The value of the flight performance is not just appreciation, but also the Tsarist government is showing off its military power to the outside world. No matter how these aircraft came from, there is one.

In a sense, being able to buy an airplane is also a reflection of strength. You should know that more countries cannot buy it even if they want to.

Perhaps intentional, or perhaps unintentional, during the flight performance, Alexander III also invited ministers from various European countries to participate, including French ministers.

According to European practice, the allies of allies are not necessarily allies, and the enemies of allies are not necessarily enemies.

The French-Austrian War and the British-Russian War are both separate copies of the war and do not interfere with each other.

Therefore, when the European War was in full swing, France and Russia still maintained normal diplomatic relations.

After confirming that the Russians had equipped the plane, the French minister immediately became concerned. Since Paris was bombed, the French government has been worried about the technology of aircraft manufacturing.

Facts have proved that it is not that simple to explore by yourself. Without technical experts in the field of aircraft, the French government could only find a few folk enthusiasts and form a grass platform research and development team with a group of mechanical engineers.

It’s okay if the results are not mentioned or industrial production cannot be produced. The key is that the aircraft built in the laboratory are still in the original stage, with a kind that goes without going back.

It takes a lot of time to simply achieve free travel and landing, but the French army on the front line can't wait.

As far as the Minister of Arbon knew, in order to develop aircraft manufacturing technology as soon as possible, the government did not hesitate to bow to the British to seek cooperation.

Then there was nothing. Although Britain's industrial strength was stronger, like France in the field of aircraft manufacturing, everyone was a layman, and no one in the whole country could find an aircraft manufacturer.

Now is undoubtedly an opportunity. If you can't get aircraft manufacturing technology from Austria, you can get the same from the Russians.

Of course, the Russians do not have aircraft production technology, but they have ready-made aircraft!

Independent research and development requires a lot of time. With samples to refer to and imitate, it will undoubtedly save a lot of time.

Although European countries are awesome, in fact, most of the European industrial powers started out by copycats, including France.

Plagiarism, imitation, and the Arban minister had no pressure. The only problem was how to obtain the plane from the Russians.

...

"My Lord, this business is too difficult and has exceeded my ability."

After saying that, the middle-aged man pushed the check back. From his eyes, he could confirm that the middle-aged man was full of reluctance and did not want to give up the check.

But there is no way, the French are not easy to mess with. If they collect money and don’t do anything, they will leave themselves endless trouble.

"His priest, you are too modest. Whoever knows your name is that there is nothing you can't do in St. Petersburg.

Just a small matter, you only need..."

Poetry, endless flattery. In order to achieve the goal, the Minister Albang also gave up the bottom line.

After saying that, Minister Albang pushed the check back and took out a blank check and placed it on it.

That's very obvious. As long as you can achieve the target, the price will be opened at will.

Seeing this scene in front of him, Duke Olmedo's position was shaken again. Although cooperating with the French may offend the Austrians, they cannot resist the French's high bid!

Although there are many people asking him for his business, this is the first time he has received a random check.

After hesitating for a while, Duke Olmedo shook his head again: "Your Majesty, it's not that I won't help you.

The problem now is that the Austrians are keeping a close eye on the plane, and the people responsible for the maintenance of the plane are Austrians. We cannot send the plane out of Russia under their noses.

You know Austria's influence in Russia. Once they find the problem, the government will inevitably give them an explanation."

Although money is good, life is more important.

Usually, Olmedo has some methods to steal a piece of weapon and equipment from the military camp, whether it is scrapped or retired.

But it doesn't work now, the Austrians are too focused. If the Austrians catch the handle, the Tsarist government will definitely give Austria an explanation for the sake of bilateral relations.

Under this background, no matter how awesome the network of relationships is, it cannot stand it. Olmedo has not lived enough and does not want to commit suicide.

After being rejected again, the Minister Albon's face darkened. With years of life experience, he could see that the Russian duke in front of him was not to raise the price, but really did not dare.

After pondering for a while, the Minister Albon asked unwillingly: "His Excellency Duke, the people responsible for maintaining are all Austrians. This situation will definitely not continue, right?"

Duke Olmedo nodded: "Of course, we have arranged for technicians to go in and study. It won't take long to do the logistics maintenance by our own people.

If you can wait, you should be able to do it after two or three years.”

After waiting for two or three years, the daylily became cold. After such a long time, France has developed it on its own and it is time to produce results, so there is no need to spend a lot of money.

Albang asked unwillingly: "Don't your country want to imitate it? We can send engineers to help decipher the technology, which can be shared between our two countries, and..."

Before Albon finished speaking, Olmedo interrupted, "Why do you need to imitate it? What's the benefit of this?"

It sounds nonsensical, but that's the truth. At the beginning, after importing Austrian equipment, the Tsarist government was still keen on introducing technology and imitating it.

However, in the face of high production costs, the Tsarist government had to accept the concept of "it is better to buy than to make".

If ordinary weapons and equipment are like this, let alone aircraft. With the industrial strength of the Russian Empire, even if they can decipher technology, they will not be able to produce industrially.

...

For the sake of Ruble, Olmedo finally agreed to arrange several French engineers to join the logistics maintenance staff.

How much you can learn depends on the luck of the French. Anyway, the Duke of Olmedo is not optimistic about the French.

Logistics maintenance and aircraft manufacturing are completely different concepts. If you cannot study the internal structure of an aircraft in depth, you have no other way to deduce the technology of aircraft manufacturing except to invest a lot of time and money in experiments.

The money invested is okay, but there will always be squeezed. The key to the problem is time. The introduction of aircraft manufacturing technology in one or two months is completely different from spending one or two years to develop aircraft manufacturing technology.

...

Snowflakes were falling, and the banks of the Rhine were covered with a layer of silver. With the silence of gunfire, there was no longer the smoke of gunfire from the past, and under the soft sunlight, it looked particularly pleasant.

It was another Christmas, and Marshal Patrice McMahon was not happy to watch the soldiers celebrate laughingly.

At the beginning of the outbreak of the Rhine River offensive and defensive war, the Austrian army on the opposite side was only 300,000, and the rest were the remnants of Biden and Germany withdrew.

It took only a long time before the total strength of the Austrian army exceeded 800,000. With the troops of Biden and Germany, the strength disadvantage of the anti-French alliance is no longer obvious.

If the current situation continues, perhaps next month, the strength ratio of both sides will be reversed. At that time, the offensive and defensive momentum of both sides will be changed.

There is no way, fighting for manpower, financial resources, materials, and industry, France is not a rival to the anti-French alliance.

The only advantage is that the French army has the most famous reputation, has past achievements as support, and has a psychological advantage when facing the enemy.

Unfortunately, all this was broken by the Austrians in the Battle of the Rhine not long ago.

The French army did not continue the myth of ever-invincible victory, and the so-called combat effectiveness advantage has now become a dream.

Frankly speaking, Patrice McMahon did not want to make a standstill on Christmas because it would buy a day for the enemy, further increasing the difficulty of breaking through the Rhine defense line.

"Marson, the Christmas party is about to begin in half an hour."

The guards beside him reminded.

This is the tradition of the French army. No matter when, banquets are indispensable, let alone Christmas.

Originally, Patrice McMahon was going back to Paris to attend the banquet held at the Palace of Versailles, but because the road was blocked last night, the road was delayed and the trip was delayed.

Since he stayed here, as the boss on the front line, Patrice McMahon naturally has the obligation to host a Christmas banquet and encourage morale at the same time.

"I got it, I will attend on time!"

After saying that, Marshal Patrice McMahon closed his eyes and rested. Hosting a banquet also requires physical energy, and for the elderly Patrice McMahon, this is also a burden.

...

The French army was celebrating, and the coalition was almost the same. In addition to retaining the necessary on-duty personnel, most of the officers and soldiers were celebrating this special Christmas.

Unlike the French army, Grand Duke Albrecht, who was the commander of the coalition, was absent, and the protagonist of the banquet became King Leopold II of Belgium.

In the command center, Albrecht was looking at the latest battlefield map, and there were several senior Austrian officers absent from the banquet.

The war is very fast on the battlefield. Although it is impossible to attack on Christmas, it does not mean that you can't do anything on Christmas.

"Just arrived at the armored forces, have they been placed?"

There is no doubt that the major event that caused the senior officials of the Austrian army to miss the banquet collectively was the armored troops that had just arrived.

The movement of the armored troops is quite a bit of a sudden. It is impossible to escape the French army during normal times. Christmas can be regarded as the only opportunity.

In order to hide his tracks, the Austrian army also carried out a series of disguises.

For example: increasing the number of cars on the front line, occasionally deliberately creating noise, numbing the French ears.

In order to reduce the risk of exposure, the armored troops did not drive directly, but instead transferred directly to the front line by water.

A middle-aged officer replied loudly: "Marson, please rest assured, the armored troops have been scattered and placed in several camps prepared in advance, and I have personally checked them out.

The camp is relatively remote, and the surrounding patrol troops have been replaced by ours a week ago.

There are also motor transport troops nearby to cover it. As long as you don’t have close contact, ordinary people will not find it.”

Fortunately, I killed the French airship troops, otherwise it would be really not easy to hide an armored unit.

Although the armored troops are almost invincible these days, if they are exposed in advance, the French will be prepared and it will be difficult for them to do their best.

It is difficult to deal with armored troops, and it is simple to say. As long as you dig a few more holes on the road where the armored troops are advancing, you can delay the speed of the armored troops.

An armored force that has lost its speed is actually an army with strong combat power, and it is difficult to play a strategic role.

After receiving a positive response, Grand Duke Albrecht nodded and added: "The confidentiality work must be done well, and the public announced that these camps are arsenals and prohibited from approaching them.

For the sake of safety, we will not inform Biden of the arrival of the armored troops for the time being.
To be continued...