After running 10 kilometers within the prescribed time, everyone lay on the beach and gasped for air.
Zhou Zhihan held a trumpet and a pointer and walked back and forth among the lying people: "I know you are complaining, but I want to tell you that my devil training for you has just begun. More difficult training is yet to come. Those who can't keep going can quit now. Those who can't control their weight below 130 pounds will also quit automatically."
"God bless!"
Navigator Reid, who was panting like a dog as tired as a dog, jumped up and said, "My weight has never exceeded 130 kilograms. Colonel Zhou, can I stop running 10 kilometers?"
"Congratulations Red!"
A few seconds passed after Zhou Zhihan finished speaking, and then he smiled at Reid who was very proud of what he heard, "Then please run at the front every day and set an example for everyone."
Looking at the buck-toothed Red, the pilots laughed "..."
Reid "..."
"I'll tell you why you need to lose weight." Zhou Zhihan sat down among the crowd. "Because the B25 does not have enough range to fly from the United States to China, we can only take off from the 152-meter aircraft carrier deck and go to China to support the Flying Tigers. Combat.
During takeoff, if you only use an extra 10 centimeters of distance, you will die. So your weight will determine whether your crew will fly in the sky or feed sharks on the bottom of the sea. "
When they heard that the B25 was going to take off from an aircraft carrier, everyone seemed very excited and whispered. No one had ever flown a bomber from an aircraft carrier before.
After a while, Zhou Zhihan stretched out his hand to stop everyone's discussion: "China is a vast country with abundant resources. The places where we want to fight the Japanese are often far away, and most of them go deep into the tiger's den. It is extremely dangerous and unexpected events may occur at any time, causing the return of the voyage. distance increased.
If each of you five crewmembers loses 10 kilograms in weight, you can calculate how many more liters of gasoline you can carry. This gasoline can save your lives at critical times. If you can lose 100 pounds..."
Everyone nodded. Colonel Zhou was right. One liter of gasoline can often make a crew wander between heaven and hell.
"The conditions of the Anti-Japanese War in China are difficult. Once you make an emergency landing somewhere, your weight and running ability will determine your survival rate. I don't want you to become prisoners of the Japanese before you have achieved success."
Zhou Zhihan said and looked around at everyone: "The Japanese are inhumane. They have done all kinds of bad things and have no conscience. If you fall into their hands, you will go to hell.
Maybe some of you will complain about hugging me, but one day, you will know that everything I do is for your own good.
Only by reducing weight and allowing the aircraft to grow an extra pair of wings can you take the lead in the showdown with the Japanese.
If anyone wants to quit, it's still too late. Of course, as long as you persist and complete the task, I guarantee that you will all have unexpected gains. "
Zhou Zhihan knew that when the aircraft carrier Hornet was carrying the B25 to the Ghost Nest, it was discovered by the Japanese patrol boat before it reached the designated take-off area. The B25 could only take off hundreds of kilometers in advance, which caused the bomber to take off in advance. When returning, they were unable to land at the pre-arranged Chinese airport, and finally made an emergency landing in the Japanese-occupied area. Therefore, the kind-hearted Chinese people rescued the US military pilots, but Da Tusha...
Therefore, he first required all pilots to lose weight.
American pilots eat rich meals, and many of them eat very well. This does not matter in peacetime, but during the more than 2,000 kilometers of bombing the ghost nest, every fifty kilograms of weight lost by the aircraft represents an astonishing amount of energy saved.
Zhou Zhihan believes that by controlling the pilot's weight under 130 kilograms, each aircraft can lose at least 100 kilograms of weight. The fuel saved by this 100 kilograms of weight reduction can at least allow the B25 with a range of 2,200 kilometers to fly dozens of kilometers more. .
"Colonel!" a pilot asked, "How did those bombers we took off from the aircraft carrier land on the aircraft carrier?"
This is the question everyone wants to know. Taking off from an aircraft carrier can be done with practice, but no one can fly a B25 to an aircraft carrier and land it.
Zhou Zhihan: "These bombers will be landed on the aircraft carrier by me."
Everyone smacked their lips...
After breakfast, Zhou Zhihan and Doolittle drove to the large hangar of Captain Jack Richards, who was responsible for reducing the weight of the B25.
Arriving at Jack Richards' office, Doolittle saw that he was still studying the B25 drawings and asked, "Jack, how is the progress?"
"This is really a great revision question." Jack looked like he hadn't slept all night, but he was very energetic. He showed the drawings and data to the two of them, "After losing weight, Fat Girl still can't reach the goal." The weight of taking off on the aircraft carrier...the landing gear also needs to be modified. Also, can the automatic sealing on the fuel tank, including the defensive steel plate under the driver's feet, be removed? Otherwise, it will only reduce the quality of bombs and fuel."
Doolittle said: "The seal of the fuel tank cannot be removed, nor can the protective steel plate of the aircraft be removed. These are related to the life and death of the pilot."
Jack shook his head: "Then we can only reduce the capacity of the fuel tank." He took the calculator, calculated for a while, and shook his head, "Even if we reduce the fuel, we still can't reach the take-off weight. Fat Girl is really too fat."
"The fuel tank cannot be moved at all. Without oil, it would be better to die if it fell into the hands of the Japanese." Zhou Zhihan said to Doolittle, "Colonel, I think we should remove the protective steel plate? We are dropping bombs at high altitude, and we have very high requirements for protective steel plates. Low. The Japanese have always been arrogant. They don't think anyone can fly to the Ghost Nest to drop bombs. Most of their anti-aircraft guns can't reach an altitude of eight thousand meters. Also, one machine gun on the nose can be removed, and half of the machine gun bullets can be removed. , if you really get entangled in the Zero, you can only climb away."
Doolittle nodded: "This is the only way."
Jack lowered his head and counted various data: "Let's take it apart first and then talk about it."
Zhou Zhihan: "Jack, has the Mustang I want been modified?"
"The Mustang just arrived last night." Jack said, putting down the calculator in his hand, his eyebrows dancing. "Oh my god, this Mustang B has a modified Merlin engine and is equipped with a two-stage, two-speed supercharger, which makes it even more powerful. I dare you. Guaranteed, it is the best fighter you have ever seen. Its strength is definitely above the Messerschmitt and Spitfire. Once the throwable auxiliary fuel tanks are installed, its range will be even further than the B25."
Zhou Zhihan knew that after bombing the Ghost Nest, the navigation aircraft that guided the landing signal for the B25 was shot down by the Japanese in China, so the B25 could only land blindly, so he asked the US military to prepare a long-range fighter for him, and with the bomber group Enter the ghost lair and serve as an air marshal.
As a result, the Mustang B, which was authorized by the British and modified with a Merlin engine, came into the military's sight. The military also wanted to test the combat effectiveness of this Mustang with a big heart, so it immediately agreed to Zhou Zhihan's request and Adding an auxiliary fuel tank and a guidance signal receiver to this fighter aircraft will provide double insurance for signal guidance.
