Shenyang J-6
Encyclopedia
The Shenyang J-6 (NATO-Codename Farmer) was the Chinese
-built version of the Soviet
MiG-19 'Farmer'
fighter aircraft
.
armament, and produced it for their own use between 1958 and 1981. By the end of 2005, J-6s have been retired from active combat missions. While the basic MiG-19 has been retired from all but three nations, its 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 sortie
s) before being overhauled. The Pakistan Air Force
was often able to extend this to 130 hours with diligent maintenance.
J-6s replaced the J-5
s 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 guard Tirana
. As of 2005 all Albanian fighters where grounded due to lack of spare parts.
The F-6 was flown by the Pakistan Air Force
from 1965 to 2002, the aircraft design undergoing around 140 modifications to improve its capabilities in the interceptor
and close air support
roles. The PAF F-6 fighters participated in the Indo-Pak War 1971 against India, scoring approximately 6 confirmed aerial victories including one Indian Mig-21. The three Pakistani J-6 squadrons flew nearly a thousand sorties, during which the PAF lost 3 F-6 to ground fire and one in aerial combat. An F-6 was also lost to friendly fire. One of the F-6 pilots shot down was Wajid Ali Khan, who was taken as a POW
and later became a Member of Parliament
in Canada
.
F-6 in 1965, the United States
concluded that the J-6 and MiG-19 were more formidable fighter aircraft than the more modern and powerful MiG-21 'Fishbed', as well as the older MiG-17 'Fresco'
and its Chinese version, the J-5. 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 dogfight
s at the time were conducted almost entirely in the sub-sonic speed regime. The J-6 (and hence the MiG-19 also) 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-6 during the war, the 925th Fighter
Regiment
, beginning in 1969.
and suffered greatly because of the superior opposition faced (Cuban pilots fought for Ethiopia
). Over 75% of the Somali Air Force was destroyed in the war but some J-6s and survived until the country turned into turmoil in the early 1990s.
, Tanzanian J-6 was tasked to handle any possible Ugandan fighters which consisted of MiG-15 and MiG-17, while F-7A was tasked to handle more advanced aircraft of Ugandan ally, such as the Libyan Tupolev Tu-22 'Blinder'
.
control of Cambodia, Khmer J-6s participated in Kampuchea-Vietnamese border clashes for ground attacks. During the Vietnamese invasion in 1978, none of the Cambodian aircraft dared to take-off to challenge the invading Vietnamese aircraft. The Vietnamese captured a number of J-6s and put them on public display.
used the J-6 in action against its original designers, the Soviet Union, and the jet claimed half a dozen air to air victories.
North Vietnam
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
-built version of the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
MiG-19 'Farmer'
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 is a Soviet second-generation, single-seat, twin jet-engined fighter aircraft. It was the first Soviet production aircraft capable of supersonic speeds in level flight. A comparable U.S...
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
.
Design and development
Although the MiG-19 had a comparatively short life in Soviet service, the Chinese came to value its agility, turning performance, and powerful cannonCannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
armament, and produced it for their own use between 1958 and 1981. By the end of 2005, J-6s have been retired from active combat missions. While the basic MiG-19 has been retired from all but three nations, its airframe contributed to the Chinese ground attack version, the Q-5
Nanchang Q-5
The Nanchang Q-5 , also known as the A-5 in its export versions, is a Chinese-built jet ground-attack aircraft based on the Soviet MiG-19. Its main role is close air support.-Design and development:...
, 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 sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
s) before being overhauled. The Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
was often able to extend this to 130 hours with diligent maintenance.
Description
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). Powerplant is 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 (NATO AA-2 'Atoll') air-to-air missiles.Operational history
The J-6 still is in service with North Korea, Myanmar (Burma), Tanzania, Nepal, and Zambia.Albania
Albanian Air ForceAlbanian Air Force
The Albanian Air Force is the national Air Force of the Albanian military. Currently it operates under the Albanian Joint Forces Command and it is regrouped in the Albanian Air Brigade...
J-6s replaced the J-5
Shenyang J-5
The Shenyang J-5 , originally designated Dongfeng-101 - , and also Type 56 before being designated J-5 in 1964, is a Chinese-built single-seat jet interceptor and fighter aircraft derived from the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. The J-5 was exported as the F-5...
s on the border to intercept Yugoslav incursions into Albanian airspace. However, the J-6 was ineffective against the faster Yugoslav MiG-21 'Fishbed'
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
. Once the F-7A became available, the J-6 was redeployed to guard Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
. As of 2005 all Albanian fighters where grounded due to lack of spare parts.
Indo-Pakistan Wars
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
from 1965 to 2002, the aircraft design undergoing around 140 modifications to improve its capabilities in the interceptor
Interceptor aircraft
An interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to prevent missions of enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Interceptors generally rely on high speed and powerful armament in order to complete their mission as quickly as possible and set up...
and close air support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
roles. The PAF F-6 fighters participated in the Indo-Pak War 1971 against India, scoring approximately 6 confirmed aerial victories including one Indian Mig-21. The three Pakistani J-6 squadrons flew nearly a thousand sorties, during which the PAF lost 3 F-6 to ground fire and one in aerial combat. An F-6 was also lost to friendly fire. One of the F-6 pilots shot down was Wajid Ali Khan, who was taken as a POW
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and later became a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Vietnam War
After secretly test flying a Pakistan Air ForcePakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
F-6 in 1965, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
concluded that the J-6 and MiG-19 were more formidable fighter aircraft than the more modern and powerful MiG-21 'Fishbed', as well as the older MiG-17 'Fresco'
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the USSR from 1952 and operated by numerous air forces in many variants. Most MiG-17 variants cannot carry air-to-air missiles, but shot down many aircraft with its cannons...
and its Chinese version, the J-5. 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 dogfight
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
s at the time were conducted almost entirely in the sub-sonic speed regime. The J-6 (and hence the MiG-19 also) 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-6 during the war, the 925th Fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
, beginning in 1969.
Ogaden War
Somalian J-6 participated in the Ogaden WarOgaden War
The Ogaden War was a conventional conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia in 1977 and 1978 over the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. In a notable illustration of the nature of Cold War alliances, the Soviet Union switched from supplying aid to Somalia to supporting Ethiopia, which had previously been...
and suffered greatly because of the superior opposition faced (Cuban pilots fought for Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
). Over 75% of the Somali Air Force was destroyed in the war but some J-6s and survived until the country turned into turmoil in the early 1990s.
Uganda-Tanzania War
During the Uganda-Tanzania WarUganda-Tanzania War
The Uganda–Tanzania War was fought between Uganda and Tanzania in 1978–1979, and led to the overthrow of Idi Amin's regime...
, Tanzanian J-6 was tasked to handle any possible Ugandan fighters which consisted of MiG-15 and MiG-17, while F-7A was tasked to handle more advanced aircraft of Ugandan ally, such as the Libyan Tupolev Tu-22 'Blinder'
Tupolev Tu-22
The Tupolev Tu-22 was the first supersonic bomber to enter production in the Soviet Union. Manufactured by Tupolev, the Tu-22 entered service with the Soviet military in the 1960s, and the last examples were retired during the 1990s...
.
Kampuchea-Vietnam War
In the era of Khmer RougeKhmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
control of Cambodia, Khmer J-6s participated in Kampuchea-Vietnamese border clashes for ground attacks. During the Vietnamese invasion in 1978, none of the Cambodian aircraft dared to take-off to challenge the invading Vietnamese aircraft. The Vietnamese captured a number of J-6s and put them on public display.
Afghan War
The Pakistan Air ForcePakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
used the J-6 in action against its original designers, the Soviet Union, and the jet claimed half a dozen air to air victories.
Iran-Iraq War
During Iran-Iraq War, both sides deployed J-6 fighter jets. Iran's J-6 fighters were reported sourced from North Korea. Iraq's J-6 fighters were transferred from Egyptian Air Force. Most missions J-6s performed during Iran-Iraq War were air-to-ground attack.Variants
- Shenyang J-6 - (a.k.a. Type 59 , Dongfeng-102 , Product 47 and F-6) Despite having no suffix to the designation, the J-6 appeared after the initial production of the J-6A had begun. The J-6 was equivalent, but not identical, to the MiG-19S.
- Shenyang J-6A - (a.k.a. Type 59A , Dongfeng-103 , Jianjiji-6 Jia) - Early production from 1958 to 1960 was sub-standard and not accepted by the PLAAF. Production was halted, the jigs scrapped, and production re-started with assistance from the USSR. The J-6A was equivalent to the MiG-19P but not identical. The maiden flight was made by Wang Youhuai on 17 December 1958.
- Shenyang J-6A - Production of the J-6 restarted after new assembly jigs, and other assistance, acquired from the USSR. Similar to MiG-19PF, an all-weather radarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
-equipped interceptorInterceptor aircraftAn interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to prevent missions of enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Interceptors generally rely on high speed and powerful armament in order to complete their mission as quickly as possible and set up...
with two NR-30 30mm cannonNudelman-Rikhter NR-30The Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30 was a Soviet cannon widely used in military aircraft of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. It was designed by A.E. Nudelman and A.A. Rikhter, entering service in 1954....
. Exported as the F-6A.
- J-6B - (a.k.a. Type 59B , Dongfeng-105 and Jianjiji-6 Yi) Similar to MiG-19PM "Farmer-D", interceptor with two PL-1 (Chinese version of Soviet K-5 (AA-1 'Alkali') beam-riding air-to-air missileAir-to-air missileAn air-to-air missile is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
s; it is unclear if the J-6B retains its cannon. Only 19 J-6B's were built before the programme was terminated.
- J-6C - (a.k.a. Jianjiji-6 Bing, Product 55 and F-6C)Day fighter version with three 30mm cannonNudelman-Rikhter NR-30The Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30 was a Soviet cannon widely used in military aircraft of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. It was designed by A.E. Nudelman and A.A. Rikhter, entering service in 1954....
and braking parachute at the base of the rudderRudderA rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
. This cannon's code name is Type 30-1. Firing at 850 rounds per minute, it is effective against large aircrafts with its armor-piercing and high-explosive ammunitions.
- Shenyang J-6I - Single-seat day-fighter prototype with fixed shock cone on the intake splitter plate.
- Shenyang J-6II - Single-seat tactical fighter prototype with adjustable shock cone ona raeked back intake splitter plate.
- Shenyang J-6III - Advanced version of the J-6A with radome on the splitter plate (rather than the shock cone centerbody) for a Chinese-made radar. May also have been designated J-6 Xin.
- Shenyang/Tianjin JJ-6 - (Jianjiji Jiaolianji - fighter trainer, a.k.a. Product 48 and FT-6) Chinese designed two-seat trainer, stretched 84 cm (33.1 in) to accommodate second seat, armed with one 30 mm cannon.
- Shenyang JZ-6 - (Jianjiji Zhenchaji - reconnaissance fighter) Dedicated reconnaissanceReconnaissanceReconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
version with fuselage cameraCameraA camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
pack replacing cannon. As of April 2006, it was reported that the PLAAF 3rd Recon Regiment, 26 Air Division based in Nanjing MR, is the last regiment to actively fly the JZ-6 refusing to convert to JZ-8F. Exported as the Shenyang FR-6.
- Shenyang/Tianjin JJ-6 Testbed - Ejection seat testbed that succeeded H-5Ilyushin Il-28The Ilyushin Il-28 is a jet bomber aircraft of the immediate postwar period that was originally manufactured for the Soviet Air Force. It was the USSR's first such aircraft to enter large-scale production. It was also licence-built in China as the Harbin H-5. Total production in the USSR was 6,316...
ejection seat testbed.
- Xian BW-1 - Fly-by-wire flying controls test-bed for the Xian JH-7Xian JH-7The Xian JH-7 ; NATO reporting name Flounder), also known as the FBC-1 Flying Leopard, is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine fighter-bomber in service with the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force , and the People's Liberation Army Air Force...
flying control system.
- Guizhou J-6A - J-6A aircraft up-graded to carry two PL-2 (Pi Li - Thunderbolt) Infra-Red homing Air to Air Missiles (AAM's). The first flight was on 21 December 1975.
Operators
There are currently 3 active operators of the Shenyang J-6 out of 15 total users in its history.Current Operators
- Islamic Republic of Iran Air ForceIslamic Republic of Iran Air ForceThe Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force ' is the aviation branch of the Iranian armed forces. The present Air Force came into being in the early 1980s when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed....
- operates 18 aircraft
- Myanmar Air Force - 1× F-6 remained in service .
- North Korea Air Force - 98× F-6s remained in service .
Former Operators
- Albanian Air ForceAlbanian Air ForceThe Albanian Air Force is the national Air Force of the Albanian military. Currently it operates under the Albanian Joint Forces Command and it is regrouped in the Albanian Air Brigade...
- 82 J-6C models, retired as of 2005.
- Bangladesh Air ForceBangladesh Air ForceThe Bangladesh Air Force , is the air arm of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Bangladesh Air Force currently employs more than 22,000 personnel including 600+ Pilots.-History:...
- 6× FT-6 trainers remained in service .
- Royal Cambodian Air ForceRoyal Cambodian Air ForceThe Royal Cambodian Air Force is the branch of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces which is charged with operating all military aircraft in Cambodia.-Organization:...
- People's Liberation Army Air ForcePeople's Liberation Army Air ForceThe People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
- retired J-6 from combat duties in 2005, most relegated as remote control target drones. 130× JJ-6 trainers remained in service , they are in the process of being replaced by the JL-8 trainer. - People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force - 16× JJ-6 trainers remained in service
- Egyptian Air ForceEgyptian Air ForceThe Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed...
- replaced by F-16
North Vietnam
- Vietnam People's Air ForceVietnam People's Air ForceThe Vietnam People's Air Force is the air force of Vietnam. It is the successor of the former North Vietnamese Air Force and the absorbed Republic of Vietnam Air Force following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975.-Beginning-1964 :The first Vietnamese aircraft were two trainers, a de Havilland...
- Pakistan Air ForcePakistan Air ForceThe Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
- retired from combat service in 2002 being replaced with Chengdu F-7P and F-7PG. 9× FT-6 trainers remain in service- No. 11 Squadron Arrows, 1967—1982
- No. 14 Squadron Tail Choppers, 1972—1985
- No. 15 Squadron Cobras, 1973—1993
- No. 17 Squadron Tigers, 1977—2001
- No. 19 Squadron Sherdils, 1977—1989
- No. 20 Squadron Hawkeyes, 1986—1988
- No. 23 Squadron Talons, 1966—2002
- No. 25 Squadron Eagles, 1966—1995
- No. 26 Squadron Black Spiders, 1981—1984
- Combat Commanders School Dashings, 1976—1992
- Somali Air CorpsSomali Air CorpsThe Somali Air Force is the air force of Somalia. The Somali Aeronautical Corps was the name of the Somali Air Force during the pre-independence period. After 1960, when Somalia gained independence, the name changed to the Somali Air Force...
- Sudanese Air ForceSudanese Air ForceThe Sudanese Air Force is the air force operated by the Republic of the Sudan. As such it is part of the Sudanese Armed Forces.-History:The Sudanese Air Force was founded immediately after Sudan gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1956. The British assisted in the Air Force's...
- used in ground attack missions with limited success
- Tanzanian Air Force
- Vietnam People's Air ForceVietnam People's Air ForceThe Vietnam People's Air Force is the air force of Vietnam. It is the successor of the former North Vietnamese Air Force and the absorbed Republic of Vietnam Air Force following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975.-Beginning-1964 :The first Vietnamese aircraft were two trainers, a de Havilland...
Specifications (J-6)