Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 525: The Su-27 crashes, and the ejection seat becomes famous!

The Su-27 and MiG-29 are the most famous third-generation fighter jets of the Russians. Their appearances are similar, derived from the Central Institute of Fluid Mechanics, and are difficult for laymen to distinguish, but experts can tell them apart at a glance.

The MiG-29 is relatively short, while the Su-27 is relatively long. You can judge based on the size of the airframe, the presence of auxiliary air intakes on the leading-edge extensions, the shape of the wingtip pylons, etc., all of which are different.

Meanwhile, another obvious difference in the appearance of the Su-27 is that there is a tail cone more than one meter long between the two engines at the rear. This thing extends backward like a bee's sting.

The tail cone has many functions. It can extend the fuselage length, smooth out the shrinking area, delay the collapse of vortices, reduce drag during supersonic flight, store fuel, flares, or even house a rear-mounted radar specifically for monitoring the rear.

The MiG-29 does have a tail vertebra, but it is extremely inconspicuous and almost invisible.

This tail cone has many advantages, but also many limitations. For example, when installing a vector engine in the future, it is fine to deflect up and down, but if the angle of deflection to the left and right is too large, it may spray onto this tail cone. Also, it may increase the risk of collision during takeoff and landing.

Fighter jets have altimeters, but these are generally based on barometric pressure and have an error margin of around 100 meters. Airshow performances rely entirely on the pilot's experience for control until satellite navigation becomes more advanced, allowing altitude measurements to be accurate to the meter.

Now, Pugachev's maneuvering was incredibly impressive, showcasing the Su-27's maneuverability to the fullest. Unfortunately, he also made a serious mistake!
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the tail of the Su-27. Regardless of whether they were hostile or not, their hearts were in their throats.

The safety officer was already yelling over the radio, "Pull it up! Pull it up!"

At this moment, Pugachev seemed to have a premonition of something. He turned on the engine afterburner, and the two tail engines emitted scorching flames, trying to propel the fighter jet to a rapid altitude. Unfortunately, it was too late.

As soon as the afterburner was activated, the tailbone scraped against the ground, sparks flew, the tail began to deform, and the next moment, raging flames rose from the tail.

Clearly, the tail cone and the area secured to the tail section were damaged and deformed, scraping against the engine and severing its lubrication lines. If this thing were to catch fire…

"Oh my God!" countless people exclaimed.

At this point, the fuselage of the Su-27 fighter jet had begun to tilt, and the cockpit was almost parallel to the ground, with a height of no more than five meters!
Bang!
The canopy was ejected, and the next moment, flames rose as Pugachev was ejected from the cockpit!

Countless people stared wide-eyed. In this situation, even if they were ejected, it might not be of any use, since the altitude was too low and the posture too complicated!

To everyone's surprise, two long poles extended from behind the ejection seat, the ejection seat was corrected, and then... it began to fly upwards!

This amazing turn of events surprised everyone even more.

This……

Is this too strong?

As fighter jets continue to increase in speed, pilots can no longer escape by climbing out of the cockpit on their own and have to rely on ejection seats.

However, this does not guarantee a successful escape, as the aircraft's altitude, speed, and attitude all limit the pilot's ability to escape.

If the altitude is too low, it means that after ejection, the pilot will not be at enough altitude, and after the parachute opens, he may fall to the ground before he can decelerate.

If the speed is too high, the pilot and seat may be blown off course by the oncoming airflow after ejection. Of course, if the speed is too low, the ejection seat may not be able to adjust its attitude.

Posture is the most important factor. If your posture is incorrect, even if you are ejected, you will still not be able to save your life. In extreme cases, if you are ejected downwards, you will hit the ground directly.

Even now, you can't go out sideways, because if you go out sideways, the height off the ground is too low!
This ejection seat can even turn!

To everyone's surprise, the ejection seat had already taken the pilot to a sufficient altitude. The rocket engine had finished burning, and the ejection seat continued to ascend with the pilot. At the highest point, the pilot and the ejection seat separated, and the parachute opened.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the pilot descend unsteadily.

Fortunately, the pilot escaped with his life, and in a situation where death seemed certain!

and many more!

Everyone was so focused on the pilot that they didn't pay any attention to the plane. Now that they saw the pilot was alright, they remembered the plane and looked over, only to be met with wide, horrified eyes.

The plane, trailing bursts of flame, crashed into... Dassault Systèmes' exhibition area!

Countless Frenchmen screamed in terror and scattered as the fighter jet, trailing thick smoke, accurately... crashed into the Mirage 4000!

boom!
Even more intense flames rose up, and the two fighter jets burned fiercely together in the fire, like brothers.

This……

Did the Russians do it on purpose?

of course not!

After all, the Russians also destroyed a fighter jet!
But isn't this too much of a coincidence?

The sirens wailed as the fire trucks rushed to the scene. In the distance, Old Tu sighed with deep emotion, "Comrade Qin Liang, your foresight is incredible! If I hadn't known we didn't have that capability, I would have thought..."

What did you think?
You think I'm the one controlling things?

How is that possible!

This was clearly pilot error. Moreover, the Russian Su-27 uses an analog fly-by-wire flight control system, which cannot be programmed like a digital flight control system, and it is impossible for any backdoors to be installed. So, it definitely wasn't me!
As for why I have this concern, it's simply a fine tradition of the Russians!
In 1973, the Russian Tu-144 passenger plane crashed during an airshow performance. Of course, this was sabotaged by the French. A Mirage 3 deliberately entered the exercise airspace, forcing the passenger plane to make an emergency turn, exceeding the aircraft's overload capacity.

However, there have been quite a few accidents involving Russians during air shows since then!
Especially now, in 85, the Russians have brought over the Su-27, trying to show off their skills at the airshow. It's safe to say that this flight performance is definitely not very good, and the probability of an accident is very high.

Therefore... we must be on guard!

Of course, this is just Qin Liang's personal speculation. As for whether there really is a problem, we can only say that the Russians were unlucky.

Or rather, they got their revenge, they finally got their revenge!

Back then, the French sabotaged and dismantled a Russian passenger plane; now, Russian fighter jets have destroyed Dassault's proudest Mirage 4000!

Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris.

The ICU lights finally went out, and Dassault was wheeled out.

"Doctor, how is my father's condition?"

"Fortunately, he was brought in in time and underwent craniotomy. His condition is now under control," the doctor said. "As long as the patient isn't agitated, there shouldn't be any problems."

"Ok."

In the intensive care unit, old Dassault slowly opened his eyes.

"Father, you're awake."

"Hmm, how's the situation at the airshow?"

"Father, don't worry about these things. The most important thing now is to take good care of your health."

"Turn on the TV for me and play the programs from the airshow."

"This……"

"Hurry up and open it! What are you afraid of? I survived in the concentration camp, so why would I be afraid of this little illness? What, you're not obeying my orders?"

"Ok."

The television was turned on, and the static on the screen flashed by before gradually becoming clear.

"Viewers at home, what we are seeing now is the rescue work at the airshow site. The fire has been extinguished. The staff worked very efficiently. After the cleanup is completed, the air show will continue tomorrow..."

This……

What happened at the airshow?

Old Dassault frowned as he looked at the video feed.

"Su-27, Su-27 has crashed!"

Old Dassault was very excited.

Although the plane was burned down to its skeleton, you could still tell that it had a wide fuselage, an ventral air intake, and twin vertical tails. What else could it be but a Su-27?
Great! The Russians finally made a fool of themselves at the airshow. It's so satisfying!
"Father, please don't get agitated."

“I’m not excited, I’m just happy!” old Dassault said. Then…

"Wait, what's underneath that Su-27?"

It was a similarly large aircraft, twin-engine, with air intakes on both sides, a delta wing, and canards.

"Damn it, our Mirage 4000, our Mirage 4000 was actually smashed down by a Su-27!"

puff!
A mouthful of blood spurted from old Dassault's mouth, his eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness once more.

"Doctor, doctor!"

So, just five minutes after leaving the ICU, Dassault was pushed back in, and this time... he never came out alive!

The airshow ended that day with the accident rescue efforts. Fortunately, airshows are covered by insurance companies, so there was no need to argue about accident compensation. However, by this time, the insurance companies were dumbfounded.

The loss of these two aircraft, and the loss to the airshow organizers, is an astronomical figure!
Should we go bankrupt and run away?
The reporters racked their brains and worked through the night to write their articles.

What to write?
The Su-27 made a stunning debut, showcasing a series of maneuvers that ushered in a new era.
Su-27 crashes during airshow, affecting Dassault Aviation's exhibition area.
There's everything here! In short, there's just too much to reveal at this airshow!

and many more!

News came from the hospital that Dassault had just left the ICU when he was so shocked that he vomited blood again, and then... died!
The death of Dassault Sr. was a huge loss to the entire French aviation industry!

The history of airplanes is not long. The first airplane built by the Wright brothers took to the skies in 1903. At that time, Dassault was only ten years old, but he had already set his sights on developing the aviation industry.

You should know that he was born into a wealthy family of squid doctors, and his parents wanted him to study medicine, but he went to a brand new higher aeronautical and mechanical manufacturing school instead!
After graduation, he became an apprentice at Pontal Company, where he worked on propeller design. During World War I, he entered the Meurdon Aviation Laboratory and met Henry Botte, a famous aircraft designer and manufacturer.

He once sold his family property to develop airplanes, and he was also imprisoned in a concentration camp for refusing to cooperate with Hitler.

After World War II, he changed his name to Dassault, which was the pseudonym his brother used during the resistance movement. After that, Dassault began his illustrious life!
Mirage Fighter, Mysterious Fighter, Super Etendard Fighter...

Now, Dassault Sr. is dead!
Those who know about it, regardless of their stance, will observe a few minutes of silence. After all, this guy truly deserves the title of aviation master; without him, there wouldn't even be a tailless delta wing configuration.

France has lost its greatest aviation strategist!
Oriental booth.

"Principal Qin, old Dassault is dead!" Roxanne came to report the news herself, and then carefully observed Qin Liang's reaction.

Qin Liang...

No reaction.

If he doesn't die this year, he'll die next year anyway. Old Dassault is so old, yet he's still a conscientious and hardworking man. It's already quite remarkable that he lived to be over ninety.

"Principal Qin, you...aren't you shocked?"

"What's so shocking about this? The death of Dassault is nothing. Dassault Systèmes is gradually declining and eventually going bankrupt. That's what I want to see."

Roxanne shuddered. Principal Qin spoke casually, but the coldness hidden in his words sent chills down her spine.

Can a long-established aircraft company go bankrupt?
This……

Qin Liang smiled and said, "The tides of time wash away the sand. Look at how many once-glorious companies have slowly disappeared. Was Douglas powerful back then? It was still acquired by McDonnell! Dassault Systèmes stuck to its old ways, unwilling to develop and progress, unwilling to let us help design and improve fighter jets. Their decline was inevitable!"

Well, this isn't a case of the strong sifting out the weak; it's a case of those who obey you prosper, and those who defy you perish!
Roxanne's gaze was complicated.

"If Dassault hasn't implemented a stealth-enhancing redesign by now, it will inevitably face extinction," Qin Liang said.

Actually, he had no grudge against Dassault Aviation, but... in later generations, Dassault actually dared to sell fighter jets to them, which crossed our bottom line. We might as well make them disappear now!
Now, aren't they also trying to sell fighter jets to the past?

Roxanne seemed to have thought of this as well.

"Principal Qin, when should we expose their sale of fighter jets to certain individuals?"

“No rush, let’s wait a few more days. Old Dassault just died. It would be too disrespectful to expose him now. We have to wait until Old Dassault is cremated.”

"it is good."

After Roxanne left, Qin Liang planned to go back to sleep. Since he couldn't go to Paris to enjoy the nightlife anyway, what else could he do but go back to sleep?

Just then, a few people came over from the next exhibition area.

"Mr. Qin!"

"Mr. Simonov? You... didn't leave either?"

"Yes, they're still handling the aftermath. Today..."

They were indeed handling the aftermath; there are always many things to resolve after a plane crash.

"The Su-27's performance today was excellent. Although there was an accident at the end, the flaws do not detract from its overall excellence. Moreover, your ejection seats demonstrated such outstanding performance at the airshow. I estimate that many customers will want to purchase your seats in the future."

This is what makes the Russians most embarrassed.

What they wanted to showcase was flight, but unexpectedly, the ejection seat became the most eye-catching feature of the entire airshow!

They're not here to show off their chairs!

"Yes, I estimate that quite a few companies will come to purchase them. Does your Eastern region... have any interest in purchasing our ejection seats?"

This thing isn't for front-line combat, so let's sell it. We can even make money from it, especially since the East is buying it in bulk. We can use the ejection seats to exchange for radar...

Qin Liang shook his head: "No. Forgive my bluntness, but for us, your ejection seats... are somewhat outdated."

What?
The men standing next to Simonov all looked rather grim. "We'll admit that your Eastern electronic technology is advanced, but our ejection seat is definitely the most advanced!"
In later generations, after the East purchased the Su-27, it introduced the matching K-36D ejection seat and also copied the HTY-8 ejection seat.
"Your ejection seats are advanced in overall performance, but there are still some shortcomings, mainly in the lack of advanced electronic technology. Everything is controlled mechanically. We have advanced electronic components, such as an advanced three-factor electronic controller, which can select the parachute deployment time according to the specific circumstances of the accident..."

It's widely acknowledged that the Russians' electronics were outdated. After we copied the HTY-8, we made some improvements, mainly to the electronic system. The rest was indeed advanced.

The Russians' mechanical control system has been replaced by electronic control, making things like parachute opening time more precise.

"At the same time, you are still using the ejection method, while we are developing micro-explosion penetration technology, which can save more time."

There is a canopy above the pilot's head, otherwise the pilot would not be able to withstand the supersonic airflow. This canopy also has to be very sturdy, but... during ejection, this canopy will become an obstacle.

The internationally accepted method is canopy jettisoning. First, the canopy is thrown off, and then the pilot emerges. The US Navy has done this before. When transporting passengers, the idiot in the back row pulls the ejection pin, the canopy above their heads flies off, the idiot in the back row is gone, and the pilot in the front still has to fly the plane with the canopy down...

Normally it's fine, but when it really comes to the need for ejection, ejection will obviously delay the escape. Ejection time is precious; a second's delay could mean losing the chance to escape.

Simonov's men fell silent. Indeed, these methods could speed up the escape and make it more precise!
"So...you want to collaborate with us on this research and development?"

Qin Liang smiled and said, "No need, we can develop it ourselves."

With the export of Russia's third-generation fighter jets, the East has already been able to obtain K-36D ejection seat samples. How advanced is our technology? One look at it and you'll get pregnant!
Ejection seats can be very difficult to develop, but they can also be very simple. There's really no need for us to jointly develop them with the Russians.

"However... if you need to equip the ejection seat with more electronic control devices, we can provide the relevant accessories."

Keep making money!

The Russians looked sullen.

Originally, the East needed Russian technology, but now it's the other way around—the Russians need Eastern technology!

"Everyone, is there anything else? If not, I'll head back now."

It's still a bit cold outside! There's really no point in staying here.

"Oh, by the way, I have a few bottles of wine on the plane. I'll have my secretary bring them down for you later."

"Thank you, Principal Qin!" The old Russian got excited when he heard there was wine.

Wait, what did I come here for?

(End of this chapter)