Shenyang JJ-6

thethrill8284257 · March 24, 2024, 8:43pm

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Shenyang JJ-6

PLAAF

Background

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The PLAAF’s need for a supersonic trainer to support the Farmer’s fighter element was evident due to the inadequacy of the subsonic JJ-5 for training J-6 pilots. In response, China’s Ministry of Aircraft Industry introduced the JJ-6 in October 1966, a two-seat trainer version of the J-6 designed to match the performance of the single-seater. Contrary to claims by some Western authors, the JJ-6 was not a copy of a two-seat MiG-19, as Chinese engineers had to develop it from scratch. Developed by the Shenyang design bureau in collaboration with the Military Aviation Institute, the JJ-6 featured a tandem seating arrangement under a common canopy, with the back-seater benefiting from an increased forward view. To maintain fuel capacity, a ‘plug’ was added to the fuselage ahead of the wings, ensuring both cockpits were positioned in front of the wing front spar. Ejection seats on the JJ-6 were identical to those used on the single-seat J-6.

The wing cannons were removed to create space for additional 150-litre fuel cells in the wing roots, while the nose cannon with rounds was kept. To compensate for the increased area in front of the center of gravity and ensure sufficient directional stability, two large outward-canted trapezoidal fins were installed beneath the rear fuselage, enhancing the standard ventral fin. The mainwheels were equipped with disc brakes instead of expander-tube brakes. The whip aerial of the communications radio was relocated to a position behind the instructor’s cockpit on the port side.

The construction of the prototype began in Shenyang in 1967. The prototype, designated ‘09 Red’ and powered by standard WP-6 engines, successfully completed its maiden flight on November 6, 1970, under the command of pilot Wang Chunyou. The prototype differed from subsequent JJ-6s as it featured slender cigar-shaped pods on the wingtips, which were most likely used for test instrumentation rather than fuel tanks.

Comprehensive tests were conducted until December 1973, following which the JJ-6 entered production at two factories - Shenyang and Tianjin. The production aircraft had a few modifications compared to the prototype. The brake parachute was relocated to a bullet fairing at the base of the fin, similar to the J-6C, and the outer ventral fins were longer and shallower, possibly redesigned to prevent damage during tail-down landings.

The production of the aircraft spanned over a period of thirteen years, resulting in a total of 634 trainers being manufactured by 1986. In addition to being supplied to the PLAAF, the JJ-6 was also exported, primarily to Pakistan, where it was known as the FT-6. The Pakistani FT-6s underwent similar upgrades as the single-seater versions, which included the installation of Martin-Baker PKD 10 (Mk.10L) zero-zero ejection seats. However, this led to a minor inconvenience as the Martin-Baker seat pan was positioned higher than that of the KK-1, restricting the aircraft’s operation to pilots who were no taller than 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) when wearing the ‘bone dome’ helmet. There are indications that certain FT-6s were equipped with missile rails to accommodate AIM-9B/L Sidewinder AAMs.