So would the fuse center section/wing juncture be welded titanium, or carbon fibre?? I know believe the F-22 and possibly J-20 are welded/fused together??? oh and thanks for the translation.
Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator
- Thread starter RedSky
- Start date
- Status
So would the fuse center section/wing juncture be welded titanium, or carbon fibre?? I know believe the F-22 and possibly J-20 are welded/fused together??? oh and thanks for the translation.
Hello sinodefenceforum! After lurking for almost a year i have finally decided to join. Better late than never!
I think FC-31 is a awesome aircraft with great potential. The overall design is sleek and seems to me as a true 5th generation fighter. The improved model from recent Zhuhai air show looks even better and it would be nice if the canopy would be truly frameless in the final production version, as in the model.
Do you guys know if there is any ongoing PLAF projects on stealthy thrust vectoring nozzles as in F-22? And what is the reason/advantages for abandoning the current f-22 like vertical fins and replacing them with fins similar to F-35 and J-20?
The Chinese seem to have abandoned any desire for OVT/Thrust Vectoring, as "super-maneuverability" as on the F-22/PAK/FA seem to have "gone out of style". None of the F-35s, J-20s, FC-31s have even been shown in artists renditions with OVT, as the Eng has stated numerous times, the complexity, cost, weight increase, are not necessary in the current Chinese A2A dogma.
As to why AVIC changed to the J-20/F-35 aft swept verts/rudders??? it may be style or they may have encountered buffet, or maybe it works better in high alpha flight, without insider information, all we can do is "speculate"
Welcome aboard Cat, we have a thread for new members to introduce themselves, so feel free to tell us a little about yourself there, your questions are both good questions, hope this gives you a little insight to make your own "educated guess?". brat
superdog
Junior Member
Also the CEO spent quite some time talking about how Snecma developed its engine technology by learning from GE (in the CFM-56 project), and how it was quite difficult back then because some people from the US especially the military didn't like transferring core technology to the French. Then he described Snecma as playing the role of GE in helping AVIC to develop the WZ-16.
I guess this is not news, but an interesting tidbit.
superdog
Junior Member
Maybe a little too early to say...... as it's not their tradition to disclose official renditions in advance, and so far we have not seen any WS-15 or similar newer generation engine to be equipped on planes yet.
Engineer
Major
The hint is that addative manufacture technology (3D printing) is heavily used. As such, there would be no weld at all, increasing strength while reducing weight. This is also why the J-31 static test airframe was transferred in one piece.
Last edited:
superdog
Junior Member
Actually the F-22 doesn't have a one-piece center section because its wings can be taken off and its body can be transported by a C-5. As for the J-20, no official confirmation or picture showing disassembly yet, so it's anyone's guess.
Does that mean that fuselage frames and wing spars are the one (3D printed?) piece or that fuselage/wing skins are one piece like it was/is on X-32/F-35? First makes little sense imo.
Actually wings right and left are bolted to the center-section/fuselage juncture, the center section/fuselage juncture are welded up is my understanding, making a lighter, more rigid structure than a riveted structure???
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
superdog
Junior Member
Yes you're right, when I say "center section" in the last post I mean center section with wings.Actually wings right and left are bolted to the center-section/fuselage juncture, the center section/fuselage juncture are welded up is my understanding, making a lighter, more rigid structure than a riveted structure???
- Status