NationStates Jolt Archive

the place : Yokohama, Empire of Kirisubo
date : 1st January 1940

the defence forces airbase was bustling despite it being new years day. military personell and scientists from across the world were here to witness the maiden flight of the Tsuba-me (swallow), a jet powered fighter.

the graceful silver craft was rolled out with the only markings being the red and black roundels of the Imperial Kirisuban Airforce.

with its wings swept back and the twin turbo jets now visable Lt Harada Toshiro taxied the sleek hunter onto the runway.

the jets roared and after a long take off the Tsuba-me gracefully soared into the sky.

Lt Harada made the required test manovers and after about 30 minutes sucessfully landed the prototype.

It was a sucessful day for the neutral empire and one that their neighbours would take notice off.

ooc: it looks like an ME 262 with the two engines mounted under the wings and there were experiments in jet flights even then

General Iorek Byrnison was practically speechless. He was no country bumpkin, but this was totally beyond anything he'd seen before. Standing, the old man began to make his way to the Kirusban pilot. It was ackward trying to walk through the bleachers, and his aged frame made it even more difficult. Finally, he made it to the ground and began to make his way to man. Then, it occured to him that not only would it look highly suspicious, but they probably wouldn't let him anyway. He changed course for the nearest Kirusban Air Force staff officer he saw.

an equally old man greeted him and bowed.

"greetings General Byrnison. i am Air Marshall Ishido Takeshi, commander of the 3rd Imperial Airforce.

What did you think of our Swallow? we can talk about this over tea if you want"

Iorek forced his decrepit body into a semblance of a return bow. "I believe I would like that very much Marshall...Takeshi? Yes, I would like that, I would like that very much."

the Air Marshall smiles and says "we use the asian custom of putting the family name first followed by the persons first name. its confusing to a lot of people who don'twork that way.

the officers club isn't far if you want to follow me"

the club wasn't far either. it was the typical officers club only done in a Kirisuban style.

chairs and tables had finally made an appearance but it was a traditional wood and paper buliding with tatami mats and people had to take their shoes off before entering. slippers were provided although.

in one corner of the 'bar' area a geisha wearing a bright red patterned kimono was playing on her samisen as a mixed group off officers relaxed as they drank or ate. the place was full off dark green airforce uniforms.

other maids were there in their simpler pale blue kimono's and one bowed when she seen the Air Marshall.

"green tea please with 2 cups" he asks in perfect english and the maid bows again before leaving them.

Reichsmarshall Theodor Rowehl had just witnessed the flight of the Tsuba-me and made notes about any information he could gather.
It was quite dumb of him to come where without bringing Dr Hans Pabst von Ohain, Vollmeria's leading gas turbine scientist. But then, the doctor was working on Vollmeria's first jetfighter, as were several other scientists. However, so far only von Ohain was really sucessful and told the Vollmerian Luftwaffe that he'd be testingflying his prototype in 1940, the most important reason why the doctor was not taken from his work.
The chance that he'd be given information about this design was very small anyway.

Rowehl was a former airforce pilot himself and specialized in radiocommunications as he had introduced it into Vollmerian aircraft, but he knew little of the technical specifications of jetflight. None the less, any info gathered, even about the appearance of this jetplane would be helpful in the cause.

He send his first notes to Damascus and set out to find officers with the authority to discuss the design. The officers club was probably the best place to go.
Though he did not like taking of his boots, he did it. Rowehl was a typical Vollmerian from the South, he was openminded and respected other cultures much like the ReichsProtektor.

a maid handed the Reichsmarshall a ticket and placed his boots in the appropriate pigeon hole before giving him a pair of mule slippers to put on.

another pale blue kimono wearing maid bowed and asked politely in perfect but accented english for his order. they had been informed to treat their foreign visitors with respect but the maids knew this already.

other officers male and female were wearing katanas and the Air Marshall was at a corner table talking to General Byrnson while they waited for their pot of tea.

ooc: the bar has most drinks known in the period. the local beer is good and they do a passable whiskey as well. they also serve sake, green tea and coffee

"My apologies Marshall Ishido. But the plane, it is simply amazing. Imagine, squadrons of those things as interceptors. The ability to strike at enemy aircraft in a fraction of the current time and distance. Is this the final design, or will you try to refine it? And what about the possibility of a jet engined bomber?"

"General, these will remain as interceptors. they also have potential as photo recon craft given their speed and ceiling abilities. its hard to shoot something down you can't catch.

the swallow will be improved over time as well getting faster and carrying weapons suited to its speed.

However if a fighter can be built eventually a fast bomber can be as well. the same principles are involved" Air Marshall Ishido replied as their tea arrived.

he poured two cups of tea and sipped at his own.

The Reichsmarschall ordered a whiskey, though it did not taste as the whiskey he drank at home, he liked it and ordered a second.
Now all Rowehl had to do was seek out the officer with most knowledge on the aircraft, so that he could discuss its acapabilities and advancements.
He saw what seemed to him, the highestranking officer sitting with a foreign one, Arcadean he suspected. The Kirisubans would never share their greatest secrets with a foreigner so joining in on the conversation wouldnt be a problem, he thought.

The Reichsmarschall walked over and greeted both officers, introducing himself. Without wasting time, the Reichsmarschall asked: "How fast can this jetplane go? And what is its maximum ceiling?"

"Rowehl san thats is classified information but the Swallow matches the speeds of the fastest piston engined fighters and this is only the prototype.

the speed will improve once the kinks are ironed out of the engines and we see this as a long term plan that could even lead to fast high altitude jet bombers.

are you working on something similiar?" Air Marshall Ishido asks in return..

Lt. Gen. Frederick Walker watched the aircraft. Unknown, The Republic Air Force was working on the XP-59, a straight wing jet fighter. This aircraft, only made Walker want the XP-59 air ready. He saw a officer's club and head towards it. Thinking about what the XP-59 would look like in the air.

after leaving his shoes in at the door General Walker was approached by a kimono wearing maid and in perfect english she asked for his order.

"Yes", Rowehl said without hesitation "We are working on our own turbojet" but the Reichsmarschall did not tell anything more than he was supposed to, he actually knew very little of von Ohains designs.
"We are still working on our prototype, but I've heard it will be quite a fast aircraft. Is it powered by a Liquid fuel powerengine or a thrust turbojet engine?" Rowehl asked, thinking this was not so secret at all.

"its turbo jet engines that we're using but new techology is always problematic.

It was the same with the Fokker Triplane I flew during the great war. We were neutral but we got the best technology for our airforce just as we're developing now"

The Air Marshall then added "if you give different groups of people the same idea they'll come up with something similiar"

after leaving his shoes in at the door General Walker was approached by a kimono wearing maid and in perfect english she asked for his order.
Beer, please

the maid bowed and returned with a pint of local lager on a small tray.

"that will be 2 obans honourable General Walker" she replies reading his name of the pass.

ooc: given the current exchange rate of about 5 obans to the US$ the beers actually quite cheap for 1940 prices :)

"thanks" he says as he notice the Reichsmarschall and another man and headed towards them.

even from the far corner Air Marshall Ishido could see the general from Brydog approaching.

all round them Kirisuban officers were enjoying drinks and lunch.

The main difference now to the Marshalls days as a pilot was the female pilots in the imperial airforce. they made up 10% of the officer class nowadays and 25% of active pilots. they were just as able as their male counterparts and their was mutual respect.

a young female squadron leader was chattering away in Kirisuban two tables from the Air Marshall to her male friends and she looked smart in her dark green tunic and knee length skirt uniform. her wings were clearly visable and the half wing showed that she was in Bomber command.

ooc: the uniforms are similar to the RAF's in this period only dark green instead of blue

The Air Marshall then added "if you give different groups of people the same idea they'll come up with something similiar"

"I wouldnt be so certain of that" Rowehl muttered, well aware of progress his nation had made not only in turbojets so far and again he had to watch what he said, especially now that another officer seemed to be joining the conversation, 'clearly from Brydog', he thought.

"Nice, aircraft." he said to the Kirisuban officer. "Im Lt. Gen. Frederick Walker, Chief of Aircraft Development." he said to the two men. Walker was incharge of development for every military aircraft in Brydog.

"Air Marshall Ishido, Walker san " the grey haired Kirisuban replies noting that since this general was in charge of aircraft development the swallow was his reason for being here.

"please take a seat" he offers

"Theodor Rowehl, Reichsmarschall, Vollmerian Luftwaffe" Rowehl introduced himself.
"So, how far has Brydog progressed in the area of turbojets?" he asked, interested in foreign developments as he was.

"We have a working prototype engine in testing." he said.

"it looks like we've all made progress in this field" Air Marshall Ishido replies "but with war brewing we all need to be carefull"

"It would seem that my nation is the only one not developing a jet powered aircraft. But then, we would have nothing to gain from such a venture."

"Byrnison san, this technology is the way of the future" Air Marshall Ishido replies "and the possibilities are endless. given enough time and research jet aircraft may even replace the piston engined airliners we use now"