pass in an instant, almost undetectable. Only a few managed to capture it, though their cameras nearly failed them, yielding only a blur at that speed.

The two giants quickly climbed away, leveling off at 1,500 meters. On the ground, Yang Hui pushed the lever, the models unfolded their wings, and only then did the audience recover.

“Excellent!”

“Perfect!”

“Classic!”

Superlative praise flooded the airshow grounds like a tidal wave. Applause erupted somewhere and soon swept through the entire crowd, so loud that everyone present could hear it. Those viewing the outdoor aircraft displays turned their heads, but the classic moment had already passed—a regret for them.

“Lianfa, well done, we succeeded smoothly this time.”

“Yes, our coordination is impeccable. I think we could actually become pilots.”

The two controllers, still flying level, congratulated each other, knowing this head-on tested them to the limit. They took a sip of water and continued the show. Though ground control meant no intense g-forces, it still demanded great skill—especially keeping eyes fixed on the models. If the models flew toward the sun, ground controllers suffered; anyone who’s stared into the sun knows the agony.

The recent aerobatics had caused quite a stir, and the director issued a new command: press the advantage and expand the impact.

“Good job. Now perform coordinated low-level flight over the entire airshow grounds.”

Receiving the order, Yang Hui and Xie Lianfa set aside their cups, preparing for another low-level flight. The airspace above the show was clear of other performers, so these two models would stand out.

The models were already at minimum sweep, so they simply lowered altitude. A slight push on the lever, torque calculated and transmitted via radio signal, the models instantly responded, elevators tilting up. Aerodynamics altered, the models dipped and dove. At about 100 meters above ground, they pulled up and leveled, entering cruise mode and beginning their circuit over the show.

Dozens of full-sized aircraft—many times larger than the models—sat grounded, left to watch these tiny upstarts flaunt themselves overhead. It was a humiliation.

Tourists outside, hearing the roar above, instinctively thought a flight display had begun, pausing to watch.

Sure enough, two jets were performing, in formation, though flying rather high. They drew all eyes. Among the crowd, sharp-eyed enthusiasts could be found anywhere—like a young man, maybe eighteen, who recognized the aircraft.

“Tornado fighters! Tornado fighters are here!”

“Wait, you're right, they do look like Tornado fighters, though they're flying a bit high.”

Though in fact the models were flying low, the spectators mistook them for real Tornado fighters at higher altitude. Against the pure blue sky, it was easy to confuse low-flying models for distant full-sized jets.

Now, others were fooled. A tour group from Italy, near the indoor pavilion, had a new secretary from Panavia. Hearing talk of Tornado fighters outside, the secretary looked up in disbelief—and saw a scene he could hardly believe: two Tornado fighters flying in formation together.

What was going on? The company hadn't scheduled Tornado fighters for a flight display—how were they at the airshow now? This had to be reported immediately.

“Manager, you have to see this—there are Tornado fighters flying outside!”

The manager was incredulous at the secretary’s report. This couldn’t be right. Where did these Tornado fighters come from? All factory aircraft went straight to the front lines of the Cold War; how could Tornado fighters suddenly appear here?

Perplexed, the manager followed the secretary’s gaze. He was stunned—there really were two Tornado fighters performing in the sky. Though they seemed high, he could recognize his company’s flagship product even if it were reduced to a skeleton.

He had to call and find out what was happening—was a pilot showing off without authorization? He rushed to the phone and dialed the company.

“Hello, George, listen—tell me, does the company have Tornado fighters performing at the airshow?”

George on the other end was baffled. What was going on? Tornado fighters weren't assigned to the show. What was wrong with Ron?

“What’s the matter, Ron? The company didn't schedule any flight displays, and the armed forces from the three countries weren’t sent to perform. If they—”

Before George could finish, Ron quickly hung up, roaring as he rushed to the control tower. He had to find out what was happening with those two planes.

Red-eyed, Ron stormed into the tower’s control room. “Quick, check those two Tornado fighters—pull up their flight paths!”

Seeing the rampaging Italian bull, the proud Gallic gentlemen would never lose their composure. A few tower controllers, still craning their necks to watch the display outside, slowly turned around.

“What’s all this shouting? Can’t you see we’re watching the flight display? This twin formation is so elegant—missing a moment is a crime against God.”

They continued watching the two aircraft perform, clearly referring to the company’s Tornado fighters. The tower hadn’t reported this important event; the airshow hadn’t been notified, yet two Tornado fighters were allowed to perform openly.

“These two Tornado fighters aren’t from Panavia—they’re unregistered. Scramble jets and force them to land immediately!”

Seeing the half-crazed Italian bull, the controllers exchanged a knowing smile.

“Tornado? Yes, they’re Tornado fighters—but they’re only models, nothing to get worked up about.”

Models? How could they be models? Ron rushed to the window for a closer look.