Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 789 Development of TV-Guided Rockets , Ram Air Turbine Motor and Live-Fire Testing

At 8 p.m., the British technician returned to his residence under the escort of the base's security personnel.

The discussion, which lasted for more than two hours, eventually devolved into a debate and did not yield any effective results.

Having witnessed all of this, Fang Wen did not adjourn the meeting after the British left, but instead went up to the podium.

He looked at the somewhat tired members of the guided weapon development team.

Express your thoughts.

“I’ve been listening to your discussions and suddenly realized that we haven’t fully communicated the whole project yet. You have some misunderstandings about television guidance, and I need to reiterate where the focus of this technology should be.”

His words instantly dispelled the technicians' fatigue.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Fang Wen wrote on the blackboard behind him with chalk: 【Human in the Circuit】

"Is the person on the loop?"

"People are on the loop!"

The researchers repeated the four words over and over, but they couldn't understand their meaning.

Fang Wen explained: "The so-called human-in-the-loop means that humans directly participate in the closed-loop process of guidance and control. The key to this television guidance technology lies in humans. Humans are the main operators, so our technology must be clearly defined."

He turned around and continued writing, while continuing to talk.

"It's not that the missiles fire automatically on their own; instead, people watch the screen and manually operate the missiles to hit the target."

"The rocket's nose cone has a small television camera."

"Send the footage back to the aircraft via radio."

"The pilot or weapons operator sees the target on the screen."

He issued remote control commands using a joystick.

"The command is transmitted to the rocket, adjusting the control surfaces and changing its trajectory."

"The process ends when the operator watches it hit the target."

After he finished writing, he turned around.

"This is what it means to be in the guidance circuit; that is, to be in the guidance circuit."

"The reason why the British ram air turbine technology is so important to the entire guidance system is that it is lightweight enough to not put too much load on the rocket, while still having enough energy to generate radio and electromechanical operations."

"You're discussing the practical applications of electric motors with the British. I don't think that's necessary. The value of micro-motors will only become more apparent after the war. Right now, I only need them to serve the war effort, understand?"

Jiang Wenjin, head of the TV guidance R&D team, was the first to reply: "Understood, General Manager. We will temporarily set aside the dispute and focus on the technology transfer. Please trust our capabilities; we will be able to produce the first ram-air turbine generator within a week."

Fang Wen nodded: "Okay, I'll take this as a pledge to give me results within a week."

A week passed quickly.

The Taishan Research Institute sent people to the base's general office.

Zhao Junping quickly reported to Fang Wen, who was reviewing documents: "General Manager, the research institute says the ram air turbine motor is ready."

Fang Wen immediately put down the documents and stood up: "Let's go take a look together."

He led Zhao Junping out quickly and headed towards the research institute.

Upon arriving at the research institute, we went upstairs and headed straight to the television guidance project team.

Jiang Wenjin and her team members greeted Fang Wen there.

"General Manager, we've succeeded. Please come with me."

He led Fang Wen into a laboratory.

Fang Wen saw the prototype.

Jiang Wenjin stood sideways beside the prototype, pointing to each component of the equipment in turn, her voice filled with barely concealed excitement as she explained it to Fang Wen in detail:

"General Manager, this ram-air turbine motor is designed and optimized entirely according to your requirements and British technical data. The core structure is as you see: two high-strength alloy blades that can withstand the impact of high-speed airflow are fixed to the main shaft via a hub. The external fairing is used to streamline the airflow, reduce wind resistance, and ensure that the airflow can accurately act on the blades. The main shaft is connected to the turbine pump, which, together with the intermediate reduction gearbox, reduces the high speed of the blade rotation to the speed suitable for the generator through helical gears, avoiding damage to the generator due to excessive speed. Finally, this small DC permanent magnet generator made of AlNiCo magnet steel is small in size and light in weight, which is just right to meet the load requirements of the rocket. It can stably generate enough electrical energy to meet the needs of guidance, control, and radio transmission."

Fang Wen listened attentively, his gaze following Jiang Wenjin's explanation as he looked at each component of the prototype.

He nodded and said, "The introduction is very detailed. Let's start the test directly. I want to see the actual operating effect, and I'll focus on whether the rotational speed and power generation driven by the airflow meet the standards."

"Understood!" Jiang Wenjin nodded immediately, turned around and gave instructions to the team members beside him, "Activate the air duct simulation system, adjust the airflow speed, simulate the airflow environment when the rocket is flying at high speed, start the test and record all data."

The team members immediately sprang into action, each fulfilling their assigned duties: some went to the air duct simulation equipment on one side of the laboratory; some adjusted the speed recorder and ammeter to ensure accurate data collection; and others stayed by the prototype, closely observing the equipment's operating status and preparing to respond to any emergencies.

As the air duct simulation system was activated, a deep rumble sounded, and a continuous stream of air was ejected from the air duct outlet, precisely blowing onto the blades of the ram air turbine motor.

At first, the blades only rotated slightly, and the speed slowly increased. The main shaft drove the turbine pump and the reduction gearbox, making a slight "buzzing" sound.

As Jiang Wenjin signaled his team members to increase the airflow speed to simulate the high-speed airflow of a rocket in flight, the blades rotated faster and faster until their outlines were almost invisible to the naked eye, leaving only a blurry afterimage.

Fang Wen stepped forward, his gaze falling on the ammeter and tachometer.

At the same time, his supernatural abilities were quietly activated, allowing him to probe the equipment.

The supernatural ability instantly penetrated the device's outer shell, allowing it to clearly perceive the internal operating status.

The blades rotated smoothly without any shaking or jamming; the reduction gearbox meshed precisely and the speed was well controlled, perfectly matching the generator's operating requirements.

The generator's pointer steadily rose, the current value fluctuated, and finally stabilized within the preset range.

It can be said that although it was a prototype, it was very well made.

"General Manager, look!" Jiang Wenjin pointed to the recorder, her voice excited. "The airflow speed simulates the high-speed flight of a rocket. The blade speed reaches 8000 revolutions per minute. After being reduced by the reduction gearbox, the generator speed stabilizes at 1500 revolutions per minute. The generated DC current fully meets the power supply requirements of the television guidance system. The power required for radio transmission and control surface operation can be supplied stably without any voltage fluctuations!"

Fang Wen looked in the direction he pointed, and the data on the recorder was clear and consistent with what he had sensed through his supernatural abilities.

A faint smile appeared on his face as he nodded in praise: "Not bad. In just one week, you have lived up to my expectations. This ram air turbine motor has achieved the expected results, and even exceeded my expectations."

Standing to the side, Zhao Junping couldn't help but speak up: "General Manager, with this motor, our TV-guided rockets have solved the most critical power supply problem. Next, we can proceed with the integration testing of the rockets and the guidance system."

“That’s right.” Fang Wen withdrew his gaze, looked at Jiang Wenjin and the R&D team members, and his tone became serious. “This is only the first step. The successful testing of the motor prototype does not mean that it can be put into use directly. Next, you need to do two things: First, optimize the design of the motor’s casing, making it lighter and stronger, so that it can withstand the impact of rocket launch and the friction of airflow during flight; second, conduct repeated tests to simulate the operating conditions under different flight speeds and airflow environments, check for possible faults, and ensure that the motor can operate stably in actual combat without any problems.”

Jiang Wenjin immediately straightened his back and said firmly, "Please rest assured, General Manager! We will do our best to optimize the shell design as soon as possible, complete repeated tests, and strive to use the motor in the guidance system as soon as possible to complete the development of TV-guided rockets and provide the front-line troops with more powerful weapons and equipment."

Fang Wen smiled and said, "That's good. In three days, give me the first batch of test ram air turbine motors, and I will assemble them myself."

During the three-day wait, Fang Wen did not do nothing.

He was also busy.

The original rocket casing was removed, a camera protection opening was cut out at the front of the warhead, a television camera was placed inside, and then a transparent protective casing was placed over it.

Then, the high-temperature resistant wiring conduit is connected from the camera to the motor.

The motor also needs to be redesigned.

Fang Wen personally took up the tools and meticulously repaired the outer shell of the rocket's tail section.

Based on the dimensions of the ram air turbine motor, a suitable mounting slot is cut on each side of the middle of the projectile. The edges of the slots are polished smooth and rounded to avoid generating airflow vortices during high-speed flight.

He specifically chose thin yet strong alloy steel sheets, cut them into cover plates that fit the slot, so as not to add too much load and to protect the turbine blades from damage when the motor is not working.

Zhao Junping assisted Fang Wen, handing him a wrench, screwdriver, and high-temperature sealant. Watching Fang Wen's skillful operation, he couldn't help but exclaim, "General Manager, you not only know how to fly airplanes, but you're also so proficient in these delicate machining tasks. I envy you so much. Why can't I do what you do?"

Fang Wen's hands moved without stopping as he carefully inserted the motor into the mounting slot and secured it firmly with special bolts. Only then did he reply, "You need to have a passion for what you do. With a passion, you'll have the motivation to keep going. I didn't understand mechanics at first, but I just liked it, and I gradually became proficient. You also have your own hobbies; you can develop in that direction. Don't just blindly follow my example."

Zhao Junping seemed to be deep in thought.

Fang Wen continued working.

He carefully threaded the power cord from the motor into the pre-reserved conduit, precisely connected it to the interface of the TV camera, and then carefully wrapped it with insulating tape to prevent the wire from coming loose or short-circuiting due to vibration during flight.

This was the most reliable method of wiring in 1941, without complex integrated interfaces, relying entirely on manual splicing and reinforcement.

Three days later, Jiang Wenjin arrived at the base's assembly workshop on time with the first batch of optimized ram air turbine motors.

These motors are lighter than the prototype, with a specially reinforced outer shell and a high-temperature resistant coating that can withstand the high-temperature impact during rocket launch and airflow friction during flight. The blades have also been slightly adjusted to better adapt to airflow impact at different speeds.

"General Manager, the optimized motor is 0.3 kg lighter than the prototype, and the casing's compressive strength has been increased by 10%. We have repeatedly tested it under different airflow environments, and the speed and power generation have consistently met the standards without any malfunctions."

Jiang Wenjin handed over the test report, her tone full of confidence. The R&D team members behind her also had bright eyes, waiting to see Fang Wen's assembly operation.

Fang Wen took the report, glanced through it, and nodded after confirming that the data was correct: "Very good, let's start assembling now."

He took out the optimized motor, checked the condition of the blades, reduction gearbox and generator again, and then walked to the pre-prepared semi-finished rocket.

This is an 82mm air-to-ground rocket. The front of the warhead has been fitted with a television camera and a transparent protective cover, and the wiring and piping have been laid. It is just waiting for the final integration of the motor and guidance system.

Fang Wen first precisely embedded the motor into the mounting slot in the middle of the projectile and tightened the fixing bolts to ensure that the motor would not loosen during vibration;

Next, connect the motor's power cord to the interfaces of the TV guide, radio transmitter, and remote control one by one. After each connection, use a multimeter to test the circuit continuity to avoid poor contact problems.

Jiang Wenjin and his team members stood around, barely daring to breathe. Occasionally, they would hand over tools at Fang Wen's signal, their eyes fixed on every step of the operation, afraid of missing any crucial details—they all knew that this was a critical step in the transformation of the TV-guided rocket from a component to a finished product, and also the core link in verifying all their efforts.

"The TV camera is connected and the power supply is normal." Fang Wen read out the data softly while testing. "The radio transmitter is connected and the signal is stable. The remote control interface is connected and the servo motor is responding normally."

With the last wiring connection completed, he installed the protective cover for the motor and sealed the edges with sealant to prevent rainwater and dust from entering and affecting the motor's operation.

The entire assembly process took more than two hours. Fang Wen was focused the whole time, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he never stopped what he was doing.

He straightened up and let out a long sigh of relief only after the last bolt was tightened.

"Now that it's assembled, let's test-fire this rocket and see how it goes."

Everyone was in high spirits.

For military industry workers, this is their big toy, a very valuable toy, and only through actual testing can their quality be determined.

As for how to test it, of course it won't be mounted on an aircraft; we haven't reached that stage yet.

Instead, after the ground transmitter launches the satellite, the operator simulates the wireless remote control guidance process to determine the effectiveness of the entire television guidance system.

Therefore, the staff loaded the rockets without fuses onto the vehicle and drove them to the test site.

There, the air-to-ground rockets are loaded onto the high-platform launcher and then the fuses are installed.

Below the launch pad was a fighter jet television fire control system designed and manufactured by Fang Wen, but the equipment had been modified to include a radio operating platform. (End of Chapter)