I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 914: Junkers Transport Aircraft

Only one chapter today, will make up for it tomorrow, apologies!

...

Shire didn't rush to Toulon Shipyard.

Some matters have different priorities, the issue of the carrier is not urgent; matters related to warships often take months or even years. Delaying a few days isn't an issue.

For Shire, airplanes are always the most important. Even the carrier is there to serve airplanes. Without the development of airplanes, everything else loses significance.

As soon as Shire stepped into the aircraft manufacturing plant's research institute, he was surrounded by researchers:

"Hey, boss, tell us about the front lines?"

"Heard you won another battle at the Meuse River, did our planes perform meritoriously again?"

"Yes, we heard our planes surpassed the British Expeditionary Force?"

...

"Yes, of course," Shire replied. "The 'Snipe' played a crucial role; they were fundamental to our victory, without a doubt."

Then he asked with interest, "Are you guys very interested in this? I mean, does surpassing the British Expeditionary Force not make you uncomfortable?"

Most of the technicians in the institute are British, and it seems they're now helping Shire to aid France in defeating their homeland.

Unexpectedly, the technicians were very open-minded:

"At first, it was indeed a bit strange, just a little."

"Quickly we realized, it was you, boss, not us, who truly defeated the British Expeditionary Force."

"Yes, we're very clear on this; we've always been progressing in the direction you need, boss."

...

Dorne, in his work clothes dotted with holes and oil stains, stepped forward, took off his gloves, and shook hands with Shire: "They're right, boss, don't worry about any psychological barrier in us because of defeating the British Army, it will be our goal!"

The technicians laughed, some nodded in agreement.

Dorne stepped aside and led Shire towards the airport, speaking with a voice full of emotion:

"Without you, not just the funding you provided but more importantly, your ideas."

"We would not have achieved what we have today."

"A year ago, we were a car company on the verge of bankruptcy, thinking about how to win races and secure funding and sponsorship."

"No one would've thought, a year later, our 'cars' would fly in the sky, becoming the fastest thing in the world..."

With that, Dorne forcefully opened the doors of the research institute, revealing a full-metal aircraft to Shire's eyes.

She wore the evening glow like a golden coat, standing quietly at the entrance, with several ground crew members busy conducting routine checks on her.

She seemed like a solitary island in the Ocean, standing out among the wooden aircraft group like a rising new star, yet dazzling.

Shire's gaze was completely captivated by her, unwilling to leave for a moment, then he exclaimed in admiration, "You built it, really built it! Amazing!"

This was something that should be available ten years later, yet Dorne and the others presented her to Shire with their own hands.

"Yes!" Dorne nodded proudly, "She's beautiful, isn't she? We call her 'Jenny.'"

Saying this, Dorne's smile carried a hint of sadness.

Shire sensed something but didn't ask further.

Later, Shire learned that 'Jenny' was Dorne's lover, who passed away in a car accident the year before last.

Shire's first reaction upon hearing the news was "Good."

This indicated that Dorne was emotionally invested in the aircraft beyond profession, money, and research itself; she became Dorne's spiritual comfort.

Shire wanted this kind of obsession.

"Don't you want to introduce her?" Shire asked.

"Oh, yes." Dorne seemed to wake from his memories, he stepped forward to gently pat the aluminum plates of the plane, like stroking a lover's hair:

"With your reminder, we tried to create an all-metal hull for the aircraft."

"Then we heard Germans had already tried, but were not very successful."

"The reason is their engine only had 120 horsepower, still using heavy iron plates, steel pipes, and forge parts."

(The above two images are of the first all-metal plane J-1 and its inventor Junkers; it successfully test flew in 1915 but due to insufficient engine power and overly heavy airframe, it could only barely reach a flight altitude of 900 meters, with effective payload of only 110 kilograms, performing worse than wooden planes, hence was not favored)

Dorne continued:

"We improved the German version, using corrugated sheets to increase structural strength."

"Furthermore, we enhanced engine power, now reaching 390 horsepower. This made 'Jenny's' test flight very successful, with a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour."

"The only downside is that her size is too large for a dive bomber, next we will reduce weight and size."

(The above image is of corrugated sheets commonly used in low-speed aircraft within 300km/h; this bumpy structure can enhance its own strength hence was made thinner, allowing minimal use of supporting framework)

Shire circled around 'Jenny' half a round, he looked at the aircraft feeling somewhat familiar but couldn't recall the model immediately.

When standing by the nose, it suddenly hit him; this was Germany's "Junkers 52" transport plane, except the 'Jenny' before him was single-engine and smaller than the "Junkers 52".

(The above image is of Germany's Junkers 52 transport plane first flown in 1930.)

Shire did not think much, turned to Dorne and said, "Reducing the size to develop into a dive bomber is one direction, another direction is to enlarge it as a transport aircraft."

"Transport aircraft?" Dorne looked at Shire puzzled, "But currently its weight is nearly reaching the engine's limit, even if it can take off, it may not carry much people or things."

Shire's answer was straightforward, "Convert it to three-engine, add one engine each on both wings."

Dorne was stunned, then nodded in agreement.

Seemed a good layout, he thought; only during wartime, transport aircraft requirements did not seem urgent, unclear why the boss placed it at the same height as "dive bomber".

Shire doesn't think so.

On the battlefield, the importance of transport aircraft is no less than fighters and bombers.

Fighters are used to capture air superiority, bombers to destroy key targets.

And transport aircraft, are not just as simple as transporting supplies or carrying people as most imagine.

They can elevate warfare to another stage: infantry transforming into paratroopers, traversing enemy lines from the air to suddenly appear behind enemy lines for attack.

If such a unit can be developed in this era, coupled with armored forces and mechanized forces attacking, the Germans' "Liege Fortress" and "Hindenburg Line" would collapse like dominoes!

Shire was eager to put on a show!