Nanchang Q-5, part one

 

The Nanchang Q-5 is a Chinese-built single seat twin-engine jet fighter ground attack aircraft heavily based on the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 which is heavily used in the ground attack role.

Its origin can be traced back to the late 1950s when, in August 1958 the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) requested a jet attack aircraft for the ground attack role. 

Lu Xiaopeng was named chief designer of this project which, although based on the MiG-19, this new design, named initially as Qiangjiji-5 (5th fifth attack aircraft design), had a longer fuselage, area ruled to reduce transonic drag and fit a 4 m (13-ft) long internal weapons bay. The air intakes were placed at the sides of the fuselage to make room for a planned target radar in the nose which, eventually, it was never fitted. New wings with greater area and reduced sweep were also incorporated, though they were similarly looking to those of the MiG-19. The Q-5 was powered by the Liming-Wopen WP-6A turbojet engine which is itself a copy of the Soviet Tumansky RD-9, with 6.610 lbf of thrust power.

The redesign meant that the Q-5 was a bit slower at high altitude than the MiG-19, but at low altitudes it proved to be equally faster thanks to the area-ruled fuselage.

Production armament consists on two Type-23-1 23 mm guns mounted in the wing roots, two pylons under each wing and two additional pair of pylons under the engines were also provided in addition to the weapons bay. A total of 1.000 kg (2.205 lb) of ordnance could be carried internally with additional external 1.000 kg externally. On many aircraft the weapons bay were fitted with an auxiliary fuel tank.

Many variants were made, though in this post we're just covering some of them:

• Q-5: The original production version of the 1960s. It was equipped with a total of 6 pylons, two under each wing and two under the fuselage. Replaced by the Q-5A.
• Q-5Jia: A regular Q-5 modified to carry tactical nuclear bombs. Very few were converted to this role and some of them were fitted with the 317Jia radar as an improvement program. 
• Q-5I: AKA Q-5A. This version was a regular Q-5 with the internal weapons bay replaced with an additional fuel tank which increased fuel capacity in 70% more. A Chinese-built Type 74Y4 laser rangefinder was also fitted.
• Q-5IA: AKA Q-5B. Improved Q-5A with radar warning receiver and flare dispensers. It was equipped with an improved weapon aiming sight which allowed the attacks to be carried out from different angles. Extra outer pylons on outer wings were also added for PL-2/PL-5 air-to-air missiles, bombs or rocket launchers.
• Q-5Yia: AKA Q-5B (denomination given by the People's Liberation Army Navy - PLAN). A torpedo attacker developed for the PLAN. It was initially going to be equipped with YJ-8 anti-ship missiles but the programme was cancelled because of budget problems, even with the missile well developed. It was tried to retake the project in the 1980s but it was decided to give the role to the Xian JH-7. 
• A-5C: Export version fitted with western avionics which we already covered in previous posts.
• Q-5D: An interim attack aircraft introduced during the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis. It featured improved avionics and radar.

Sources:

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

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanchang_Q-5

Shenyang J-6, Chinese users, part two

 

The Shenyang J-6 is the Chinese-built version of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 supersonic fighter that was so mas-produced in China that it saw its own variants and could be considered a fighter of its own.

The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) operated the Shenyang J-6 and all its derivatives in large numbers. They started to use it in 1964, with the J-6 initially supplementing, and eventually replacing, the Shenyang J-5 (the Chinese copy of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17). The first PLAAF's unit to fully operate the type was the 38th Air Division, which was established in June 1967, and was tasked with the aerial defence of Beijing. The type was also used by the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force. 

The J-6 has a maximum speed of 1.540 km/h (960 mph) with a service ceiling of 17.900 m (58.700 ft). Effective combat range when equipped with two drop tanks is at around 640 km (400 mi) and it's powered by two Liming-Wopen 6A, which deliver 5.730 lbf of thrust power and it's a copy of the Soviet Tumansky R-9 turbojet engine. Its typical armament is composed by three 30 mm NR-30 cannons, two at the wing roots and one in the nose. Additionally they also have four pylons with a capacity of up to 250 kg (550 lb) each, with a maximum ordnance of 500 kg (1.100 lb). Typical payloads include, apart from the very usual drop tanks, unguided bombs, 55 mm rocket pods or PL-2/PL-5 air-to-air missiles, which are the Chinese copy of the Soviet K-13 missile. 

Sources:

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

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

3. https://www.valka.cz/Sen-jang-J-6-kod-NATO-Farmer-t42341 (translated)

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_divisions_of_the_People%27s_Liberation_Army

Shenyang J-6, Chinese users, part one

 

The Shenyang J-6 is the Chinese-built version of the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 fighter aircraft, the world's first mass-produced supersonic aircraft.

Even if the MiG-19 had a relatively short life span when serving with the Soviet Air Force, the Chinese valued its agility, turning performance and its powerful weapon arrangement. Therefore, it comes no surprise that between 1958 and 1981 they manufactured it for their own use in various versions. While the original MiG-19 has been retired from active service in practically every nation in the world, the Shenyang J-6 still flies for nine of its original 15 operators, albeit in a very limited capacity and not in the fighter role. Its airframe is the starting point for the Nanchang Q-5 ground attack aircraft which is still active in many nations around the world.

The J-6 was considered as an interim fighter until a more capable aircraft could be manufactured in China (namely, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21), so it was intended to be operated for just 100 flight hours, which are approximately 100 sorties, before having to be overhauled. However, with adequate maintenance, those numbers could be stretched, like in the case of the Pakistan Air Force, up to 130 hours.

Sources:

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

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

3. https://www.valka.cz/Sen-jang-J-6-kod-NATO-Farmer-t42341 (translated)

Chengdu JJ-5 (FT-5)

Note: This is our 900th post! Hooray!
In 1964 the Chinese aircraft industry began to develop an advanced trainer derivative of the J-5, a successor to the JJ-2 which ,by the 1960s, could not quite meet the People's Liberation Army Air Force's (PLAAF) requirements. It was designated as JJ-5 and had no Soviet equivalent, as it was a cross-breed between the MiG-15UTI and the MiG-17, combining the former's cockpit section mated to the fuselage of a MiG-17. The crew members sat in tandem, with the trainee's canopy section opening to starboard and the instructor's canopy section sliding aft.
The shape of the nose resembled the MiG-17PF (J-5A) with its characteristic 'fat-lip'. However, the aircraft had no radar, the nose was all-metal and there was no intake centre-body. The JJ-5 was powered by a WP-5D engine (AKA TJ-5D) non-afterburning turbojet (which was the Chinese licensed copy of the Klimov VK-1A manufactured by Xian Engine Factory) rated at 5952 lbst of thrust. Its rear fuselage was shaped similar to that of the MiG-17, yet, it had airbrakes taken from the MiG-17F/MiG-17PF (J-5).
The Chinese engineers chose to eliminate the built-in weapons tray, which was a distinctive feature of the MiG-15 and MiG-17 (J-5). Instead the JJ-5 had a single 23 mm (0.5 in calibre) Type 23 (NR-23) cannon mounted low on the starboard side of the nose. Additional pylons for air-to-ground could be fitted outboard of the drop tank hardpoints. The cockpits were equipped with an intercom and semi-automatic ejection seats which could not be used safely below 260 m (853 ft) high at speeds up to 350 km/h (217 mph) or below 2000 m (6560 ft) at higher speeds.
Work on prototype's construction began on 25th March 1965 and the prototype flew for the first time on 8th May 1966. After completing its flight test programme, the trainer entered production at Chengdu. Some sources claim the JJ-5 was also built at Shenyang as the JJ-5 has two c/n systems, which appears to support this theory. One system (Chengdu production) is straightforward, for example the 1609, belonging to the 16th batch, with nine aircraft. The other system (Shenyang production) is a little more complicated, for example, the aircraft numbered 55-1206. The first two digits may be an in-house production code, belonging to Shenyang industries. However, it may be possible that the '55' prefix was simply dropped after a certain number of batches had been built.
Anyway 1061 exemplars were manufactured from 1966 until 1983 when production ceased (some sources claim that production ceased in 1986).
Deliveries to the PLAAF began on 30th November 1967 and, as we pointed in our previous post, it was exported to many countries, among them, North Korea, whose air force bought 135 exemplars in the early 1970s and it's believed that they are kept in active service nowadays in the trainer role.
Additionally to the PLAAF's flying academies, the JJ-5 served as the mount of the PLAAF's 'August 1st' display team for a while. The team's aircraft wore a red/white livery and were equipped with a smoke generator system injecting a mixture of diesel fuel and dye into the engine jetpipe. A supply of mixture was carried in two slender cigar-shaped tanks attached to the standard drop-tank hardpoints. At least one of the team's JJ-5s (with serial 507 white) had a non-standard curved windscreen, in place of the usual three-pieced windshield.

Sources:
1. Hikoki Publications Chinese Aircraft China's Aviation History since 1951
2. https://www.valka.cz/topic/view/80750
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_People%27s_Army_Air_and_Anti-Air_Force
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenyang_J-5
5. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Shenyang J-5A

The Shenyang J-5/F-5 for exports is the Chinese copy of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17PF. This variant was equipped with a version of the RP-5 Izumrud radar located at the nose. It was powered by an WP-5 engine, which was itself a Chinese copy of the Klimov VK-1 and could deliver up to 5730 lb of thrust power, 7450 lb with afterburner. It was armed with three 23 mm Type-23-I cannon, which was also another copy of the Soviet NR-23. The first aircraft was manufactured on 11th November 1964 and, since then around 300 aircraft were manufactured by Chengdu Emei Machinery Factory in Chengdu, China until 1969 when production ceased. That's why in some sources, the J-5 is named as "Chengdu J-5A".
The J-5A served with the People's Liberation Army Air Force for a long period of time, in fact when its successor, the Shenyang J-6 (a Chinese licensed copy of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19) was phased out, the J-5A was still in active status. The type was also exported to Albania where most likely it served for a long period of time from the 1960s until the 1990s when they were put into storage and sold at an auction in 2016.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenyang_J-5
2. https://www.valka.cz/topic/view/80748
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanian_Air_Force
4. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Shenyang J-5, various prototypes

The Shenyang J-5 is a Chinese-built single-seat jet interceptor and fighter aircraft, which is a license-built Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. It was exported as the F-5 and its original denomination was Dongfeng-101 (East wind-101) and also Type 56, before being officially designated as J-5 in 1964.
As the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) obtained a number of Soviet-built MiG-17 fighters, designated internally by the PLAAF as J-4, in the early-1950s. In order to introduce modern production methods in the Chinese industry, the PLAAF obtained plans for the MiG-17F in 1955, together with two completed pattern aircraft, 15 knockdown kits and parts for ten aircraft. The first Chinese-built MiG-17F (with the serial Zhong 0101) produced by the Shenyang factory, flew for the first time on 19th July 1956 piloted by test pilot Wu Keming.
There were some experimental variants, like the torpedo bomber one, which was made to meet a requirement made by the People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force (PLANAF) for a torpedo-bomber version of the J-5. The heavy torpedo was carried under the fuselage, so one of the cannons had to be removed and the fuel load was reduced in order to not exceed the MTOW. Trials showed that performance numbers (except the ones for field performance) fell sharply when compared to the standard J-5 due to the high drag generated by the torpedo and the reduced fuel capacity. Therefore, the torpedo bomber didn't go beyond the prototype stage and the work on this prototype was used for the Nanchang Q-5B ground attack aircraft. As we couldn't find any photo or graphical evidence on this variant, the drawings should be considered as speculative.
The Shenyang J-5 was also used as a radar testbed. At least one J-5 with the serial 2424 was converted into an avionics testbed for an unidentified Chinese radar. The radar antenna was housed in a bulbous radome on the intake's upper lip, making the aircraft very similar to the Mikoyan-Gurevich SP-2 (which was an experimental variant of the MiG-15 fitted with a Korshun radar, the radar that was the forerunner of the MiG-17P/PF. As it's perfect for some alternate advanced version, we drawn a missile-armed variant because, why not?.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenyang_J-5
2. Hikoki Publications - Chinese Aircraft - China's Aviation History since 1951

Aero L-29 part seven, miscellaneous users

As we've posted previously so many times, the Aero L-29 was used by many countries. Now it comes the turn for those miscellaneous and civilian users which we haven't counted for tags as they were too many of them.

• People's Republic of China: The People's Liberation Army Air Force bought 4 Aero L-29 in 1968. We found some photos of an Aero L-29 kept nowadays in the Beijing's Air Museum, however, as we couldn't find pics of the L-29 serving with the PLAAF, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Indonesia: The Indonesian Air Force bought some L-29s in the late 1960s to equip their trainer squadrons. They were in active service until the 2000s when they were retired and sent to the Indonesian Air Force Museum where they are being shown nowadays.
• Socialist Republic of Vietnam: It seems that the Vietnam People's Air Force had some L-29s in trainer service after the end of the Vietnam War. They were replaced with the more advanced L-39, and nowadays at least one L-29 is being shown at the Bach Mai Air Force Museum.
• United States: The US Navy got some modernized Aero L-29 during the late 2000s to use them in aggressor squadron maneouvres. They were seen on board the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) back in the year 2010.
• Argentina (untagged): The Argentinean Experimental Aircraft Association has one L-29. 
• Canada (untagged): The International Test Pilots School uses the Aero L-29.
• Norway (untagged): The Norwegian acrobatic team "Russian Warbirds of Norway" use the L-29 (with British civilian registrations).
• New Zealand (untagged): The acrobatic team Soviet Star, based in Christchurch, is equipped with the L-29.
• Slovakia (untagged): The Slovakian company Air Prestige has at least one Aero L-29.

We know there are many more civilian users, but we selected some of them.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_L-29_Delfín

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Liberation_Army_Air_Force

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

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_People%27s_Air_Force

5. https://forum.keypublishing.com/forum/modern-military-aviation/naval-aviation/103773-l-29-over-lhd-6