Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1047

1047. The Age of War – The Age of Copycats (6)

The number of blueprints produced before Hyang and Wan narrowed it down to six was several times that amount. However, Hyang evaluated those designs as follows:

“A comprehensive gift set of creative ideas, imagination, fantasy, and delusion.”

Having seen countless aircraft models and real planes from his past life, starting with the Wright brothers’ creation, Hyang’s review was ruthless.

“But this one is a bit interesting…”

The designs from Areas 51 and 52 showed a significant difference. Many of the designs from Area 51 were located somewhere between ‘fantasy and delusion,’ while the designs from Area 52 had relatively sound ideas.

“Relatively, relatively…”

Adding this evaluation, Hyang soon found the most plausible reason.

“Is it because of Wan after all?”

Wan had been attached to flying contraptions since he was young. And Wan had succeeded in flying a contraption that combined a Do-335 [a German World War II twin-engine heavy fighter] and a biplane. Because of Wan, most of the designs from Area 52 seemed ‘relatively’ sound.

No, it only seemed that way.

“I don’t walk the path that others have already taken!”

“Originality is the most important thing!”

There were plenty of people in Area 52 who thought this way. In any case, Hyang, who had narrowed it down to six types of designs, carefully wrote down the reasons for the rejected designs.

“I don’t know everything. There might be something I missed. There were ingenious airplanes in the 21st century too.”

However, one of the six designs remained for a different reason.

“Wan needs to see this one too!”

The design in question was Da Vinci’s.

* * *

Because the success of the flying contraption he had staked his life on was at stake, Wan returned from Shinji to the mainland in time.

“Thank you for your hard work in coming to the Council of Elders.”

“It’s nothing for me. His Majesty is the one who is working hard.”

“You flatter me.”

Wan had a conversation with Hyun, and then continued the conversation with Hyang.

“It’s reassuring to see you in good health.”

“You’ve aged a lot too, Sanghwang [Emperor Emeritus].”

“I’m already over seventy, so it can’t be helped.”

The sight of the father and son, who were over 90 and 70, talking in good health made the young officials nearby mutter to themselves.

‘I heard that even Duke Jeonpyeong and Duke Anpyeong are treated like children in front of the Emperor Emeritus…’

‘Maybe the rumor that there is a secret to longevity passed down only in the Imperial Family is true?’

‘Maybe the rumor that the envoy sent by the Celestial Emperor was fed up and ran away is true?’

Before they knew it, the era of Hyang and Wan’s reign had become an era known only through records. The young officials who actually saw the two people they had only heard about in stories were in a state of losing touch with reality.

“By the way, I’m very curious about the results of this review. I think it’s the last thing I’ll be able to achieve in Shinji.”

“Come to think of it, His Majesty doesn’t have much time left to abdicate.”

“That’s why I’m getting more and more private letters asking me to expand the shipyard in Shinji.”

“Hahaha! That’s interesting!”

* * *

Wan, who had unpacked his luggage in Changdeok Palace, headed straight to Sugang Palace as soon as his fatigue was relieved. It was because of the final task of choosing the most promising one among the six designs that Hyang had already filtered out.

“I’ve been thinking about it, and I can’t properly judge the possibilities with just the blueprints. I think we should at least make one of each and verify it.”

“Oh! That’s right! That’s right! I made a mistake! That seems to be the right way! Thank you for pointing it out!”

Looking at the content of the conversation, it was a very sound conversation. However, looking at the expressions of the father and son, it was definitely not. Because of this, the eunuchs, scribes, and secretaries around them all muttered the same words in their hearts.

‘I knew it. There’s no way they’d just skip over it without making a real thing.’

“Then let’s go to the Emperor and ask for permission!”

“Let’s do that!”

“By the way, if we get permission from the Emperor, what should we make first?”

“Of course, it’s Da Vinci’s! Isn’t it?”

“Hahaha! Telepathy!”

And Hyun smiled bitterly at Hyang and Wan’s request.

‘They’re very well coordinated.’

Hyun immediately knew what the two were thinking. But he couldn’t reject it.

‘But the reason itself is valid. And I need to create this precedent so that it will be easier for me later.’

Hyun’s mind was already half in Shinji. But he had to follow the procedure. Hyun asked Chi-hyung, the Prime Minister among the ministers present.

“What do you think, Prime Minister?”

At Hyun’s question, Han Chi-hyung avoided giving an immediate answer and grumbled inwardly.

‘No! There are other things you should be asking! The Emperor Emeritus and the Sanghwang are asking together, what’s there to say! Do you think I have an iron plate on my neck or something!’

After pouring out all sorts of complaints inwardly, Han Chi-hyung soon composed his expression and reported to Hyun.

“The reason is valid, so I report that it is appropriate to grant permission.”

“I see, if there is anyone who has a different opinion, speak now.”

“……..”

“Then I will accept the request. The ministers should actively help with this matter.”

“We obey your command.”

* * *

With Hyun’s permission, Hyang and Wan began working in earnest. Hyang and Wan were enthusiastic, but the most enthusiastic was the designer, Da Vinci.

“My design is actually being made! I can’t do it carelessly!”

Da Vinci forgot to eat and sleep and directed the work. The day the result came out, Hyang, Wan, Hyun, and the high and low officials gathered at the airfield built near Area 51.

“I was surprised when I saw the blueprint, but I’m even more surprised to see it in person.”

“I agree.”

Agreeing with Wan’s words, Hyang muttered inwardly.

‘You have a reason to be surprised.’

When he first saw Da Vinci’s design, Hyang muttered like this.

“What is this terrible hybrid… mixing an X-wing [a fictional starfighter from Star Wars] with a TIE fighter [another fictional starfighter from Star Wars]…”

Da Vinci’s design was so original that it was bizarre. First of all, the shape of the fuselage and the location of the thrusters were unusual. A thruster using a new type of Stirling engine [a heat engine that operates by cyclic compression and expansion of air or other gas] was attached to the center of the cylindrical fuselage, which was hollow. Like the flying contraption Wan made in Shinji, a thruster with two propellers attached to the front and back was located in the center of the fuselage, and the cockpit was located on top of the fuselage. And four wings were attached to the fuselage in an X shape, and a long horizontal tail was attached to the rear of the fuselage, and vertical tails were attached to the left and right of the horizontal tail.

Hyang evaluated it as a ‘combination of X-wing and TIE fighter,’ but to be more precise, it was closer to a winged version of the Aerodyne [a type of aircraft with a disk-shaped body] made by Alexander Lippisch.

“Oh? It looks very interesting.”

At Hyun’s evaluation of Da Vinci’s prototype, Hyang involuntarily responded.

“Rather than interesting, it’s funny…”

Hyang, who forcibly suppressed the words that were about to come out without realizing it, ordered Da Vinci.

“Explain why the designer designed it this way.”

“Yes.”

Da Vinci, who received the order, paused for a moment and then began to explain.

“Creating wind with a propeller to lift the fuselage is similar to other flying contraptions. However, the reason why I made it like this inside the fuselage is because of the characteristics of the wind.”

“The characteristics of the wind?”

“Yes, has Your Majesty ever seen the movement of the waves when a ship moves? If you look closely at the ripples created by the propeller that pushes the ship, you can see that the ripples spread out in a fan shape. This is the same with the wind in the sky. It spreads wider as it gets farther from the propeller. I thought this was a waste. So I made the fuselage in a pipe shape like this and put the thruster in the center. This is to use the wind created by the propellers in the front and middle of the pipe as efficiently as possible.”

“Oh~. That sounds plausible.”

Hyun, who was nodding at Da Vinci’s explanation, asked a question.

“Then why are those wings attached diagonally, and why are they smaller than other flying contraptions?”

“In order for a flying contraption to change direction, it must tilt the fuselage to the left and right. However, every time it tilts like that, the size of the wings becomes an obstacle and requires a lot of force. However, if you reduce the size of the wings like that and attach them diagonally, you can easily adjust them with a small amount of force.”

“Oh, I see.”

The attendees all nodded at Da Vinci’s explanation. This was the same for Hyang as well.

‘Among the latest submarines of the 21st century, there were submarines that used X-shaped rudders for similar reasons. But…’

Hyang soon pointed out the problem to Da Vinci.

“The reason why the wings of flying contraptions are large is to make it easier to float. The larger the wings, the more lifting power you get. From that point of view, the size of those wings is too small no matter how you look at it.”

Da Vinci immediately answered Hyang’s criticism.

“The lifting force in my flying contraption does not come entirely from those wings. Most of the lifting force comes from that fuselage.”

“From the fuselage?”

“It would be easier to think of it as rolling up the wings attached to other flying contraptions and attaching them together.”

“Ah~.”

“That’s right!”

The attendees all exclaimed and nodded at Da Vinci’s explanation.

‘Is it a kind of Closed wing? Interesting.’

Hyang, who was making an interesting expression at Da Vinci’s idea, soon moved on to the next.

“I want to examine the actual interior in more detail.”

“I will explain.”

Hyang, Wan, Hyun, and the other attendees followed Da Vinci and examined the prototype’s various aspects. The more they examined the prototype, the darker Hyang and Wan’s expressions became. The two, who had stepped back slightly, quietly talked.

“I already guessed it when I saw the blueprint, but it’s too complicated.”

“It will be hard to make, but it will be hard to maintain.”

“That’s true, but the most important question is whether it can actually float properly and land safely.”

Wan, who was looking at Da Vinci’s flying contraption again at Hyang’s point, nodded silently. Hyang looked at Da Vinci’s flying contraption with a serious expression.

‘Da Vinci must have calculated it, but really? Can the flying contraption fuselage made of wood and cloth on a steel frame thinner than the notoriously bad Zero fighter’s [a lightweight Japanese fighter plane used in World War II] frame withstand it?’

“Then, let’s start the test flight now. Who will pilot that flying contraption?”

At Hyun’s question, a craftsman who was on one side came forward and bowed deeply to Hyun.

“Yes, I hope you succeed. But the most important thing is your life, so don’t take any unreasonable risks. This is my order.”

“I obey your command! Your Majesty’s grace is boundless!”

The craftsman, emboldened by Hyun’s encouragement, rode up the ladder and entered the cockpit located at the top of the fuselage.

“Ready!”

At the craftsman’s cry from the cockpit, one of the craftsmen waiting on the ground opened the door on the side of the fuselage and went inside, then opened the firebox of the Stirling engine and lit the fire.

Tada dada dak!

Not long after the craftsmen in the cockpit and outside were diligently moving, the unique noise of the new Stirling engine began to spread in all directions.

“Release the ropes!”

At the command of Gong Yejang, who had confirmed that the engine’s output had reached its maximum, the craftsmen untied the knots of the ropes that were holding the flying contraption.