Shenyang F-6, various Asian users

 

The Shenyang J-6 (F-6 denomination for the export variants) is the Chinese-built version of the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19. It started as a "pure" copy of the MiG, but it evolved until being a fighter of its own. As it has been massively produced, it has been also, exported to various countries around the globe, among them, the following ones:

• Bangladesh: Beginning in 1978 the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) received at least 40 F-6C and FT-6 as a gift from Pakistan as they were phased out of service with the Pakistan Air Force. The F-6C was operated by the No.25 Squadron "Trendsetters" based initially at Patenga Air Base and later at other various air bases scattered around the country. By 1998 the types were being retired with the FT-6 being replaced in the trainer role by the Czech Albatross L-39ZA and the F-6C were replaced by Russian built MiG-29s.
• Burma/Myanmar: The Burmese Air Force ordered 36 F-6s, together with some Guizhou F-7M (the Chinese copy of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F-13) from China in 1990. However, by 1991 none of them were delivered. As with many other cases in this blog, we drawn it in Burmese colours in an imaginative exercise.
• Iraq: In 1983 Iraq bought 40 ex-Egyptian F-6C machines to supplement their MiG-19S. Their fate is unknown because many times they are taken by MiG-19s. However, it's most likely that many of them were destroyed during the First Gulf War and other sold to various customers like Uganda and North Korea. As we couldn't find graphical evidence of a Shenyang F-6C in Iraqi colours, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Iran: Apparently the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) acquired 24 F-6 fighter-bombers from North Korea which arrived via a cargo ship in April 1983. Apparently, during the Iran-Iraq they saw some action against Iraqi forces as they served as ground-attackers. Later, they bought additional FT-6 trainers. As we couldn't find any photo or pic of Iran's F-6 nor fighters, nor trainers, the FT-6 depicted below should be considered as speculative.
• North Korea: In 1988 (some sources claim 1980) as the North Korean Air Force (NKAF) looked on expanding the size of their air force, they acquired 100 F-6 fighter-bombers which were delivered in 1988 and 1989. They are still active nowadays based around the various air bases around the country.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenyang_J-6

2. Midland Publishing - Aerofax - Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19. The Soviet Union's First Production Supersonic Fighter

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Iranian_Air_Force

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historic_Bangladesh_military_aircraft

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_People%27s_Army_Air_and_Anti-Air_Force

6. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters