Chapter 1260
Mad Scientist Wang Chengdong, Kunming Rat, Wind Tunnel Laboratory Construction Begins
Inside the section chief's office.
"It's patriotic! Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group, Factory 511, and Tianjin Factory 115 should all send people over."
This time, our Qianmen Locomotive Depot is going to launch a major project.
Section Chief Xing was unusually excited and poured tea for Li Aiguo.
"Our Ministry of Railways has already reached an agreement with the Aviation Industry Bureau. You will serve as the head of the wind tunnel laboratory planning group, and Chief Engineer Su will serve as the deputy head. The higher-ups attach great importance to this task."
Although Section Chief Xing knew Li Aiguo was reliable, he still gave him a word of advice.
Li Aiguo took the enamel mug: "Section Chief, please rest assured, we will definitely complete the task with high quality and quantity."
"Chief Engineer Su and those experts are on their way now. Go back and make preparations." Section Chief Xing wanted to give a few more instructions, but he realized he didn't understand this stuff either.
"That section is long, I'm going back."
Li Aiguo stood up to leave, but was stopped by Section Chief Xing.
"I heard that Comrade Xueru is sick. Does she need some special medicine?"
No need to ask, it must have been Yan Jiecheng, that big mouth, who said it.
Li Aiguo's focus was on the special medicine. Could it be a powerful antipyretic brought back from Big Brother's country or Eastern Europe?
"Section Chief, what kind of miracle drug?"
Section Chief Xing mysteriously opened the drawer and took out a small notebook: "Codeine phosphate and nalcophate are very effective. Even if you feel unwell, you can feel it as soon as you drink a little."
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Li Aiguo's lips twitched, and he remained silent for a moment.
He certainly knew about these two drugs; they were indeed potent analgesics with immediate effects.
Let alone a fever or headache, even a broken leg can make you feel comfortable all over, like you're floating on air.
But this stuff is a narcotic!
It's an opioid!
"Section Chief, this...this is an anesthetic, isn't it?" Li Aiguo asked, both amused and exasperated.
"Hey, whatever medicine it is, as long as it cures the disease, it's a good medicine."
Section Chief Xing didn't take it seriously and picked up his pen to write a note: "I'll approve a note for you. Go to the pharmaceutical factory of our railway bureau later and pick up a few bottles."
Of course, these are materials under our railway's internal control. You can use them at home, but absolutely do not let them leak out; that would be a mistake.
"No, no, no, Section Chief, forget about the painkillers. Xue Ru just has a common fever; she doesn't need them."
Li Aiguo quickly waved his hand in refusal, then looked somewhat puzzled.
"But Section Chief, what's the deal with this pharmaceutical institute? Can our railway system really manufacture its own pharmaceuticals?"
"You do not know?"
Section Chief Xing stopped writing, looked at Li Aiguo's bewildered expression, and chuckled.
"That's true. You're as strong as a bull, and you haven't been injured since you entered the ranks, so naturally you don't know these things."
It was rare to encounter something Li Aiguo didn't know, so Section Chief Xing took a sip of tea and began to explain it to Li Aiguo.
After liberation, the railway system had more than two million employees and their families, a huge number, but there was a severe shortage of preventive medicines, especially anesthetic drugs necessary for surgery.
The domestic pharmaceutical industry is weak, and some essential anesthetic drugs cannot be produced in time, but hospitals cannot just watch the wounded and sick suffer.
Guided by the spirit of "creating conditions even when none exist," the Railway Ministry's Health Bureau simply established its own pharmaceutical factory.
The railway pharmaceutical factory was not large in scale, but it took an unconventional approach.
It mainly manufactures anesthetic drugs such as morphine hydrochloride, codeine phosphate, and nalcophleb, which are used to relieve severe pain in railway workers and ensure the medical safety of employees.
Li Aiguo also remembered that Cao Wenzhi had mentioned it when he first joined the locomotive depot.
In 1952, a guy surnamed Man was punished by Leader Teng for using his position to manufacture morphine without authorization. He was shot.
"Since you don't need painkillers, I'll write you a note. Go get some more glucose and have Comrade Xueru take good care of herself when you get back." Section Chief Xing had been thinking of finding a healthcare doctor for Li Aiguo, but hadn't found a suitable one yet. He felt a little guilty about it and wrote a note.
"By the way, go to the pharmaceutical institute and find Technician Wang Chengdong. Although that old guy has a bit of a temper, his skills are really good. The glucose he purifies has the highest purity."
The Railway Pharmaceutical Research Institute was located not far from the railway bureau compound; it was an inconspicuous little red brick building.
Li Aiguo used to pass by this place often and always thought it was a small factory affiliated with the railway system or a machine repair shop. He never expected that it would be such a hidden gem inside.
Armed security officers stood guard at the entrance; the level of security was clearly beyond what an ordinary factory could offer.
Li Aiguo handed over the note and his work ID. After the security officer carefully checked them, he made a phone call.
A short while later.
A middle-aged man wearing a white coat and with messy hair came out.
This man was probably in his forties, with a stubble beard, glasses as thick as the bottom of a bottle, and wearing a white lab coat; he looked exactly like a "mad scientist" from a movie.
This is Wang Chengdong.
Wang Chengdong was indeed crazy.
When we were first liberated, the railway department obtained several hundred kilograms of opium from Rehe. It would be such a waste to lose this stuff.
Wang Chengdong devised a method to refine it into an anesthetic, solving the urgent need for surgical anesthesia in the railway system.
Li Aiguo was sizing up Wang Chengdong, while Wang Chengdong was also scrutinizing Li Aiguo through thick glasses.
"Is this Comrade Li Aiguo? A national model worker? An advanced train driver? He's really young."
"Master Wang, here's the note." Li Aiguo knew Wang Chengdong's personality well, so he handed him the note directly.
Wang Chengdong took the note, glanced at it, and his expression softened considerably.
He was most annoyed by those administrative staff who would come to pick up medicine and then chat with him for ages, which only delayed his experiments.
"Come with me." Wang Chengdong turned and went into the laboratory.
Although it's called a laboratory, this place is actually more like a small chemical workshop.
Everywhere there were bottles and jars, condensers, distillation columns, and some homemade equipment that Li Aiguo couldn't name.
Most strikingly, the shelves next to it were filled with iron cages, densely packed with white mice that were squeaking and squeaking.
"These are Kunming mice, Swiss mice that Professor Tang imported from the Hoffkine Institute."
Seeing Li Aiguo staring at the cage, Wang Chengdong casually offered an explanation.
His English pronunciation was quite standard, with the accent of an old-fashioned intellectual from before the liberation.
Li Aiguo's heart skipped a beat: "Professor Tang? You mean Academician Tang Fan?"
"That was my teacher, but unfortunately he has passed away."
Wang Chengdong looked at Li Aiguo and asked, "Are you interested in these mice? No, no, I still need to use them to test drugs."
"What medicine?"
"A fever medication, similar in composition to aminopyrine, but with similar side effects."
At this point, Wang Chengdong suddenly stopped, shaking his head self-deprecatingly: "Hey, why am I telling you all this? Looks like I've been in the lab too long, I just want to nag anyone I can find. The mechanism of this drug is too complicated to explain to you."
"A sharp drop in immunity can easily lead to agranulocytosis, resulting in persistent high fever, severe infections, sepsis, and even anaphylactic shock, gastrointestinal bleeding, melena, dizziness, collapse, and a sudden drop in blood pressure..."
Once Li Aiguo opened his mouth, Wang Chengdong couldn't stop talking.
"You even know about medicine?"
"I know just a little bit," Li Aiguo said with a modest smile.
"Analgin's parent compound is antipyrine, which belongs to the pyrazolone class. Regarding its mechanism of action, I think it mainly inhibits cyclooxygenase in the central and peripheral nervous systems, thereby reducing the synthesis of prostaglandins."
Analgin was actually developed by the San Dezi family.
It was already widely used abroad in the 1930s, and these side effects are recorded in many foreign medical documents.
However, there is still much controversy both domestically and internationally regarding the mechanism of action of aminopyrine.
Some people think it's the thalamus's thermoregulatory center, while others think it's a reduction in pain sensitivity.
Wang Chengdong has studied analgin for many years and has always felt that neither of these two explanations is comprehensive enough.
Hearing Li Aiguo's theory of "inhibiting cyclooxygenase" was like a lightning bolt flashing across the night sky, instantly illuminating the fog in his mind.
"That's right! Why can't it act directly on the enzyme? This idea... this idea is brilliant!"
Wang Chengdong was so excited that his face turned red. He grabbed Li Aiguo's arm and said, "Come, come, Comrade Aiguo, since you're an expert, show me my research!"
He pulled Li Aiguo to the table and pulled out a large stack of handwritten documents from the messy pile of files.
"I plan to improve the purification process by removing impurities through recrystallization, which should reduce side effects. Take a look at my proposal."
Li Aiguo picked up the documents and quickly flipped through them.
It must be said that Wang Chengdong is indeed a genius.
Under such rudimentary conditions, the fact that they could conceive of using the differences in solubility of different solvents for fractional crystallization was absolutely a first-rate pharmaceutical process at the time.
"How is it?" Wang Chengdong looked at Li Aiguo expectantly, like a primary school student waiting for the teacher to correct his homework.
Li Aiguo put down the documents and sighed: "The technology is excellent, and the craftsmanship is ingenious. But Lao Wang, this approach won't work."
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Seeing Wang Chengdong's face turn red, Li Aiguo smiled and said, "Old Wang, the root cause of Analgin's side effects is that it belongs to the pyrazolone class. No matter how it is purified or how the formula is modified, it will directly inhibit bone marrow hematopoiesis and induce agranulocytosis. This is an inherent pharmacological defect that cannot be removed by minor modifications."
He opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found himself speechless.
As a senior pharmacist, he was actually vaguely aware of this, but he was just unwilling to admit it.
After all, Analgin is currently the most popular antipyretic in China. If even it has problems, then what else can we use?
“I think we should switch to other types of antipyretic analgesics, such as propionic acid,” Li Aiguo said with a smile.
"It seems there's been research on this abroad, but we haven't started yet."
Wang Chengdong paused for a moment, then looked at Li Aiguo: "Do you have some ideas?"
"I do have a little idea, but it's not mature yet. How about this, lend me a few guinea pigs, and I'll try it out first." Li Aiguo did intend to use ibuprofen, but he didn't have the time right now.
"Oh! So you were trying to fool my guinea pig!"
Wang Chengdong pointed at Li Aiguo and suddenly burst into laughter: "Fine, fine! As long as you can develop a better drug than Analgin, I'll take care of everything, even empty my lab, let alone a few mice!"
The "inhibition of cyclooxygenase" mechanism that Li Aiguo just mentioned has already solved a major problem for him.
The purification of aminopyrine can be postponed.
However, based on this theory, he could write a detailed guide to medication use and contraindications, which could at least reduce many unnecessary tragedies.
"Then it's settled." Ten minutes later.
Li Aiguo was carrying an iron cage in one hand, inside which were several lively white mice.
In his other hand, he was carrying a net bag filled with high-purity glucose.
only……
Li Aiguo looked at the two green glass bottles with red paper labels in his hand, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.
This is in a beer bottle!
The white mouse was brought home, and Xiao Dongfang and Xiao Hongsheng both loved playing with it. Even Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu came over to watch the fun.
Chen Xueru was startled.
"Brother Aiguo, could this rat carry bacteria?"
"Don't worry, these are specially bred Kunming rats, they are very clean."
Hearing this, Chen Xueru finally felt relieved.
She drank some diluted glucose water, and her complexion quickly improved; her illness was mostly cured.
Women in this era are generally quite healthy.
As night fell, the courtyard quickly came alive with activity.
I heard that Li Aiguo kept rats. In the past, Yi Zhonghai would definitely have gone to see what was going on.
But that's not possible now.
As he stood up with his crutches, he discovered that his left leg was in severe pain.
"Forget it, they're just a few rats. There's nothing we can do about Li Aiguo. We'll look for another opportunity later."
Since Li Aiguo broke his leg, Yi Zhonghai didn't suffer in vain. He vented all his resentment on Jia Zhangshi and gave her a good beating.
Having learned her lesson, Jia Zhangshi no longer dares to act recklessly and push her as she did before.
From this perspective, Yi Zhonghai should thank Li Aiguo.
The children in the compound really liked the white mice.
Liu Guangtian, Liu Guangfu, Banggeng, and even the four kids from Xu Damao's family and the boy from Nanyi's family, all crowded around the Li family's door, peeking and chattering excitedly as they watched the commotion.
It was common for the children in the compound to play together. Chen Xueru simply reminded them through the door, "Don't put your fingers in the cage," before turning around and going inside to busy herself.
Not long after, a heart-wrenching cry suddenly came from outside the courtyard.
When everyone went outside, they found that Bang Geng's hand had been bitten by a white mouse.
“Auntie, I saw it. Banggeng put his hand in there himself.” Liu Guangtian saw Liu Haizhong walking over and betrayed Banggeng with a sense of loyalty.
Liu Haizhong was so angry that his face turned blue. He grabbed the stalk of the stick and raised his hand to swing the bramble in his hand.
As night deepened, the intermittent "slap slap" sounds of whipping drifted in from outside the courtyard.
Hearing the slapping sounds outside, Li Aiguo opened the materials and began to study the problems of the wind tunnel laboratory.
While we're at it, let's also take a look at the ibuprofen material we brought out from the system.
The aerospace experts arrived at the Qianmen Locomotive Depot workshop earlier than Li Aiguo had anticipated.
On Monday, just as the workday began, more than a dozen experts arrived in a luxury tour bus. Leading them was the deputy team leader, Chief Engineer Su, who was also an old acquaintance of Li Aiguo.
"Patriotism, this time we'll fight side by side again!" Despite the bumpy journey, Chief Engineer Su showed no signs of fatigue, but rather was full of energy.
"With the help of Chief Engineer Su and all the senior colleagues, our wind tunnel laboratory will definitely be built soon," Li Aiguo said modestly.
The aviation experts looked at him with increasing kindness. It was truly remarkable that he had made so many great contributions at such a young age and could remain calm and not take credit for himself.
These experts have all undertaken important projects and are familiar with the workflow.
Soon the wind tunnel laboratory project team was established, and after approval from above, it was named Project No. 62.
The number 62 refers to both the year and the Type 62 fighter jet, making the name both fitting and appropriate.
Project No. 62 was led by Li Aiguo, with Chief Engineer Su and Chief Engineer Chen of the Small Aircraft Workshop serving as deputy leaders. The team members included top experts from major aircraft manufacturers such as Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, and Nanjing Aircraft Industry Group.
Looking at Project 62, which was holding a meeting, through the glass, Section Chief Xing scratched his head: "The workshop is really well-equipped now."
Many hands make light work.
With the complete set of blueprints and materials provided by Li Aiguo, and the fact that these experts were already familiar with wind tunnels, the project quickly reached the site selection stage.
According to Chief Engineer Wang of Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, the wind tunnel laboratory should be located at Harbin Aircraft Industry Group.
Chief Engineer Liu of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation glared at him: "Shenyang Aircraft Corporation is the eldest son of the aviation industry and the number one main base for fighter jet development. It should be located in Shenyang Aircraft Corporation."
Chief Engineer Su also spoke up: "Nanjing Aircraft Industry Group is the core assembly plant for trainer aircraft and attack aircraft. We have a wide variety of aircraft and the most urgent testing needs, so it would be more suitable for us to be the place to put them."
People from other aircraft factories and research institutes remained silent. These three were the big brothers in the aviation industry, and no one could afford to offend them or compete with them.
For a time, the site selection issue reached a stalemate.
In fact, everyone knows that wind tunnel laboratories are a booster for the aviation industry. Whichever company locates its wind tunnel laboratory will gain a significant advantage in fighter jet development.
After arguing for a long time without anyone giving in, everyone turned their attention to Li Aiguo: "Team Leader Li, where do you think it should be located?"
Li Aiguo pondered for a moment and said, "I think it should be placed in Yungang, Fengtai."
"Huh?!" Surprise x21.
Then came a burst of discussion.
"There's no aircraft factory in Fengtai, so wouldn't it be a waste to leave it there?"
"Yes, what is Team Leader Li thinking?"
"Everyone, please be quiet and wait for Team Leader Li to finish speaking." It was Chief Engineer Su who stood up. He always felt that Li Aiguo would not disregard the reality.
"The wind tunnel laboratory is not only a testing site, but also a base for training aviation talents. Fengtai Yungang is an important base of the Fifth Academy of the Ministry of National Defense, which is the predecessor of the First Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology. There is the 701 Institute of Aerodynamics nearby, and it is also close to Beihang University. The talent and technical support are top-notch."
Upon hearing this, the experts present nodded in agreement, confirming that the surrounding areas of various aircraft factories indeed lacked such uniquely advantageous research conditions.
Li Aiguo continued, "Yungang is right next to Nanyuan Airport, making it extremely convenient for transporting fighter jet models and sharing test data with the troops."
The area is bordered by the Taihang Mountains to the west and the plains to the east, providing natural barriers, a flat and open terrain, and stable geology. The wind tunnel itself is over fifty meters long, making it ideal for constructing large-span factory buildings.
"Most importantly, Yungang already has a railway branch line and a dedicated power line connected to it, which can fully meet the power needs of the wind tunnel's four 200-kilowatt motors. There is also the Dianqi River nearby, which can provide sufficient production and cooling water."
"But the most crucial aspect is defense and security. Yungang is within the sphere of influence of the Beijing garrison, so in the event of an emergency, support can arrive as quickly as possible."
Other regions might be able to meet the previous conditions, but this last one is unique and irreplaceable.
There was one more thing Li Aiguo didn't mention: the meteorological station was also in Beijing, which made it easier to carry out confidential work.
"I agree with Team Leader Li's suggestion!" Chief Engineer Su was the first to raise his hand in agreement.
"That's right, that's right. We were only thinking about taking things home, we didn't really think about all that. Listen to patriotism."
"Yeah, yeah, Lao Wang, did you see that? You're nowhere near being a national model worker."
"Hey, you're still making fun of me. Didn't you just say you wanted to be assigned to Harbin Aircraft Industry Group?"
"I made a mistake, didn't I? I know I'm wrong and I'll correct it. What about you?"
"I can change it too, so what!"
Several senior experts said a few words, and then they all raised their hands.
The aviation experts then nodded in agreement. They did have their own agendas, but they wouldn't sacrifice the overall situation for personal gain.
After the location was determined, it was submitted to the Aviation Industry Bureau and approved quickly.
Next came the equipment manufacturing work, where the advantages of the Qianmen Locomotive Depot workshop became apparent. After so many years of planning, they were able to manufacture most of the equipment themselves.
Zhou Gaoyuan and the wild car experts are able to solve manufacturing problems.
Zhou Gaoyuan is exceptionally capable and highly skilled, but compared to Zong Xianfeng, he still lacks some research and development capabilities. It's just a pity that Zong Xianfeng is still in Russia and hasn't returned yet.
Days passed by in a flurry of activity.
The large wind tunnel equipment was successively processed, disassembled into parts, loaded onto train cars, and transported to Yungang, Fengtai District.
In a mountain village commune near Yungang, Fengtai District.
The commune members were busy working in the fields with hoes on their shoulders when they suddenly heard the rumble of a train and looked up toward the valley.
"Looks like there's going to be another big project going to be done in the mountains."
Not long ago, a notice was suddenly issued from above, designating the distant mountain valley as a military restricted area and erecting barbed wire fences to strictly prohibit unauthorized personnel from entering or leaving.
A few days later, several cadres dressed in gray Zhongshan suits arrived in a large SUV and pointed out the terrain of the valley.
After the cadres left, the railway workers moved in and busied themselves laying tracks and laying wires. Commune members also helped out and earned a lot of work points and wages.
Seeing that the train was transporting all sorts of oddly shaped, large parts, the commune members became very excited.
"Secretary, could you please talk to the higher-ups again and ask us to lend a hand in the mountains too?"
"Yes, my second son is still waiting to earn work points to build a new house!"
The Party Secretary waved his hand and lowered his voice, saying, "What do you know? This is a key project, arranged by the higher-ups. The work of building greenhouses and factories will be handed over to the railway soldiers. We can't get involved for now, but all the miscellaneous work on the periphery will be handed over to our commune in the future."
Upon hearing this, the commune members immediately beamed with joy, knowing that even peripheral tasks could earn them a considerable number of work points.
The Party Secretary then solemnly instructed, "Keep your eyes peeled lately. If you encounter any suspicious strangers, or if anyone inquires about things in the mountain valley, tie them up immediately and report it!"
"Understood, understood!" The commune members nodded without hesitation.
Just kidding, the people in the valley have been so good to them, we can't let anyone ruin it.
“I’ve already told my second son that he’s not allowed to doze off when he’s on guard duty, or I’ll kick his butt.”
"No matter what's being made inside, it's bound to be something good for protecting our country. We can't let the commune down!"
In the jeep, looking at the militiamen guarding the road, Old Cat felt a pang of emotion.
He has carried out many missions in various places, but there are not many militiamen as dedicated as him, and there is not just one, but a group of them.
Old Cat somewhat admired Li Aiguo's decision.
After Project 62 began, secrecy became a priority. In the past, the entire area should have been sealed off, with no one allowed to enter or leave.
However, Li Aiguo decided to delegate the peripheral work to the nearby communes, and it seems to be working very well. These communes are essentially acting as weather forecasters.
Of course, there was one thing Li Aiguo didn't tell Lao Mao.
The wind tunnel laboratory's truly confidential equipment, such as the loop "large pipe," transonic nozzle, and excitation control cabinet, is all located inside the wind tunnel laboratory and cannot be seen from the outside.
"Patriot, Sato Kenichi is to be executed tomorrow morning. Are you coming over?" Old Cat said.
(End of this chapter)