Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator

Deino said:

So was V2 transported back to SAC or did they leave SAC and returned again ?

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Just an idea, but how much can we be sure that this is V2 anyway ??
Maybe it is simply the original structural airframe of V1, that is now simply back on its way home to SAC after structural testing of V1 has been completed and now they transport it back to where it will become a museum's exhibit or where it will be mounted on a pile similar to the J-10-prototypes as some sort of gate-guard now with the project has shifted to V2.

Then however the question remains: where is V2 ??

Deino

I have a stupid question. Why is it that we always see a J-31 transported like that? We saw V1 on a trailer a few years back and now possibly V2. Why haven't we seen any other new fighters being transported like this? I don't think we ever see a J-20 on a trailer... This can not simply be an SAC way of doing things since we don't see the J-11B / 15 / 16 being transported like this either.

So why does the J-31 have to be transported to another location before being completely assembled? Why can't SAC or whoever doing the assembly finish assembly and let it fly to its next destination? This seems to be very inefficient...

vesicles said:

I have a stupid question. Why is it that we always see a J-31 transported like that? We saw V1 on a trailer a few years back and now possibly V2. Why haven't we seen any other new fighters being transported like this? I don't think we ever see a J-20 on a trailer... This can not simply be an SAC way of doing things since we don't see the J-11B / 15 / 16 being transported like this either.

So why does the J-31 have to be transported to another location before being completely assembled? Why can't SAC or whoever doing the assembly finish assembly and let it fly to its next destination? This seems to be very inefficient...

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I suspect that part of it has to do with the SAC's desire to show off and part of it has to do with the fact that the J-31 doesn't have official PLAAF/PLAN sponsorship yet. Maybe they don't have as high of a budget or requirement for security?

vesicles said:

I have a stupid question. Why is it that we always see a J-31 transported like that? We saw V1 on a trailer a few years back and now possibly V2. Why haven't we seen any other new fighters being transported like this? I don't think we ever see a J-20 on a trailer... This can not simply be an SAC way of doing things since we don't see the J-11B / 15 / 16 being transported like this either.

So why does the J-31 have to be transported to another location before being completely assembled? Why can't SAC or whoever doing the assembly finish assembly and let it fly to its next destination? This seems to be very inefficient...

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SAC is not attempting to show off.

According to LIN Zuo Ming ( AVIC CEO ) in 2014 ZhuHai Airshow -- CCTV interview ... ...

Most J-31 airframe was printed in 1 piece, thus they can not be assembled on other testing location.

GreenestGDP said:

...

Most J-31 airframe was printed in 1 piece, thus they can not be assembled on other testing location.

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Parts maybe, but You simply cannot "print" such large structures right now nor even a complete airframe.

Didn't see that interview first hand but saw many others quoted it on Chinese forums.
Fairly sure that he didn't say "printed", it's either "forged" or "made".

Either way seems like FC-31 utilized the one piece airframe technology and the J-20 did not.
That would explain why they can't take it apart.

Still, it makes more sense to make the bird flyable and fly it to Yan Liang.

GreenestGDP said:

SAC is not attempting to show off.

According to LIN Zuo Ming ( AVIC CEO ) in 2014 ZhuHai Airshow -- CCTV interview ... ...

Most J-31 airframe was printed in 1 piece, thus they can not be assembled on other testing location.

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It has never been my intention to imply that SAC is attempting to show off... I am simply curious as to why only the J-31 needs to be hauled across the country.

As I said, the whole process sounds very inefficient... Just imagine what would happen when/IF they start mass-producing it. If, as suggested by many, the J-31 has been designed to be the "low" end of China's High/Low combo, then they need to make thousands of them. Then China's highways would be crowded with trailers hauling half-finished J-31's??? I am not arguing the actuality of the J-31 being deployed by the PLA, but simply suggesting that no engineer in their right mind would come up with such complex and inefficient way of manufacturing anything...

I tend to agree with Deino's explanation. It must be some kind of static test model or museum piece that has never been intended to fly...

Deino said:

Parts maybe, but You simply cannot "print" such large structures right now nor even a complete airframe.

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could it be that although the frame including the wings are assembled, but the outer skin is composite wrapped around in one piece which made the whole air frame one piece?

vesicles said:

So why does the J-31 have to be transported to another location before being completely assembled? Why can't SAC or whoever doing the assembly finish assembly and let it fly to its next destination? This seems to be very inefficient...

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That's because J-31 cannot be disassembled. The body and wing are one piece, as described in this .

Engineer said:

That's because J-31 cannot be disassembled. The body and wing are one piece, as described in this

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.

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Why can't they mold the body/wings and finish the assembly at a single location? This way, they can do the basic testing at the factory and then fly to the next location for further testing. Hauling a half-finished plane across the country is simply not efficient... What if it got damaged during the transporting process?