Chapter 412: Preparing for a New Era of Aviation
While Bruno was engaging in diplomacy at the highest scale with the House of Romanov, his lead engineers were, of course, teaching the Russian Industry many new concepts. Whether it was the introduction of full scale assembly lines, or scalability in production of weapons platforms like the E-Series of armored fighting vehicles.
Russia quickly gained much insight from this technological exchange of research. And though the future was uncertain, the Russian Empire’s industrial potential was massive.
Introduction of advanced industrial techniques like rolled homogenous steel, advanced stampings of sheet metal, and the riveting required to make platforms robust, or simply cold hammer forged chrome lining of barrels with "machine gun quality steel" similar to the way Fabrique National produced its current lineup in the 21st century.
Russia began pumping out weapons that were of quality similar to the infamous German Steel, and they had their German Allies to thank for it.
And while the Russian Industry was gearing up for a mass modernization of its Army, Bruno had secretly gathered the greatest engineering minds of the Russian Empire and German Reich within the home of the Tsar, who he wanted to introduce a concept to as the first major joint enterprise of their newfound alliance which was still both in a state of infancy, and unofficial status.
The men gathered around as Bruno stood before them all, many with confusion, but those who knew Bruno most understood that this kind of clandestine meeting of brilliant engineers, material scientists, mechanics, et cetera. Would mean one thing, a vision of technology so grand it defied the eras’ current understanding of it.
Thus, after the men began to hush themselves, Bruno finally unveiled what was little more than a proof of concept, and it was not for a weapon itself, but for an engine. Listed on the proof of concept and crude initial draft of a blueprint was what Bruno theorized would be the necessary steps to create, streamline, and mass produce the product.
Lying on the sheet of paper was a sketch of what could only be described by those in the know as an advanced aircraft engine, one the world had not even conceived as possibility at this point.
No, this was not a jet engine, this was turboprop engine, which Bruno knew would be the key to air supremacy in future wars, and would take years, if not decades to truly master at the current underdeveloped state of the aviation industry which in this life had been less prioritized during the Great War due to Germany’s heavy reliance on armored vehicles and self propelled artillery to dominate the battlefield.
Most of the men in this room, brilliant as they were instantly realized what Bruno was theorizing as a real possibility, and many saw the brilliant steps he had already thought through on a theoretical level, on that sidestepped and disproved many conflicting theories of development.
Shock, joy, curiosity, eagerness erupted from all the scientists as the Tsar watched in ignorance at what had gotten these brilliant men all riled up, and in the end, Bruno simply tapped the board thrice, signalling for the men to silence themselves before giving his speech.
"That’ right... This is a very superficial mockup of what could theoretically advanced aviation technology by two generations. Monoplanes, built with these turboprop engines would guarantee greater power, fuel efficiency, climbing speeds, and range of all aircraft equipped with them.