Chapter 950: Buy one, get one free...cruise missile?
Since they had never been exposed to such a large parachute in the past, and they had to release three at a time, the ground crew was somewhat in a hurry.
As a result, the interval between the landings of each plane also appears to be slightly long.
Fortunately, the range of these Tu-160s is quite sufficient, and there is no risk of fuel shortage at all.
It was not until most of the sun disappeared below the horizon that the last plane numbered "Red 14" finally landed smoothly on the ground.
Soon, the four planes were facing each other and parked in two rows at the entrance of the hangar that had been prepared.
Of course, it can also be said to be two columns.
?At this time, the crowd on the viewing platform was already getting ready to move.
Just now, everyone has seen this kind of aircraft in the sky through telescopes.
?Now, naturally, I can’t help but want to take a closer look.
?However, in an area like an airport, the sky is vast and the tower is the largest.
Therefore, after the four planes shut down their engines, set their gear blocks, and finally determined that it was completely safe, a few minibuses slowly drove over and took these dozens of people to the parking area a few hundred meters away. .
At this time, pilots wearing two different flight uniforms also climbed out of the door behind the nose landing gear one after another -
?This airport pick-up mission took less than 10 days to complete. It is tantamount to wishful thinking to fully learn to control such a complex behemoth in such a short period of time.
Hence, during the return flight, the captain and navigator-operator of each aircraft were Ermao pilots hired from the original unit.
Only the first officer and navigator (actually the bombing system controller) are from the Chinese Air Force.
These eight Ermao pilots will also stay here as instructors for a long time together with the ground crew who arrive later.
"Report!"
A pilot trotted up to Qiao Chenqing.
?Although there was no military rank on the flight suit, and he didn’t even have time to take off his flight helmet, no one could really identify this person.
??But judging from this set of smooth movements, 80% of them are the commander of the entire flight mission.
As expected, the other party raised his hand and saluted Qiao Chenqing:
“Li Dewen, commander of the 108th Regiment of the 36th Aviation Division, has successfully completed the mission of picking up the plane and returning home. He is reporting to you. Please give your instructions!”
?In the cold wind of early winter in the northwest region, Qiao Chenqing also stood at attention and returned the same standard military salute:
“Congratulations on your successful completion of the mission. This will be a day recorded in the history of the Chinese Air Force.”
“Come back to the team and have a good rest!”
Under normal circumstances, at this time, Captain Li Dewen should answer yes and then do what he should do.
After all, I have been flying for almost ten hours straight and I really need to rest.
?However, he did not do this.
Instead, he took a step forward, approached Qiao Chenqing, and said in a voice that only a few people nearby could hear:
“Mr. Qiao, when we were at Ermao’s side, we had a relationship with their person in charge... um... so...”
Looking at Li Dewen who was hesitant to speak, Qiao Chenqing frowned slightly:
“Made a mistake?”
?The former quickly shook his head like a rattle:
“That’s not true…”
“Hey...you didn’t make a mistake, why are you hesitating...”
Qiao Chenqing’s heart that had been hanging just now finally dropped:
“If you have something to say, tell me directly, it’s all my own.”
Obviously, this is what Li Dewen was waiting for:
"So when we returned, Ermao secretly brought us some more gifts..."
“Bring something?”
Qiao Chenqing turned slightly and looked at the dozen pilots who climbed out of the cabin:
“What?”
?Obviously, his understanding was slightly biased, thinking that the "gifts" Li Dewen mentioned were small gadgets such as souvenirs.
However, Chang Haonan, who was at a later position, saw some clues.
“Mr. Qiao, look over there…”
??He said and pointed at the "Red 24" parked farthest away from everyone.
That is the plane that Li Dewen personally brought.
"how…"
Just when Qiao Chenqing was about to ask what was wrong, he noticed that the belly magazine of the red 24 was actually open.
Considering that the IL-76 transport fleet transporting relevant auxiliary equipment would not arrive until the next day, it is obviously impossible for the ground staff from China to do it.
It can only be opened by the crew member from inside the cockpit before disembarking.
?Hence, Qiao Chenqing also had some vague guesses.
?However, seeing is believing.
He gestured in that direction:
“Let’s go and have a look.”
?Several people followed Li Dewen''s footsteps and quickly arrived in front of the No. 1 hangar.
?Standing at the foot of this Tu 160, Chang Haonan suddenly had a sense of a dream that intertwined time and space—
Red24.
In the original timeline, this was the first Tu-160 bomber to be completely dismantled. Until then, I had only flown about 470 hours in total.
But in this life, in a slightly magical way, it was reborn in a great eastern country thousands of miles away.
Including another red 14 with the largest crowd gathered around it.
It was the second one to be demolished that year.
Flight time is shorter, only 110 hours…
Chang Haonan raised his head almost uncontrollably and looked at the nose of the aircraft that seemed to be several stories high.
I didn’t feel it when I was far away before, but now when I stand in front of you, I feel like it’s just the same thing.
big.
In fact, Chang Haonan has also seen the Boeing 747 with a larger take-off weight.
But the two aircraft give people completely different feelings.
If I have to say something else, as a strategic bomber, the Tu-160, even though its appearance is slender and elegant enough, can still reveal an indescribable aggressiveness.
Even for a moment, Chang Haonan felt that it was a little difficult to breathe.
“Several leaders, follow me.”
?Li Dewen turned around and waved his hand, motioning for Chang Haonan and others to follow.
Immediately afterwards, he walked through the huge magazine door and came directly under the belly magazine.
"Oh My God-"
"This is…"
??The moment the magazine came into view, several people exclaimed in different styles—
Due to the nuclear weapons limitation agreement signed before the collapse of the Soviet Union, all Tu-160s and B1Bs had their free-fall bomb racks removed from the outside of the fuselage.
Hence, these two built-in magazines distributed longitudinally have become the only places where ammunition can be hung.
? And, unlike most of its bomber counterparts, the Tu-160 did not even consider carrying traditional bombs in the magazine.
??There are only two cruise missile rotary launchers with a structure similar to a revolver.
? And one of them is now directly above everyone''s heads.
?Of course, if that''s all it is, there''s nothing shocking about it.
What really made everyone exclaim together was the "gift" Li Dewen mentioned just now.
??This rotating launcher located at the front of the red No. 24 machine actually has three cruise missiles hanging neatly on it!
“This is...kh55?”
The first person to react was Chang Haonan.
In fact, China had obtained the technical information of the kh55 from some channels in the previous life, and finally vigorously promoted the research and development of the Changjian 10 cruise missile.
However, live ammunition of kh55 has never been obtained.
"right."
Li Dewen nodded:
“And...can be launched.”
“Wait a minute…”
Following closely behind is Qiao Chenqing.
?However, he immediately realized a very serious problem:
“Shouldn’t these things be destroyed?”
“You got three rounds back...are you sure you won’t be wrong about the account?”
“This...actually we didn’t know until we went there.”
Li Dewen quickly explained:
“In the Soviet weapon naming system, the kh55 with nuclear warheads and the kh55 with conventional warheads are assigned two different equipment serial numbers.”
Qiao Chenqing immediately understood the meaning of this sentence:
“So...these missiles are no longer on the destruction list from the beginning?”
“That’s right.”
Li Dewen replied:
“Otherwise, we would definitely not dare to bring it back…”
…”
For a while, no one answered.
There were only the sounds of breathing from a few people around.
It was as if the air was about to freeze.
“Let Yan Kun find some reliable comrades to take care of the plane.”
I don’t know how long it took, but Qiao Chenqing finally said:
“Also, guide the visitors and don’t let them get too close to the two planes on the inside!”
(End of this chapter)