The problem is if they have more than one V2 prototypes, and every one is unpainted, uncoated, without a serial number, all of them could've flew, we just can't tell
Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator
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The problem is if they have more than one V2 prototypes, and every one is unpainted, uncoated, without a serial number, all of them could've flew, we just can't tell
Oh the continuation of this development is crucial, more important than the jet itself. I don't believe AVIC has enough funds to continue it if there is no buyers. If PLAN is the investor it means they are confident FC-31 is good enough to counter F-35 which says great deal about Chinese weapons. If Saudis is the investor it means a dramatic change in geopolitics and means Iran had to purchase jets from Russia after 2020.
I don't think FC-31 can be finalized without a new engine, so they had to upgrade it in some way.
I can't say that your friend at Boeing is wrong, but I doubt that conclusion can be made that simple. I have heard that there are many different types of paint used on aircraft and their colors are not related to the materials that they are to be painted on.
Take J-20 for example, we have seen J-20s 201x LRIP bird in full yellow primer, does that mean J-20 used zero composite? Hard to believe.
Take this J-31 picture for example, I can accept that the wings' and stabilizers' skins are composite "due to their green paint", but I can hardly believe the green painted weapon bay doors are made of composite. Remember composite is good for skin adherent to a metal frame, it is not strong AND THIN enough to be used as load baring structures on its own. The doors are huge and thin and bares huge aerodynamic force when opened. It is safer to bet that they are made of metal sheet with ridges on the insides.
I second that, I have read in a Chinese forum listing some paints for both metal and composite, and their colors, suggesting no fix relation between colors and applied materials.
I think his comment was based on commercial planes only. For reference only. Not decisive at all.
On the other hand, J20 having a metal surface can help the stealth, because the radar reflection body is curvy and known. if some part of that surface is composition, it can be really hard to calculate.
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Ok, I understand that. That is why I doubted.
All I wanted to say is that there is no direct connection between color of the material or paint on it to type of material itself. Here is a picture of Y-20 20001 in primer, best example of what I want to say.
Here you can see that both green (apparently paint rather than composite's own color) and silver gray (natural color of aluminum or paint) of the main landing gear compartment. The engine hanging structures are in green (outmost) and yellow (innermost).
There is definitely a connection between the color of the anti-erosion layer (strictly speaking not a paint) and the underlying material because different chemical is used. It is absolutely accurate on commercial planes. But I am not sure if military jet will have some way of disguise the surface
For example, the same color of anti-erosion layer (green) is used on 787's carbon fiber fuselage. They appear the same as F-35 (before RAM coating). But of course F-35 surface is all CF is my speculation only.
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This video seems to show that F-35 has almost full composite skin of two layers, the first layer is yellow, the second and final layer is green. The colors are not anti-erosion layer, but of the material itself.
Together with the picture of Y-20 (whose green on the main landing gear compartment is paint), I'd say color does not say what material of the skin is, green is not necessarily composite, nor necessarily metal.
The chemicals I was referring to is only applied to the outer surface, before paint/coating.
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