Xian H-9 “Flying Tiger”

[rickshaw]

Xian H-9 "Flying Tiger"

In 2014 when the Senduku Islands dispute exploded into a brief, bloody war between the PRC and Japan, the sudden appearance of a new strike aircraft flying for the PLAN came as a complete surprise to observers.

While the Xian JH-7 "Flying Leopard" was known of, it's larger sibling, the Xian H-9 "Flying Tiger" was not.   Equipped with YJ-9 "Flaming Lance" anti-shipping missile, the H-9 was a massive increase in capability.

Development of the Xian H-9 "Flying Tiger" began in 1984.  Intended to be a successor to the Xian H-6 medium bomber (a modified Tu-16 built under license), the H-9 was supersonic and had a range of over 3,500 miles.  Powered by a pair of Shenyang WS-11 turbofan engines with reheat, producing some 28,000 lbs of thrust, the H-9 with it's long, super-critical wing was designed to cruise at high-subsonic speeds with a brief supersonic dash.  The YJ-9 "Flaming Lance" missiles have a range of over 500 miles at subsonic speeds but carry a massive 1,000 lb warheads, which are designed to cripple even the largest ship struck by them.

The Xian H-9 "Flying Tiger" entered service in approximate 1993 and the PLAN is believed to have some 80 in service.  It features, in an unusual departure from normal Chinese practice, side-by-side seating for its pilot and attack officer.  It carries no internal weapons but has an extensive ECM and avionics fit, allowing it to carry out long-range strikes accurately.

The combat debut occurred during the 2014 Senduku conflict, when the Japanese provoked the Chinese into action over these lonely postage stamp sized islands by occupying them with a force of Marines and surrounding the islands with a naval task force, in an effort to assert it's sovereignty over the islands.  Ordered by the Prime Minister Shinzo Arbe, the operation backfired when the Chinese Air Force and Navy attacked.  The use of the H-9 came as a complete surprise and the use of Shenyang J-11 fighters to escort them prevented their interception by the opposing force of JSDAF F-15s.  Three Japanese ships were sunk in the first strike and another in the second, followup wave.  The Japanese government quickly decided to withdraw their ships and evacuated the force of marines on the islands.  Tokyo also immediately opened negotiations with Beijing through the United Nations in an effort to defuse the situation and prevent escalation.   This did not prevent several large dog fights developing over and near the islands.   The PLAAF however did not have it all it's own way, losing 8 fighters in the engagements with their opposite Japanese numbers.

The skirmish was over before any other nation was really able to react.  The United States was caught flat footed and while several squadrons of aircraft were scrambled from Japan, Guam and South Korea,  and while they patrolled the edges of the dog fights, they did not get engaged because of the vacillation of Washington.

















The Kit

I'll leave the three kits which combined to make this aircraft to the readers imagination but you'll score a Koala Stamp if you can guess!   

[TsrJoe]

nice build, hmm, def no idea, Concorde, Vigilantie and an airliner for the wings ?  

[TallEng]

What a wonderful mix
And a good back story too.
And in the Mix.....
Well, it looks like DC10 wings (look at the flap fairings) a Mitsubishi T2 fuselage and Fin,
And what looks like a JP5 canopy, although it could also be off an Intruder.
Regards
Keith

[rickshaw]

What a wonderful mix
And a good back story too.
And in the Mix.....
Well, it looks like DC10 wings (look at the flap fairings) a Mitsubishi T2 fuselage and Fin,
And what looks like a JP5 canopy, although it could also be off an Intruder.
Regards
Keith

Well done!   Yes, that is it exactly - except the canopy comes from the Strikemaster.  A 1/48 Fujimi Mitsubishi F1 fuselage, with new box intakes, DC10 wings.

[NARSES2]

Great mix and match 

[comrade harps]

AWSOME