The Rise Of Australasia

Chapter 1114: Chapter 834: Italy-France Game

Although the DC-3 transport plane was superior in terms of data, if Arthur had to choose an airplane to board, he would actually prefer the Boeing 367 transport plane.

Undoubtedly, the DC-3 was more efficient and accessible to the common people compared to the Boeing 367.

The design features of Boeing 367, including the lavatories, were clearly intended for the upper-middle class.

With the same engine power, the Boeing 367’s larger size and weight would mean increased fuel consumption and added costs.

Moreover, with additional facilities on board, the Boeing 367 could only accommodate a limited number of 31 people (3 crew members plus 28 passengers), which was 3 fewer than the smaller DC-3 transport plane.

This meant that the higher operating costs of the Boeing 367 had to be distributed among fewer passengers, leading to higher ticket prices for each.

Airlines around the world still faced criticism over airfare prices. Take Australasia, which was among the earliest regions to foster an aviation industry; its royal airline was one of the world’s largest and could secure planes from Boeing and the Douglas Aircraft Company at a low cost.

In theory, the tickets of the royal airline should be relatively affordable since its costs were indeed lower than those of other airlines.

However, a ticket from Sydney to Wellington had an official price of 60 Australian dollars, 15 shillings, and 7 pence.

With the average income in Australasia around 200 Australian dollars, a round trip between the Australasian and New Zealand regions could consume more than half a year’s earnings.

But the good news was, when the new generation of transport planes were incorporated into the royal airline for their ability to carry more passengers, the ticket prices were expected to decrease somewhat.

While aviation wasn’t the main mode of transportation for the people in this era, its potential had been recognized by various nations.

Traveling by boat from the Australian Region to New Zealand would take at least four to five days using a fast vessel.

For ordinary small civilian boats, the journey could stretch to over a week, or even close to ten days.

But if an airplane were used, even the now obsolescent DC-2 transport plane and Boeing 267 aircraft, with adequate auxiliary fuel tanks, could make the trip within 15 hours.

With the latest DC-3 transport planes and Boeing 367 transport planes, the time could be further reduced to just 8 to 10 hours from the Australian Region to New Zealand.

This was greatly beneficial for the entire Australasian Empire, which stretched far and wide with countless islands and archipelagos, making management quite troublesome.

With the advancement of the aviation industry, the time required to reach these islands had been continually diminishing. In essence, the Imperial Government’s control over these regions was steadily increasing.

Arthur was particularly excited that both the DC-3 transport plane and the Boeing 367 transport plane had completed prototype testing and were even ready for large-scale production.

This meant that if Arthur wished, the two airplane companies could enter production at any time, ensuring a continuous stream of advanced transport planes for Australasian civil and military sectors.

However, the strategic importance of the new generation of transport planes was too significant, so Arthur didn’t plan to unveil these two planes too early.

This also meant that, before the public revelation of these two transport planes, Australasia’s airlines could only use the outdated products.

Furthermore, even if Douglas and Boeing’s transport planes were made available to allies in the future, Arthur had no intention of selling the military version of the DC-3, the Sop-34 transport plane, to outsiders.

Jet engine technology was novel for all nations, and naturally, it would be kept secret as long as possible.

Otherwise, if potential enemies like Germany, Italy, and the Island Nation were to develop jet engines and jet planes too early, Australasia’s advantage in aviation would be considerably reduced.

Arthur wouldn’t partake in the foolish act of shooting himself in the foot, which was why Australasian jet engine technology remained well-concealed.

On March 17, 1935, in the skies above Madrid, the capital of the Spanish Republic, the weather was still clear, making it an excellent day for the air force to take action.

Enrique, with a complacent expression, piloted a brand-new Fiat CR.32 Arrow Fighter, cruising leisurely above Madrid.

Since the last encounter with the air force of the Spanish Republic, the Italian Air Force had been unchallenged over Spain.

Spain’s aircraft, totaling barely over 60, had lost more than half their number in that air battle, leaving the remainder virtually incapable of combat.

This led to a dreadful consequence: the Italian Air Force roamed freely in Spanish airspace as if flying over their own national territory.

However, Enrique’s contentment did not last long.

An odd noise soon filled the sky, and Enrique spotted a dark speck against the bright blue canvas above.