I will use a comparative method to list the protagonist's approach to the aircraft patent, as well as another possible approach, compare the advantages and disadvantages of the two, and the reasons for the choice.
The first strategy:
Because - I want to get the most affordable and high-quality aircraft possible, and I want to get as many reserve pilots as possible.
Therefore - we must use all means to promote the development of the Ming Dynasty's aviation industry.
Therefore - airplanes must be sold among the people of Ming Dynasty, and they must be sold in large quantities as much as possible, so that as many people as possible can be familiar with and even know how to fly airplanes.
Therefore - it is impossible to keep secrets on privately sold aircraft, and other countries will soon imitate them through civilian aircraft and then mass-produce them on their own.
Therefore - in order to curb the development of the opponent's aviation industry, before selling its own civil aircraft, it goes to the opponent's country to apply for an aircraft patent. Of course, it is limited to civilian technology, and ordinary aircraft have back extensions. Act as a patent troll in the opponent's country to curb the development of the opponent's aviation industry.
The reference object is the Wright brothers of the United States. After inventing the aircraft, they applied for a patent in the United States and acted as patent trolls in the United States. As a result, the development of American aircraft before World War I was far inferior to that of France.
Advantage 1 - Maximize the use of Daming's size advantage, train as many pilots as possible, develop aircraft with high quality and low price as possible, win with quantity, and the results can be expected.
Advantage 2 - Even in peacetime, opponents cannot fully and freely develop the aircraft industry. Their development in peacetime will be curbed, and the results can be expected.
The opponent's size is not as good as that of Ming Dynasty. With being specifically contained, the development of the aviation industry is even worse than that of Ming Dynasty.
This will inevitably lead to the price of the opponent's aircraft being higher than that of the Ming Dynasty, the performance of the opponent's aircraft being significantly lower than that of the Ming Dynasty, and the opponent's pilots being fewer than those of the Ming Dynasty.
The next war will be a battle of strengths between the two sides. As long as the Ming Dynasty adopts a conservative strategy, it can win with quantity and stability.
Disadvantages - The enemy can also make their own aircraft by referring to their own early experimental aircraft and the early aircraft used for patent applications. There is no way to prevent the enemy from obtaining the aircraft.
Additional Note 1 - The protagonist believes that the aircraft at that time did not have any technical difficulties for other industrial countries, and the opponents had the ability to independently develop early aircraft in a few years.
Additional Note 2 - The protagonist believes that it is impossible to maintain absolute confidentiality of basic aircraft, and the technical content of early aircraft is extremely low, and success can be achieved by obtaining the wing cross-section.
Therefore, shortcomings are inevitable, but they do not affect the outcome.
In summary, the outcome is highly likely to be controllable and there will be basically no surprises. Whether the enemy obtains an aircraft or not will most likely not affect the outcome of the war.
…………
The second strategy.
Because - the aircraft must be kept secret as much as possible, the aircraft must be developed and upgraded secretly, and the pilots must be trained secretly.
Therefore - aircraft should not be sold to civilians, they can only be used for military purposes and are always developed in secret.
Therefore - at the same time, it is necessary to prevent the enemy from stealing the secrets of one's own aircraft.
So - make sure the enemy cannot develop their own aircraft.
Advantage 1 - If the idea is completely successful, then the Ming Dynasty has aircraft and the enemy has no aircraft at all.
The number of Ming's aircraft may not be particularly large according to the pilot's calculations, but the enemy has none at all.
Therefore, Ming Dynasty has a unilateral advantage. The Ming Dynasty changed the war situation through airplanes and won the war.
Disadvantages - There is no guarantee that the enemy will not develop its own aircraft, and there is no guarantee that the enemy will not be able to steal the secrets of one's own aircraft.
If the enemy develops its own aircraft or steals the secrets of Ming's aircraft, it will be difficult for Ming to proactively contain it.
The enemy may develop an aviation industry of a certain scale, the production cost may be close to the Ming Dynasty, the number of pilots may be close to the Ming Dynasty, and the outcome of the war cannot be predicted.
Summary - The outcome is uncontrollable. It relies on the enemy being unable to develop the aircraft on its own. It relies on the effectiveness of one's own confidentiality and the effectiveness of pilot training under secrecy. Whether the enemy can obtain the aircraft is likely to affect the outcome of the war.
The author believes that the first logic is more conservative and stable, and is suitable for the Ming Empire, which has an absolute size advantage.
The second strategy is more radical and risky, suitable for secondary powers and challengers of the existing order.
Therefore, the protagonist adopts the first strategy but not the second strategy.
I tried to make the brothers who didn't accept it understand why the protagonist made such a choice.
Finally, don’t think of airplanes as some sudden original invention. That thing has its own development context and process, and has been with mankind for hundreds of years. Don’t look at the problem in metaphysical isolation. There is no situation where the protagonist does not do what others do and just waits.
Attached: Aircraft production by various countries in World War II: United States, 1939-1945, 324,000 aircraft, 1941-1945, 297,199 aircraft. Maozi, 1929-1945, 136,000 aircraft, 1941-1945, 112,000 aircraft. Britain, 1939-1945, 125,254 aircraft. Germany, 1939-1945, 113,514 aircraft. Japan, 1941-1945, 32,377 or 35,300. Italy, more than 10,000.
