Chapter 1324
J-6 Test Flight: Not the F-100 Super Sabre. Want to Enter the Yard? I Don't Agree.
a few days later.
Li Aiguo, along with Lao Mao, Chief Engineer Qi, Zong Xianfeng, and several other researchers from the studio, boarded a transport plane bound for Shenyang.
The reason Lao Mao followed was because the weather station was no longer comfortable with Li Aiguo traveling alone.
As for Chief Engineer Qi and Zong Xianfeng, they were simply brought out by Li Aiguo to broaden their horizons.
After all, the transport aircraft manufacturing plan of Qianmen Locomotive Depot is now on the agenda, and this trip to Shenyang Aircraft Corporation is a good opportunity to "learn from the experience" of our brother unit.
The transport plane took off amidst turbulence and landed at Yu Hong Airport amidst turbulence.
This is a proper military airport and also Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's test flight base.
To be honest, the conditions were much simpler than in later times.
It's called an airport, but it's really just two long runways.
There was a row of single-story red brick bungalows next to it, plus a two-story building that looked quite old.
The small building has large banners that read "We must annihilate the invading enemy" and "We must be determined, fear no sacrifice, overcome all difficulties, and strive for victory."
The area was surrounded by high walls covered with barbed wire, with sentry posts everywhere, creating a very tense atmosphere.
As the cabin door opened, Li Aiguo stepped down the gangway and saw a group of people standing not far away.
The leader was General Manager Xu, with Director Gao of Shenfei and several other leaders standing beside him.
Even more outrageous, this group of people were actually holding a long red banner with several large characters written on it.
"A warm welcome to our colleagues from the Qianmen Locomotive Depot workshop for their guidance!"
It seems the beef and mutton we gave these guys a while ago wasn't a waste.
"General Manager Xu, this is quite a grand affair," Li Aiguo said jokingly as he shook hands with General Manager Xu.
"This is what our factory director Gao repeatedly emphasized, saying that we must welcome our comrades from our brother unit with fiery enthusiasm!"
But if you ask me, all this fancy stuff is a bit of a waste of time.
Li Aiguo was already used to Mr. Xu being a researcher, and laughed twice.
"Alright, let's not waste any more time. Let's hurry up and take me to see that J-6 you guys made!" Li Aiguo rubbed his hands together.
"Everything's ready. Come on, follow me!" General Manager Xu waved his hand and led everyone toward a huge hangar next to them.
Zong Xianfeng was visiting this kind of place for the first time, and everything seemed new and exciting to him. He looked around curiously and kept staring at the sentries standing straight beside him.
"What are you staring at? Behave yourself!" Old Cat pulled him back in an annoyed manner. Zong Xianfeng then realized what was happening, shrank his neck, and quickly caught up with the group.
As the hangar doors were slowly pushed open, Li Aiguo's eyes lit up.
A J-6, in its original aluminum color, is parked in the center of the hangar, looking exceptionally imposing!
The reason for not using painting is firstly to simplify production.
Secondly, it reduces weight and protects against nuclear radiation.
Many domestic fighter jets were like this back then.
The nose of the aircraft has a number, B2973, which is the aircraft number and also the tactical number of this fighter jet.
It differs from the original version.
The wings no longer need to fold, the drag chute is moved upwards, and low-altitude maneuverability is improved.
As for weaponry, the classic three 30mm cannons have been retained. These are deadly weapons, incredibly powerful in close-quarters dogfights.
Li Aiguo only optimized and improved the ammunition feeding and ejection systems, greatly reducing the probability of jamming.
Two PL-2 infrared air-to-air missiles are mounted under the wings.
This air-to-air missile was just acquired from the Fifth Academy; it's an experimental model, and mass production will have to wait a few more years.
It can be said that this J-6 is close to the complete J-6 of later generations.
The only thing that Li Aiguo found somewhat regrettable was...
Limited by the current level of industrial capabilities, advanced technologies such as pulse-Doppler radar, medium-range air-to-air missiles, and fly-by-wire flight control systems are currently unavailable.
But you have to eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time. There will always be opportunities to get all these things done in the future!
"Aiguo, we've already submitted the test flight application and it's up there. I estimate the approval should come in two days at most," said General Xu from the side.
"You've just arrived, so take a good rest first."
Li Aiguo had previously test-flown armed helicopters and was familiar with the application process for test flights.
Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) needs to first file with the Aviation Industry Administration Bureau, and then undergo strict review by the Military Products Approval Committee.
Finally, it must be personally approved and signed by a leader at the director level or above.
Regarding the selection of test pilots, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation originally planned to ask the test flight team to dispatch outstanding test pilots.
Li Aiguo had previously expressed his desire to personally serve as a test pilot.
Firstly, he was the one who came up with the improvement plan for this aircraft.
No one knows the aircraft's performance and limits better than him.
Secondly, he also had test flight experience.
However, General Xu still felt that Li Aiguo's responsibilities were too heavy, since the concepts of test-flying fighter jets and armed helicopters are completely different.
"Patriotism, won't you reconsider? This is a test flight of a brand-new aircraft; it's too dangerous!"
After hesitating for a moment, General Xu couldn't help but try to persuade him again.
Li Aiguo turned his head, looked at General Xu's serious face, and chuckled: "Old Xu, someone always has to do dangerous things, right?"
If I don't do it, the other test pilots will have to.
Let me put it this way, even if this J-6 experiences a complete engine failure in mid-air, I can still bring it down!
If someone else had said that, Mr. Xu would definitely have thought they were just being boastful and bragging.
But having worked with Li Aiguo for so long, he knows this guy too well.
This kid never fights a battle unprepared. Since he dares to say that, he must be confident.
"Sigh, no wonder they can cause so many big things. Their courage is beyond the reach of ordinary people."
General Manager Xu sighed inwardly, shook his head, and stopped trying to persuade him.
Subsequently, General Manager Xu, along with engineers from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, Li Aiguo, Chief Engineer Qi, and others, began a comprehensive inspection of the aircraft again.
In the evening, as usual, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation held a grand welcome party in the canteen to welcome Li Aiguo and his entourage.
Director Gao had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. With a wave of his hand, he ordered the orderly to bring over two large boxes of aged Fenjiu liquor.
"Patriotism, huh! Last time in Beijing, I accidentally got drunk by you, kid."
Today we're on my turf, and I, Gao, am determined to get my revenge!
"Alright, Director Gao, let's settle this tonight!"
Looking at the two full vats of strong liquor in front of him, Li Aiguo was not intimidated at all; instead, he chuckled.
bump!
The crisp clinking sound echoed in the cafeteria, instantly pushing the atmosphere to a climax.
Just as Li Aiguo was enjoying a drink with his comrades from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation...
Inside an airport thousands of miles away.
Several new fighter jets are ready for deployment.
This plane was very strange, and the pilots were not locals, but rather blond-haired and blue-eyed.
The next morning.
Inside the air force barracks at Shenyang Yuhong Airport, Li Aiguo slowly awoke to a passionate and impassioned broadcast from the military.
Last night, Shenfei and his gang were shameless; they actually used a tag-team approach and almost caused a disaster.
I'm still feeling a bit uncomfortable right now.
"Aiguo, get up, I'll get you some water." Zong Xianfeng saw that Li Aiguo had gotten up, so he also got off the bed.
While Zong Xianfeng was out, Li Aiguo subconsciously observed the dormitory.
The dormitories here are all standard four-person rooms, without televisions or fans.
The only electrical appliances in the room were a table lamp and an old-fashioned telephone.
Judging from the style of that phone, it can probably only make internal calls.
However, although the room was simple, it was fully equipped with a small table, wooden chairs, and a washbasin stand.
Compared to typical dormitories, the conditions are already quite good.
After washing up, Old Cat also returned from the logistics department with his meal tickets.
Li Aiguo carried an aluminum lunchbox, and the group left the dormitory together.
The corridor was filled with pilots and ground crew in crisp air force uniforms.
Many people cast curious glances at Li Aiguo and his group of unfamiliar faces dressed in Zhongshan suits.
Soon, people recognized Li Aiguo and stopped to greet him warmly.
"Good morning, patriotic comrade."
"Morning."
Smiling and nodding in response, Li Aiguo and his companions walked out of the dormitory building.
Someone behind him muttered, "Hey, who's this young man? How come everyone knows him?"
"You don't recognize him? That's Comrade Li Aiguo from the Qianmen Locomotive Depot!"
The improved J-6 that we're about to test fly is something he helped develop!
"Oh? It's him! No wonder he became a national model worker at such a young age. I really should have gone up and said hello!"
"There's even more exciting news you probably don't know: this time, Comrade Li Aiguo will be the test pilot for our Sixth Master!"
"Huh?! Really? No, no, I have to go shake hands with Comrade Li Aiguo right away!"
In this era, if scientific research experts are considered by these pilots to be respected guests, then...
Researchers who dare to personally take on the role of test pilots are definitely considered as true members of their own team.
You could even call him an idol!
On the way to the cafeteria, Li Aiguo almost never stopped greeting people. This made Zong Xianfeng, who was walking next to him, a little envious.
However, he only felt envy, not jealousy.
After all, he couldn't fly a fighter jet, nor did he have the guts to become a test pilot.
We greeted each other as we arrived at the cafeteria.
Test pilots eat at the No. 4 mess hall, and their daily allowance is 4.7 yuan. You should know that the army only pays 50 cents a day.
Every day, they have a pound of pork, five eggs, milk, sugar, and tea—it's quite a lavish meal.
When Li Aiguo was test-flying an armed helicopter, he wasn't considered a true test pilot, but he got to experience it this time.
After dinner, we went to the airport to conduct pre-flight tests.
Normal taxiing, acceleration, simulated climb, level flight attitude, pitch, roll, yaw... and finally, simulation of normal landing and go-around tests.
Li Aiguo was getting a feel for Sixth Master's temper on the plane, while on the ground, General Xu was leading the technicians in observation.
Seeing Li Aiguo skillfully operating the Sixth Master, I felt relieved.
As long as we don't encounter any enemies, this test flight mission should be fine.
These past few days, Li Aiguo has been living a wonderful life.
Every morning I fly the plane, and in the afternoon I have meetings and exchanges with engineers from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. The food I eat is still eggs and milk.
It could be said that they were so happy they forgot about home.
Monday morning.
A senior leader arrived at Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and officially announced that the test flight application for the J-6 has been fully approved!
The test flight consists of three parts, the first being the factory test flight.
Flight route: Yu Hong Airport → Shenyang Southwest → Xinmin → Huichang
Airspace altitude: below 1 meters.
Since the main focus at this stage is on testing subsonic and transonic flight, this step is primarily to assess the aircraft's basic aerodynamics and handling.
The second step is long-distance ferry test flights.
The route is longer: Shenyang → Jinzhou → Shahe → Cangzhou → finally a direct flight to Xi'an or Lanzhou.
Flight altitude: 6000–12000 meters.
With internal fuel, it can fly approximately 1400 kilometers, while with external fuel tanks, it can reach 2200 kilometers.
This was to test the aircraft's long-range flight and endurance capabilities.
The third is the key project: high-altitude and supersonic test flights.
The airspace was chosen over the relatively open Bohai Bay and some uninhabited areas in western Liaoning.
Subjects include: extreme speed driving at Mach 1.2–1.4, challenging the limit of 17000 meters, and testing the most dangerous transonic flutter!
After the test flight plan was announced, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation held a grand mobilization meeting in the auditorium to boost morale.
As the undisputed chief test pilot for this event, Li Aiguo was also invited to speak on the podium.
Looking at the sea of people below the stage, Li Aiguo didn't bother with any empty platitudes.
"Comrades! I don't understand any of this convoluted stuff. In my opinion, we pilots only ever have two missions!"
"The first thing is to get our fighter jets out safely and then back safely!"
"As for the second task... that is, to eliminate any enemy that dares to invade from the sky!"
Sitting in the audience, General Xu was both amused and exasperated, shaking his head repeatedly. What kind of mobilization speech was this?
When other people go on stage, they all express their determination and recite quotations with great passion.
You've got some nerve, you just dumped two tasks on me right away!
However, the result was beyond General Xu's expectations.
As soon as Li Aiguo finished speaking, there was a brief two-second silence in the audience, followed by thunderous applause!
The young and spirited pilots clapped their hands with all their might, their eyes shining with admiration.
Yes, isn't that what pilots do?!
"It's only been a few days, and these guys already consider Li Aiguo one of their own." General Xu was unusually jealous.
After the test flight event, Li Aiguo changed into his pilot uniform and put on his flight helmet.
This helmet is the one that Li Aiguo developed before. It is very comfortable to wear and also has an oxygen pressurization system.
At exactly 10:00 a.m., Li Aiguo was already sitting in the cockpit of Sixth Master.
"2973, 2973, this is the control tower. Current weather: sunny. Northwest wind force 3. Airspace is safe, radar cleared. You are cleared for takeoff!"
"2973 received."
Li Aiguo fastened his seatbelt and pushed the control lever.
With the roar of the two turbojet engines, the aircraft taxied, accelerated, and with a lift of its nose, soared into the sky.
Test flights are different from actual flights; their main purpose is to test the performance of fighter jets.
Li Aiguo then performed a series of actions according to the test flight plan.
It has to be said that the 6 is the 6, especially the improved version, which drives exceptionally smoothly.
Every single task in the first phase of factory test flights was successfully completed.
In the evening, Sixth Master landed safely at the airport.
In the following days, Li Aiguo transformed into a real test pilot, flying his J-6 through the skies.
The factory test flight and long-distance transfer test flight were successfully completed.
Time flew by, and we were high in the air for the supersonic test flight.
To prevent problems during the test flight, all radars near the Bohai Bay were turned on.
Only after confirming that there are no suspicious circumstances will the military order the test flight to begin.
Meanwhile, the weather forecast department reported the weather conditions in the Bohai Bay, which were currently covered in dark clouds and not suitable for test flights.
Li Aiguo can only wait for further notice.
"Patriot, this time, how about we not carry the PL-2 infrared air-to-air missile, complete a brief test flight, and then return immediately?"
After much hesitation, General Xu finally came to Li Aiguo's side.
In fact, the original test flight plan did not mandate that weapons be tested with live ammunition.
Not carrying those two PL-2 missiles can greatly reduce the takeoff weight and wind resistance of the J-6, making it easier to fly.
Of course, Mr. Xu was also considering it from a safety perspective.
If, unfortunately, enemy aircraft were encountered during the test flight, Li Aiguo's primary task, according to test flight regulations, would be to retreat immediately.
Moreover, the PL-2, an early type of close-range air-to-air missile, has a maximum range of only 8 kilometers.
In the event of an emergency, it will not play a decisive role.
To put it simply, during extreme test flights, not carrying missiles is definitely much safer than carrying them.
Li Aiguo understood General Xu's good intentions, but still declined: "General Xu, the ultimate purpose of our test flights is to test the extreme performance of the J-6 in a real battlefield environment."
Once this plane is handed over to the front-line troops, they will be patrolling with live ammunition every day.
"If we don't figure out the limits of what's possible with the weapons loaded now, aren't we just playing with the lives of our comrades in the future?"
General Manager Xu knew that Li Aiguo had made his decision, so he didn't say anything more. He simply led a few engineers to check the documents again and again.
Time passed by, and finally it was noon.
The first message from the tower's communicator came from the 6th Radar Regiment of the Air Force located in the Bohai Bay.
"Reporting to control tower, the airspace over the Bohai Sea is clear, no enemy activity, you can proceed with confidence!"
Immediately afterwards, the weather forecast website also brought good news.
The clouds over the Bohai Bay have dissipated, and the wind speed is below level 4!
Interestingly, the person in charge of the weather in the Bohai Bay is Professor Huang, formerly of the Jinling Observatory.
Although Professor Huang did not know the purpose of the monitoring, he knew that it must be an important task.
"I wish all comrades carrying out their mission a safe and successful journey."
This high-altitude supersonic flight test was arguably the most dangerous part of the entire test flight plan.
Especially since the test flight is being conducted on the vast sea, the consequences would be unimaginable if an engine stall or disintegration accident were to occur at high altitude.
The leaders in charge of Junwei, Director Gao of Shenfei, and the members of the No. 6 design team all came to the airport.
"Patriotic comrade, please be careful!"
Li Aiguo turned around, stood at attention in front of the crowd seeing him off, and solemnly saluted.
Then, he turned and strode towards Sixth Master...
After this period of test flights, Li Aiguo can be considered a veteran pilot, and that's no exaggeration.
In those days, there was a saying in the Air Force: if you had 500 hours of flight time, you were considered a veteran pilot.
Anyone who hasn't reached 200 hours of training is still considered a "greenhorn" by veteran pilots.
Of course, there are also some incredibly powerful figures among them.
For example, there was a legendary pilot in later generations who flew the J-7 and managed to accumulate more than 5,000 hours of flight time!
That's incredible!
Far away.
Let's return our focus to the airport.
As usual, Li Aiguo pushed the control stick, and Sixth Master roared into the sky.
This time, his course was no longer inland, but instead he sped directly toward the Bohai Bay.
Along the way, air defense radar stations in various coastal areas had already received confidentiality notices from their superiors.
As soon as the radar operators saw the friendly signal representing "Sixth Master" appear on the screen, they started recording the flight trajectory while keeping an eye on the radar screen.
Although they didn't know the model of the aircraft being tested, the fact that they were going to such lengths meant it must be something good.
At this moment, the atmosphere was even more tense at the Air Force Radar Station No. 6, which was responsible for monitoring the movements on the sea.
Chief of Staff Zhao stood behind the radar operator, staring at the row of screens.
"Report to the Chief of Staff! Test flight aircraft 2973 has entered the designated airspace and is moving at a very high speed!" The radar operator reported with a hint of excitement as he looked at the rapidly moving friendly dot on the screen.
"Yes, continue to monitor closely! At the same time, pay attention to any movements in the open sea; we must not let our guard down."
"Yes!"
Just then, a radar operator who was watching another radar screen suddenly exclaimed "Huh?" and then shouted loudly, "Report! Suspicious radar signal detected in the open sea!"
And...there's more than one!
Upon hearing this unexpected report, Chief of Staff Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly walked over.
Sure enough, three blurry bright spots appeared at the edge of the radar screen, approaching inland at an extremely fast speed.
Judging from the flight altitude and speed, it should be an enemy fighter formation.
"Can you confirm what model of aircraft it is?" Chief of Staff Zhao asked urgently.
"The distance is too far, and the radar reflection signal is very blurry, so it cannot be accurately identified at the moment."
However, judging from its high-altitude, high-speed flight, the lead aircraft must be another of the enemy's elite "monsters among monsters"!
The RF-101 has a maximum flight altitude of 15,000 meters and a maximum speed of 1900 kilometers per hour!
It also carries four low-altitude high-resolution cameras and two high-altitude panoramic cameras under its belly.
The American family nicknamed this aircraft "Voodoo," while our air defense forces affectionately call it "Demon Among Demons."
The meaning is obvious.
This thing not only flies high and runs fast, but it is also elusive and extremely cunning!
Chief of Staff Zhao frowned.
"Last time we shot one down with anti-aircraft guns."
The 'demon among demons' has been behaving itself for a long time and hasn't dared to come over.
This time, they dared to come over so openly and brazenly, peeking around, it seems they have a new source of support.
The remaining two following behind must be the escort fighters!
"Chief of Staff, look, these two escort aircraft are very fast and can accompany the 'Demon Among Demons'. They are definitely not old-fashioned F-86D 'Sabre' aircraft."
The radar operator pointed to two other bright spots on the screen and analyzed them.
"Judging by this, it's most likely an upgraded version of the F-100D 'Super Sabre'!"
Upon hearing this name, Staff Officer Zhao's expression instantly turned extremely serious.
"Those guys actually sent out the F-100 'Super Sabre'!"
Although the F-100 "Super Sabre" is nominally still known as a first-generation jet fighter.
However, in the international military industry, it is usually classified as a more advanced second-generation supersonic fighter jet.
In terms of overall performance, this thing is in the same class as the Russian MiG-19.
Imagine a J-6 fighter jet undergoing test flights facing off against two F-100s – it's terrifying to even think about.
"The other side must have known we were patrolling with MiG-19s, which is why they sent their F-100s over," the radar operator continued.
"Damn it, the main force of the Fifth Flight Group is still on garrison duty at the reconstruction site. There's simply no time to call them over for support!"
Chief of Staff Zhao immediately and decisively issued the order: "Immediately notify all anti-aircraft artillery positions and surface-to-air missile units along the coast to enter a state of first-level combat readiness! Be ready to fire at any time!"
"Also, immediately report this sudden enemy situation to your superiors!"
After all the emergency procedures were laid out in an orderly manner, Chief of Staff Zhao suddenly discovered a critical problem!
"Oh no! Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's test aircraft has now reached the open sea!"
The radar shows we're very close to the three enemy aircraft!
"Report: The test-flying fighter jet is at an altitude of 9000 meters, heading from the Bohai Bay to western Liaoning."
The enemy aircraft was at an altitude of 18000 meters, heading towards Liaodong; their routes intersected!
"The only good news right now is that the radar on the F100 is only a ranging radar, not a search radar, so it hasn't detected 2973 yet," the radar operator added.
"In fact, not only the F100, but other second-generation aircraft, can only be detected by radar at a distance of a dozen kilometers, and under harsh conditions. At the current flight altitude of 2973 meters, below enemy aircraft, low-altitude targets will be overwhelmed by ground clutter, making them even more difficult to detect."
"Quickly connect the radio to the test flight aircraft! Notify 2973 to return to base immediately!"
Chief of Staff Zhao had no time to listen to any words of comfort. He grabbed the long-distance military communication device on the table and shouted at the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation control tower.
at the same time.
Inside the control tower of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, the leaders sent by Junwei, Director Gao, and General Xu, among others, were staring expectantly at the radar screen, waiting for the good news of Li Aiguo's successful high-altitude test flight.
Suddenly, the communications officer received the highest-level emergency warning from the radar station!
General Xu's expression changed drastically, and he ordered the communications officer to connect with Sixth Master.
"Patriotism! 2973, please respond! Immediately terminate the test flight!"
Return to base immediately! Repeat, return to base immediately!
Enemy aircraft spotted ahead, three in total! They are being escorted by F-100 Super Sabre fighters!
You're no match for them, return to base immediately!!!
At this moment, we are more than 10,000 meters above the Bohai Bay.
Li Aiguo, who had just finished the high-speed maneuvering test, recalled what had just happened.
Just now, Li Aiguo was happily driving his 6th Master a somersault when he suddenly saw several shiny things above his head.
"Old Xu, it's too late. I've already seen them."
By the way, let me correct the radar station's intelligence.
The escort they're carrying doesn't seem to be any 'Super Sabre'...
"Hey, Lao Xu, I have a question. Over on that island, what model is that thing that looks like a rocket with wings, but has ridiculously short wings?"
I heard Li Aiguo's description coming through the communicator.
Standing in the control tower, General Xu felt a chill run through his body.
Looks like a rocket?
Extremely short wings?!
This is not an F-100 at all!
"Patriot! Run! The enemy has sent F-104s! They're twice the speed of sound! Retreat now!!!"
"I can't breathe," Mr. Xu roared desperately into the microphone.
"retreat?"
Ten thousand meters in the air, Li Aiguo maneuvered the Sixth Master into a 6-degree turn.
"Sorry, Lao Xu. They want to come into our yard..."
"But I disagree!" (End of Chapter)