J-20 5th Gen Fighter Thread V

[plawolf]

Those are expensive, maybe the results did not justify the cost or possibly their more complex manufacture would prohibit timely production of aircraft??? just throwing out a couple of possibilities

They were widely using them on J10s and J11s for years. It just makes no sense that they would be deemed justified for conventional fighters but too expensive for a stealth fighter, where the smallest RCS spike might render all the other expensive stealth features worthless.

In all probability, they probably developed new materials to perform the same function better and/or at lower cost/weight, with the lack of golden tint merely a cosmetic consequence.

 

[Blitzo]

One thing that I observed with these lrip planes is, regardless of the angle, there is no visible golden canopy tint. That seems like a regression compared to the 2017 prototype?

Some lighting and angles makes the gold tinted canopy more obvious, some make it less obvious, and even for pictures of 2017 and other J-20s, as well as for previous other aircraft like J-10B/C, some angles seem to depict the tint obvious while some seem to depict them as not even there.

I suspect the LRIP birds do have tints but the angles or lighting conditions make them appear less obvious. If we had closer up higher res images of the LRIP birds on the ground or coming into land I expect we would probably see the tint more obviously.


e.g.:

obvious 2017 tint

less obvious 2017 tint

2101 tint between obvious and less obvious

 

[Skywatcher]

One theory could be that all the dots are attachment points but the double dots are more load bearing, so the center dot is only used for AAMs, while heavier ordinances are only hung on those double dots.

Was thinking the same this morning too!

The double dots could be for 500kg bombs (the Mk 83 general purpose bomb, at 450 kg, had a 357mm diameter).

 

[vesicles]

In the cockpit photo, could the extra structure in front of the pilot be a camera rig? With the two ship formation, they might be taking pictures of each other?

 

[MwRYum]

In the cockpit photo, could the extra structure in front of the pilot be a camera rig? With the two ship formation, they might be taking pictures of each other?

That'd be if the officials decided to make the occation for J-20's public debut. If so, give both cockpits the necessary GoPro rigs, practice remote triggering from ground station and selecting best angles during rehersals would all be feasible.

So the better question is: are they going to pull out all the stops this time?

 

[Blitzo]

That'd be if the officials decided to make the occation for J-20's public debut. If so, give both cockpits the necessary GoPro rigs, practice remote triggering from ground station and selecting best angles during rehersals would all be feasible.

So the better question is: are they going to pull out all the stops this time?

What stops are you talking about? I think even having one J-20 flying at Zhuhai is a big enough event as it is...

 

[MwRYum]

What stops are you talking about? I think even having one J-20 flying at Zhuhai is a big enough event as it is...

Like I've said before, my standard for bombshell is a LRIP bird on static display...like, 5 metre from fence, 2 fully decked-out airforce guards, the full works...just like when F-22 goes to airshow.

Yes, my standard is demanding, thank you.

 

[AlyxMS]

Like I've said before, my standard for bombshell is a LRIP bird on static display...like, 5 metre from fence, 2 fully decked-out airforce guards, the full works...just like when F-22 goes to airshow.

Yes, my standard is demanding, thank you.

Since PLA loved secrecy as only a few years ago some media is still reporting Su-30Mkk as "New Imported Fighter Model", J-10 as "A new indigenous fighter model". Having J-20 flying at an airshow is already a massive leap.
I seriously doubt static display would happen before 2020.

Of course, that's why you would call it a "bombshell" if it does happen.

 

[Blitzo]

Like I've said before, my standard for bombshell is a LRIP bird on static display...like, 5 metre from fence, 2 fully decked-out airforce guards, the full works...just like when F-22 goes to airshow.

Yes, my standard is demanding, thank you.

I doubt we will see a static display of J-20 this time around, but who knows

 

[kurutoga]

Some lighting and angles makes the gold tinted canopy more obvious, some make it less obvious, and even for pictures of 2017 and other J-20s, as well as for previous other aircraft like J-10B/C, some angles seem to depict the tint obvious while some seem to depict them as not even there.

It probably has more to do with the camera lens, or lens filter, than the actual jet. Some sort of circular polarizer filter will cause the difference in images you have pointed out