Chinese J-20 Stealth Fighter META Thread

a reply to: BigDave-AR

Oh yeah.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: BigDave-AR

Oh yeah.

Ahh I’d been gone so long I forgot about the patented Zaph vague answer. Is this a common thing to have asymmetric control on twin rudder designs? I’ve never really thought about it and my google-fu is letting me down right now. Good to be back though glad to see you’re still holding down the fort.

a reply to: BigDave-AR

Actually, it's not really common. It's also not common to have the entire fin be the rudder like that. The best example of that was the -71.

originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: Zaphod58

There might be a necessary reassessment of the maneuverability of the J-20.

I don't think so, unless you had a very poor opinion of the maneuverability in the first. It also reflects the emphasis on supersonic performance and RCS-reduction.

If you look at the apparent center of mass/lift, the moment arm for the tail is not very long. That's why deltas frequently sport (seemingly) oversized vertical stabilizers and rudders. The choice of an all-moving rudder is in part due to that. An all moving rudder generates more force than a small rudder on the stabilizer, which allows them to get the stabilizer surface(s) smaller than otherwise.

That also means it can make smaller deflections to further minimize changes to RCS in cruise. It also doesn't have gaps for the hinges on a conventional rudder which would raise RCS in certain bands (see all-moving ruddervator for the YF-23 design, Tacit Blue, all-moving ruder for F-117, Su-57, etc). You also get lower waveform drag at supersonic speed from a single flat surface than a tail with a hinged control surface (see the Blackbird/Archangel family, Vigggies, YF-23, Su-57).

Ssshh hopefully no one will notice the UAV bottom right..

Supposedly, the first serial production J-20A.

Interesting, thank you Anzha.

Panel finishing looks a lot better than Russian efforts.

a reply to: Blackfinger

Definitely.

Were they waiting on the engine design to mature before "really" mass producing these?

a reply to: Masisoar

Looks like a bit of concurrency going on. However, the final engine they want isn't the WS-10C. It's a completely different one and it's still not ready (WS-15, I think). I think they tweaked the current engine and decided to go ahead with the A version with the WS-10C, get a stealthy force in the air with the combat forces and will have the B version have the newer engine as well as tweaks to improve the system based on real life experience.

a reply to: anzha

I can see that, thank you for helping keep a close eye on them. Too few people appreciate the trends that are developing out of China.

For a second I thought that was a J-20 flying side by side with an F-35

a reply to: Masisoar

I did too. Heh.

Half expecting a Chinese Tom Cruise to hop out of that aircraft after it lands.

Interesting details.

Lets play "what are the panels for maybe"?