Chengdu next gen combat aircraft (?J-36) thread

[Overbom]

Can we at least be sure that the 3 engines are all the same, and not 2 same, and 1 ramjet/scramjet?

 

[Michaelsinodef]

Can we at least be sure that the 3 engines are all the same, and not 2 same, and 1 ramjet/scramjet?

We currently can't.

 

[Overbom]

I will post a few photos for better archiving

 

[Deino]

There were a blurry photo in the original thread showing quite clearly three nozzles, I think it is pretty clear cut now. Just what is so unimaginable about tri-engine?

I would say clearly three …

 

[Biscuits]

It seems that there is a lot of speculation of the CAC jet having three engines. I think it is only two engines with a bigger space in between than J-20. The nozels may be rectangular which are similar in shape as the central fairing. That gave the impression of a third engine.

A wide spaced twin engine setup is benificial for control (like flanker and Su-57), it becomes necessity for aircraft without canard/vertical stablizer/horizontal stablier.

Also it is absurd to think of a three engine setup, the aircraft is only slightly bigger than a J-20, it only looks big because of the wing-body merged design.

That doesn't make sense since we know it has that very distinctive top engine intake.

I think it has a more than valid point. Not just for extra electricity but since the measurements reveal it seems optimized for high speed. The blend wing design just makes it seem like a slow B-21 like aircraft, plus it cruises at a low speed in the preview. This makes people think it is slower than it really is.

 

[iewgnem]

Glad I went to bed literally 10 minutes before first post showed up, or I would have stayed up all night.
Now have to read through 30 pages

 

[another505]

Glad to be in this historic moment, 2 6th gen. (long time lurker)

 

[Xiongmao]

Can we at least be sure that the 3 engines are all the same, and not 2 same, and 1 ramjet/scramjet?

Ramjets only start working at speeds of mach 2-3 so the other two engines would have to get this plane to that high speed first. Not sure about that, however I saw a post somewhere sometime in the past that described a 3 engine system. The middle engine could produce a small amount of thrust but its main job was to generate electrical power in order to power the compressor fans of the other two main engines when cruising, in effect giving them a variable bypass ratio. So when the aircraft is taking off, all three engines are producing thrust, then when the plane reaches cruising altitiude, the middle engine cuts thrust and starts generating power to help turn the other two engines' fans which also reduce fuel intake simultaneously. This gets long range fuel efficient subsonic cruise. I think that was the gist of what I saw.

 

[SlothmanAllen]

Amazing how accurate some of the renders were of the last week or two! The renders and descriptions nailed the look of the aircraft. As soon as I looked at the first pictures, I was oh, it looks almost exactly like it was described.

 

[enroger]

Glad I went to bed literally 10 minutes before first post showed up, or I would have stayed up all night.
Now have to read through 30 pages

Lucky you, the fucking sleeping pill is doing nothing for me