Shenyang J-6
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| J-6/F-6 | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Pakistan Air Force F-6 | |
| Type | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Shenyang |
| Maiden flight | 1958-12-17 |
| Introduced | December 1961 |
| Status | Mostly retired |
| Primary user | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Produced | 1958-1981 |
| Number built | 3,000 |
The Shenyang J-6 (designated F-6 for export versions) was the Chinese-built version of the Soviet MiG-19 'Farmer' fighter aircraft. Although the MiG-19 had a comparatively short life in Soviet service, the Chinese came to value its agility, turning performance, and powerful cannon armament, and have produced it for their own use between 1958 and 1981. By the end of 2005, J-6s have been retired from active combat missions, although a number of the trainer variant, JJ-6, and JZ-6 reconnaissance aircraft are still in service with the PLAAF.
The J-6 was considered "disposable" and was intended to be operated for only 100 flight hours (or approximately 100 sorties) before being scrapped. The Pakistan Air Force was often able to extend this to 130 hours, with diligent maintenance.[1]
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[edit] Variants
Six principal variants have been developed in Chinese service:
- J-6A or (J-6IV) : (similar to MiG-19PF): all-weather radar-equipped interceptor with two 30mm cannon. Exported as the F-6A.
- J-6B : (similar to MiG-19PM 'Farmer-D'): interceptor with two PL-1 (Chinese version of Soviet K-5 (AA-1 'Alkali') beam-riding air-to-air missiles; it is unclear if the J-6B retains its cannon.
- J-6C: day fighter version with three 30mm cannon and braking parachute at the base of the rudder
- J-6Xin: advanced version of the J-6A with radome on the splitter plate (rather than the shock cone centerbody) for Chinese-made radar.
- J-6III : single-seat day-fighter prototype.
- JJ-6: two-seat trainer, stretched 84 cm (33.1 in) to accommodate second seat, armed with one 30 mm cannon. Exported as FT-6.
- JZ-6: dedicated reconnaissance version with fuselage camera pack replacing cannon. As of April 2006, it was reported that the PLAAF 3rd Recon Regiment, 26 Air Division based in Nanjing MR, is the last regiment to actively fly the JZ-6. [1]
- J-6 Testbed: Ejection seat testbed that succeeded H-5 ejection seat testbed.
The J-6 has a maximum speed at altitude of 1,540 km/h (960 mph), Mach 1.45. Service ceiling is 17,900 m (58,700 ft). Combat radius with two drop tanks is about 640 km (400 mi). Powerplant is two Liming Wopen-6A (Tumansky R-9) turbojet engines. In addition to the internal cannon armament, most have provision for four wing pylons for up to 250 kg (550 lb) each, with a maximum ordnance load of 500 kg (1,100 lb). Typical stores include unguided bombs, 55 mm rocket pods, or PL-2/PL-5 (Chinese versions of Soviet K-13 (NATO AA-2 'Atoll') air-to-air missiles.
[edit] Operators
The Shenyang J-6 was exported to Albania, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, North Korea, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Vietnam, Zambia. It continues to serve in the air forces of many nations, including the North Korean Air Force and the Vietnamese Air Force. It has recently been phased out of the PLAAF and Pakistan Air Force.
The J-6 was also the basis for the extensively redesigned [[Nanchang Q-5|Nanchang Q-5 'Fantan']] attack aircraft.
[edit] Combat Services
[edit] Albania
J-6 replaced the J-5 on the border to intercept Yugoslav incursions into Albanian airspace. However, J-6 was ineffective against the faster Yugoslav MiG-21 'Fishbed', and once F-7A became available, J-6 was redeployed to guard Tirana.
[edit] Cambodia
In the era of the Democratic Kampuchea, J-6 paricipated in the Kampuchea-Vietnamese border clashed for ground attacks, but they were not as nearly as successful as leftover F-5s, which made successful sorties inside Vietnam as deep as to Ho Chi Minh City. During the Vietnamese invasion in 1978, none of the aircraft in Democratic Kampuchea dared to take-off to challenge the invading Vietnamese aircraft. Vietnamese captured a number of J-6s and put them on public display.
[edit] Iran
The J-6's participation in the Iran-Iraq War were mostly ground attack sorties.
[edit] Iraq
Like the Iranian J-6s, the Iraqi J-6 were also mostly used for ground attacks.
[edit] Myanmar
J-6 was better suited for ground attack missions than F-7B and was used with relative success.
[edit] Pakistan
J-6 participated both the Second Kashmir War and Bangladesh Liberation War against India and scored some aerial victories against planes like the Sukhoi Su-7. It also suffered losses, especially in the 71 war.[2]
[edit] Somalia
J-6 participated in the Ogaden War and suffered greatly because the superior opposition faced (Cuban pilots fought fo Ethiopia). Over 75% of the Somali Air Force was destroyed in the war but some J-6 survived until the country turned into turmoil in the early 1990's.
[edit] Sudan
Like Myanmar, J-6 was better suited for ground attack missions than F-7B and was used with limited success.
[edit] Tanzania
During the Uganda-Tanzania War, J-6 was tasked to handle any possible Ugandan fighters which consisted of MiG-15 and MiG-17, while F-7A was tasked to handle more advanced aircraft of Ugandan ally, such as the Libyan Tupolev Tu-22 'Blinder'.
[edit] Vietnam
After secretly test flying Pakistani J-6 in 1965, the United States concluded that MiG-19 and J-6 were much formidable than the MiG-21 'Fishbed', MiG-17 'Fresco' and J-5, because in the subsonic aerial dogfights, the supersonic speed of the MiG-21 was not useful.[citation needed] MiG-19/J-6 could accelerate to its top speed that was within this range, and the MiG-19/J-6 was more maneuverable than the MiG-21, while at the same time, it was faster than MiG-17/J-5. However, the numbers of MiG-19 and J-6 were too few to make any difference.[citation needed]
[edit] Zimbabwe
Although J-6 were deployed against the South African deep strikes within Zimbabwe during the South African Border War, J-6 was not successful due to the inadequate C3I. Like the J-5 in Zimbabwe, the J-6 in Zimbabwe was also first piloted by the Pakistani pilots.
[edit] Related content
Related development
Comparable aircraft
[edit] References
- ^ Yeager, Chuck and Janos, Leo. Yeager: An Autobiography. Page 396 (paperback). New York: Bantam Books, 1986. ISBN 0-553-25674-2.
| PLAAF Aircraft (active) | |
| Bombers: |
|
| Fighters: J-4 | J-5 | J-6 | J-7 | J-8 | J-10 | J-11 | Q-5 | Su-27 | Su-30 MKK | JH-7 | |
|
| Reconnaissance: HZ-5 | JZ-5 | JZ-6 (MiG-19R) | JZ-7 | JZ-8 Finback | Tu-154M | |
|
| Tanker: HY-6 |
|
| Transport: B737-200 | CL 601 Challenger | Il-76 Candid | Tu-154 | Y-8 | Y-11 | Y-12 | Y-5 | Y-7 | |
