China students who lived in the same era as the Wright brothers designed, built and flew the first airplane in China history. He is Feng Ru. His success is only five years behind that of the Wright brothers.
1883, Feng Ru was born in Xingpu Village, Niujiang Town, enping city City, Guangdong Province, about 200 kilometers away from Guangzhou. At that time, China was being humiliated by western powers, and the working people in China lived in semi-colonial and semi-feudal misery.
Feng Ru's father, Feng Yelun, is a simple cultivator, who supports his family by cultivating a small piece of land. Feng Ru was clever since childhood, and his father sent him to a rural primary school. Because of his outstanding achievements, he is deeply loved by teachers. He loved handcraft since he was a child, and often made some models of cars and gadgets with mud and sticks, especially his "little wheels" made of matchboxes, which left a deep impression on his friends. All the neighbors praised him as a promising child. At this time, bad luck befell his family. Feng Ru's four brothers died one after another because he had no money for medical treatment, and Feng Ru Jr. had to drop out of school to help his father farm because he had no money at home.
/kloc-When he was 0/2 years old, Feng Ru's uncle, who was doing small business in San Francisco, went home to visit relatives. Seeing that Feng Ru's family lives in poverty, he wants to bring Feng Ru to the United States to make a living. When Feng Ru's parents learned the news, they strongly opposed it. His mother wiped her tears and said, "I only have a child like you. How can I bear to let you leave me?" Feng Ru's parents are clear-headed, but they often hear that there are many new things that China can't see in American scientific progress across the ocean. Feng Ru has a strong thirst for knowledge, and he is determined to go abroad to broaden his horizons and achieve something in the future. So he begged his parents to say, "The ancients said that a gentleman always values his home. I don't want to stay at home all my life. I want to go out and learn a craft and honor my parents in the future. " After his repeated requests, his parents finally agreed to his request to go to America. From 65438 to 0894, Feng Ru embarked on a voyage to the United States, and soon arrived in the western American city of San Francisco to start a new life. That year, he was 12 years old.
San Francisco is a beautiful city and an important financial center and trade port in the western United States. With a large population and developed industries, factories are dotted with towering chimneys everywhere. Seeing all this, Feng Ru gradually understood why western countries bullied us. It turns out that their industry is developed and the country is developed by machine production. If we also use machines to make China rich and strong, can't we change the poverty and backwardness of China? So he made up his mind to learn technology and use it to save China.
Six years later, Feng Ru transferred to new york, where he studied machine building. He studies very hard and often studies late into the night to discuss a problem. Despite the urgency of life, in order to learn more about the development of western science and technology, he often buys newspapers and periodicals with the saved room and board. In order to pay tuition, Feng Ru had to work in her spare time. Nevertheless, Feng Ru's academic performance is among the best in the class. Seeing Feng Ru study so hard and get excellent grades, the school decided to waive his tuition. Five years later, Feng Ru really had extensive knowledge of mechanical manufacturing. He is familiar with 36 kinds of machines, and has also done some pumps and pile drivers. The radio transceiver designed and manufactured by him has good performance and is well received by users. At that time, Feng Ru had become a famous machine manufacturer. Just as Feng Ru was absorbed in researching and manufacturing machines, there was news that Japanese imperialism had seized railways in Lushunkou, Dalian and the Middle East.
1904, the Russo-Japanese War broke out. In order to compete for the privilege in the northeast of China, the two imperialist countries launched a dog-eat-dog war on the land of China. Under the mediation of the United States,1September, 905, the two countries concluded the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, which stipulated that Lushunkou, Dalian and the adjacent waters at the southern tip of Liaodong Peninsula were under the jurisdiction of Japan. The railway from Changchun to Lushunkou was also handed over to Japan. Faced with all this, the corrupt Qing government ignored it and admitted it. This is simply a great shame for China people. He felt ashamed of the corruption and incompetence of the Qing government and sad for the misfortune of the motherland. Feng Ru vowed to use his skills to serve the motherland.
At first, he wanted to build a warship for his motherland to strengthen China's coastal defense. At that time, because the Wright brothers invented the plane in the United States, it caused a strong international response. All countries developed airplanes, airships and aviation weapons as advanced equipment for national defense at that time. Feng Ru thought, it takes millions to build a warship, so it is cheaper, more labor-saving and more useful to build hundreds. After making up his mind, he said to his assistants: "Now is an era of fierce competition, and airplanes have become indispensable military equipment. If millions of planes can be built and stationed in various ports in China, it will be enough to strengthen China's national defense, and foreign powers will never bully us again! " When someone questioned his ability to develop an airplane, Feng Ru said firmly, "I vowed to develop an airplane for my country with my whole life. If you do nothing, die! "
The first difficulty in developing aircraft is the lack of funds. Feng Ru sold all his gold, silver and jade articles, but it still didn't solve the problem. So he went to the local overseas Chinese to raise money. The local overseas Chinese were very moved when they heard that Feng Ru wanted to build a plane to save the country. However, most people think it is impossible for China people to build their own planes. Undaunted, Feng Ru stepped up its publicity among overseas Chinese. Finally, only Huang Qi, Zhang Nan and Tan Yao can be willing to help. Feng Ru raised more than $65,438+0,000 to set up the first aircraft manufacturing company in China.
1September, 907, Feng Ru and his assistants, patriotic overseas Chinese Zhu Zhuquan, Zhu Zhaohuai and Situ Biru rented a workshop in Wulun area and started the research and development work. At that time, the Wright brothers' plane had just taken off, and in order to maintain a monopoly position, they blocked all information. Feng Ru and others can only rely on their own aerodynamic knowledge to draw design drawings from scratch. In order to understand the development of aircraft in various countries at that time and learn from each other's strengths, Feng Ru bought newspapers and magazines with all the money he had saved in his life. They get up early and get greedy for the dark, overcoming one technical problem after another. After half a year's efforts, the first plane was finally made. Looking at his plane, Feng Ru shed tears with excitement.
1908 In April, Feng Ru made a test flight in the Oakland wheat field, and his friends advised him to change the test flight for safety. Feng Ru politely declined their kindness. He said to his friends, "Life is not precious. As long as China's plane can fly to the sky, it's worth dying! " Feng Ru waved and set foot on his own plane. With the roar of motor, the plane left the ground when it rose to dozens of feet. It tilted and the plane suddenly fell to the ground. The onlookers called Feng Ru's name and ran to the plane. Unexpectedly, Feng Ru casually emerged from under the broken wing. I saw him calm and calm, and said to the assistant who came over, "It seems that we have to start from scratch again."
Feng Ru and his party returned to Ulun (Auckland), but their factory was reduced to ashes by a fire. The painting they worked hard for months was completely destroyed by the fire. In the face of this unexpected trouble, Feng Ru did not waver. He firmly said to his assistants, "Again, if you don't do anything, you will die!" Just then, he received a letter from his parents who were far away from home. The letter said that the two old people miss their son far away from home very much, and hope that Feng Ru can return to China to reunite with his family immediately. After reading the letter, Feng Ru said affectionately to the distant motherland, "Parents, please forgive your son. If the plane can't be built, I will never return to China! "
Feng Ru struggled to raise a little money again, bought tools and equipment again, set up a tent in the wheat field in Oakland, and developed steadily. They collected a lot of materials and compiled them into a book. After careful calculation, the parts drawing was redesigned, and the wings, rudders, propellers, internal combustion engines and other parts were carefully made. After assembly, a brand-new plane was born!
1908 On September 2 1, Feng Ru made another test flight in Korynda. Under his control, the plane took off and landed slowly on the lawn after flying more than 2600 feet. "It worked! We succeeded! " Onlookers cheered. They rushed onto the plane and lifted Feng Ru high. It was determined that the first flight of Feng Ru's plane reached 2640 feet, which was more than the Wright brothers' first flight record 1788 feet. A few days later, a newspaper in San Francisco reported the test flight. The topic is: China people surpass the West in aviation technology. It took only one year and two months for the plane to go from design to trial. Feng Ru won honor for the people of China with his outstanding genius and rich creativity. Feng Ru's achievements have greatly inspired the people of China who are being enslaved by western powers, made them realize the strength of the people of China and enhanced the self-confidence of the people of China. When Dr. Sun Yat-sen saw Feng Ru's successful performance, he sighed: "China is full of talents!" 19 10, Feng Ru designed and manufactured an airplane with better performance in the United States. The wing of this plane is 29.5 feet long and 4.5 feet wide. The internal combustion engine is 30 horsepower, and the propeller rotates at 1200 rpm. In June 5438+that year 10, San Francisco held an international flight competition. Feng Ru took his newly designed plane to participate in the competition, and broke the world record of the first international flight competition held in France in 1909 with a flying altitude of more than 700 feet and a speed of 65 miles per hour respectively, and won the Excellence Award, which enabled China people to surpass the West again in aviation technology. Feng Ru has become a world-recognized aircraft designer, manufacturer and pilot.
Feng Ru's fame is getting bigger and bigger, and more and more foreign companies pay a lot of money to hire Feng Ru. In order to compete for air superiority, European and American countries are actively developing aviation and desperately recruiting aviation professionals. Feng Ru was bent on developing China's aviation industry and building more planes for China, so it flatly rejected the employment of other countries and still looked for opportunities to serve the motherland. At that time, the Qing government was also preparing to form an air force. They sent people to the United States to find Feng Ru, hoping that he would come back to work. Feng Ru was overjoyed and immediately agreed, saying, "It is my lifelong wish to contribute my meager talents to the motherland!"
19 1 1 February, Feng Ru and his assistants, Zhu Zhuquan, Zhu Zhaohuai and Situ Biru, set out on their way home with their homemade two planes and aircraft manufacturing machines. On the way, looking at the choppy Pacific Ocean, Feng Ru was full of thoughts. He remembers the rapid development of aviation in the world today. Since the birth of the first airplane, there have been more than 860 airplanes in the world in less than 10 years. Most of these planes are in the hands of western powers, but China doesn't even have one. He vowed to develop the aviation industry of the motherland with the aim of "enhancing national health and safeguarding interests" so as to make the motherland rich and strong at an early date.
After more than a month's voyage, Feng Ru and his party arrived in Hongkong smoothly. The Qing government sent a warship named "Bobby" to meet the enemy, and parked planes and machines on the outskirts of Guangzhou. Feng Ruyuan had planned to demonstrate flying for the people in the suburbs of Guangzhou, but this plan failed because of the outbreak of Huanghuagang Uprising initiated by revolutionaries. With the arrival of the revolutionary climax, the Qing government became more and more uneasy about Feng Ru. Not only did they cancel the flight show, but they also sent people to monitor Feng Ru's actions. Feng Ru was very disappointed with the ignorance and corruption of the reactionary government. He often shouts at the sky, feeling that he was born at the wrong time and could not serve his country.
When Feng Ru was extremely depressed, the Revolution of 1911 broke out. Feng Ru resolutely took part in the revolutionary army and devoted himself to the revolutionary torrent of overthrowing the Qing Dynasty and establishing the Republic. The revolutionary army appointed Feng Ru as the captain of the army plane, and authorized Feng Ru to organize a flight reconnaissance team to cooperate with the Northern Expeditionary Army to carry out air strikes against the Qing army stationed in the north. Later, due to the reunification of the north and the south, the flight reconnaissance team could not be organized. Sun Yat-sen attached great importance to the development of China's aviation industry after he became the interim president of Nanjing government. He made active preparations for the Nanjing Airport and held the first aviation flight exercise in China in February 19 12. In this exercise, the plane piloted by Feng Ru and others broke down in the middle, flew for dozens of feet and landed, and the plane was damaged. Although the exercise was not successful, its political role was achieved. The news appeared in newspapers one after another, which aroused positive response throughout the country, because it was the first time that China people used their own planes to conduct flight exercises on their own land.
Dr. Sun Yat-sen's concern and the support of the people of the whole country greatly encouraged Feng Ru and others. He felt a heavier burden on his shoulders, because he saw that the development of China's aviation industry was not a one-off event, but a long-term and arduous task. After the exercise, Feng Ru, as always, worked hard with his colleagues to design and manufacture aircraft with better performance. 1965438+On August 5, 2002, with the approval of the provisional government of the Republic of China, Feng Ru made his second flight show in the suburbs of Guangzhou. On that day, the weather in the suburbs of Guangzhou was particularly sunny, and the airport was crowded with people who came to watch the performance. In the crowd, some people are holding flowers, others are holding national flags, eagerly looking forward to that moment. At about noon 1 1, Feng Ru came to the audience. He looked extraordinarily energetic in his flying cap and suit. Amid cheers, he briefly introduced the performance of the plane, then boarded the plane and performed an air show for the audience. With the roar of the motor, the plane rose into the sky. Feng Ru is soaring in the blue sky with his eagle. The plane is like a vigorous Yin Yan, up and down or so; In the stands, thunder and thunder are cheering, drums and music are ringing, and heaven and earth are connected as one, cheering for the great feat of the motherland's aviation industry. After the aerobatic performance, Feng Ru prepares to land. Suddenly, he saw two children playing on the runway in the distance, and an unfortunate thing was about to happen. At this critical moment, Feng Ru yanked the joystick and stepped on the accelerator. Like a crazy eagle, the plane suddenly rushed into the sky, and a sudden disaster happened. The plane was out of balance because of Feng Ru's overexertion. During the shaking, some parts were damaged and the plane suddenly landed on the grass. The surrounding audience flocked to Feng Ru. When they rescued Feng Ru from the wreckage of the plane, Feng Ru was seriously injured in the head, chest and abdomen. The audience sent Feng Ru to the hospital with tears in their eyes. After being rescued, Feng Ru was buried among the flowers. That year, Feng Ru was only 29 years old.