Bright Sword Military System

Chapter 1675 Speed

Aubrey originally thought that Wang Xuexin would definitely choose the "Hellcat" fighter.

These Chinese people definitely choose what is good, and they don't think about whether it is practical or suitable at all!

But do they know what conditions are required to use the "Hellcat" fighter?

Do they know how to modify the "Hellcat" for aircraft carrier take-off?

Wang Xuexin actually knew, although he didn't know much.

Yingjiang's aircraft carriers have used catapults and arresting cables since World War II, and the "Wildcat Fighter" does not need to use catapults and arresting cables, although most of Yingjiang's aircraft carriers already had these facilities at that time.

This is not to say that Yingjiang is not used to it, but that the "Wildcat Fighter" has a very short take-off distance. It only needs a distance of 200 feet, which is about 61 meters, to successfully take off.

Therefore, in most cases, the "Wildcat" can take off without using the catapult. Using a catapult will reduce the take-off efficiency of the "Wildcat":

In the absence of catapults, the "Wildcat Fighters" can be densely arranged at the tail of the aircraft carrier, and then one after the other is released, dozens of them can be released in a short period of time and complete the task of formation.

However, if the catapult take-off method is used, the catapult will have to be released and retracted before the next fighter is attached, and the efficiency will be much slower than the former.

But the "Hellcat" has to use the method of catapult take-off, because its heavier body can carry more weapons, fuel, and ammunition. It is possible to take off at a distance of more than 20 meters only when the speed of the aircraft can obtain a certain reverse wind speed, and it cannot be fully fueled and bombed.

(Note: "Wildcat Fighter" has an empty weight of 2674 kg and a maximum take-off weight of 3604 kg. "Hellcat Fighter" has an empty weight of 4152 kg and a maximum take-off weight of 6991 kg)

The wind speed is uncertain. Even if the aircraft carrier maintains a speed of 20 knots, it may not be able to obtain the ideal reverse wind speed.

For example, an aircraft carrier sails with the wind, or a crosswind, or a sudden change in wind speed.

To consider these factors, it is not possible to fill up the fuel and bombs, it is better to directly load the catapult.

However, if a battleship like the "Musashi" is converted into an aircraft carrier, if it is necessary to install a catapult and then a hydraulic arresting cable, it will be complicated.

This is also one of the reasons why Aubrey is not optimistic about the modification of the "Musashi" aircraft carrier.

"You actually know that you can't control the 'Hellcat'?" Aubrey glanced at Wang Xuexin unexpectedly, and asked, "How did you know this?"

Wang Xuexin knows that there is much more knowledge about aircraft carriers than Aubrey imagined. He is an aircraft carrier enthusiast in modern times. Especially after China produced its own aircraft carrier, Wang Xuexin often discusses it with military fans and netizens on the Internet.

But of course Wang Xuexin would not say that. He spread his hands: "After all, we are about to have our first aircraft carrier. Of course I need to check some information!"

"Okay!" Aubrey nodded, and continued to walk towards her office, her steps seemed a lot easier: "If it is equipped with a 'Wildcat fighter', it will be much simpler, because it only needs the flight deck, aircraft Just a warehouse and a lift, nothing else is needed!"

Wang Xuexin knows this.

The aircraft carrier is not as complicated as other people think, especially the aircraft carrier during World War II, which is equivalent to a sea airport.

Can you imagine that many escort aircraft carriers did not even have hangars during World War II?
Moreover, the flight deck is still made of wood, which is completed by rebuilding a merchant ship with a flight deck!
With the unsettled industrial level at that time, it took 5 months to convert a merchant ship into an escort aircraft carrier, and it was the conversion progress of a civilian shipyard.

The industrial level of Yingjiang is much faster. It only takes more than two months to convert a merchant ship into an aircraft carrier capable of carrying 28 carrier-based aircraft. It has converted 50 ships in two years, so it is called the "dumpling aircraft carrier."

(Note: This escort aircraft carrier is a Casablanca-class aircraft carrier)

This is also one of the reasons why Wang Xuexin chose to let Yingjiang's technicians refit the "Musashi"...Yingjiang has rich experience in refitting.

Of course, it is impossible to refit the [-]-ton "Musashi" aircraft carrier so quickly, but Wang Xuexin estimates that it will take about six months in Yingjiang's hands, after all, the design drawings are ready-made.

The actual construction period will be shorter than Wang Xuexin's guess, because Wang Xuexin has very low requirements for this aircraft carrier.

Aubrey's office was arranged by Xu Huandong. It is a three-story brick building with many separated single rooms. Aubrey's office is on the first floor... This is what she requested, because she said she didn't have the ability to climb stairs time.

Sitting down in the office, Aubrey stretched out his hand to Wang Xuexin: "Where's the design drawing?"

Chen Songyong immediately opened the box, and then piled stacks of design drawings on Aubrey's desktop.

Aubrey took out a few sheets at random, flipped through them, then nodded and said, "It's about the same position as yours, no need for a catapult, and the front... is actually open?"

The modification plan of the "Shinano" is very simple. It is to add a flight deck above the warship deck, and then change the warship deck into a hangar for storing fighter jets, and fly the fighter jets from the flight deck.

The two-thirds of the hangar at the front is even open, that is, there is no side armor. From the side, you can clearly see fighter planes parked on the deck of the warship.

Wang Xuexin knew what it was for... During the Battle of Midway Island, the Devils had an aircraft carrier that sank because the fighter plane was bombed by the Yingjiang fighter plane while changing ammunition.

Most of the hangar armor of the "Shinano" is designed to be open, so that the bombs and torpedoes mounted or ready to be mounted on the fighter plane can be thrown into the sea at critical moments so that they will not be killed.

The reason why the second third is closed is that it is used to store fighter jets. The fighter jets are equipped with machine guns and bullets, so there will be no problem of martyrdom.

Aubrey looked at it and said: "The battleship's main gun ammunition depot is used as a shipboard ammunition depot, the aircraft fuel depot is reinforced with 25MM armor, and the chimney is tilted 23 degrees..."

Then she breathed a sigh of relief, raised her head and said to Wang Xuexin: "It doesn't look difficult, if its other equipment is in good condition! But there is a good news and a bad news, which one do you want to hear first?"

"Good news!" In fact, Wang Xuexin doesn't care, because it doesn't matter which one he listens to first.

Aubrey held the blueprint in his hand and pointed at Wang Xuexin, saying: "In this design drawing, the armor thickness on the waterline is 249MM, while the armor of the warship I saw is 410MM. This makes it more center of gravity. Steady, we don't even need to add ballast after adding the flight deck!"

"What about the bad news?" Wang Xuexin asked.

"Weight!" Aubrey replied: "Its weight will be much greater than the aircraft carrier in the design drawing, so it will have an impact on the speed! It is estimated that it will be reduced by three to four knots. It is hard to say now!"

Wang Xuexin's complexion changed, this is not a small problem.

(End of this chapter)