German Red Prince

Page 151

Germany suffered greatly in this regard during World War II, and these are issues that Thorne needs to address. The backwardness of German radar technology can be seen in the battles at the end of World War II when German night fighters intercepted British and American heavy bomber formations. At that time, German airborne radar was very susceptible to being affected and malfunctioning.

Meanwhile, the German army's inferior radio navigation technology was also exposed in the Battle of Britain. German radio-guided aircraft were often jammed by the British and were often outmaneuvered, leading to massive bomber formations dropping bombs on open fields.

The outdated radio navigation technology often prevented escort fighter groups from rendezvousing with bomber groups, leaving the bomber groups vulnerable to British fighter attacks without effective protection. This technological shortcoming remained largely unaddressed throughout the war.

The invention of radar can elevate the quality of the Rhine Kingdom's air force to a new level. In particular, if the air force is equipped with airborne radar, it will be a game-changer for current fighter jets.

Before the invention of airborne radar, fighter jets primarily observed enemy aircraft through visual observation and auditory detection. Pilots needed to carefully search the sky and rely on their eyesight to spot enemy aircraft. They also used their ears to hear engine sounds, propeller noise, and other sounds to determine the presence of enemy aircraft.

Fighter jets also carry optical instruments, such as telescopes or sights, which can enhance the field of vision, magnify targets, and improve visibility.

However, these methods have certain limitations, as they require the pilot to make the observations in person and can only be used in good weather and with sufficient light.

An airplane is a sophisticated instrument, and the pilot cannot relax his vigilance for a moment. He cannot be distracted while flying, as operating these instruments can easily cause the pilot to lose focus, and it is also very troublesome.

Fighter jets rely primarily on human observation and auditory detection to locate enemy aircraft, requiring pilots to maintain constant vigilance. The cumbersome procedures significantly reduce overall combat capability. Therefore, radar technology is crucial. Thorne not only needs to develop defensive radar but also find ways to develop airborne radar to enhance the reconnaissance and strike capabilities of fighter jets.

GEMA Corporation was only recently established and did not have much research funding. Holliman and his team were practically "powered by love," constantly testing the radar they were developing with their meager funds.

Thorne valued their research highly because it represented the highest level of radar technology in Germany. He believed that if they could be funded, they would soon see results.

For various reasons, GEMA didn't achieve its initial success until the mid-1930s. Their early research focused on a radar device capable of detecting distant ships.

In the autumn of 1934, their first radar was successfully developed, and the first truly usable radar system was assembled. This radar works by emitting high-frequency electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of 50cm, which are reflected back to the receiving device after hitting an obstacle, thus displaying the target. It can detect ships of all sizes within 10km.

In the summer of 1935, GEMA further developed the first pulse radar system, which was also used for searching for ships at sea. Because the magnetotubes often showed frequency instability during the experiment, it used the "Braunschen" vacuum tube. This radar could detect ships of all sizes within 8km, and the distance error was within 50m.

Meanwhile, in various experiments, Hersmeier discovered that the emitted beam waves with a wavelength of 60-80cm could effectively detect aircraft at a distance of 28km at an altitude of 500m, and only then did he officially begin research on air-to-air radar.

By the end of 1935, GEMA had built its first operational radar station and its first shipborne radar system. Both systems were based on prototypes of radar systems that had already been tested and were in use by Nazi Germany, playing a role in the war.

Now is the starting point for everything. Radar technology in various countries is still in the exploratory stage. During this period, whoever takes the lead will have a significant advantage later on.

GAME Corporation has made some progress in its radar research, but most of its ideas are still just sketches because it cannot be implemented due to insufficient funding.

However, they no longer need to worry about insufficient funds. As long as Thorne sets his sights on a project, the kingdom's funds will flow in continuously. This is the advantage of transmigrators: they don't need to take so many detours in the research and development of various cutting-edge technologies.

All those strange and bizarre research projects that were useless could be cut. For example, the design of the 600mm caliber giant cannon was abandoned without hesitation by Thorne. It was better to save money and build more tanks than to spend money researching such a big thing.

Holliman's research has made some progress, but it is not receiving enough attention and is also in dire need of funding. If no one is willing to sponsor it, the research is likely to fail. But now he doesn't have to worry, because the Kingdom has brought the funds.

Based on Holliman's research findings, the Kingdom of Rhine will set up a dedicated "Radar Research Office" to conduct research and design of future radar systems. With sufficient technology and funding, the Kingdom of Rhine plans to develop its own practical radar within two years.

302. Airborne Radar

Radar is not only used for defense; it has many other applications as well. Thorne's vision for radar is certainly not just to be placed on the ground, but to be used in a wider range of fields.

It's too early to research these things now, and we may not get any results, but Thorne still wants to mention them, at least to provide a general direction for current research.

Thorne certainly wouldn't use radar only for defense. Radar is like equipping weapons with eyes that can see a thousand miles, so it can be used not only for defense but also for offense.

Later anti-aircraft artillery radars and airborne radars, once these weapons were equipped with radar for detection, their offensive capabilities rapidly reached a new level.

The installation of radar on anti-aircraft artillery units can greatly shorten the preparation time and improve efficiency, and the installation of radar on aircraft makes all the difference.

As mentioned before, fighter jets equipped with airborne radar have a significant advantage over ordinary fighter jets. Every pilot is highly skilled, and the training period for an excellent fighter pilot is particularly long. Losing one means that it often takes even more time to train another.

"Once our fighter jets are equipped with radar, it will greatly reduce the loss of our pilots, and our fighter jets will also be able to acquire targets more accurately at night."

When air warfare was still in its infancy, nighttime strategic bombing was a confrontation that was easy to attack but difficult to defend, and the reason for this was actually quite simple.

At that time, the ability to detect fighter jets was very low. It might be easier to observe them during the day, but at night it was impossible to detect them. Therefore, whenever there was an air raid at night, the anti-aircraft firepower was much stronger than during the day. Since it was impossible to aim accurately, the only way to win was to use sheer numbers and counterattack by covering the enemy with barrage firepower.

Bombers can fly over vast enemy urban target areas under moonlight or starlight and drop bombs at will.

At this point, strategic bombing may not be able to precisely strike any military target. As long as it kills civilians, causes psychological panic, and shakes the overall morale, these operations have already largely achieved their objectives. War is all about morale. If you destroy the enemy's morale and throw them into disarray, you will soon achieve victory.

The attackers can take advantage of the moonlight to stealthily infiltrate their territory and launch an attack. Conversely, in the vast darkness of the night sky, it is difficult for the defenders to pinpoint the exact location of the intruders and organize effective anti-aircraft artillery or fighter jet defenses.

After all, they came with a purpose and a very clear direction, while our side was completely clueless, and even with anti-aircraft lights, it was difficult to carry out precise strikes against the enemy.

This is why, during the war, the German army was able to repeatedly send Zeppelin airships to fly across the English Channel at night and launch a series of air raids on major British cities, causing great shock to the British people.

On the British side, although searchlight positions and night-time fighter interception were established, the results were minimal. The main problem was that the interceptors could not effectively intercept at night; they could only wait for opportunities over the searchlight positions and lacked the capability for active interception.

In other words, once the invaders are far from the fixed searchlight positions, all interception efforts are futile. Just because Germany could do this back then doesn't mean other countries can't do the same to Germany. In the later stages of World War II, the German Air Force almost lost its combat capability, and the weaknesses in its domestic air defense were quickly exposed, with key industrial areas being bombed every now and then.

One reason why Britain developed radar so rapidly was that it was terrified of the Germans. During World War I, German airships crossed the English Channel and were the only force capable of threatening the British mainland.

With the emergence and development of radar technology, the British began establishing their own radar stations in 1936. At this time, the scene of Zeppelin airships and Gotha bombers visiting London 20 years earlier was still deeply etched in the British mind, and they began to consider mounting radar equipment on interceptor aircraft in order to actively search for and destroy invading bombers in the deep night sky.

Although Britain was shrouded in the shadow of German bombing for a long time, all of this soon changed. First, the British developed radar, which immediately made German bomber groups nowhere to hide.

When radar began to be installed on fighter jets, the situation changed even more dramatically. With the advent of airborne radar, Germany's advantage was further diminished.

Compared to the old searchlight search and guidance tactics, the tactic of ground radar guiding radar interceptors for defensive interception is undoubtedly a huge technological leap, which can more effectively hunt down enemy night bomber formations.

After successfully developing airborne radar, Britain produced more night fighters equipped with airborne radar and equipped the Royal Air Force's professional night interceptor squadrons. These powerful fighters, equipped with airborne radar, were like tigers with wings, and the German Air Force, which had always been at the top, quickly suffered setbacks.

During the "Winter Blitz" from late 1940 to mid-1941, the German Luftwaffe used a large number of bombers for nighttime air raids. Correspondingly, the mainstay of the Royal Air Force's interception force gradually changed from anti-aircraft guns to night fighters.

In May 1941 alone, radar-equipped night fighters shot down at least 100 enemy aircraft!

In comparison, the anti-aircraft artillery units achieved only 30 victories during the same period. After that, the German army was no longer able to launch large-scale night air raids against Britain, and its focus began to shift to the eastern front.

Therefore, Thorne wanted to start developing airborne radar technology at this time and put radar on fighter jets as soon as possible.

Putting radar equipment on fighter jets is indeed a very good idea. However, the radar is still just a sketch, and Dr. Holliman and his team only have a half-finished product. They haven't even developed a regular radar yet, so is it a bit too hasty to build an airborne radar?

“Your Highness Thorne, our current radar research has not yielded much progress, and these radars are very large, making them difficult to install on fighter jets. If, as you say, we were to provide them to the Air Force in large quantities, these heavy radars would likely affect the aircraft's performance and consume a lot of power, which would be counterproductive.”

Dr. Holliman thought for a while before speaking to Thorne, saying that he felt it was a bit too hasty for Thorne to make this request now.

Given their current capabilities, it's impossible for them to develop a small radar so quickly, because it requires not only technological maturity but also advanced hardware.

Professor Holliman's point is very valid. The development of radar requires not only technological maturity but also hardware maturity. Equipping fighter jets with airborne radar will keep more than just Holliman and his team busy; the kingdom's electronics experts will also be involved.

The radar research office is likely to be very busy for some time to come.

303. Shrinking the vacuum tube

Anyone with a modicum of common sense would choose to conduct aerial combat when the weather is good.

When the weather is good and visibility is high, pilots can usually spot enemy aircraft relatively easily. However, if it is nighttime or the weather is bad and visibility is low, the probability of the pilot spotting the enemy aircraft will be much lower, and the danger will be much greater.

Radar can detect enemy aircraft, so installing radar on an aircraft can help pilots penetrate fog and darkness to conduct aerial interception operations. This led to a completely new concept: the concept of air interception radar.

The working principle of radar is very simple. The transmitter generates a current with a certain oscillation frequency, which is sent to the antenna. Through electromagnetic induction, the electrical energy is converted into electromagnetic waves and radiated into the air. When the electromagnetic waves hit an object, they are reflected in various directions. Some of them return to the radar, are received by the antenna, and sent to the radar receiver for display.

If the power generated by the transmitter can be increased and the energy of the radio waves radiated from the antenna can be concentrated in space as much as possible, the radio waves can reach the target at a greater distance.

To give a more colloquial example, if you need someone far away to hear you when you speak, you can work on two things: either shout louder or use a megaphone. These two basic methods for radar to increase its detection range are professionally known as increasing the "power-aperture product".

Increasing the transmitter power is something Dr. Holliman and others are working towards to make the radar more accurate. Increasing the transmitter power can first be achieved by amplifying the current at a certain oscillation frequency through an amplifier before sending it to the antenna.

An amplifier's amplification capability is directly related to the operating frequency of the electromagnetic wave; the lower the frequency, the easier the amplification.

Early radars could only operate at frequencies below 300 MHz. Of course, if the technology only allowed the radar to operate at lower frequencies and there was no harm in operating at lower frequencies, then it would be fine to let it operate at low frequencies. However, the situation was not that simple.

The operating frequency of radar electromagnetic waves directly affects the radar's ability to concentrate energy into the air for transmission. The distribution of radar energy radiated from the antenna in space is represented by a lobe diagram. The region where radar energy is most concentrated is called the main lobe, and the remaining regions are called side lobes.

The ratio of the energy emitted by a radar antenna when it concentrates energy within the width of its main lobe to the energy radiated equally in all directions is called the antenna's gain. The more concentrated the radar energy in space, the smaller the main lobe width, and the higher the gain.

With a fixed antenna size, the longer the radar wavelength, the wider the main lobe beamwidth and the lower the gain. In other words, once the radar wavelength is selected, the antenna should be made as large as possible in order to obtain the narrowest possible beamwidth and the highest possible gain.

This creates a dilemma: if the antenna is to be enlarged, there is not enough space on the aircraft; it is impossible to install a bulky large antenna on a fighter jet, as this would severely impact the aircraft's performance.

However, if we want to increase the frequency and transmission power of radio waves, the level of equipment does not allow it, and early electronic technology cannot directly generate current oscillations at a higher frequency.

If the radar's operating frequency is to be increased, the operating frequency can only be increased step by step using circuits, which will undoubtedly increase the number, weight, and size of the equipment.

Therefore, the early development of airborne radar faced serious difficulties.

At the current level, it would be a misfortune to ask any engineer to develop such an airborne radar. That engineer would probably hang himself the next day. Putting aside the huge antenna of the radar, the huge power consumption alone would be a difficult problem to solve.

There were many electronics scientists here, so Thorne decided to start with the hardware. In later years, the small vacuum tube developed by RCA and the magnetron invented by British scientists successfully solved the problem of large radar size, and successfully put the radar into the aircraft.

Electronic technology in this era had only been developing for a few decades, and almost all electronic devices used vacuum tubes. These earliest electrical signal amplification devices looked like a huge glass bulb, containing a filament and various components used to emit and control electrons.

The discovery of the vacuum tube was epoch-making, representing a completely new era. The vacuum tube opened the door to the electronic age and brought various electrical appliances into people's lives. However, since it was still in its early stages, the vacuum tube still had many huge problems.

Thorne remembered that in later years, the Eastern and Western camps each had their own research and development directions for transistors and vacuum tubes. The Soviet Union chose to continue research on vacuum tubes, while the Western camp chose to develop transistors.

Throughout the Cold War, the Soviet military's preference for vacuum tubes was inseparable from the backdrop of a full-scale nuclear war.

Numerous nuclear explosion tests have shown that delicate and compact transistors and semiconductor components are easily burned by the powerful electromagnetic waves generated by a nuclear explosion; only military-grade vacuum tubes can withstand the impact.

Therefore, the Soviet Union began to continuously innovate and develop vacuum tubes. Faced with the huge size of vacuum tubes, the Soviet Union took the path of miniaturization, while the West took the path of transistors and integrated circuits.

Looking back at the results, it seems that the correctness of the Western path has been proven. However, transistors require technology.

In later years, transistors were created at Bell Labs in 47. Now it's only 1928, almost twenty years away. It's obviously unrealistic to rush into developing transistors when we haven't even figured out the basics of vacuum tubes yet.

However, this does not mean that Thorne will give up on transistor research. After all, this path is correct, and starting two years earlier may give him a twenty-year lead over others in the future.

So Thorne set up this workshop, and some of the experts there were given materials by Thorne to start their research, while the rest of them all started working on miniaturizing vacuum tubes. The main challenge was to solve the problem first.

To shrink vacuum tubes, we definitely had to seek help from our Soviet big brother. After all, they were experts in this field during the Cold War, and their experience and technology were there for all to see. Why not copy them?

Valentin Avdiv, an academician of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, made a breakthrough in the miniaturization of vacuum tubes, turning the vertical glass tube into a small, thin glass tube placed horizontally, reducing its volume by more than ten times, allowing vacuum tubes to continue to shine for another twenty years.

Although this vacuum tube is smaller in size, its performance is not inferior, and it is more efficient and has a wider frequency range. With this vacuum tube, the existing hardware problems can be solved very well.

Thorne discussed the matter with the electronics experts present for a while, which quickly piqued their interest. Some of them had already started brainstorming ideas, and it was believed that with Thorne's support, airborne radar could be installed on the Rhine Kingdom's fighter jets as soon as possible.

Just then, Thorne received another piece of good news: the movie that the Kingdom of the Rhine had filmed a few months earlier was finally being released.

304. Watching a movie

At that time, the kingdom held a military parade to demonstrate the strength of its army and the nation's power, and to guard against the French Commune from the west.

This military parade was recorded using film, which demonstrates the importance the kingdom attaches to it.

After several months of intense work, the film was finally completed. Thorne was overjoyed upon hearing the news. What could unite the people of one's country more than a patriotic film?

"Our new movie has finally been released, come with me to see it."

On this day, cinemas of all sizes in the Rhine Kingdom screened "Triumph of the Will." Although it was a documentary-style film, a large number of people still went to the cinema to watch it.

This film was directed by Fritz Lang and Slatan Dudo, both of whom are top directors in the film industry. Even if they made a non-fiction film, it would still be well worth watching.

Another appealing aspect of this film is that it is said to be a sound film, whereas most films we see nowadays are black and white silent films.

If you only have sound, you can only listen to the radio. So either there is sound but no picture, or there is picture but no sound. This film is the first in history to combine images and sound, which is why it attracted so many people to watch it.

To promote the film, the kingdom has made a big show of it. With the international environment becoming increasingly tense, Thorne can clearly feel that the German Empire's control over Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Far East is weakening.

The Red guerrillas in Eastern Europe are no longer limited to Ukraine. In Russia and Belarus, more and more "bandits" are starting to attack areas controlled by the German Empire. Even in Poland, which has been under martial law, the Red forces are growing stronger.

Eastern Europe is the only region Germany can firmly control right now, and even it has these problems. You can forget about other places. Africa has become a paradise for corruption, with officials colluding with local natives, completely undermining the officials sent by the central government, and acting as local tyrants in their own territories.

Wilhelm II wasn't unwilling to govern; rather, he was completely incapable of governing. To solve the African problem, a major reshuffle at the grassroots level would be necessary, and this reshuffle would likely wipe out the entire staff of the Central African Republic.

In the Far East, the German Empire's colonial power was even weaker. Even a small fly is still meat. The Far East could only provide the German Empire with a quarter of the raw materials it could provide each year as it did in Central Africa. The sole purpose of the German Empire's Far East colonies was to contain Japan.

Japan is Germany's only enemy in East Asia. Germany must plant a thorn in the side of the Far East, otherwise Japan will definitely take action against the whole of East Asia. If Japan integrates the resources of East Asia, it will be a considerable challenge for Germany.

What's most infuriating is that Japan is now pretending to be a good guy, supplying weapons to areas colonized by Germany and calling it a "gift from our East Asian brothers."

The Japanese now treat East Asian countries as brothers because of Germany; they want to "compete for popular support" with Germany. If the Germans were to leave one day, what kind of face would the Japanese show? Thorne certainly knows this best.

China in this timeline was very fortunate. Although the Northern Expeditionary Army was blocked at the Yangtze River, the political struggles within the Nationalist government did not cause chaos throughout the country. The government was able to transition smoothly through the National Assembly.

Unlike later dynasties, the current Nationalist government is not riddled with internal factions and infighting. It is rare for China to have a united government now.

Compared to other forces in China, the Nationalist government had a natural advantage: unity. Although its strength was currently the smallest among the larger separatist forces, it was important to remember that those who win the hearts of the people win the world. The Nationalist government was working hard to restore production and carry out industrial construction, and its society was more vibrant than the other two.

The so-called ten-year economic construction by the Nationalist government in later generations, from 1927 to 1937, was called the "Golden Period of the Republic of China." In Thorne's view, it was utter nonsense. How could that be called economic construction? This so-called economic construction was still based on a system that exploited the people, and it did not change the social nature of China. What else did it do besides making the data look better?

Economic development requires a strong government. What was the Nanjing Nationalist government? Could it be considered a government with strong execution capabilities?

Chiang Kai-shek himself was a puppet of capital. The government was supported by the Jiang-Zhe financial clique and the four major families, who served bureaucratic capitalism and imperialist powers. It was a government of comprador lackeys.

Under the rule of the Nanjing Nationalist Government, China lacked a normal economic development system, and its economic development was distorted. Its industry and finance were also crushed by foreign capitalist forces.

The common people at the bottom of society suffer from the oppression of the "three great mountains" (imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucratic capitalism), living in abject poverty. National policies are poorly implemented, unable to control local bullies and gentry. In rural areas, gentry and local officials imprison hundreds of millions of farmers, and feudal ideology continues to corrupt the entire country. What kind of construction is this? A mere scratching the surface?

The economic construction undertaken by the later Nationalist government was merely superficial and did not truly change anything. To put it bluntly, it was a failed construction project that could not possibly succeed because it failed to even fulfill the prerequisite for success: independence.

However, China in this timeline is much luckier. Although the Nationalist government has not unified China, it has already occupied one-third of the entire country. I heard that the Yunnan and Guangxi regions have also been taken over by the revolutionary army. The Nationalist government has integrated the entire southern region and begun economic construction.

The Nationalist government's economic development started around the same time as later periods, but it was more thorough because it had broken free from its semi-colonial and semi-feudal nature. In order to develop independently, the Nationalist government had broken ties with the largest power, the German Empire. However, that was during the Berlin period, and had nothing to do with Frankfurt.