Chapter 1010 Rattlesnake (first update, please subscribe)
The low and shocking roar of the jet engine echoed on the airport runway.
As the roar of the engine gradually increased, the silver-white fighter began to slowly slide forward. Its tires rubbed against the runway, and the fighter plane was getting faster and faster. At the moment when the fighter plane was about to leave the ground, its tail suddenly spurted out a ball of blazing flames. The flames were like burning wings, pushing the fighter plane into the blue sky.
The moment the fighter plane took off, William McClain, standing in the distance, couldn't help but pick up the telescope.
"William, don't be so nervous. The previous test was very successful. The Air Force and Navy purchased it half a year ago. This is just a normal target training."
Listening to Wang Jialin's words, William McClain shook his head repeatedly.
"It's different, this time the "Rattlesnake" uses a lead sulfide detector in the refrigeration unit..."
As he spoke, William turned his attention to Wang Jialin and said doubtfully.
"Jialin, isn't it your idea to use nitrogen to cool the unit's lead sulfide detector to improve its detection capability? Why don't you care about this test at all?"
Looking at the calm Wang Jialin, William McClain's face was full of doubts.
"If you fail, just try again. It's no big deal. William, when you were studying it yourself, did you ever think about what would happen if you failed?"
The colleague's rhetorical question made William... McClain was stunned. Ten years ago, he was still working at the U.S. Naval Ordnance Station. He had nothing to do at that time. Driven by his interest, he started a research project at home called heat-seeking rockets. The principle is very simple, which is to measure the intensity of infrared radiation through changes in the electrical impedance value of lead sulfide, and at the same time control the flight of the missile based on the intensity.
Sandoku has also conducted research in this area and achieved corresponding results. On this basis, he developed the Enzian infrared guided missile. After the war, the infrared guided missiles of the United States, the Soviet Union and Southeast Asia were basically studied on its basis.
At that time, no one knew about William McLean’s private research. His research lasted from 1946 to 1951. He mainly used part of the facilities in the Naval Ordnance Station laboratory, and about 50% of private investment. Less than $5,000.
The first prototype bomb was made by William after half a year of work in his garage. Except that this prototype bomb did not have a warhead and rocket, it was already a very close to practical weapon. His design Innovative use of infrared homing seeker, mechanical gyro roller cage and step potentiometer and motor directly proportional to the front wing servo. The entire system is extremely simple, looks low-cost, uncomplicated, and has no impact on reliability. sexual components.
Just when his sample bomb was nearly completed and ready to be shown to Admiral Parsons, the head of the Navy in the Ordnance Bureau, a guest came to his home - Hedrick Gerrard from a headhunting company and gave him a copy A job that pays $650 a month!
Faced with the opportunity to double his income, William MacLean directly chose to retire and took his research results to the Desheng Research Institute in New York - an overseas research center established by Li Yi'an with the purpose of attracting American talents serve scientific research in Southeast Asia. In the past ten years, according to the list listed by Li Yi'an, the Desheng Research Institute has hired a large number of outstanding scientists, and William MacLean's name was also provided by him.
After William presented his research, Nanyang Aviation Industries immediately approved the project and decided to invest in development, and gave the internal development codename "Rattlesnake" - this snake uses infrared sensing organs to capture warm blood Prey has naturally become its code name.
A few months later, for the convenience of research, William McLean, the inventor and project leader, went to Nanyang. In 1953, he manufactured and assembled 25 missiles. The first 13 launches failed. , after a series of improvements and explorations, the drone finally hit the target for the 14th time.
The "Sidewinder" air-to-air missile was born. After three years of research and improvement, the Nanyang Air Force and Navy received the first batch of production "Sidewinder" air-to-air missiles five months ago.
Since its installation, the Air Force and Navy have conducted sufficient tests on it and pointed out some of its shortcomings. Today's modification test is to improve its detection range and sensitivity.
"Well, you are right, even if you fail, you just have to start over,"
Speaking in a somewhat stiff Mandarin, William put down the telescope in his hand, but He still couldn't help but stare at the sky, but Air Force Colonel Hartman on the side smiled when he saw this.
"Mr. McClain, it's not a big deal, it's just a few thousand dollars." In Hartman's view, the "Sidewinder" missile is a completely genius design, especially to prevent the missile from automatically The rotating gyro rudder prevents the missile from spinning in the simplest way. The simple design makes it extremely affordable, costing only 5,000 yuan!
Such a cheap missile... Even if the launch fails, it won't hurt at all.
“Failure does not necessarily mean failure, it is just a matter of how much the effect is increased. Infrared probes are heat-sensitive components. The lower the temperature, the higher the sensitivity. Using nitrogen to cool down can effectively increase the sensitivity..."< br>
As the inventor of this idea, Wang Jialin seemed very calm. Since five years ago, he and other colleagues who had been studying missiles with William had been taking "missile design" classes, and he It also mastered the secret to improving the Sidewinder's combat effectiveness - replacing it with a new, more sensitive seeker, a new cooling system and a new solid rocket motor.
“So the new seeker uses nitrogen-cooled infrared detectors. Because of the small size of the missile, liquid nitrogen can only be stored in the matching pylon. A 6L high-pressure nitrogen bottle is installed in the pylon. The fighter During flight, it can provide 2.6 hours of cooling for the missile seeker, which naturally improves its sensitivity. The material of the detector fairing has also been changed from the original quartz glass to magnesium fluoride material, which is transparent. It uses longer wavelength infrared radiation to make it more sensitive; the tracking angular speed of the missile is higher..."
Is this a theory?
No, this is science!
Pull out a cigarette from the cigarette box, light it, and take a drag. Wang Jialin silently stared at the aircraft in the sky. At this time, the target drone mounted on the bomber had been released. The Super Thunderbolt quickly approached the target drone. After seizing the 6 o'clock position, the pilot did not launch all the missiles at once.
Even from the ground, you can see a blazing fire flashing under the wing. The missile is flying towards the target aircraft, trailing a trail of white smoke. First one is fired, and after a pause, the next one is launched. pieces.
Seeing this, Hartman smiled.
“This is a navy tactic. Although it is a navy tactic, it is really good!”
Although the "Sidewinder Missile" has just been in service for less than half a year, after several months of training, the Naval Air Force has changed its weapon thinking and developed new missile tactics based on its hit rate during the test. Pilots should give priority to obtaining a position suitable for the Sidewinder Missile. , launch one missile and then observe the result before launching the next one. Unlike the air-to-air rockets used in the past, all missiles were fired at once when the battle position was obtained.
This attack method has a higher hit rate and better effect, and it was quickly promoted in the military.
Under the control of the radio operator, the target drone constantly maneuvered to avoid missile attacks, but everything seemed so powerless.
More than ten seconds later, with a deafening explosion, the moment the missile approached the target aircraft, the warhead exploded under the action of the proximity fuze, blowing the target aircraft into pieces.
The fire and debris scattered in the air, forming a gorgeous firework, short but dazzling.
The moment the target drone was hit, there was a round of applause on the ground. Amidst the applause, Wang Jialin raised his head and stared at the aircraft passing by in the sky, looking at the wreckage of the target aircraft falling into the sea, but he was thinking about another question in his heart. ——Can infrared manufacturing be applied to ground air defense?
When this idea flashed in my mind, several flight officers from the Air Force and Navy were already discussing there. In addition to the performance of missiles, the topics discussed were more around the aircraft. In addition to the modifications, there are also the first batch of new pylons and new Sidewinder missiles, who should be delivered first.
"The first batch should be handed over to the Navy first,"
As a representative of the Air Force, Hartman behaved very generously and said directly:
" Now the navy has more tasks and needs new missiles.”
Hartmann's words naturally elicited a burst of laughter from the Navy representatives, while Wang Jialin raised his brows and thought to himself...the Navy, the Navy's mission?
Does it mean cooperating with the US military’s actions?
Thinking of this, his heart sank.
(End of this chapter)