Not really, but yes they are ... they are from the 24. September !
Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator
- Thread starter RedSky
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Not really, but yes they are ... they are from the 24. September !
Well the Verts on the first two images seem to show a triangular shape, with the top corner clipped off square, and only the J-31 verts are shaped like that, kinda F-22ish, for a change those images magnified very well,,,, but there is NO nose gear door on the mock-up in those images that I can see????, ,,, so I still think I might be right, but you are the photo master so I will defer to your judgement and hope for a closer picture???
This has never been posted before.
(1287x656)
looks like she had a hard landing,,,,sitting a little funny??? prolly just the camera angle.
broadsword
Brigadier
Or maybe because of a vehicle or something on the broadside that makes it look squat
I'm sure you are right sir, but I have seen my share of awkward arrivals, departures too come to think of it? Local fella was headed to Texas with some guns to trade at a big show down there, 30 years ago, he left the local grass strip which was 2500 ft or so, but sat in a slight bowl... he departed with a slight tailwind in a Cessna 182 RG, beautiful airplane. Lifted off, and began to climb, elected to retract the gear, and that long, dangling, hanging Cessna gear was caught in transit, as the bowl rose up to meet him so to speak,,,,,, had he left the gear down, damage would have been very minimal. As it was, the airplane was a total, but a salvage crew flew it out a couple of weeks later, after pulling the gear down, and tying it down and locked with a chain or two???
As others have mentioned, there is a truck by the side which gives the illusion of a lower position, but it does look a little low and the front wheel looks a little extended.
I also note a step ladder by the plane in front of the truck.
I am going to speculate on a notion.
One thing that marks out the increasing sophistication of modern aircraft (weapon systems/platforms in general) is the corresponding increase in sophistication of the nature and facilities required for maintenance.
It is therefore, not come as a surprise, if ease of maintenance were a feature of a design, especially one marketed as a low cost alternative etc?
Could this be what we are looking at? A hydraulic setting the lowers the main body for easier access to allow running/combat conditions repairs and maintenance?
No evidence for this of course, but it would be a selling point if it was....
well, as a fellow who's spent a goodly amount of time on a ladder, changing bulbs, cleaning, stripping paint, removing and replacing panels and a few control surfaces, its not a bad idea. When you have a screw stuck in a panel, you end up balancing and pulling on the vertical stab to keep the screw gun in contact with the screw that invariably seemed to loose its bearing surfaces and have to be "drilled out", and hopefully turned out with an "easy out"... all great fun....
by the way, I believe the C-5 and other large cargo aircraft may have a hydraulic gear which is capable of allowing the aircraft to "squat" to facilitate loading and unloading cargo????
And not only large cargo aircraft. Was there one earlier than the Hawker Siddeley Andover: ? There is nagging thought in my head that there might have been a WWII German transport with twin tail booms, a kneeling main undercarriage and under the fuselage a double row of small wheels.
Found it: .
But this is really OT.
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