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Chinese variant of the Soviet MiG-19 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Shenyang J-6 (Chinese: 歼-6; designated F-6 for export versions; NATO reporting name: Farmer) is the Chinese-built version of the Soviet MiG-19 'Farmer' fighter aircraft, the world's first mass-produced supersonic aircraft.[1]
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2012) |
| J-6/F-6 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) A J-6 fighter flight display at the 2010 Zhuhai Air Show | |
| General information | |
| Type | Fighter aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Shenyang Aircraft Corporation[1] |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | People's Liberation Army Air Force (historical) |
| Number built | 4,500+ (including JJ-6 trainer)[1] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1958–1986 |
| Introduction date | 29 April 1962 (1964, practical type) |
| First flight | 30 September 1959 |
| Retired | Late 1990s (China) Mid-2002 (Pakistan) |
| Developed from | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 |
| Developed into | Nanchang Q-5 |
Although the MiG-19 had a comparatively short life in Soviet service, the Chinese came to value its agility, turning performance, and powerful cannon armament, and produced it for their own use between 1958 and 1981. While the basic Soviet-built MiG-19 has been retired from all nations, the Shenyang J-6 still flies for nine of its original 15 operators, however, in a very limited capacity. The J-6 airframe contributed to the Chinese ground attack version, the Q-5, which still flies for numerous nations.
The J-6 was considered "disposable" and was intended to be operated for only 100 flight hours (or approximately 100 sorties) before being overhauled. The Pakistan Air Force was often able to extend this to 130 hours with diligent maintenance.[2]
A number of J-6 based at Lianchen and Yantan-li bases appeared to have been converted into unmanned aircraft.[3] Work on unmanned J-6 was first reported in 2013.[4]
The J-6 has a maximum speed at altitude of 1,540 km/h (960 mph), Mach 1.45. Service ceiling is 17,900 m (58,700 ft). Combat radius with two drop tanks is about 640 km (400 mi). The aircraft is powered by two Liming Wopen-6A (Tumansky R-9) turbojet engines. In addition to the internal cannon armament, most have provision for four wing pylons for up to 250 kg (550 lb) each, with a maximum ordnance load of 500 kg (1,100 lb). Typical stores include unguided bombs, 55 mm rocket pods, or PL-2/PL-5 (Chinese versions of Soviet K-13) air-to-air missiles.
Albanian Air Force J-6s replaced the J-5s on the border to intercept Yugoslav incursions into Albanian airspace. However, the J-6 was ineffective against the faster Yugoslav MiG-21 'Fishbed'. Once the F-7A became available, the J-6 was redeployed to protect Tirana. As of 2005 all Albanian fighters were grounded due to a lack of spare parts.
Between 1965–1980, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) received 260 F-6 fighters which went on to serve with 10 PAF squadrons at various times. During their service, Pakistani F-6s also underwent 140 modifications at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex to improve its capabilities in the interceptor and close air support roles. These modifications included installation of Martin-Baker ejection seats, gun cameras, western avionics, AIM-9B/J/P missiles, French 68mm SNEB rockets, underbelly gondola-style fuel tanks and a special ground power unit, to quickly start the engines and shorten scramble time.[5][6][7]
When the 1971 War broke out, the PAF had operationalized three F-6 squadrons which were the No. 11, No. 23 & No. 25 Squadrons. The F-6s of these squadrons collectively flew 945 sorties out of which 834 were combat ones.[5][6][7]
Throughout the war, the F-6 flew 650 Air Defence sorties in which they shot down approximately 8 Indian warplanes while damaging 2 more.[5][8]
On 4 December 1971, Flight Lieutenant Javaid Latif of the No. 23 Squadron shot down an Su-7 over Risalewala Airfield while Flying Officer Qazi Javed of the No. 25 Squadron shot down a Hawker Hunter over Mianwali Airfield.[7][6]
On 5 December 1971, Wing Commander Saad Hatmi (the Officer Commanding of the No. 25 Squadron) and his wingman Flight Lt. Shahid Raza shot down 2 Indian Hunters near Sakesar.[6][7]
On 7 December 1971, Flight Lt. Atiq Sufi of the No. 11 Squadron shot down an Su-7 near Samba.[6][7]
On 8 December 1971, Wing Commander Hashmi shot down a Su-7 which was attacking the Risalewala Airfield.[9][6][7]
On 14 December 1971, Flight Lieutenant Amir Sharif of No. 11 Squadron claimed to have shot down a superior IAF MiG-21 over Shakargarh.[10][7][11]
Moreover, the F-6 flew 184 Ground Attack sorties where their 3 x 30 mm guns and 57 mm S-5 rockets were particularly effective against Indian armour, military vehicles, bunkers, and troop concentrations. Their Close Air Support missions at Shakargarh were the most successful.[12][13][5]
At the end of the war, the PAF had lost two F-6s to ground fire while losing one F-6 to an Indian Su-7. An F-6 was also lost to friendly fire.[14][8]
Some notable Pakistani F-6 pilots are Mushaf Ali Mir who later became the PAF's Chief, Wajid Ali Khan who was taken as a POW after being shot down by Indian AAA, he later became a Member of the Parliament in Canada and Syed Manzoor ul Hassan Hashmi. The single-seat F-6 was retired from the Pakistan Air Force in 2002 and replaced with the Chengdu F-7P/PG aircraft.[5][7]
The supersonic speed advantage provided by the MiG-21's more modern turbojet engine was found to be not as useful in combat as originally thought, because aerial dogfights at the time were conducted almost entirely at subsonic speeds. The J-6 (and hence the MiG-19 too) was found to be more manoeuvrable than the MiG-21 and, although slower, its acceleration during dogfights was considered adequate. The North Vietnamese Air Force fielded at least one unit of J-6s during the war, the 925th Fighter Regiment, beginning in 1969.[15]
Somalia ordered at least eleven F-6Cs and two FT-6s in 1979.[16] Deliveries started in 1980.[17] They were used during border skirmishes with Ethiopia in 1981, and they also saw combat during the Somali Rebellion, in the second half of the 1980s and until 1991.[18]
Twelve F-6 fighters and two FT-6 trainers were reportedly delivered to the Sudanese Air Force, starting in 1973. Moreover, twelve F-6Cs were delivered between 1981 and 1983. Another batch of twelve F-6Cs might have been acquired in 1990, as well as two FT-6s in 2001.[19] Sudanese F-6s participated in the Second Sudanese Civil War, from the 1980s to the early 1990s.[20] One F-6 was claimed shot down by the rebels in 1988, and two more in the autumn of 1991.[21]
The Tanzania Air Force Command received its first batch of twelve F-6s starting in June 1973.[22] An additional twelve F-6Cs and up to four FT-6s were also delivered in 1982.[23] Tanzanian F-6s participated in the 1978–1979 Uganda-Tanzania War. However, they aren't known to have been involved in any air-to-air combats.[24]
Twelve F-6s were delivered to the Zambian Air Force, probably between 1976 and 1978.[25] On 8 June 1980, Zambian F-6s intercepted and shot down an Angolan Yakovlev Yak-40, under unknown circumstances.[26]
In the era of Khmer Rouge control of Cambodia (1975–1979), Chinese-supplied Khmer J-6s participated in Kampuchea-Vietnamese border clashes for ground attacks. During the Vietnamese invasion in 1978, the Cambodian aircraft were reluctant to take-off to intercept the Vietnamese ones, thus the Vietnamese captured a number of J-6s and put them on public display.
During the 1980–88 Iran–Iraq War, both sides deployed J-6 fighter jets. Documents from the US Defense Intelligence Agency released under the Freedom of Information Act (United States) on Chinese arms sales to Iran reveal that between 1980 and 1987 China delivered 100 J-6 fighter jets to Iran.[27] Iraq's J-6 fighters were transferred from the Egyptian Air Force. Most missions J-6s performed during the Iran-Iraq War were air-to-ground attack.[28]
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Data from Chinese aircraft : China's aviation industry since 1951,[47] Combat aircraft since 1945[48]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
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