an interesting aircraft airframe seen being transported on a chinese highway

To be clear, I won't be disclosing sources. The Chinese government did a massive clamp down on the Sino net wrt posting military sightings and various 'leaks' recently. There are some still posting bits here and there. The where the there and here are I won't disclose. That said...

Some folks in china spotted and photographed some interesting stuff on a trailer on a highway.





This is clearly part of an aircraft. There is a running debate in some quarters. The sections of the air frame do not match the J-31. That would suggest this is portion of a J-20. Those who play with photoshop and are even better versed with the J-20 than I say there are some nontrivial discrepancies with that hypothesis. Not all the lines match up. If this is a J-20, there are nontrivial revisions to the aft end. That said, it does have far more in common with the J-20 than the J-31. And yet...those differences.

So what, oh my ATSers, is it? Is it a new 5th gen? The rumored J-XY 5th gen aircraft for the carriers? The rumored two seater J-20? Or are folks all wet and this is a generic J-20?

speculate away.

Looks like a spaceship from space invaders!

I think its too small for a J-20.
My bet would be either another type in development or a drone. It could also be a ruse given it has somehow leaked despite crack downs. If its real then it would appear to be an empennage structure. The centre section appears to be made of two pointed cylindrical structures with a slight "V" notch between them, almost like a double "bee sting" for aft facing sensors or jammers. The size of the engine bays suggests that they aren't very large engines, possibly even a turbojet. At a rough guess I would say they were maybe at best the size of an F-404, although at some angles they appear significantly smaller, almost J-85 sized. Another possibility is that this is a new twin engined trainer/light fighter in development designed to simulate advanced 5th gens.

a reply to: anzha

Clearly Chinese bat-jets. Perhaps they carry COVID-19, too?

I will await Q's disclosures on this...

Could be for the Disneyland park in Shanghai. It's more conceivable for me to believe it's a prop for a Disney ride than a secret Chinese aircraft being openly transported on the highway. Or, it was leaked as disinformation to get foreign governments to waste their time trying to figure out what it is, exactly.

a reply to: Assassin82

China doesn't have air transport in numbers that can transport large cargo like this. And being seen in this state tells you very little. That's why it has the odd coloring to distort pictures somewhat.

first Glance to me says "Submersible"

a reply to: Zaphod58
The weird camo/pattern on the object reminded me of how new model cars are painted up when being tested to hide the lines.

That said,If I was going to transport a secret plane or parts of it-I would add lots of features to the shape before adding the paint job to further obsfucate the actual plane.

When I saw the image,my first thought was it could be some kind of sea going craft-the hull of a catamaran type craft maybe-But I am not familiar with the shapes of newer chinese airframes so its just a guess.

I highly doubt those are any plane parts, the odd colouring is due to the camo tarps wrapping around whatever it is...
The scale is to small for anything manned...
Nothing to see here but cool camo tarps hiding cargo destined for Africa...

a reply to: anzha

looks like the tail end of a J20 maybe

a reply to: 5StarOracle

Lol really?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Assassin82

China doesn't have air transport in numbers that can transport large cargo like this. And being seen in this state tells you very little. That's why it has the odd coloring to distort pictures somewhat.

After seeing the other photo's of the actual jets loaded similarly to the back of a truck with similar camo, I see I am wrong. Interesting design for whatever it is. It really does look like the space ships used in some Star Wars movies.

Can someone explain exactly why this is either an aircraft or at least part of one?

It could be almost anything. Maybe heading to a factory somewhere?

Parts of large press tarped over to keep moisture off?

a reply to: 5StarOracle

It isn't a complete aircraft. They ship parts to where the final assembly is done. If you drive the lower US long enough, at some point you'll see about 2/3ds of an F-18 on a flatbed. They build the aft fuselage in California and assemble them in St Louis. They ship them minus wings, engines, and horizontal stabilizers to where they're assembled.

a reply to: gspat

a reply to: Zaphod58

Yup. Except folks are claiming the dimensions are wrong. It also has some differences in details. It could be the J-20A if the peanut gallery is wrong on the size.

a reply to: anzha

They might be right, but it gives us an idea that whatever it is, it's a twin engine, probably twin tail design.

If these are for the new aircraft carriers....
Then the chinese will have an issue with the U.S. Carrier carrier's..


www.instagram.com...

could be a hydroplane
maybe?

a reply to: Bigburgh

Lol. Did Fox really broadcast that?