Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator

Blitzo

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I would think it is FC-31 but it is strange that the aft portion is transported separately. I was under the impression that the way the airframe is constructed prevents this.

Depending on what stage of completion the various parts of the airframe were built to prior to transport, it may well be possible they've chosen to transport these major subcomponents at earlier stages than they did for the initial FC-31 V1 airframe.

A few other observations;
- is the airframe being transported in the rear a second duplicate of the same aft section that we are seeing closer to the camera? I.e.: are they transporting two aft sections of the same kind of aircraft?
- is it just me, or does the "front" of the aft section (both closer to the camera and further from the camera) seem to have some "jagged" parts protruding despite the not-quite-airtight tarp covering them? I.e.: do they look like serrations to anyone else?


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edit:
If these aft sections are indeed related to FC-31/J-XY in any way, I note that there doesn't seem to be a central tailsting/boom like on the FC-31 V1 and V2.
Of course, on FC-31 V1/V2 that central tailsting/boom was quite small to begin with....

OTOH, I also note that the JL-10 doesn't have a central tailsting/boom.

So who knows what this thing is. There are good arguments that it may be a FC-31 derived aircraft like J-XY, or it might only be JL-10.
 
Last edited:

Deino

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Depending on what stage of completion the various parts of the airframe were built to prior to transport, it may well be possible they've chosen to transport these major subcomponents at earlier stages than they did for the initial FC-31 V1 airframe.

A few other observations;
- is the airframe being transported in the rear a second duplicate of the same aft section that we are seeing closer to the camera? I.e.: are they transporting two aft sections of the same kind of aircraft?
- is it just me, or does the "front" of the aft section (both closer to the camera and further from the camera) seem to have some "jagged" parts protruding despite the not-quite-airtight tarp covering them? I.e.: do they look like serrations to anyone else?


I had a similar feeling, that these are in fact two ... but also just for curiosity: the old ones were seen in June 2012 and the real FC-31 was spotted first in mid-September.
 

Blitzo

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I had a similar feeling, that these are in fact two ... but also just for curiosity: the old ones were seen in June 2021 and the real FC-31 was spotted first in mid-September.

Old ones in June 2021?

You mean 2012?
 

siegecrossbow

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Depending on what stage of completion the various parts of the airframe were built to prior to transport, it may well be possible they've chosen to transport these major subcomponents at earlier stages than they did for the initial FC-31 V1 airframe.

A few other observations;
- is the airframe being transported in the rear a second duplicate of the same aft section that we are seeing closer to the camera? I.e.: are they transporting two aft sections of the same kind of aircraft?
- is it just me, or does the "front" of the aft section (both closer to the camera and further from the camera) seem to have some "jagged" parts protruding despite the not-quite-airtight tarp covering them? I.e.: do they look like serrations to anyone else?


===

edit:
If these aft sections are indeed related to FC-31/J-XY in any way, I note that there doesn't seem to be a central tailsting/boom like on the FC-31 V1 and V2.
Of course, on FC-31 V1/V2 that central tailsting/boom was quite small to begin with....

OTOH, I also note that the JL-10 doesn't have a central tailsting/boom.

So who knows what this thing is. There are good arguments that it may be a FC-31 derived aircraft like J-XY, or it might only be JL-10.

They are two identical aft portions as far as I know.
 

H2O

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A few other observations;
- is the airframe being transported in the rear a second duplicate of the same aft section that we are seeing closer to the camera? I.e.: are they transporting two aft sections of the same kind of aircraft?
- is it just me, or does the "front" of the aft section (both closer to the camera and further from the camera) seem to have some "jagged" parts protruding despite the not-quite-airtight tarp covering them? I.e.: do they look like serrations to anyone else?

IMO, both parts are identical. The "jagged" parts protruding through the tarp is just how the pieces were wrapped.
 

Blitzo

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IMO, both parts are identical. The "jagged" parts protruding through the tarp is just how the pieces were wrapped.

They do appear identical to me.

The "jagged" parts protruding beneath the tarp of course reflects how they were wrapped, but they wouldn't maintain that shape unless the actual airframe below the tarp was also that shape.



I just corrected the typo!

By the way ... just got this reply at Twitter:


Tail booms shape and proportions don't really match J-20's.
Also, the question is why would they feel the need to transport the aft sections of J-20s on the highway when J-20 is already currently in the middle of production well beyond the structural testing stage.
 

Deino

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They do appear identical to me.

The "jagged" parts protruding beneath the tarp of course reflects how they were wrapped, but they wouldn't maintain that shape unless the actual airframe below the tarp was also that shape.





Tail booms shape and proportions don't really match J-20's.
Also, the question is why would they feel the need to transport the aft sections of J-20s on the highway when J-20 is already currently in the middle of production well beyond the structural testing stage.

Esp. since that attachments for the tails are missing


They are two identical aft portions as far as I know.


Do we know, WHERE these parts have been spotted?
 

KampfAlwin

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So wait, are those 2 tail sections new from this year?? Does the old FC31 prototype tarp photo confirm that these 2 new tail sections does not belong/fit to that old 2012 prototype??
 

Deino

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So wait, are those 2 tail sections new from this year?? Does the old FC31 prototype tarp photo confirm that these 2 new tail sections does not belong/fit to that old 2012 prototype??

Exactly
 
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