Nanchang Q-6 ... another Chinese "What-if"

[Deino]

Just found at the Key forum ....

All I know so far:

- just another Chinese "What-if"
- supposed to be a Q-5 Fantan successor
- looks very much like a chin intake version of the standard MiG-23





As I can't read Chinese .... can anyone translate, PLEASE .... because here are for the first time some dates, and - hope so - some other information !?

Deino  

[noxioux]

It does look like the illegit child of a love triangle between a MiG-23, 29 and F-16.  Mongrel dogs are the best!

This one wouldn't be too difficult to kitbash.  Is there a 1/48 MiG-23 available?  The other donor(s) would be easy.

One of these would fit nicely into the back story on my ACTIVE and the F-16 FSW.

[Captain Canada]

Both ugly, and cool !

Love the artwork, especially the head on shot at loooow altitude, and the pair flying. Pretty neat stuff....thanks for sharing !

 

[Tophe]

As I can't read Chinese .... can anyone translate, PLEASE ....

I do not speak Chinese, I have learnt Japanese a very little, but there is some hope , I think: I have heard that the Epson scanners are sold with a free software to recognize Kanji (Chinese) characters and read them as text. With such a basis, you can copy and paste this text into a free translater as some are available on the Net. But without the recognition tool, it is impossible to write these characters using our Western keypad... I have asked Hewlett-Packard if they have the same tool, and they said Yes, $300 or something, I don't remember exactly... I have regretted my chosing Hewlett. Though Epson France is very bad, impossible to reach on the phone if your machine is in a jam, and nothing is perfect . But nothing is desperate as well.  

[Joe C-P]

If the characters were text instead of a scan we could try Babelfish. This wouldn't happen to be online anywhere would it?

No tailhook, so it's not meant for the long-rumored carrier.

JoeP

[Deino]

So far translated by a member at CMF !

In the mid-1970's China badly needed a modern fighter but the technology base was poor and there was little funds. PLA decided to produce one joint fighter design for both PLAAF and PLAN. Several MiG-23 variants and Russian AAMs were procured from Egypt and this formed the basis of the new fighter.
The Chinese design used the MiG-23's wing design and combined it with the F-16's intake for the Q-6. They had serious problems with the variable geometry wing as the system ended up 12% heavier than the MiG-23's. Ultimately the project did not succeed owing to the insufficient aerodynamic know-how and the inability to copy the MiG's powerplant.
The Q-6 project did bear fruit in other ways. Much of its electronic system was rolled into the JH-7 fighter bomber project.

... but I still miss some more technical data and some program timeline informations: start ... ans end of the Q-6 !  

Deino  

[elmayerle]

The thought occurs to me that this design would look even "sexier" with the inlet from the Ye-8" instead of the F-16's normal shock inlet.

[Deino]

Here's a better - and much more complete - translation made by "mixman" from the Key-forum !

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Development of the Nanchang QianJiJi-6 / Q-6 Strike Fighter

After the PLAN's scuffle with the former South Vietnamese Navy in 1970, which lead to the recapture of Xisha Island, both the PLAN and the PLAAF felt that they lacked an advanced close support aircraft. Under these circumstances, both branches of the PLA went forth to the Central Military Commission (CMC) with their respective specifications for such an aircraft. As the Chinese aviation industry was ill equipped to simultaneously develop 2 specific types for the PLAN and the PLAAF respectively, the CMC decided that only a generic model will be produced for both services. In 1976, a 'Request for Proposal' was sent out to China's major aircraft manufacturers. Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Factory responded with their Q-6 proposal whilst Xian Aircraft Manufacturing Factory with the JH-7 followed by Shengyang Aircraft Manufacturing Factory with a ground attack variant of their J-8. As this version of the J-8 had not even reached the mock-up stage, it was dropped by the CMC. Nanchang and Xian then began their respective research and development on their respective aircraft. As China's only aircraft manufacturer with experience in manufacturing strike and ground attack fighters and under the leadership of it's chief designer Lu Xiaobing (Chief Designer of the Q-5 and appointed as Dean of the China Engineering Institute as of 1995), work began on the Q-6 with a design study using the aerodynamics and structure of Mikoyan Mig-23 as a basis. Lu then began a series of regular visits to the officers of the PLAN and PLAAF in order to refine the Q-6's specification and design. The finalized design was submitted to the CMC in February 1979.

The design team of the Q-6 encountered insurmountable problems with its' variable-geometry (VG) wing mechanism which was overweight by 12%, reducing the aircraft's payload, range and its' combat radius. Other than this, the prototype WS-6 turbofan intended for the Q-6 could not be completed in time and tooled up for full-scale production. In addition to this there was a change in the orbat and equipment of the USSR with the introduction of SAMs like the S-300PMU and the 9M38 at the Sino-Soviet Border, which could not be addressed by the Q-6, which was yet to enter service, and far from completion. At this time, the JH-7 was way ahead of the Q-6 in terms of its' development phase. In comparison with the Q-6, the JH-7 was structurally simpler and aerodynamically 'cleaner' than the Q-6. The JH-7 also had a larger payload and combat radius when compared to the Q-6. Nonetheless, the Q-6 had the advantage when it came to agility due to its' VG wing and was more cost effective in terms of unit cost than the JH-7. JH-7 would appear to be a cross between the Su-24 Fencer and the Panavia Tornado whilst the Q-6 was a cross between the Mig-23 and the F-16.

The PLA would have preferred a reverse engineered Chinese version of the Su-24 Fencer or Panavia Tornado, which would be better than the Q-6 or JH-7. As the PLAN and the PLAAF turned their attention to an attack and strike bomber, the JH-7 gained favor. With the successful test flight of the JH-7 in the late 80s, all work on the Q-6 came to a stop. Like the J-9 that came before, the Q-6 faded into memory. Nonetheless the Q-6 found a 'new lease of life' when material culled from its' development found its way and was incorporated into the JH-7 and later versions of the J-8.

Basic Aerodynamic Configuration

The Q-6 is a VG aircraft with much of its' aft configuration borrowed from the Mig-23. However its air intake is similar to that of the F-16. The Q-6 design envisioned the use of a WS-6 turbofan with a thrust of 122.2 KN. Weight of the Q-6 was 4500 kg and it had a combat radius of 900km. Its' performance was estimated to be better than that of the Mig-23. From the exterior, the Q-6 looked like a cross between the Mig-23 and the F-16.

Between the 1960s to the 1970s, VG wings gained considerable favor with the military aviation community leading to widespread research leading to its application. China took notice of this development as well and began its own research. During the initial phase of Q-6's development, there were advocates who were of the view that China's next generation strike fighter should use either the Mig-23 or the F-111 as a basis. In fact, China had been active with R & D with VG wings since the 60s. In the 80s under the leadership of Lu Xiaobing, a breakthrough was achieved in the development of the VG wing of the Q-6 and its' design was finalised after 8 years of work. This was a step forward for China's aviation industry.

Air intake and Powerplant

The Q-6 chose a single air intake inlet over the twin intakes utilized on the Mig-23. It also used a powerplant with considerable thrust to weight ratio. The design for the direct single air intake inlet was lifted directly from the F-16. Thrust of the WS-6 turbofan was rated at 122 KN with a thrust to weight ration of 5.93. Further improvements lead to the WS-6G (completed in 1983), which had a thrust of 138 KN and a thrust to weight ratio of 7.

Flight Control Systems

As development of the Q-6 progressed into the 80s, use of Fly-By-Wire (FBW) control became commonplace on all military aircraft. Not wanting to be left behind in the game, China's aviation industry began looking at FBW and considerable time was spent pouring over foreign technology and coding the software, which finally resulted in a FBW system with a high level of automation for use on the Q-6. A FBW consist of a data exchange bus, a flight control computer and electro-mechanical actuators. Inputs by the pilot via the flight stick are relayed into the data exchange bus and converted into signals, which are relayed by wires to the actuators to perform the necessary adjustments to the flight controls. FBW provides for a lightweight, flexible and less complex system when compared to traditional direct hydraulic systems. The FBW was finally adopted for use on the JH-7 and before the introduction of the Su-27 into the PLAAF inventory the JH-7 was the most advanced aircraft in China.

Avionics

The Q6 had considerably improved avionics than the Q-5 and used the avionics on the Mig-23BN as a template which also mean it would use an improved version of the Saphir 'High Lark' 23 radar with multi-mode tracking ability. The avionics also included laser target designators, rear warning radar, radio altimeter and radio gyrocompass. Terrain following and tracking ability and HUD was also intended to be included on the Q-6 and it was expected to have a kill-ratio 3 times that the Q-6. However since most of the avionics were derived from Soviet designs and use vacuum tube circuitry, they were bulky, heavy and antiquated when compared to Western avionics based on integrated circuitry.

Afterword

The Q-6 would have been the PLA's aircraft had it come to fruition. The weight issue of the Q-6's VG wing was never resolved although much effort was devoted. In comparison with the JH-7, the Q-6 was a far more advanced aircraft technically than the former. There are those who would like to see the JH-7 and the Q-6 flying in tandem but we should never forget the contribution of the man and woman who worked on the Q-6 program.

Footnote: China's efforts at reverse-engineering the Mig-23

In the mid 1970s, China acquired 2 Mig-23MC, 2 Mig-23BN, 2 Mig-23U and 10 AS-5 AAMs from Egypt. Thereafter efforts were made to reverse engineer the RP-22 Radar (Saphir 23 'High Lark') and R-29-300 Turbojet.

The 'High Lark' series of radar are the products of the Phazotron Bureau and they have an antenna dish of 7.5 cm with a reflective area of 16cm2 and 'look up' mode and 'look down' mode of 20-25 km and 14-17 km respectively. The reverse engineered Type 204 radar was used on the early models of the J-8. Improvements on a radar type reverse engineered from the Mig-23MC resulted in China's first all weather radar with 'look up' mode and 'look down' mode of 85km and 55km and were the first radar with a 'look down' and 'shoot down' mode.

The Tumansky R-29-300 was reverse engineered by the 410 Factory and designated as WP-15. WP-15 is a twin spool turbojet with a maximum thrust of 12.5KN and available thrust of 8.5KN. Its' thrust to weight ration was 6.5 and was considered a very advanced powerplant in China. Although the WP-15 did not equip any PLA aircraft it was retained as a technical resource.

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Deino  

[Hobbes]

China considered reverse-engineering the Tornado? Hmmm....
Pity Chinese paint schemes are so dull.  

[Geoff_B]

Is this the one Geoff P produced at the Bolton show then ?

[overscan]

Whoever wrote that article has bugger all knowledge about the MiG-23, that's for sure.

The "High Lark" radar is the RP-23 "Sapfir-23" series, which was not fitted to Egypt's MiG-23MS but only found on MiG-23M/MF/ML/MLD. The MiG-23MS had RP-22 which was the same radar as found on later model MiG-21s, with no lookdown capability at all. MiG-23MS was basically a MiG-23 with the MiG-21 weapons system for export to untrustworthy "Third World" countries.

If China got a copy of "High Lark" to pirate, it wasn't from Egypt. It would have been absolutely no use for the Q-6 anyway as it was a pure air-to-air set with no mapping modes at all.

The Egyptian MiG-23BN has only a ranging radar, no terrain following, no laser designator, just a laser rangefinder ("Fon").

I can only hope the author knows more about Chinese aircraft....