China Flanker Thread II

[by78]

Removal of gun. Would be a good place to put one.

Patches both left and right under the second seat, visible when painted, dark colored when unpainted --- same color as the bandpass composite on the radome. Also visible on the J-15D/J-17 prototype. When you have a flank radar, you can still track an aircraft even if performs a beam maneuver meant to drop its doppler signature. Greys are good indications for radar receiver locations also.

Also check previous J-16 photos.

View attachment 47012

That photo's quality is too poor to judge whether the 'same color' under the second seat indicates the same material as the radome, or whether the radome and the patches in question even share the same color at all. It could just be unpainted metal not reflecting light. Besides, it's too large for a side radome; in other words, I can't imagine a side radome would require that large of a patch of RF-transparent cover. Note that J-20's side radomes are tiny by comparison.

 

[Tam]

The grey patch is composite, and its grey like the radome. It may not be exactly the same color or the same material. Yelllow primer is Zinc Chromate over aluminum, and green primer is for over structural composite. Yellow/green ratios of the primer color can give an indication of the percentage of composite over metal the planes use, and over the evolution of the Sino-Flanker, planes have definitely become "greener". Grey is not metal nor structural composite, and since this is also spotted on areas that are suited for RWRs, this points to them being of radar use.

You don't need an "RF transparent" cover. A bandpass composite or meta material similar to what radomes already common use will do. And I don't think that's unpainted metal, you certainly do not send planes out with unpainted metal surfaces, and as we have already seen, every Chinese plane prototype is completely painted by primer.

The array itself may not be that large, there should be space around the array for access.

 

[by78]

The grey patch is composite, and its grey like the radome. It may not be exactly the same color or the same material. Yelllow primer is Zinc Chromate over aluminum, and green primer is for over structural composite. Yellow/green ratios of the primer color can give an indication of the percentage of composite over metal the planes use, and over the evolution of the Sino-Flanker, planes have definitely become "greener". Grey is not metal nor structural composite, and since this is also spotted on areas that are suited for RWRs, this points to them being of radar use.

You don't need an "RF transparent" cover. A bandpass composite or meta material similar to what radomes already common use will do. And I don't think that's unpainted metal, you certainly do not send planes out with unpainted metal surfaces, and as we have already seen, every Chinese plane prototype is completely painted by primer.

The array itself may not be that large, there should be space around the array for access.

See that patch of unpainted fuselage just under the second seat? You certainly could send a plane out with unpainted metal surfaces, which is not the same as 'untreated' surfaces. And yes, that's a patch of metal, not composite, even though it looks gray.

 

[vincent]

See that patch of unpainted fuselage just under the second seat? You certainly could send a plane out with unpainted metal surfaces, which is not the same as 'untreated' surfaces. And yes, that's a patch of metal, not composite, even though it looks gray.

That patch is there because of the gun. J-15EW most likely doesn't have a gun

 

[Tam]

See that patch of unpainted fuselage just under the second seat? You certainly could send a plane out with unpainted metal surfaces, which is not the same as 'untreated' surfaces. And yes, that's a patch of metal, not composite, even though it looks gray.

Its not painted, or painted differently, because it may not be metal at all. Just like the tail tips which are also radio receiving areas.

Also the gun should be, or used to be, on the other side of the plane.

 

[Air Force Brat]

See that patch of unpainted fuselage just under the second seat? You certainly could send a plane out with unpainted metal surfaces, which is not the same as 'untreated' surfaces. And yes, that's a patch of metal, not composite, even though it looks gray.

Yeah! its Titanium! Duh?

notice the sunlight reflecting off that green Russian Tractor paint on the wheel......

 

[by78]

Its not painted, or painted differently, because it may not be metal at all. Just like the tail tips which are also radio receiving areas.

Also the gun should be, or used to be, on the other side of the plane.

Trust me, the surface in my photo is metal.

 

[Tam]

Trust me, the surface in my photo is metal.

Because of the color and the shine?

 

[Deino]

Because of the color and the shine?

View attachment 47066

To admit I don't know what You want to prove or disprove. It is known since decades that these metal parts on nearly all flankers are a huge piece of metal (Titanium) surrounding the gun-area. I really don't know why you want to try to tell us this must me some sort of radar array ... or did I get you wrong?

 

[Air Force Brat]

To admit I don't know what You want to prove or disprove. It is known since decades that these metal parts on nearly all flankers are a huge piece of metal (Titanium) surrounding the gun-area. I really don't know why you want to try to tell us this must me some sort of radar array ... or did I get you wrong?

Oh Deino, we're all just like the kids in class?? wanting to "Scoop the Story" on SDF... I won't swear its Ti, but I'm reasonably certain it is... That's what I love about SDF, I not only learn what I do know, but I learn what I don't know??

Anyway, this is a Forum, where the big boys go to discuss and opine, in the process, many of us have learned to love and respect one another, even when we disagree, and you moderators do a nice job of managing that discussion, so for all your headaches/heartaches trying to guide, rehabilitate, our many thanks...

That is a fairly highly loaded area there at the wing root, and that titanium skin would be happy to "bear the load"..

I continue to be amazed as the Chinese seem to have re-invigorated the Flanker design, in fact the Flanker is just a "jack of all trades", she will happily do it all, being beautiful is the icing on the cake...