Current and Finished Projects > Profiles and Pixels
dy031101's Mental Notes
dy031101:
I recently unsuccessfully made a suggestion at War Thunder forum for a ROCAF F-16/79. Still I decided to visualize it just a bit.
As appropriate with their positions as late Rank VII and early Rank VIII aircraft as well as what the ROCAF would have had access to in early 1980s if the deal didn't fall through, ROCAF FXs are given AIM-9P whereas USAF FXs are armed with AIM-9L; all except for USAF F-16/79 have AIM-7F capabilities since FX Project was billed to the ROC as BVR-capable air-superiority fighters (i.e. to engage enemy aircraft before they cross into ROC airspace in the event of hostility) while the F-20A was later promoted to the US as a fighter for the Air National Guard. AIM-7F was being superseded by AIM-7M on the production line in early 1980s; I think the US would likely have rather sold the former to the ROC rather than the latter, considering that the FX saga took place prior to 1989. Serial numbers are removed to take account of multiple examples being used/spawned in a match. ROCAF Tigershark is designated as the F-5G as it was known when promoted to the ROCAF- there would likely have been the need to present the aircraft as a version of the F-5E to get past the early 1980s political radar- it also inherited the christened name from the F-5E built by AIDC to make the deal look like a mere continuation of the F-5E licence production at AIDC.
dy031101:
The Project 8-2, known to the West as the Peace Pearl Program, aims to upgrade the J-8II, then in the less-than-service-ready Block 1 iteration, into a form that is capable of intercepting Soviet supersonic strategic bombers under all weather conditions as a more-affordable alternative to buying the F-16A/B from the US. Grumman was selected to integrate the weapon systems & avionics used by the F-16 into the J-8II, and two airframes and one forward fuselage mockup were transferred to Grumman to that end. The Phase 1 involved installing a variant of the AN/APG-66(V), computerized fire controls, LN-39 inertial navigation system, and a modernized cockpit including a new head-up display and a multifunction display, all integrated to MIL-STD-1553B standard. A Martin-Baker ejection seat is also to be installed. This was to be followed by introducing the AIM-7M Sparrow missile into the J-8II's list of armaments and even re-engining the aircraft with the F404 turbofan.
The program was paused in the aftermath of the 1989 June 4th Incident and resumed in October of the same year. Although by then the specified new electronics had been installed and were ready for test flights, the PLAAF decided not to continue with the Project as they have in the meantime secured the importation of the Su-27, and the two airframes were therefore returned. The J-8II remained an issue of pride for CCP and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, however, so attempts to upgrade the aircraft continued.
The modified aircraft can be identified by its slightly-enlarged dorsal spine.
dy031101:
Developed in 1982 as a private initiative, around two years after the official J-9 programme was cancelled, this is the final evolution of the J-9 that ends up being the transitional stage between it and the J-10. Not much of the old J-9 other than the wings and maybe rear fuselage remained- a single fixed ventral intake was adopted instead of two lateral ones, the bubble canopy is much more pronounced with the traditional flat windscreen gone, and, as Liming Aero Engine Corporation in Shenyang only started ground tests for their WS-6 turbofan (the intended engine for the J-9 programme that was, despite persisting into 1983, essentially doomed with the programme), provision is made to use the WP-15 turbojet, basically an imported R-29-300 turbojet modified locally also by Liming to function as a stand-in for the WS-6 and later WS-10, in WS-6's place.
The design is known to possess at least six hardpoints, 2 on the intake chins and at least four under the wings, and a Type 23-3 twin-barreled 23mm cannon. The intake chin hardpoints can be used for short-range air-to-air missiles whereas wing hardpoints can be used for two PL-4 radar-guided missiles and either two drop tanks or two more SRAAMs.
dy031101:
I took some moments between working on several Shipbucket and FD scale projects I'm trying to resume to update my what-if PLAAF F-16s.
I forgot that Carter-era F-16s are of earlier blocks and would have smaller stabilators, so the J-14 derived from it would likely have started out with those as well. I also slightly changed the story- since Reagan wanted to sell PRC the AIM-7M via Peace Pearl Program in real-life, it would likely have had to be something a deal more serious than an early PLAAF BVR capability to facilitate ROCAF access to the F-16/79 and the F-5G.
The F-16 as depicted in the internet illustration that I found and derived the J-14 idea from but which shall not be named due to its petty use of the F-16/79 as the basis. As the aircraft was originally a Reagan-era proposal, it is based on Block 15 as with the top picture.
GTX_Admin:
Interesting - The way things were going up until the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, these might well have occurred.
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