Very funny as this picture - and there was another one showing the same table from front ! - appears quite regularly in several forums and every time the discussion goes on the same way !
It’s only a desk full of models made by the “what-if” group of the local modelling club.
The other side says then it’s the unveilance of the latest stealth fighter and a future space plane … :rofl:
But let me try something different:
As far as I could “reconstruct” of these discussions over the years is that they show several models – some of them which were formerly completely unknown – from Shenyang (SAC) or the SAC design institute / 611 Institute, which were shown during an SAC exhibition or presentation estimated about the mid 1980s.
What’s so special on these pictures is at first what they show and second how the models were arranged as they show some more or less well known types, some others which were rumoured and some which are completely unknown:
• From right to left on the small higher table one can identify the front fuselage of a Shenyang J-6 besides a JJ-1 – the first indigenous Chinese jet trainer and finally an early J-7 (MiG-21F-13) which was originally designed by Shenyang and only later taken over by Chengdu.
• The biggest surprise is the next model which looks remarkably similar to a MiG-25 or F-108 Rapier like fighter - and surely not a stealthy type – with a huge delta wing of a similar geometry of the J-8’s wing, twin sharply outward canted fins and enormous boxy MiG-25-like air intakes. … maybe a non VG-design of the original Shenyang J-10 interceptor !?
• The next model locks like a two-stage to orbit reusable-shuttle like spacecraft of a similar conception to the Russian “Spiral” albeit composing a Shuttle-like orbiter on top of a Sänger-like first stage.
• The next three models can hardly be recognized albeit they are much better depicted on the second picture. They all show three models which are unknown but which could be related to some known projects: the first looks like a huge delta-winged fighter similar in appearance to some of the J-9 studies under consideration, similar to the model further most on the right which closely resembles the former one albeit with a standard ranked wing and tail arrangement.
• The final model on that table – the camouflaged one – looks like a modern high-wing fighter or fighter-bomber with a chin air intake similar to the F-16. That could be an indication of the “secret” second configuration of the Shenyang J-13 which was planed to have a chin intake. As this model is the last one the timeframe of the presentation could be set at about the mid 1980s as then the J-13 was since long dead.
• All models sitting on the table were “overflown” by a Shenyang J-8 and J-8B.
This arrangement alone led to some kind of speculations as all models were arranged in a quite chronological order and all models which actually flew or even reached production status were set slightly higher than the models on the large lower table. As such it could well be that this was a presentation to show the achievements of the Shenyang design institute during its history maybe for an anniversary celebration to some higher military, political or industrial authorities ?!?
But maybe it’s nothing more than a model show from the local Shenyang “What-if” modelling group !!
Just an idea !!!
Cheers, Deino