Chapter Seventy-Five: The Airshow (Part Four)

The control tower was built rather high. Standing by the window, Ron watched the two model aircraft still performing barrel rolls, and at this moment he felt almost on the verge of tears. Should he laugh at his own carelessness, or at his ignorance? The more he thought about it, the more he realized this was actually his new secretary's fault. But then again, when he thought of her alluring figure, he decided to let it slide—for now. He’d postpone firing her, at least for a while. And so, Manager Ron could do nothing but leave in embarrassment.

“Haha, that Italian bull just now had a bit of the Spanish bull’s spirit in him. If all the Panavia managers are like that, our Dassault company will have one less competitor,” someone joked.

The French weren’t always gentlemen; after all, they’d just been gossiping behind someone’s back, and they seemed quite entertained by it.

Amid the cheers of the crowd, Yang Hui and his team’s first flight demonstration was drawing to a close. Under the deft control of Yang and Xie on the ground, the two model planes slowly touched down on the runway. Using the remaining inertia and fuel, they skillfully applied differential braking, enabling the models to turn nimbly.

At last, the two aircraft taxied to their assigned spots. As heroes returning from battle are greeted with flowers, beauties, and applause, so too did these models return to the sound of clapping and the flash of cameras. The incessant flashes captured the two “heroes” in photographs, though once developed, the crowd would notice the planes had been upstaged.

A moment ago, they were kings of the sky. Now, having landed, their fate was the same as the other exhibition planes: they were set up for sale. The models were displayed on a long wooden bench that served as a makeshift shelf, with two engines painted in different colors placed atop red silk cloth.

Suddenly, the model aircraft enthusiasts seemed to realize what was happening. A blond young man ran over, struggling to make himself understood, though his meaning was far from clear. In those days, not all Chinese researchers could speak English, let alone French.

Seeing the young man sweating nervously, the old Flying Tigers pilot strolled over to serve as interpreter. After listening to the young man, he turned to Yang Yue.

“He wants to know if your model planes are for sale.”

At last, the question was clear. Director Bai, standing nearby, immediately stepped forward to introduce, “Yes, our model aircraft are indeed for sale. We’re a large aircraft manufacturer from the Republic, and we’ve brought this jet-powered model here for the purpose of selling it.”

Regardless of how Director Bai introduced the company, all that mattered to the crowd was that the models were for sale. The pilot relayed in French to the young men, “That’s right, these people are from the Red Republic, a major aircraft manufacturer. Their model planes are now available for mass production and sale abroad.”

This announcement instantly set off a wave of excitement. For sale! Only through selling could the enthusiasts hope to possess such marvels. Model aircraft fans from all over Europe began clamoring in various languages.

Having just tidied up, Yang Hui approached and, seeing the chaotic scene, called out in English, “Quiet, please! Quiet! For those who can, please speak English. Our sales staff can only communicate in English due to their limited language ability.”

That solved the problem. Since communication in English was possible, there was no issue. Western Europe’s small countries generally boasted high educational standards and small territories, so almost everyone spoke several languages, and English was indispensable internationally.

Now that they could converse, there was nothing to hinder them. Yang Hui could handle English, so could Old Wu, Yang Yue knew a little, and Director Bai and the other three could manage with some effort.

“How much thrust does this engine provide?”

“How high can the model fly? What’s the endurance?”

“Excuse me...”

A barrage of questions left the six of them at a loss. Searching for the included flight manual, they found—to their dismay—that it was only in Chinese: a classic case of poor preparation. Yet even this could not dampen the model enthusiasts’ passion.

“Sir, how about you translate the main data from the flight manual onto paper for us all to see?” someone suggested.

It was a good idea. Yang Hui quickly found a pen and wrote out the key specifications.

Engine thrust: 12.6 kg per unit; diameter: 103 mm; total length: 273 mm; weight: 1,562 g; maximum speed: 150,000 RPM; fuel consumption: 445 g/RPM (gasoline-diesel mix); first major overhaul at 25 hours.

As soon as these figures were translated, the eager crowd snatched the paper away to study it. What a marvel! A single engine produced 12.6 kg of thrust—no wonder it could send such a large model soaring and maneuvering so nimbly. The engine was truly the hero here.

“Look at this fuel consumption—only 445 grams per RPM! And most importantly, it uses a gasoline-diesel mix, which means sourcing fuel will be much easier in the future.”

The more they discussed, the more excited they became. This was a dream come true for model aircraft lovers. Were these people messengers sent by the heavens? They were simply too wonderful.

“I must buy two of these engines and build my own new model plane. I’ve long been tired of my old propeller model. With such a powerful ‘heart,’ my model will surely shine. Ha!”

Those nearby looked at the enthusiast with envy—he could build his own because he’d worked in aviation before. The rest of them, mere hobbyists, could only hope to see how the complete model performed.

At that moment, Yang Hui had also translated the aircraft’s overall performance data, writing it on a large sheet of white paper and spreading it out on the bench. A group of buyers interested in purchasing the full model gathered, examining every detail.

Incredible! The aircraft’s prowess was not just thanks to a powerful engine. Just look at the 25-minute endurance: it could cruise in the sky for 25 minutes. What did that mean? With 10 kg of fuel, the fuel load ratio reached a whopping 28%—remarkable for a model aircraft. Achieving this on a model took considerable effort and meant it surpassed most military aircraft in internal fuel capacity.

They marveled at the maximum ceiling, the wide flight envelope—everything about it delighted them. Where else could one find such a superb model? Only a genuine military aircraft manufacturer could achieve this.

To own a model crafted by a military aircraft maker was simply exhilarating. And that handsome, realistic ground control system—how pleasing to the eye! Stylish to the core. The robust ground control platform, designed and built to military standards, had just outperformed all the other models during testing. This was a true military product, the true king among jet-powered model planes.

Thinking thus, the young men no longer hesitated. The time to place an order was now—there were only two models available, and it was first come, first served.

“Excuse me, sir, what is the exact price of this model? I want it,” said one young man.

He was a classic member of the wealthy second generation: though he had no claim to inherit the family business, his annual dividends were enough to let him live in style for life. Flying was his only passion, but because of health reasons, he couldn’t fly at high altitudes or engage in strenuous activity, so model aircraft became his sole hobby.

Seeing this obviously well-off young man eager to be the first buyer, the other onlookers paused, wanting to see how much the model would actually cost. No matter how impressive it was, the final word was always money.

A customer had taken the bait—and clearly not a poor one. Now was the time to make a fortune.

Yang Hui hurried over to greet him. “Thank you for your trust, sir, and your intention to purchase our model aircraft. We are a supplier of military aircraft to the Republic. With the new national policy, we will establish distribution channels throughout Europe within the month, so you can purchase with confidence. Due to the vast difference between our jet-powered model and traditional propeller models, it’s impossible to compare prices. The complete system, including the aircraft, ground control system, and 100 hours of engine overhaul, totals eighty thousand dollars.”

Such audacity! Not only was the price high—eighty thousand—but the unit was in U.S. dollars.