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Chapter 360: Planes, Planes, and More Planes
The military personnel had their own section of the bleachers, and perhaps because of their presence, every inventor showcasing a flying machine seemed particularly energized.
Previously, the military had funded some inventors in the hot-air balloon field to further develop their creations. To be honest, this move made inventors working on non-balloon aircraft envious—so much so that they practically drooled over the opportunities those balloonists were getting. Now, however, it was their turn.
After exchanging a few words with Lynch, Mr. Truman joined the military representatives in a corner for a quiet discussion about the ideas of certain inventors who had caught their attention.
Ever since submarines were invented, the military had hesitated to deploy them immediately, instead focusing on how to counteract them. It wasn’t just the Federation that possessed submarines; other technologically advanced nations like Gevra had them too. However, the Federation was likely the first country to repurpose civilian underwater equipment into a weapon of war. Once these submarines began prowling the Eastern Ocean, showing off their lethal potential, other countries would undoubtedly follow suit.
Sometimes, all it takes to change an era or advance technology is one idea—a spark of inspiration.
After numerous tests, it became clear that observing the sea from aboard a ship, hindered by light reflections and refractions, made spotting submerged submarines nearly impossible. But from a higher vantage point, where optical distortions were minimized, even the naked eye could detect underwater threats.
Thus, over the past two years, the military had funneled significant funding into projects led by inventors specializing in hot-air balloons—not necessarily because they believed in their long-term viability but because they could quickly deploy them as battlefield tools. One such project was the “Rapid Ascent Observation Balloon,” designed to launch swiftly from ships and provide aerial reconnaissance.
Still, the military remained skeptical about relying on hot-air balloons. For one, they were easy targets, even when armored. Secondly, if balloons couldn’t stay airborne for extended periods and became expendable, ships would need to carry more of them, taking up valuable space. If supplies ran out, submarines would dominate uncontested.
So now, the military turned its gaze toward non-balloon aircraft, hoping they might offer a solution.
After finishing his conversation with the military officials, Mr. Truman returned to sit beside Lynch just as the aircraft exhibition began.
First up was a standard fixed-wing plane—at least, it closely resembled what Lynch remembered from history. Its designer was a well-known figure in aviation invention circles. He instructed his assistant to tow the aircraft around the venue for a lap while he stood near the bleachers, explaining his latest design.
“In this iteration, I’ve incorporated more aluminum alloy,” he began. “Last year, Metrol Industries revolutionized their alloy formula, making it lighter yet slightly stronger…”
“Addressing issues we encountered in previous designs, we’ve increased the wingspan and covered the wings with sheepskin…”
Covering airplane wings with leather? This approach struck Lynch as amusing, and several people chuckled audibly. Others frowned—not at the inventor himself but at the fact that many competitors hadn’t yet had a chance to present their work.
Everyone understood the value of a “golden idea” in innovation. Yet its true worth often lay in convincing outsiders and investors. Take, for example, the inventor who proposed armoring hot-air balloons; merely suggesting the concept secured him substantial funding.
Clearly, having “an idea” mattered immensely.
Using leather on wings wasn’t far-fetched—it wasn’t even unprecedented. Some had gone so far as attaching feathers. Why? Because it worked. With no comprehensive aerodynamics theory available yet, amateur inventors relied on trial and error. They discovered that animal hides improved stability compared to bare wooden wings.
They might not understand why it worked, but they knew it did.
The inventor continued elaborating on his reasons for using sheepskin, citing data points. From what Lynch gathered, the new design was lighter, more stable in flight, and safer during landings due to a repositioned center of gravity.
He also outlined hypothetical improvements: installing a more advanced engine could boost speed, and additional funding would allow him to replace all wooden components with aluminum alloys…
In short, in his eyes, this aircraft was nearly perfect.
With introductions complete, the inventor and his assistant prepared for takeoff. By the time the plane reached the end of the runway, the crowd had risen to its feet.
This was a thrilling moment. Humanity’s desire to conquer the skies stretched back to ancient times, when people dreamed of flying like birds. Now, Federation inventors marched steadily forward on that path.
As the plane accelerated and lifted off, Lynch murmured in surprise, “It flew.”
Truman remained calm. “Yes, it flew. People achieved that feat ten years ago. But today, our progress remains limited to just… flying.”
Unlike the excited spectators, Truman appeared almost disappointed. Flying machines existed, yes—but all they could do was fly. After covering a few kilometers, most crashed. Sometimes pilots survived to design another prototype; other times, they perished alongside their creations. For a while, critics dismissed aviation inventors as frauds, accusing them of squandering investor funds on useless contraptions that posed grave dangers.
Even today, problems persisted. Takeoff was relatively easy; landing remained perilous, as did extending flight distances. To ensure easier takeoffs and longer flights, weight management was crucial. Currently, the largest payload any plane could carry consisted of two slim pilots besides its structural mass.
For now, aviation remained a promising yet uncertain industry. Compared to rapid-ascent balloons costing mere hundreds of bucks, these planes—priced in the tens of thousands and risking lives—seemed ill-suited for warfare.
This explained why Lynch initially assumed Truman described aviation as “dangerous,” mistakenly thinking the inventions aimed solely for military use. But Truman disagreed. These planes, aside from being death traps, had little practical application.
Military evaluators continued assessing performance metrics: minimum acceleration distance, takeoff velocity, angle of ascent, and in-flight stability. A few years earlier, a plane violently shook midair before disintegrating entirely. Stability had since become a key criterion.
While the audience cheered, the sweating inventor above faced his next challenge: landing.
There were two options. Confident designers opted for runway landings—one reason fixed-wing planes still used wooden frames was for gliding flexibility. Alternatively, pilots gambled on crash-landing into haystacks, praying they wouldn’t be crushed by engines or shattered propellers.
Ultimately, the inventor chose the runway. Securing military funding required proving reliability through controlled landings.
As the plane adjusted its descent trajectory, tension gripped the bleachers. When the front wheel touched down, a loud pop echoed across the stands. An evaluator immediately marked a large “X” on the assessment sheet.
Fortunately, the damage wasn’t catastrophic. The blown tire deformed rapidly, the landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage hit the ground hard—but remained intact. Thanks to decent balance, neither wing scraped the ground, averting disaster. Still, from most perspectives, this qualified as an accident.
Drenched in sweat, the inventor stepped forward, forcing a smile. “It’s… safe. I’ve proven that much.”
Truman sighed deeply, disappointment evident. He held little hope for the remaining presentations.
At this moment, Lynch interjected, “Perhaps it was the uneven runway.”
Curious, Truman glanced at him. “Do you know something about this?”
Lynch smiled faintly but said nothing. Neither dwelled on the matter.
Subsequent demonstrations followed similar patterns: tweaks to wing designs, minor innovations. Then Lynch spotted something unusual—a rotary-wing aircraft.
Shaped like a giant egg, the cockpit sat atop the engine, with a transmission rod spinning a propeller above. The goal? Generate enough lift to raise the craft skyward.
Truman scrutinized it closely—it was part of why he’d come here. Though not the first rotary-wing aircraft in history, its level of completion closely mirrored Lynch’s memory of early helicopters.
Yet disappointment lingered. Despite the inventor’s best efforts, the machine refused to budge off the ground.
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