J-35 carrier fighter (PLAN) thread

[Gloire_bb]

This is so surreal. It's only a few years ago China was flying grandpa J-7s and only carrier was a former Varayag using J-15s off a ski-jump. It's like a light years improvement to EMCAT CATOBAR with J-35s off a Nimitz sized carrier. What, the transformation is insane. China is leapfrogging tech into the future.

It's even more surreal as J-7 retirement was delayed in 2024-25, and there's a chance they're still operational in some capacity.

 

[GTI]

I think those are deflected up (as horizontal stabs usually do without hydraulic pressure), so the bottom side would be in the shadows and appear rather dark

That’s what I said (enough detail to see past the “defected up/down” bit). The bottoms are visible and look darker, but likely just shadow.

 

[valysre]

In principle, I agree with you, but because the radome is much brighter than the fuselage (almost J-20A-like) - especially on the top-side - and compared to the two J-35s at the rear of the Fujian, I think the paint is clearly different!

Nose and fuselage below cockpit has probably been repainted, but brightness of the sides of the intake look more like reflections of the bright white wheel alignment lines.

 

[Franco60]

In principle, I agree with you, but because the radome is much brighter than the fuselage (almost J-20A-like) - especially on the top-side - and compared to the two J-35s at the rear of the Fujian, I think the paint is clearly different!

Also the PLAN letters behind the canopy are much clearer visible.

View attachment 169781

What if it were an image created with AI?

 

[Deino]

What if it were an image created with AI?

IMO highly unlikely that the PLAN uses a de facto faked image for the New Year's greetings!

 

[siegecrossbow]

This is so surreal. It's only a few years ago China was flying grandpa J-7s and only carrier was a former Varayag using J-15s off a ski-jump. It's like a light years improvement to EMCAT CATOBAR with J-35s off a Nimitz sized carrier. What, the transformation is insane. China is leapfrogging tech into the future.

Just wait till people collectively lose their minds when J-50 takes off from 004.

 

[valysre]

Just wait till people collectively lose their minds when J-50 takes off from 004.

Just wait for a full wing of J-35 aboard 003.

 

[taxiya]

regarding the "new" camo, I'd remind people that we have seen the new J-20 paint showing similar effect which I suggested to be lighting condition with possible polarization character of the new paint, instead of paint on different sides being darker.

Here is an example, direct light is from top while the bottom and sides are lightened by ambiant light. However the bottom of J-20As are all lighter than the sides, one would expect them being similar. Comparing to paint on J-20, one can see the paint on bottom and side being same. My suggestion is that the new paint on J-20 and also J-35 is more polarized meaning they can demonstrate some tricky effect.

 

[terry92]

regarding the "new" camo, I'd remind people that we have seen the new J-20 paint showing similar effect which I suggested to be lighting condition with possible polarization character of the new paint, instead of paint on different sides being darker.

Here is an example, direct light is from top while the bottom and sides are lightened by ambiant light. However the bottom of J-20As are all lighter than the sides, one would expect them being similar. Comparing to paint on J-20, one can see the paint on bottom and side being same. My suggestion is that the new paint on J-20 and also J-35 is more polarized meaning they can demonstrate some tricky effect.
View attachment 169873

In general there is no need for polarized material for this to happen, reflective materials are anisotropic by nature due to the Fresnel effect. The bottom surface makes a much shallower angle from this perspective so it will reflect much more light.
As for the colour on the topside being the same, that can be explained by overexposure in those bright regions, which is a common problem when shooting in sunny weather with the sky as the background.

 

[Neurosmith]

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