November Man by Brian Freemantle

Author:Brian Freemantle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media

(11)

Hollis respected Herr Junkers for his tenacity. Too many government ministers would have accepted the initial refusal of the British government to grant an export licence for the landing-system.

Across the tiny private dining-room of the Stadt Hotel on Alexandreplatz he made a helpless gesture. The minister and the persistent Konrad Bauer had insisted on the hospitality, even though Hollis had stressed the tightness of their schedules later that day in Prague.

‘A great pity,’ said Bauer, nodding at Hollis’s apology.

The official escort constantly exceeded his position, decided Hollis. He would have expected Junkers to rebuke him.

‘I’m sorry,’ said the millionaire, pointedly talking to Junkers. ‘I really am. It was an exciting prospect.’

‘We’ve made two applications,’ endorsed Ellidge, who had eaten with them.

‘Perhaps’, suggested the German, ‘you didn’t make the proper case …’ He smiled apologetically. ‘… No criticism, of course. But there was so little time at the Fair. Another day or two and I could have briefed you so much better on our needs.’

‘I had enough for the application,’ ensured Hollis sympathetically. He’d had more details than were necessary, he recalled. There was even a reference in the Department of Trade and Industry letter to the amount available. ‘Unusually informative,’ the letter had said. The trip wouldn’t be completely wasted, he decided confidently. There was still their video-tape deal, and from the provisional reports he would be able to supply Czechoslovakia completely with the oil it needed.

With difficulty, Junkers bent beside the table, his face reddening, pulling the briefcase on to his lap. He pulled out papers, pushing them across the table. The wording was in German, but from a silhouette of the aircraft Hollis saw it was a Russian-built Mikoyan MIG 25.

‘The Foxbat?’ identified Hollis, using the NATO code-name. It pleased him to be able to display such instant recognition.

Junkers nodded.

‘A wonderful plane,’ said Bauer enthusiastically, eager to show his knowledge. ‘Far better than any American Phantom. It performed brilliantly in the Middle East in the 1973 war.’

Hollis nodded, leaving the documents before him.

‘So I believe,’ he said.

‘Our scientists want to experiment,’ enlarged Junkers. ‘We believe your landing-system would be better than the existing equipment.’

Hollis gazed at the other man, with growing surprise.

‘They think with the 40-foot wing-span and 69-foot length, it would be easily modified. The basic operational weight of 34,000 lbs would be well within the capabilities of your equipment,’ added the German.

Hollis had imagined they wanted the landing-device for a prototype aircraft. He would need technical advice but, despite Junkers’s easy assertion, he would have thought it unlikely such a major modification could have been made to a production fighter.

It was hardly likely the British government would be prepared to improve Russia’s leading assault aircraft, he thought.

‘I am sorry,’ insisted the millionaire. ‘No matter what argument I propose, I know the Department of Trade will remain adamant.’

‘So it’s true, then?’ demanded Junkers.

‘What?’

‘That the guidance and landing-systems are to be adopted completely by NATO.’

Ellidge shifted uncomfortably at the table, putting the papers that Junkers had offered into the semblance of order.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.