cussler.blueandgold-第29章

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　〃That's　only　the　tip　of　the　iceberg；〃　Miller　said；　showing　the　way　to　the　door。　〃C'mon；　I'll　give　you　a　tour。〃
　
　He　led　Austin　outside　and　continued　his　narrative　as　they　walked　past　a　row　of　identical　buildings；　all　with　low　roofs　and　big　sliding　doors。　〃Paul　Garber　was　a　plane　nut；　which　was　fortunate　for　us。　When　he　was　just　a　kid　he　saw　Orville　Wright　fly　the　world's　first　military　aircraft。　Later　he　worked　for　the　Smithsonian　and　was　instrumental　in　creating　the　National　Air　Museum。　The　Air　Force　and　Navy　had　collected　examples　of　the　planes　that　won　World　War　II　and　some　of　the　enemy　planes　they　beat。　They　wanted　to　get　rid　of　them。　Garber　did　an　aerial　survey　and　found　twenty…one　acres　owned　by　the　federal　government　out　here　in　the　sticks。　There　are　thirty…two　buildings　at　the　center。〃　They　stopped　in　front　of　one　of　the　larger　structures。　〃This　is　Building　Ten；　the　workshop　where　we　do　the　restorations。〃
　
　〃I　saw　some　of　your　work　on　the　live　Web　cam。〃
　
　〃You　might　have　spotted　me。　I　just　came　from　there。　I　worked　for　years　as　a　project　manager　for　Boeing　in　Seattle；　but　I'm　originally　from　Virginia；　and　when　I　had　a　chance　to　e　to　the　center　I　jumped　at　it。　At　any　given　time　we've　got　several　projects　going。　We've　been　finishing　up　a　Hawker　Hurricane　restoration。　It's　been　a　little　delayed　because　of　a　parts　problem。　We're　restoring　the　fuselage　of　the　Enola　Gay；　the　B…29　that　carried　the　A…bomb　over　Hiroshima。　There's　a　nifty　little　biplane　called　Pitt's　special　'Little　Stinker'　that's　getting　its　fabric　skin　
　painted。　It's　not　just　planes。　We've　had　a　Russian　air…to…surface　missile；　plane　engines；　even　the　spaceship　model　they　used　in　that　movie　Close　Encounters。　We　can　stop　in　for　a　look　on　the　way　back。〃　〃I'd　like　that。　Sounds　like　an　eclectic　collection。〃
　
　〃Oh；　it　is。　We've　got　aircraft　from　all　over　the　world　that　we're　getting　ready　for　exhibition。　Three　buildings　are　devoted　to　exhibition　restoration　alone。　This　is　a　high…class　club。　The　artifacts　have　to　have　a　story　behind　them　to　qualify　for　a　makeover。　Something　historical　or　technological；　or　maybe　they're　the　last　of　their　kind。　Here；　this　is　what　you're　interested　in。〃
　
　They　entered　a　building　laid　out　like　a　warehouse。　High　metal　shelves　ran　from　one　end　to　the　other。　Stacked　neatly　on　the　shelves　were　hundreds　of　taped　cardboard　boxes　of　all　sizes。　〃Storage　is　our　third　most　important　function；　along　with　restoration　and　preservation；〃　Miller　explained。　〃We've　got　more　than　one　hundred　and　fifty　aircraft　and　tons　of　other　artifacts　spread　throughout　the　plex。　This　is　mostly　parts　in　here。〃
　
　Consulting　a　puter　printout　on　a　clipboard；　he　walked　down　one　of　the　aisles　with　Austin　trailing。
　
　〃How　do　you　find　what　you're　looking　for？〃　Austin　asked　with　bewilderment。
　
　Miller　chuckled。　〃It's　not　as　bad　as　you　might　think。　Every　important　part　from　every　plane　in　the　world　has　something　stamped　on　it。　We've　got　plete　records　of　serial　numbers；　registration　numbers；　or　letter　codes。　Here；　this　is　what　we're　looking　for。〃
　
　Using　a　pocket　knife；　he　slit　the　sealing　tape　on　a　cardboard　box。　After　reaching　inside；　he　pulled　out　a　metal　cylinder　about　two　feet　long。　Austin　thought　it　was　the　part　he　had　sent　from　California；　but　it　was　too　shiny；　and　its　surface　was　free　of　dents　and　nicks。
　
　〃This　is　identical　to　the　artifact　you　sent　us。〃　He　extracted　Austin's　cylinder　from　the　box。　〃We　matched　the　two　objects　through　their　serial　numbers。　This　first　is　from　a　plane　that　was　
　demissioned　and　taken　apart；　which　is　why　it's　in　such　good　condition。〃
　
　He　handed　the　cylinder　to　Austin；　who　hefted　it。　Like　the　other；　it　was　lightweight　aluminum　and　weighed　only　a　few　pounds。
　
　〃What　was　this　used　for？〃
　
　〃It　was　a　water…　and　airtight　storage　container。　This　one　is　pristine　because　the　plane　never　went　into　active　service。　We　examined　the　interior　of　yours；　but　the　seawater　leaked　in　through　the　hole　and　contaminated　the　residue　of　what；　if　anything；　was　inside。　We　can　tell　you　what　aircraft　these　things　came　from。〃
　
　〃Anything　would　be　a　help。〃
　
　Miller　nodded。　〃You've　heard　of　the　Northrop　flying　wings？〃
　
　〃Sure；　I've　seen　pictures　of　them。　They　were　the　original　delta…winged　aircraft。〃
　
　〃Jack　Northrop　was　way　ahead　of　his　time。　Take　a　look　at　the　stealth　bomber　and　fighter；　and　you'll　know　he　was　onto　some　thing。〃
　
　〃What　does　the　flying　wing　have　to　do　with　these　cylinders？〃
　
　〃They　both　e　from　flying　wings。　Where'd　you　get　this；　if　you　don't　mind　my　asking？〃
　
　〃It　was　found　in　the　water　off　the　coast　of　Baja　California。〃
　
　〃Hmmm。　That　makes　the　mystery　of　our　phantom　plane　even　deeper。〃
　
　〃Phantom？〃
　
　Miller　lay　the　cylinders　side…by…side　on　the　shelf。　〃Our　artifact　es　from　a　plane　that　was　junked　after　the　war。　With　the　numbers　on　this　thing　we　can　trace　its　history　right　back　to　the　assembly　line。〃　He　tapped　the　battered　artifact　with　his　finger　〃The　numerical　designation　on　this　part　doesn't　match　up　to　any　plane　we　have　record　of。　It　came　from　a　plane　that　didn't　exist。〃
　
　〃How　could　that　be？　A　mistake？〃
　
　〃Possible；　but　not　likely。　Taking　a　long　shot；　I'd　say　that　the　government　ordered　up　a　plane；　but　maybe　it　didn't　want　any　one　to　know　about　it。〃　
　〃Could　you　be　more　specific　about　the　type　of　plane？〃
　
　Miller　carefully　replaced　both　cylinders　in　the　box　and　re　taped　it。　〃Let's　go　for　a　walk。〃
　
　Building　20　was　crammed　with　aircraft；　bombs；　and　plane　parts。　They　stopped　in　front　of　an　odd…shaped　single…passenger　plane　with　a　broad　swept…back　wing。　Two　propellers　faced　back　ward　from　the　trailing　edge。
　
　〃This　is　the　Nl…M；　Jack　Northrop's　first　project。　He　wanted　to　prove　a　flying　wing　could　fly　without　all　the　drag…producing　surfaces　like　engine　housings　and　tail　sections。〃
　
　Austin　walked　around　the　plane。　〃Looks　like　an　overgrown　boomerang。〃
　
　〃Northrop　called　it　the　Jeep。　He　built　it　in　1940　basically　as　a　flying　mockup。　It　had　some　real　problems　during　the　tests；　but　it　performed　well　enough　for　Northrop　to　talk　the　Air　Force　into　building　the　B…35　bomber。〃
　
　〃Interesting；　but　what　does　this　have　to　do　with　the　cylinder？〃
　
　〃Northrop　used　this　model　to　talk　General　Hap　Arnold　into　funding　bigger　wings；　right　up　to　bomber　size。　After　the　war　they　converted　a　couple　of　big　propeller…powered　B…35　wings　to　jet　power　and　called　them　the　B…49　series。　The　plane　broke　every　speed　and　distance　record　on　the　books。　It　had　eight　jet　engines　that　gave　it　a　cruising　speed　of　four　hundred　miles　per　hour　at　forty　thousand　feet。　Even　after　one　crashed　during　a　test　flight；　the　Air　Force　ordered　thirty　with　various　airframes。　The　pilots　liked　the　plane。　They　said　it　handled　more　like　a　fighter　than　a　big　bomber。　Then　in　1949；　only　months　after　making　its　big　order；　the　Air　Force　canceled　the　flying　wing　program　in　favor　of　B…36；　even　though　that　was　an　inferior　plane。　A　six…engine　wing　survived　and　was　broken　up。　It　was　the　plane　our　cylinder　es　from。　Yours　came　from　another　bomber〃
　
　〃The　plane　that　doesn't　exist。〃
　
　Miller　nodded。　〃A　lot　of　crazy　stuff　went　on　after　Germany　surrendered。　The　cold　war　was　getting　revved　up。　People　were　seeing　mies　under　their　beds。　All　sorts　of　secret　stuff　going　
　on。　The　government　got　even　worse　after　the　Russians　developed　the　bomb。　My　guess　is　that　they　built　your　plane　with　a　mission　in　mind　and　didn't　tell　anyone　about　it。〃　〃What　kind　of　mission？〃　〃I　don't　know；　but　I'd　hazard　a　guess。〃　〃Hazard　for　all　it's　worth；　my　friend。〃
　
　Miller　laughed。　〃The　Northrop　bomber　was　the　original　stealth　plane。　Radar　was　still　paratively　primitive　back　then；　and　it　had　a　hard　time　picking　up　the　slim　silhouette。　In　1948　they　took　a　wing　out　into　the　Pacific　and　flew　back　to　the　main　land　at　five　hundred　miles　per　hour　on　a　direct　line　toward　the　Coastal　mand　radar　at　Half　Moon　Bay；　south　of　San　Francisco。　The　plane　wasn't　detected　by　radar　until　it　was　overhead。〃
　
　〃A　characteristic　like　that　would　e　in　handy　if　you　wanted　to　get　in　and　out　of　hostile　territory。〃
　
　〃That's　my　guess；　but　I　have　no　evidence　to　substantiate　it。〃
　
　〃What　could　have　happened　to　the　plane？〃
　
　〃Even　with　its　low　radar　profile　it　could　have　been　shot　down。　More　likely；　though；　it　was　scrapped　like　the　others　or　crashed　during　a　test　or　a　mission。　They　were　still　working　out　the　bugs　in　the　design。〃
　
　〃Neither　possibility　explains　how　a　piece　of　the　plane　ended　up　in　the　sea　off　Mexico。〃
　
　Miller　shrugged。
　
　〃Maybe　I　can　find　something　in　the　records；〃　Austin　suggested。
　
　〃Good　luck。　Remember　what　I　said　about　crazy　stuff　happening　after　the　war？　After　the　Air　Force　canceled　its　contract　for　the　last　batch　of　wings；　it　went　into　the　plant；　cut　up　all　the　planes　being　built；　and　carted　them　away　as　scrap　metal。　They　refused　the　Smithsonian's　request　for　a　plane　to　put　on　exhibition　and　ordered　all　production　jigs　and　dies　destroyed。　All　the　official　records　on　the　flying　wing　were　'lost；'　supposedly　under　direct　orders　from　Truman。〃
　
　〃That　was　convenient。〃　Austin　stared　at　the　flying　wing　as　if　the　answers　to　the　puzzle　were　locked　in　its　aerodynamic　fuselage；　but　like　the　plane；　his　thoughts　refused　to　get　off　the　ground。　〃Well；　thanks　for　all　your　help；〃　he　said　finally。　〃It　looks　like　a　dead　end。〃
　
　〃Wish　I　could　have　been　of　more　help；〃　Miller　said。　〃I've　got　a　suggestion。　It's　a　long　shot。　A　widow　of　one　of　the　test　pilots　lives　not　far　from　here。　She　showed　up　one　day　looking　for　information　about　her　husband。　He　died　while　they　were　testing　one　of　the　big　wings。　She　was　piling　a　scrapbook　to　pass　on　to　the　kids　and　grandchildren。　We　gave　her　some　pictures；　and　she　was　happy　with　that。　Her　husband　could　have　said　something　to　her。　Maybe　he　didn't　know　about　our　missing　plane；　but　there　are　always　rumors。〃
　
　Austin　glanced　at　his　watch。　He　hadn't　planned　to　be　back　at　his　NUMA　office　until　after　lunch。　〃Thanks　for　the　tip。　I'll　see　if　I　can　track　her　down。〃
　
　They　returned　to　the　visitor　center　and　looked　up　the　woman's　name　and　address。　She　had　made　a　substantial　donation　to　the　center　in　her　husband's　name。　Austin　thanked　Miller　and　headed　south　beyond　the　suburbs　that　ring　Washington　until　the　countryside　began　to　look　more　rural。　The　address　was　a　big　two…story　gingerbread　Victorian　on　a　back　road。　A　car　was　parked　out　front。　Austin　went　up　to　the　front　door　and　rang　the　bell。　An　athletically　built　man　in　his　fifties　answered　the　door。
　
　Kurt　introduced　himself。　〃I'm　looking　for　Mrs。　Phyllis　Mar　tin。　Do　I　have　the　right　house？〃
　
　〃Yes；　this　is　the　Martin　house。　But　I'm　afraid　you've　e　a　little　too　late。　My　mother　passed　away　several　weeks　ago。〃
　
　〃I'm　very　sorry　to　hear　that；〃　Austin　said。　〃Hope　I　haven't　bothered　you。〃
　
　〃Not　at　all。　I'm　her　son；　Buzz　Martin。　I'm　taking　care　of　some　things　around　the　house。　Perhaps　I　can　help　you。〃
　
　〃Possibly。　I'm　with　NUMA；　the　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency。　I'm　doing　some　historical　research　on　flying　wings　and　was　hopeful　your　mother　might　like　to　talk　about　your　father。〃
　
　〃Doesn't　NUMA　deal　with　the　ocean　sciences？〃　
　
　　〃That's　right；　but　this