69novels Chapter 273 The First Reconnaissance Plane of the Chen Family Army Takes to the Sky
Chapter 273 The First Reconnaissance Plane of the Chen Family Army Takes to the Sky
Southwestern Shandong Arsenal?
It is worth mentioning that, in order to reduce the military strength of the South, President Yuan specifically relocated a lot of equipment and workers from the Jiangnan Arsenal, establishing the Gongxian Arsenal and the Dezhou Arsenal in Shandong, which became quite famous in later generations.
However, in order to deal with the war between the Beiyang Army and the Revolutionary Army in Jiangsu and Anhui, an arsenal was also established in southwestern Shandong.
This is the Lu Southwest Ordnance Factory, which Chen's army has just occupied and requisitioned.
Chen Zijun stood up and said coldly, "Pass on my order: go to the ordnance factory in the western suburbs of Jining!"
Half an hour later, a military sedan, escorted by several armored vehicles, roared into the Chenjiajun Ordnance Factory in the western suburbs of Jining.
This place was originally a semi-abandoned munitions repair shop left behind by the Fengtian Army. After being taken over, a large number of engineers and workers transferred from Ma'anshan transformed it into a heavily guarded temporary munitions factory in just a few days.
Under the cover of night, the factory was brightly lit, with huge chimneys spewing black smoke into the night sky. The sounds of steel clashing and machine tools roaring were deafening.
Surrounded by guards, Chen Zijun strode into the workshop, immediately greeted by the smell of scorching rust and machine oil.
"Young Marshal!"
A middle-aged man, covered in sweat and wearing oil-stained work clothes, was running briskly past a semi-automated rifle assembly line. His face was flushed, and his expression was full of fanaticism and admiration. He was Ge Jiangong, a master craftsman in the military industry who had been transferred from Ma'anshan by Chen Zijun.
"Young Marshal! You've finally arrived!"
Ge Jiangong's voice trembled with excitement as he pointed to the assembly line behind him, which was emitting a rhythmic rumbling sound, and shouted, "The 'assembly line' you designed for us is simply a divine creation! As long as there is enough steel and copper, and the workers assemble it according to the process, the barrels, bolts, and magazines can be continuously put together!"
Chen Zijun walked to the assembly line and casually picked up a German Mauser rifle that had just been assembled and whose machine oil hadn't even been wiped off yet. He pulled the bolt, and there was a crisp "click." The bolt locking was extremely tight, and the craftsmanship was in no way inferior to the original German product.
"How's the efficiency?" Chen Zijun asked.
"Those idiots in the Fengtian Army used to be able to repair a few hundred broken Mosin-Nagant rifles at most a month. Now, with this assembly line, apprentices can work two shifts a day and produce a hundred Mauser rifles and 50,000 rounds of ammunition a month!" Ge Jiangong wiped the sweat from his face and shouted.
"Not enough!" Chen Zijun shook his head, his voice sounding extremely cold and hard in the roaring workshop. "Ge Jiangong, I don't want two shifts, I want three shifts! People rest, machines never stop, 24/7! The steel mills in Ma'anshan and the copper mines in Wuhu will supply you with unlimited raw materials. My requirement for you is that production must triple within three days!"
Upon hearing this, Ge Jiangong not only showed no reluctance, but excitedly slapped his thigh: "Young Marshal, rest assured! With your words, an endless supply of fine rice and flour, and double wages, the brothers below will risk their lives to ensure your production output is boosted!"
"Making rifles alone isn't enough; we also need our own Sky Eye." Chen Zijun took the briefcase from his adjutant and patted it on Ge Jiangong's chest. "Take this with you and come with me to the top-secret workshop in the backyard."
Ge Jiangong was slightly taken aback, but when he saw the sealing wax that read "Top Secret of the Southeast Front Army" on the seal, he was immediately shocked and his expression became extremely serious.
The two walked quickly through the workshop, passed three ordnance guard posts, and finally pushed open a heavy blast-proof steel door, entering a huge canvas shed that had just been built in the backyard of the ordnance factory.
The hangar was extremely spacious, with only one enormous biplane steel behemoth standing silently in the center.
It was a biplane propeller-driven seaplane.
The silver-gray metallic fuselage gleamed coldly under the incandescent lights, and on both sides of the long wings were painted the blood-red "Iron-Blooded Eagle" insignia of the Chen Family Army. Beneath the fuselage, the massive twin floats rested steadily on the ground, displaying a somewhat ferocious appearance.
"Young Marshal, this is the first airplane we've painstakingly assembled using special alloy parts!" Ge Jiangong gazed at the colossal machine, his eyes filled with fervor. "Our own Chinese-made airplane... is a success!"
Chen Zijun strode forward and reached out to touch the cool aluminum alloy skin on the fuselage.
Based on the classic seaplane redeemed through the system, this aircraft retains the BMW engine and robust twin floats. In this era, its reconnaissance range is sufficient to unilaterally suppress the Japanese army's intelligence capabilities!
This is thanks to the fact that Jining is surrounded by canals and lakes, which provide perfect spaces for use.
"Young Marshal! The aviation fuel and lubricating oil have been filled, and we are ready to conduct the first ignition test at any time!" A technician ran over and reported with a nervous yet expectant expression.
"Ignite it!" Chen Zijun waved his hand decisively.
"Yes! Start the engine—!"
With a shout, two ground crew members worked together to spin the wooden double-bladed propeller at the nose of the aircraft.
Rumble—!
The next moment, a muffled and violent roar of steel exploded in the hangar!
The wind stirred the waters of the canal beneath them, causing them to ripple.
The BMW six-cylinder engine was instantly roused by the spark plugs, spewing a plume of blue smoke from the exhaust pipe. The massive propeller instantly became a blur, the violent airflow swirling and whipping the canvas inside the hangar.
"Good! Good!" Ge Jiangong was so excited that his face turned red, and he repeatedly punched the roaring steel behemoth.
Chen Zijun stood in the howling wind, letting the cold air ruffle his coat, but his eyes were incredibly deep and cold.
This is the first plane of Chen Jiajun.
Although it is only a reconnaissance aircraft now, once this military-grade engine is running, it won't be long before even more terrifying fighter jets and bombers will continuously take to the skies!
"Young Marshal, the airplane has been built, but we are severely lacking in pilots."
Ge Jiangong shouted loudly from the side, trying to drown out the roar of the engine, "Flying a plane is a delicate job, and we only have a few half-baked instructors hired from foreigners. They're not good enough for the battlefield!"
"I'll handle the pilot's situation."
Chen Zijun patted his windproof leather jacket lightly. "You just focus on building the planes. Order your men to build ten in the first batch! As for the people who can actually fly them, I'll turn this whole world upside down and find them!"
He knew very well that China was not lacking in aviation pioneers in this era. As long as he waved the banner of saving the country and strengthening the military and poured enough military funds into it, he would not have trouble finding real eagles of the blue sky.
After the test, the roar of the aircraft gradually subsided.
Just as Chen Zijun was about to leave, Shen Li rushed over and handed him a newly deciphered urgent telegram from Shanghai.
"Young Marshal, an urgent telegram from Miss Mo in Shanghai!" Shen Li lowered his voice, a hint of murderous intent in his tone.
Chen Zijun took the telegram and glanced at it.
At the end of the telegram, Mo Huixin had written a line in secret code:
"During the transfer of the latest batch of military blueprints and heavy machine tools, the Military Intelligence Bureau arrested three suspicious spies outside the Ma'anshan Arsenal and Jiangnan Shipyard. After preliminary interrogation, it was discovered that these spies were carrying sophisticated cameras and surveying instruments, and their identities had been uncovered—they were all agents under Dai Zhijian in Nanjing."
"Spies from Nanjing..."
Chen Zijun sneered, lit the telegram with a lighter, and watched it turn into ashes at his fingertips.
"It seems that Principal Chang and Dai Zhijian are still after my prize."
A terrifying murderous glint ignited in Chen Zijun's eyes. "Send spies to infiltrate my arsenal? Since they want to see, I'll let them see to their hearts' content when I've got a gun to their heads!"
"Shen Li!"
"Yes, young marshal!"
"Notify Moranzhi that every spy in Shanghai and the outskirts of Ma'anshan must be investigated and killed! No need to bury the bodies; hang them directly on the telephone poles along the riverbank to teach that principal in Nanjing a good lesson!"
"Yes, young marshal! I understand!" Shen Li gave a sharp military salute and strode back.
Chen Zijun turned around, looking at the seaplane gleaming under the lights in the hangar, a cold smile playing on his lips.