Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator

Air Force Brat

Brigadier
Super Moderator
Stealth doesn't actually change the engagement distance significantly. Limited factor is still the no escape area of your armament.

Though smoking engines don't help you regarding the IR signature management.

Actually it does, you're not likely to get a "lock on" from 100 or even 50 nautical,, you're of necessity going to be a lot closer, and that is true whether your own aircraft is stealthy or 4Gen,,, so smoke is a very bad thing, real fighter pilots look for smoke, if the other guy engages burner and starts leaving a "plume" that's bad for him....

Real L/O aircraft are doing very well, in very real, dead serious Red Flags etc.. so stealth is indeed a game changer,,, to my knowledge, no one has claimed a kill on the F-22, or the F-35 at ANY significant distance, its always up close and by chance!
 

vesicles

Colonel
more importantly, you're not a "hater", you state your opinion honestly, and I get that the J-31 looked a little "generic" with that all over flat black,,, I "hate" blacked out Mustangs, Camaro's, Ducati's, blah, blah, blah,, wheels particularly should have a little "bling".

on the other hand, the J-20 while flying nice and looking very nice to most, leaves me a little??? just depends on the day???

The FC-31 is "blinged out" and it does indeed just look right,, I hated that the F-35 was going to supplant the F-22 for probably fairly close to the same price, at 3/4s of the capability aerodynamically and performance wise, but I had to get over it..LOL

No, I'm talking about the folks who have contempt for the F-31, just shows a lack of appreciation for what is likely one of China's potentially more important defense aspects.

Sorry that I misunderstood you this morning. I was in a bad mood since I had been summoned to a jury duty... I actually “hate” that although I know that it is my duty to serve as a juror. Fortunately, the case was settled. We were dismissed and were able to get out of there in 15 minutes. The good part of this is that I don’t have to go to jury duty for a year.
 

siegecrossbow

General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Well, its a gorgeous airplane that deserves a lot more love than its getting,,, so for the FC-31 haters,,, they only hate it for two reasons, Shenyang, and it looks much to Western.

Ironically, most Chinese military fans actually prefer the FC-31 from an aesthetic point of view due to its perceived curviness and resemblance to the raptor.
 

B.I.B.

Captain
on the other hand, the J-20 while flying nice and looking very nice to most, leaves me a little??? just depends on the day???
I'm in full agreement with you on that.meanwhile I too judge a aircraft on personal esthetics rather than technical perfection
That's why I like French and Italian ships and fighter.jetsj. Their stuff looks like they consulted Dior.Yves St Laurent.Gucci.Ferrari etc
 

manqiangrexue

Brigadier
I'm in full agreement with you on that.meanwhile I too judge a aircraft on personal esthetics rather than technical perfection
That's why I like French and Italian ships and fighter.jetsj. Their stuff looks like they consulted Dior.Yves St Laurent.Gucci.Ferrari etc
Well you can't judge the technical specs cus we don't have them LOL. It's really nice to look good but I think we all know performance is king. In Chinese, something that looks fine but fails in function is compared to a dumpling filled with grass LOL. I don't want any of those in the Chinese military and if the official decision is to reject J-31 even though Shenyang already took it that far on its own purse, the most likely reason is that it's a grass dumpling.
 

Air Force Brat

Brigadier
Super Moderator
I'm in full agreement with you on that.meanwhile I too judge a aircraft on personal esthetics rather than technical perfection
That's why I like French and Italian ships and fighter.jetsj. Their stuff looks like they consulted Dior.Yves St Laurent.Gucci.Ferrari etc

Exactly, that's why the Air Force Brat bought and built a 2006 Pinarello Prince SL frame up as a flat bar road bike,,, I look at it more than ride it, its in our bedroom! LOL on the other side of the room from my Craftsman roll-cab tool box.

I actually had to have the bicycle Dr. chase the threads for the bottom bracket, and ream the seat post tube for the seat post, Italian stuff though beautiful, almost always needs a little "tweaking".

that frame hung on the wall of my bicycle shop for 10 years as "eye candy", priced at over 3000 bucks,,, the shop came under new management, and my buddy called me and shot me a deal, I "low balled" them but ended up paying 700 bucks, and Bontrager Race Lite XL wheels,,, she is a "stunner"!
 

Air Force Brat

Brigadier
Super Moderator

That was an up-close, and that German bird had just been "waxed" and the Raptor had "marked him off" but he was re-generated quickly and the hi-off bore sight missiles and helmet mounted sight made it a no brainer,, as I said, by chance, and not at any significant distance..

anyway, the American Pilots were royally disgusted with that ordeal, but Max ordered them to stand down and shut up,,, let the Luftwaffe enjoy their kill??

anyway, we are far afield here, but the FC-31 is a very fine aircraft, and likely will be adopted by the PLAAF, if not the PLANAF,,, there are lots of negative opinions on the internet, but it wouldn't have flown at Zuhai if there were not lots of official support,,, they didn't whip that out of thin air,,, they paid to have it built
 
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B.I.B.

Captain
Well you can't judge the technical specs cus we don't have them LOL. It's really nice to look good but I think we all know performance is king. In Chinese, something that looks fine but fails in function is compared to a dumpling filled with grass LOL. I don't want any of those in the Chinese military and if the official decision is to reject J-31 even though Shenyang already took it that far on its own purse, the most likely reason is that it's a grass dumpling.

True true.unfortunately I have zip knowledge or appreciation on how to judge a aircraft's stealthness orr whether it flies well.
 
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