Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

The panels that are supposed to be 1101, 1103, 1201, and 1202 are cut completely wrong. The AOAs look pretty long also. I wanna agree though that it is a lot of mock up with a few authentic looking parts they scrapped up from a crashed jet.

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Can't this be a very early model from the YF-16? When looking at the nose gear door it is still the short version that's installed. Thought only the YF-16's had this smal nose gear doors?

Greetz
Rick

Enthusiast Joined: Oct 27, 2004 - 10:49 AM Posts: 70

Mock up for realistic training environment for saboteurs and other Bond type wannabes?

AirSmetten wrote:

Can't this be a very early model from the YF-16? When looking at the nose gear door it is still the short version that's installed. Thought only the YF-16's had this smal nose gear doors?

Greetz
Rick

Nah, not even close. The horizontal stabs and landing gear resemble more of what you would find on a blk 40(although the larger stabs started appearing on blk15s). Plus the blk 40s and up have the landing taxi lights in the nose wheel well. The first GE's appeared in the blk 30s. I name it Falconstein. But I dont think it will be alive anytime soon.

I'm curious about the paint-scheme. I'll look around, but it looks like a foreign paintjob and they added US markings, unless someone else knows for sure what country it looks like.

Am I right in thinking that our only true cammo Vipers--not the blue-and-grey ones--are our DACT birds in Nevada? Then what is this?

There's a possibility that they will be able to make this plane flyable--the Soviets did that with a few B-29s. This is more unsettling however, depending on which country the Viper was originally intended for, the ChComms could have some darn sensitive info on how our jets fly.

Meteor wrote:

Maybe this is a float in the Chinese Rose Bowl parade? During the parade they'll have some knockout Chinese goddess waving from the cockpit while wearing a bikini...

I'd buy that for a dollar! Twisted Evil

ptplauthor wrote:

I'm curious about the paint-scheme. I'll look around, but it looks like a foreign paintjob and they added US markings, unless someone else knows for sure what country it looks like.

Am I right in thinking that our only true cammo Vipers--not the blue-and-grey ones--are our DACT birds in Nevada? Then what is this?

There's a possibility that they will be able to make this plane flyable--the Soviets did that with a few B-29s. This is more unsettling however, depending on which country the Viper was originally intended for, the ChComms could have some darn sensitive info on how our jets fly.

The scheme is similar to that worn by the Pakistani F-16A's, and probably even closer to the paint on the embargoed aircraft that later served with the US Navy.

I wouldn't have any concern about this 'aircraft' flying, as many people in the thread have said - it's not an F-16, at very best it is a combination of actual parts and 'mock-up' components. Also as it has been stated, if the 'aircraft' could stand in its own gear, it probably would be, rather than on all of the attached stands. What we're seeing is a pretty nice 'Jewel of the Nile' mock-up.

Where did it come from? Who knows, just a guess on my part, but I'd bet that it is the remains of a Pakistan AF crashed acft rebuilt for a Chinese museum.

Another reason why I wouldn't be concerned about the Chinese flying it - quite frankly, who would care if they did? Just like when Hugo in Venezuela threatened to send his aircraft to Cuba or China - while we all here love the 16, it's a thirty-five old design...

Mike

The Chinese could easily utilize the design of the radar and other avionics to use it to carbon copy an aircraft. And remember after forty years of copying designs, the ChiComm aerospace industry is pretty proficient at doing that--they redid the Fishbed into the J-7 and then refined that design. While it may take a few years, they could still use it to come up with a potent weapons system.

Could it have been a backroom deal between the Chinese and the Pakistanis? After all, most of the PAF inventory is Chinese-made...but these days whose air force in one way or another isn't?

ptplauthor wrote:

The Chinese could easily utilize the design of the radar and other avionics to use it to carbon copy an aircraft. And remember after forty years of copying designs, the ChiComm aerospace industry is pretty proficient at doing that--they redid the Fishbed into the J-7 and then refined that design. While it may take a few years, they could still use it to come up with a potent weapons system.

Could it have been a backroom deal between the Chinese and the Pakistanis? After all, most of the PAF inventory is Chinese-made...but these days whose air force in one way or another isn't?

Sure, given access to an F-16 the Chinese could 'carbon copy' the aircraft, as you said, they are very good at it - but what would they have? An early 80's era F-16 in a world of Raptors, Typhoons and J-10's (ok, I'll throw in the Sukhois as well, just for fun), so why would you bother?

Mike

They can update it and produce a successor, the Tu-95 Bear was a result of direct experience Andrei Tupolev got by producing the Tu-4 clone of the B-29. It seems very plausible that they would be able to add stealth features to any aircraft they come up with. The PLAAF J-7 helped immensely in the production for their JH-7 and J-10.

With the J-10 there are some similarities to the Viper, too--while reverifying my info, i looked at some pics, and there are some similarities.

It's not the F16 rumoured to have been secreted by TAF. No anti-k light, and no drogue parachute compartment on the tail.

] The PLAAF J-7 helped immensely in the production for their JH-7 and J-10.

Ever wondered why North Korea and Viet Nam have MiG-23s and MiG-29s, while Commie China had only MiG-19 and MiG-21 derivatives?
The J-7 was the most advanced jet fighter that the PLAAF had for decades, after Commie China and Soviet Union fought a battle and became enemies in the early 1960s.
The Q-5 is based on the MiG-19, and the J-7 and J-8 are based on the MiG-21.

] After all, most of the PAF inventory is Chinese-made...

I wouldn't be surprised if Commie China aerospace engineers have access to Pakistani F-16s and F-104s.

] Where did it come from?

Possibly an attraction at the above-mentioned exhibition centre for a gardening event.
(A... "lawn dart"... or "yard gnome"?) 8D

Quote:

(A... "lawn dart"... or "yard gnome"?) 8D

I'll let one of the pilots comment on tthat :O

But now that I think about it, doesn't somebody keep track of where the heck these birds are? and wouldn't the US send someone out to collect the debris...

It is definitely not a PW F100, so it would not be Pakistani, and the long sides of the external nozzle flaps look too straight to be a GEF110, as well. F100 flaps do not have that rolled look on the trailing edge, and don't F110 flaps have a big curve on the left side? The rear of the engine, flame holder and nozzle all look wrong. Looks like a "Falconstein" to me.

obviously Zhengdefu.... Wink

Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

Weird Photos - F-16 in China?