China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft

Totoro

Major
VIP Professional
Hopefully this hasn't been brought up yet, but have the Chinese ever been in creating a 'KC130' type variant for the Y-9? It would seem a more useful vehicle vis converted H6s, with a transferable fuel load much greater (an extra 10 tons at minimum).

I don't see how. Basic H6 can hold some 30 tons of fuel, and can on top of that carry some 10 tons of weapon payload. Y9's mtow weight minus the empty weight gives little under 40 tons. So similar payloads of fuel if both are made into tanker variant. Y9 should be somewhat more fuel efficient so it'd use less fuel for itself, meaning more is left for the offload. But that should be several tons, not 10 tons more. Figures on Y9 are kind of scarce so maybe it has higher mtwo and indeed it could go even over 5 tons, maybe even approach 10.

But then there's H6K, currently in production. It may have greater mtow and its engines use less fuel. It too could be made into a tanker variant. That may again put it to parity with a notational y9 tanker.
 

Tyloe

Junior Member
The Sri Lankan PM never mentioned Y-20 in the original interview with SCMP, only that he was interested in buying "..two more" Chinese transport aircraft. Currently they operate Y-12's and MA60's from China. They also have a couple of C-130's. Nothing in the class of C-17 or Y-20.

Y-20 was referenced by other commentators as a possibility because its the latest and greatest offering from China, but very unlikely (i.e. not happening) based on Sri Lanka's small geography and financial position. Y-9 would be much more likely.

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China’s newly developed Xian Y-20 would be in contention if Sri Lanka is looking to buy more Chinese military transport craft, making it one of the first countries outside China to get the new plane...

So this quote was spin while other outlets were baiting headlines? Cheeky:mad:
 

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
Interesting Y-20 airframe (static ??) spotted at Xi'an-Yanliang causing a road congestion ... some already assume this to be a test-specimen related for the WS-20 conversion since - I'm not sure however - the engine pylons are a bit different.

Y-20 at XAC - 13.12.16 - 1.jpg Y-20 at XAC - 13.12.16 - 2.jpg Y-20 at XAC - 13.12.16 - 3.jpg Y-20 at XAC - 13.12.16 detail engine pylon.jpg
 

taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
Interesting Y-20 airframe (static ??) spotted at Xi'an-Yanliang causing a road congestion ... some already assume this to be a test-specimen related for the WS-20 conversion since - I'm not sure however - the engine pylons are a bit different.

View attachment 34624 View attachment 34625 View attachment 34626 View attachment 34627
  1. The main landing gear compartments seem gone.
  2. The tail (not the vertical stabilizer) seems to be much bigger, looks to be some kind of compartment or cabin.
Could be variant of AWAC or Tanker.
 

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
Hmmm ??? IMO only a static test-airframe with still parts of the wing and main gear compartments not installed - since not necessary for such tests - and a loosely hanging tarpaulin on the rear; as such it looks different.

Deino
 

davidau

Senior Member
Registered Member
Watz that!

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taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
Hmmm ??? IMO only a static test-airframe with still parts of the wing and main gear compartments not installed - since not necessary for such tests - and a loosely hanging tarpaulin on the rear; as such it looks different.

Deino

I can agree with your explanation of the rear.

The compartment seems to be installed from the look of the photo, because of the back door right behind and above it is there. The door in the operational Y-20 has curve at its lower side on the compartment. In these photos, the door is mounted and flat, indicating the compartment is different.

I don't know how the notion of "static test airframe" comes. As Y-20 has entered service, what is the purpose of doing a new static test? Unless a major structural change, but then it indicate new variants as I suspected. Changing engines to WS-20 do not necessarily need a full body static test again, does it?
 

manqiangrexue

Brigadier
Interesting Y-20 airframe (static ??) spotted at Xi'an-Yanliang causing a road congestion ... some already assume this to be a test-specimen related for the WS-20 conversion since - I'm not sure however - the engine pylons are a bit different.

View attachment 34624 View attachment 34625 View attachment 34626 View attachment 34627


For reference, this is a picture that A.man posted in the engine thread and it shows an Ilyushin flying with 1 WS-20 and the pylon that supports the WS-20 appears to be the exact type seen here in quadruplicates on this new Y-20 airframe. These 2 posts together puts things in perspective and I think they indicate that this is no static test but the first WS-20 powered Y-20 prototype.
 
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