Not sure its the AL-31FM1.
I read somewhere that the Export AL-31F and AL-31FN has been upgraded with both more thust and TBO life.
Anyway, it could be more about the designation than the physical difference.
The exact designation is unclear. But it is rumored to be developed by Salut for the J-20 like the AL-31FN but has max thrust around 14000 kgf (so thats about 137 kN). Designation is anyone's guess. flateric mentioned that CAC officials have visited Salut for engines (excluding J-10), and maya @ SDF clearly said its an AL-31 variant. Even Hui Tong initially stated the its a 14000 kgf engine from Salut, but he changed that to WS-1X.
I would agree that it's almost certainly an AL-31F of some description and given previous Chinese ties to Salut, the latter is more likely than not the supplier. Apart from externally applied coatings, even the silver nozzles are a dead ringer for the AL-31F, as are the fuel dump method and (like martinez has pointed out) the start sequence.
The exact designation is unclear. But it is rumored to be developed by Salut for the J-20 like the AL-31FN but has max thrust around 14000 kgf (so thats about 137 kN). Designation is anyone's guess. flateric mentioned that CAC officials have visited Salut for engines (excluding J-10), and maya @ SDF clearly said its an AL-31 variant. Even Hui Tong initially stated the its a 14000 kgf engine from Salut, but he changed that to WS-1X.
Thanks for info!
I guess export restriction would not necessarily apply to such an engine, given than 117S is more powerful and is certainly going to be available for export this decade.
If the AL-31FM-1 engine was designed to upgrade the Su-27 with Al-31F, no chance they are used with the J-20, bcs gear box and APU is top mounted whereas the J-20 has engine with bottom mounted gear box, just remember that.
<Find a job you like doing, and you'll never have to work a day in your life>
Not really new ! These are the J-10AH and SH from the PLANAF (4. Div / 12th Reg) based at Feidong.
Deino
...
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one:
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods:
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
-------------------------------------------------
W.H.Auden (1945)
Any info ehat this could be .... and where this "thing" was taken ???
Could be simply a mock-up, a theme-park model or something similar simple , since I can't think that SAC will travel its future stealthy fighter simply thru the streets.
Or is that an L-15 trainer ???
Anway interesting,
Deino
...
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one:
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods:
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
-------------------------------------------------
W.H.Auden (1945)
I think you may be onto something with the L-15 idea - looks a lot like somebody faked an in-flight photo of a banked L-15 to obfuscate it and then superimposed it over a flat bed transporter. It doesn't make sense to transport an aircraft by road in that state of assembly, you'd at least want to take the wings off (BTW, while the vertical tail is gone that is one of the areas on the image which most strongly seems to have been tampered with). I'm not sure the supporting trestle is plausible either.
Strange, really strange but following some posts at the CDF, there are however some differences to exclude an L-15 (LERX, cockpit ... ) .... and especially that tight securety on this parking place crowded by military security and so on ... .
Besides that it is reportedly indeed from SAC on the way to Tianjin. ... but why in Tianjin !
Anway interesting,
Deino
...
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one:
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods:
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
-------------------------------------------------
W.H.Auden (1945)
I think you may be onto something with the L-15 idea - looks a lot like somebody faked an in-flight photo of a banked L-15 to obfuscate it and then superimposed it over a flat bed transporter. It doesn't make sense to transport an aircraft by road in that state of assembly, you'd at least want to take the wings off (BTW, while the vertical tail is gone that is one of the areas on the image which most strongly seems to have been tampered with). I'm not sure the supporting trestle is plausible either.
Here's another image ... and an estimation on its length !
...
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one:
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods:
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
-------------------------------------------------
W.H.Auden (1945)
Thanks for info!
I guess export restriction would not necessarily apply to such an engine, given than 117S is more powerful and is certainly going to be available for export this decade.
117S has been cleared for export several years ago.
A mockup doesn’t require a whole SWAT team to guard and express way sealed for the convoy.
A mockup should be easily dismantled and stuffed into a container for transport
The main wing is forged 1 piece with the fuselage, because of whole piece is too large to be stuffed into air lifter or container. It has to be shipped via road.
It’s heading towards North West of China, for static test most likely,
For those showing persistent “PS” syndrome towards everything Chinese, The reality is every PSed stuff in their mouth becomes real in past decade, this time won’t be any exception either
SAC’s F60 finally transforming from model to reality:
However, the prototype can be accepted by PLAAF or PLANAF to become J21 or not is still everybody’s guess.
Here's another image ... and an estimation on its length !
I have to agree Deino, for photo analysis sticking it in a carpark with marked spaces and surrounded by vehicles of known size like that Audi is a boon in working out its size.
I also agree with Pinko, by in large Photoshopping has become less usual amongst Chinese types in recent years.
Thanks for the additional images - seems it is real after all! I can now see that what I thought were PS artifacts are actually parts of the coarse net which is holding the camouflage cloth in place.
Originally Posted by Pinko
A mockup doesn’t require a whole SWAT team to guard and express way sealed for the convoy.
It easily might, if it is closely representative of a sensitive item. However, in that case the corollary is that a real project exists, which would make even a mock-up almost as big a revelation as if it was the actual article, granted. A more interesting question here is why they aren't moving it at night if they are so concerned about it being seen.
Originally Posted by Pinko
A mockup should be easily dismantled and stuffed into a container for transport
So are most real aircraft (see below).
Originally Posted by Pinko
The main wing is forged 1 piece with the fuselage, because of whole piece is too large to be stuffed into air lifter or container. It has to be shipped via road.
Might be, although that approach is somewhat unusual - most modern fighters retain separate wings, including the T-50, F-22, Typhoon and Rafale. However, at least the first two are considerably larger than this aircraft at some 15m, a length that puts it in the same ball park as the F-35 with its single piece upper wing/fuselage panel (so I guess it's possible).
Originally Posted by Pinko
For those showing persistent “PS” syndrome towards everything Chinese, The reality is every PSed stuff in their mouth becomes real in past decade, this time won’t be any exception either
Latest info so far ... that convoy did not stop in Tianjin but moved on and the currently most likely final destination is indeed the CFTE at Xi'an-Yanglian !!!
The only sad fact on this is that there are nearly no spotter-possibilities.
Deino
...
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one:
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods:
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
-------------------------------------------------
W.H.Auden (1945)
A mockup doesn’t require a whole SWAT team to guard and express way sealed for the convoy.
A mockup should be easily dismantled and stuffed into a container for transport
The main wing is forged 1 piece with the fuselage, because of whole piece is too large to be stuffed into air lifter or container. It has to be shipped via road.
It’s heading towards North West of China, for static test most likely,
For those showing persistent “PS” syndrome towards everything Chinese, The reality is every PSed stuff in their mouth becomes real in past decade, this time won’t be any exception either
SAC’s F60 finally transforming from model to reality:
However, the prototype can be accepted by PLAAF or PLANAF to become J21 or not is still everybody’s guess.
lol wishful thinking. just because its not PS doesn't mean its a stealth airplane. It could be a model, it could be a trainer, it could be something else. Given the size of the aircraft in comparison to the truck, i'm leaning more towards trainer or another light aircraft.. or a model
lol wishful thinking. just because its not PS doesn't mean its a stealth airplane. It could be a model, it could be a trainer, it could be something else. Given the size of the aircraft in comparison to the truck, i'm leaning more towards trainer or another light aircraft.. or a model
Or something in the line of a demonstrator...
I can remember an awfull lot of identical reactions to the first grainy images of the J-20, or the Xianglong, or this:
…It easily might, if it is closely representative of a sensitive item. However, in that case the corollary is that a real project exists, which would make even a mock-up almost as big a revelation as if it was the actual article, granted. A more interesting question here is why they aren't moving it at night if they are so concerned about it being seen.
Here is the grainy Handphone quality image taken at night time, obviously the sheer urgency makes the trip to be done day and night
The different angel does reveal more details of the plane
Might be, although that approach is somewhat unusual - most modern fighters retain separate wings, including the T-50, F-22, Typhoon and Rafale. However, at least the first two are considerably larger than this aircraft at some 15m, a length that puts it in the same ball park as the F-35 with its single piece upper wing/fuselage panel (so I guess it's possible).
The large size of heavy new gen fighters like F22 or T50 or J20 simply makes integrated wings and fuselage much more difficult and costly. Though I won’t comment on eurocanards due to they are designed much earlier. Such technology is more applicable in medium aircrafts like the F35, see how the wing is mated with fuselage:
So no surprise, the F35 is also shipped in the same fashion:
lol wishful thinking. just because its not PS doesn't mean its a stealth airplane. It could be a model, it could be a trainer, it could be something else. Given the size of the aircraft in comparison to the truck, i'm leaning more towards trainer or another light aircraft.. or a model
Judged by ur words, I feel very sorry about the name u used for your handle ID
Key.Aero Network
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by TR1
The exact designation is unclear. But it is rumored to be developed by Salut for the J-20 like the AL-31FN but has max thrust around 14000 kgf (so thats about 137 kN). Designation is anyone's guess. flateric mentioned that CAC officials have visited Salut for engines (excluding J-10), and maya @ SDF clearly said its an AL-31 variant. Even Hui Tong initially stated the its a 14000 kgf engine from Salut, but he changed that to WS-1X.
Network -
Key Publishing Ltd Corporate
Key.Aero - The Homepage of Aviation