https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenyang_J-8
The Shenyang J-8 (Chinese: ?-8; NATO reporting name: Finback) is a high-speed,
high-altitude Chinese-built single-seat interceptor fighter aircraft.
The effort to develop an all-weather interceptor began in full in 1964 and this
produced the first Chinese-designed and built jet fighter to combat new, high
altitude threats such as the B-58 Hustler bomber, F-105 Thunderchief
fighter-bomber and Lockheed U-2 spy plane. In 1964 the People's Liberation Army
Air Force requested an aircraft from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and the 601
Institute to develop a fighter/interceptor to counter bombers and spy planes as
the newly introduced Chengdu J-7 (a reverse engineered MiG-21) was incapable of
doing so. The prototype took its maiden flight in 1969. Despite the early-mid to
late 1960s origins of the J-8, due to the political turmoil of the Great
Proletarian Cultural Revolution, the J-8 was not produced until 1979 and entered
service in 1980. Its basic configuration resembles an enlargement of the
delta-winged J-7, utilizes two Liyang (LMC) Wopen-7A turbojet engines, and
features a maximum speed of Mach 2.2. The twin engined J-8 competed with rival
Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group's single, turbofan powered engine, canard-delta
J-9 project and ultimately emerged as the victor largely due to the existing
availability of the former's MiG-21 based powerplant and proven layout, while
the J-9 project was cancelled in 1980 due to difficulty in creating a suitably
powerful engine.
In order to house a large radar set, the design called for a solid nose and
variable geometry side air intakes. However, the lack of familiarity with this
type of intake meant the J-8 had to settle for a MiG-21 style nose intake. The
solid nose J-8 was finally realized in the J-8II (Finback-B), which was based on
the layout of the J-8I (same improvement is like the J-6 to Q-5). The radar
chosen for the J-8 was the Type 204 mono-pulse fire-control radar, a primitive
ranging radar for daylight within-visual-range operations. The performance of
the radar fell well short of the PLAAF's requirements as research into a more
capable fire control radar and power source proved difficult and time-consuming.
The aircraft was originally armed with cannons and seven hardpoints for
missiles, bombs, rockets or fuel tanks. The original weapons layout of the J-8
was two 30 mm Type 30-1 cannons after initial problems with the 30 mm Type 30-II
four-barrel Gatling gun.
Despite entering service relatively recently, it was comparable to many older
Soviet fighter designs, with limited maneuverability. The original combat
avionics package was soon replaced with an all-weather capability in aircraft
designated J-8I (Finback-A). The J-8I (later redesignated as the J-8A) received
a new gun sight, onboard computer, new cockpit design and redesigned ejection
escape system and oxygen supply system. The gun armament was also changed from
two 30 mm cannons to a single 23 mm twin-barreled cannon and the PL-5 short
ranged AAM was also equipped. The later J-8E featured improved electronic
warfare systems. The unsatisfactory performance of the J-8I led to a very short
as early as the 1990s.
There are currently over 300 J-8s of all types serving in the People's
Liberation Army Air Force and People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force. The J-8
is expected to be superseded by modern Chengdu J-10 and J-11 variants in the
coming years.
Role
Interceptor
National origin
China
Manufacturer
Shenyang Aircraft Corporation
Design group
Shenyang Aircraft Design Institute
First flight
J-8: 5 July 1969
J-8II: 12 June 1984
Introduction
1980
Status
In service
Primary users
PLA Air Force
PLA Naval Air Force
Produced
Number built
380
April 2001 incident
On 1 April 2001, a Chinese J-8D fighter jet collided with a US EP-3
reconnaissance aircraft flying near Chinese airspace about 70 miles (110 km)
south of China. The EP-3 crew was forced to make an emergency landing on China's
Hainan Island; according to Chinese officials, the pilot of the J-8D, Wang Wei,
ejected, but he was never found and is presumed dead. American reconnaissance
crews had been intercepted many times before, in some instances the interceptors
flying as close as ten metres from the American surveillance aircraft. The crew
of 24 Americans was eventually allowed to return home on 11 April. The American
aircraft was not returned for another 3 months.
Specifications (F-8 IIM)
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 21.52 m (70 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 9.34 m (30 ft 8 in)
Height: 5.41 m (17 ft 9 in)
Empty weight: 9,820 kg ()
Loaded weight: 15,288 kg (33,704 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 18,879 kg (41,621 lb)
Thrust with afterburner: 68.7 kN (15,432 lbf) each
Performance
Never exceed speed: Mach 2.2 limited
Maximum speed: Greater than Mach > 2.4+ (est.)
Combat radius: with 5 min Combat : 540 nm (1,000 km) (incl 5 min combat (Air to
ground) : 486 nm (900 km))
Rate of climb: 224 m/s( M 0.9, alt : 1,000 m (3,280 ft) (44,094 ft/min (M 0.9,
alt : 1,000 m (3,280 ft))
Thrust/weight: 0.5; 0.91 with afterburner (MAX T-O Weight)
Armament
1 x 23mm Type 23-3 (Gsh-23) cannon
One centerline and 6 under-wing hardpoints for fuel, bombs, rockets or missiles:
4 PL-2 or PL-7 and one 800 litre drop tank, 2 PL-2 or PL-7 and 2 x 480 litre
drop tanks and one 800 litre drop tank
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