CHAPTER 393: CHAPTER 341 GRYPHON FIGHTER JETS_1

All the workers in the control tower of the Eternal Domain airport were professional alchemical robots produced by the Alchemy Laboratory.

Although these alchemical robots allowed some departments that required high-end technical talent to operate, their actions always followed a procedure, methodically and gradually, lacking the ingenuity characteristic of intelligent beings.

However, the foundation of the Eternal Domain’s talent development system was too shallow to nurture specialized personnel, so they had to make do with these alchemical robots for now.

After a long wait governed by procedures, the Werewolf Flying Cavalry finally entered the cockpits of the experimental aircraft.

The first experimental aircraft started its engine and slowly taxied onto the runway.

Goblin Gaga handed a set of documents to Yan Xing.

The Gryphon Implosion Steam Propeller Fighter Jet was developed using blueprints for the P-51 Mustang provided by Chui Chui. After partial modifications by Goblin Engineers, it became the Eternal Domain’s first air combat aircraft.

The P-51, tested in the Second World War, had proven to be an excellent fighter.

It had a simple structure, making it easy to mass-produce.

With an excellent aerodynamic layout, it possessed strong aerial dogfighting capabilities.

The Gryphon’s designated aerial opponents were air combat magical puppets created by Cloud Tower—gargoyles and Divine Beasts.

Gargoyles were a type of stone, low-level magical puppet capable of slow flight. When inactive, they transformed into stone slabs, attaching to the surface of airships to provide armored protection.

When enemy air combat units breached the airships’ vicinity, the gargoyles would take flight, using their numbers to launch kamikaze attacks in coordination with the airships’ defensive firepower to encircle and annihilate the enemy units.

Dealing with gargoyles was relatively simple. One could use speed and maneuverability to create distance, then easily destroy them with the aircraft’s mounted machine guns.

Divine Beasts were a type of high-grade alchemical puppet.

Their lower bodies, composed of air elements, granted them immense flight capabilities; ordinary flying creatures simply couldn’t match their maneuverability.

Simultaneously, Divine Beasts could cast magic and possessed considerable melee combat abilities.

They were a comprehensive air superiority force.

Each airship carried a certain number of Divine Beasts. These Divine Beasts were responsible for clearing enemy aerial forces, after which the airships would advance to bombard their targets.

The combined firepower of the airships, gargoyles, and Divine Beasts formed an airborne fortress.

The Wildwind Highlands Legion possessed over ten such airships, posing a formidable threat that the Eternal Domain had to confront.

The Gryphon Fighter Jets might struggle against the highly agile Divine Beasts. To address this, the Goblin Engineers equipped them with a self-defense alchemical weapon: the Hunting Net.

Frankly, the current Gryphon Fighter Jets still lacked the capability to directly engage Divine Beasts.

When facing an assault from Divine Beasts, the Gryphon fighter’s best course of action was to retreat and seek allied forces to overwhelm the Divine Beasts with superior numbers.

The Hunting Net was originally a device for setting magical traps on the ground. When deployed from the air, it would form several electrical nets behind the Gryphon Fighter Jet.

Ensnaring a Divine Beast would be ideal; however, even if it missed, the net could buy the Gryphon fighter a little time to disengage.

To further enhance the Gryphon Fighter Jets’ survivability, the Goblin Engineers added an overclocking function to the engine, allowing the aircraft to achieve a significantly increased top speed for short periods.

Because Yan Xing had demanded the army be equipped on such a tight schedule, the Goblin Engineers and Chui Chui could only hastily assemble the first Gryphon model.

Subsequent models still required development.

Fortunately, the Gryphon Armor offered balanced maneuverability at both high and low speeds. With its support, the Gryphon Fighter Jets shouldn’t fare too poorly when facing Divine Beasts.

In essence, large-scale aerial warfare was a highly complex system.

Everything required learning through trial and error, and new weapons needed to be tested in actual combat to identify areas for improvement.

As Yan Xing reviewed the Gryphon Fighter Jet’s parameters, the prototype completed a short takeoff roll, raised its nose, and ascended.

According to data from several internal test flights conducted by the design team, the maximum takeoff weight of the Gryphon Fighter Jet was 4.8 tons.

Since it didn’t use fuel, which would otherwise occupy space and add weight, the Gryphon Fighter Jet could carry more ammunition.

The design team equipped it with six machine guns and a total of 3,000 rounds of ammunition.

Its maximum speed was 700 kilometers per hour, with a combat radius of 1,200 kilometers. Taking off from the Eternal Domain, it could easily cover the entire Wildwind Highlands.

On paper, the specifications were quite impressive, and the Eternal Domain had indeed managed to replicate many of the P-51’s advantages.

However, during the test flights, Yan Xing, with his aerial combat experience in the magic world, could still identify some of the Gryphon Fighter Jet’s shortcomings.

The speed is excellent, much faster than any flying creature I know, Yan Xing thought. But its fixed-wing design means it has severe maneuverability defects at low altitudes and low speeds.

Consider the agility of swallows and bats. In the time it takes a fixed-wing aircraft to make a low-altitude turn, those winged creatures could strike from behind multiple times.

This doesn’t even account for the far more agile Divine Beasts.

No wonder the Goblin Engineers are skeptical about the Gryphon facing Divine Beasts directly; its strengths and weaknesses are just too pronounced.

And the presence of enemy airships means the Eternal Domain will have to engage Divine Beasts in the very airspace where they excel.

Production of Gryphon Armor must be accelerated!

"Hmm, I am very satisfied with the performance of the Gryphon Mark I prototype," Yan Xing announced after the Gryphon completed a series of flight maneuvers. "Start the production line. Ensure that four hundred Gryphon Fighter Jets are produced before the end of winter. Are there any difficulties?"

His last question was directed to Chui Chui in his consciousness.

Chui Chui immediately responded, "There are two to three months left until the end of winter.

"Most of the Gryphon Fighter Jet’s airframe can be made of wood, which Thunderous Swamp can provide. The metal and electronic components need to be procured from the real world, along with parts for the implosion steam engine, weapons, and ammunition.

"As long as all the required components are in place, the Alchemy Laboratory’s Aircraft Assembly Workshop can assemble the airframes non-stop, twenty-four hours a day.

"It’s estimated that the assembly of four hundred Gryphon Fighter Jets can be completed within a month."

Assembly was a straightforward task for the fully mechanized Alchemy Laboratory.

The main challenge lay in preparing the various aircraft components.

Fortunately, Yan Xing had placed orders aligned with the Gryphon Fighter Jets’ development progress; now, only an additional batch was needed.

However, factoring in the time required to train pilots, the schedule seems very tight, Yan Xing considered. The Eternal Domain will likely face a situation of assembling, training, and fighting simultaneously. The early stages of the war will probably be quite difficult.

"I know," Yan Xing affirmed. "Let’s proceed according to plan. Don’t let the production of the Gryphon Fighter Jets disrupt the schedule for other weapons.

"Especially the ammunition reserves and the assembly of Gryphon Armor."

"Yes, Master." Chui Chui added the Gryphon Fighter Jet production plan to her task list and then asked Yan Xing, "Master, shall we proceed to the test flight of the next aircraft?"

"Continue!"