PLAAF Chengdu J-7E/J-7EH

[ChangAnAve59 23]

Chengdu J-E/J-7EH

歼-7E/歼-7EH

A PLAAF J-7E waiting for take off during a routine training

 

INTRODUCTION

The J-7E, and its naval version J-7EH, was the modification of the Chengdu J-7II, the current J-7 variant we have in game. J-7E was the replacement for outdated and obsolete J-7s and J-6s operated by PLAAF and PLANAF. J-7E solved many problems on the J-7II such as terrible low speed performance, and is fitted with more modern avionics and weaponry. The H variant for PLANAF was designed to withstand more corrosive environments than its land counterpart. Other than that. the performance of the two variants are the same.

 

HISTORY

Background: In the 60s, China adopted the MiG-21 as air force's new generation fighter from the Soviet Union, and the domestic produced MiG-21s were designated as J-7. In the following decade, varies modifications were implemented onto the J-7 to improve its performance, and the result was the Chengdu J-7II, which made its maiden flight in late 1978. The J-7II was not a top performing fighter, but it still served its purpose before better aircraft were available for another ten years. In the 80s, the PLAAF and PLANAF started to retire most of the early models of J-7s and J-6s, and faced a problem of lacking more modernized fighters to fill the gap of the retired fighters. Thus in 1987, CAC in Chengdu started design a new J-7 based their J-7II. The J-7II had short combat range, lacked of all-weather/day/night combat capabilities due to its obsolete avionics and weaponry, and has poor aerodynamic performance in low-speed, low-altitude flight. CAC made a great deal of changes to the J-7II and the new variant was designated J-7E.

 

Development: First flight made in May 1990. The J-7E's air-frame is based on the J-7II, but have a pair of compound delta wings with leading-edge slats instead of the simple delta wings, which offered improved aerodynamics and increased fuel fuel storage capability. Its flight performance is further improved with the installation of a more powerful WP-13F turbojet engine, which has 43.15 kN of dry thrust and 63.25 kN with afterburner compared to 43.15 kN of dry thrust and 59.82 kN with afterburner of the WP-7B used in the J-7II. Compared to the J-7II, the J-7E’s sea-level climbing rate has increased from 155m/s to 195m/s, the fuel capacity has increased from 2,080kg to 4,165kg, the ferry range has increased from 1,500km to 2,200km, and the G limit has increased from 7 to 8. The maximum instantaneous turn rate of the J-7E is 25.2 degree/s, and the maximum sustained turn rate at 1,000m altitude is 16 degree/s. CAC fitted the J-7E with the indigenous Type 226 PD fire control radar, but it also could be fitted with The GEC-Marconi Super Skyranger PD fire-control radar or the Italian Grifo-7 fire-control radar for export purpose. J-7E could carry up to 4 AAMs or bombs with the 4 hard-points under the wing, usually of PL-5/PL-8/PL-9 and 50kg/100kg/250kg/500kg. The fifth hard-point under the main-body is usually used to carry a 720 drop tank for long range combat. J-7E is also fitted with GT-1 chaff/flare dispenser by China National Import and Export Corporation for self-dense.

 

J-7E's compound delta wing

 

J-7E carrying 4 PL-8 AAMs and the drop tank

 

J-7E prototype taking off in its maiden flight

 

J-7E's leading-edge slat at work.

 

Specifications:

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 14.885 m

Height: 4.103 m

Wingspan: 8.32 m

Wing area: 24.88 m²

Gross weight: 5,292 kg

Normal takeoff weight: 7,540 kg

Max takeoff weight: 9,100 kg 

Fuel capacity: 4,165kg

Power-plant: 1 × Guizhou Liyang WP-13F after-burning turbojet, 43.15 kN thrust dry, 63.25 kN with afterburner

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 2175 km/h / Mach 2

Cruise speed: 970 km/h 

Stall speed: 200 km/h

Range: 850 km                             

Ferry range: 2,400 km with maximum internal and external fuel

Service ceiling: 18,800 m

g limits: +8/-3

Rate of climb: 195 m/s at sea level

Take-off run: 600 m

Landing run: 600 m

 

Armament

Guns: 2x 30mm cannon located in the same place as J-7II

Hard-points: 4 with a capacity of 2,000 kg (4,409 lb) maximum

Missiles: 4x PL-5/PL-8/PL-9

Bombs: 50kg/100kg/250kg/500kg conventional bombs.

 

ADDITIONAL IMAGES:

     

J-7E deploying its drogue parachutes when landing

 

   

J-7Es in flight carrying AAMs and drop tanks

 

J-7E's three-view diagram

 

The J-7 family, J-7E at bottom right, above JL-9

 

SOURCES:

http://www.afeu.cn:8086/Item/6.aspx

http://www.afeu.cn:8086/Item/4.aspx

http://www.globalmil.com/military/air_force/china/fighter/2017/0107/371.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20171012201757/http://www.airforceworld.com/pla/j-7-j-7a-j-7b-fighter-china.htm

https://books.google.com/books?id=jnDVDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA12&dq=歼7E&hl=zh-CN&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiR2Mrh0dDpAhWNGTQIHeIYCnEQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=歼7E&f=false

https://books.google.com/books?id=bI_VDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA49&dq=歼7E&hl=zh-CN&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiR2Mrh0dDpAhWNGTQIHeIYCnEQ6AEIMDAB#v=onepage&q=歼7E&f=false

http://photo.81.cn/bqtk/2014-10/23/content_6192760_7.htm

Edited May 26, 2020 by ChangAnAve59
Adding references

[Miki_Hoshii 2,449]

Hello ChangANAve59,

 

Your suggestion currently does not meet our minimum guidelines for suggestions. As such, you will need to modify your post to conform with the below rules. Failure to do so will result in this topic being locked and archived in 48 hours. Thanks.

 

Open for discussion.

 

On 16/09/2019 at 07:15, CokeSpray said:

 

  Specific Rules for Vehicle Suggestions:

 

Before suggesting a new vehicle, please ensure you have done the following:

 

When suggesting a new vehicle that has not been previously suggested or mentioned, your thread MUST contain the following:

 

5) List of used reference material where the vehicle is covered 

 

Edited May 26, 2020 by Miki_Hoshii

[ChangAnAve59 23]

55 minutes ago, Miki_Hoshii said:

Hello ChangANAve59,

 

Your suggestion currently does not meet our minimum guidelines for suggestions. As such, you will need to modify your post to conform with the below rules. Failure to do so will result in this topic being locked and archived in 48 hours. Thanks.

 

Sorry about that. The references are added.

[CLOSE_RANGE 74]

The J-7E should only have one gun like the original MiG-21F-13. If you look closely at the images here you can see that the gun location on the left side doesn't even have an opening for a barrel. This was done to make more room for fuel, some of the export double-delta variants like the PG keep both of them.

 

I definitely support the addition of this to the game. Despite the loss of a gun, all the other aspects are improved, and with PL-5s it would be a very competitive aircraft for the current top tier. Actually, I wonder if it would be too good in terms of performance for now. Supposedly the double-delta J-7 was capable of matching early F-16s in dogfights, which is no small feat.

 

And on a less important note, I think it's the best looking member of the MiG-21 family. It keeps the clean, sleek look of the early MiG-21s and adds on a set of beautiful double-delta wings. The mid-late Soviet versions like the SMT and bis just look ugly in comparison.

[Z3r0_ 4,127]

The cranked delta wing on this aircraft should give it some interesting handling characteristics, especially at lower energy states.  +1.

[Milocat 4,849]

+1 to this, China could definitely use different variants of their indigenous vehicles.

[ChangAnAve59 23]

11 hours ago, CLOSE_RANGE said:

The J-7E should only have one gun like the original MiG-21F-13. If you look closely at the images here you can see that the gun location on the left side doesn't even have an opening for a barrel. This was done to make more room for fuel, some of the export double-delta variants like the PG keep both of them.

 

Many thanks for the correction, I wasn't careful enough and mistook the prototype armaments with the production model.  

[ChangAnAve59 23]

11 hours ago, CLOSE_RANGE said:

Supposedly the double-delta J-7 was capable of matching early F-16s in dogfights, which is no small feat.

 

Kinda like what we have with J 35 in game now but better?

[CLOSE_RANGE 74]

38 minutes ago, ChangAnAve59 said:

Kinda like what we have with J 35 in game now but better?

Maybe? It probably wouldn't reach the J35D's level of agility since it's not a tailless design with a full delta wing, but at the same time it wouldn't suffer as much energy loss. The thrust-to-weight ratio should be impressive though. It's about 0.86-9.0 for a normal loaded weight and 1.22 when empty, on a typical War Thunder minimum fuel setting it would climb like a rocket.

[Borotovas 4,500]

+1

 

I would love to see this plane in the game.

 

I also want to see the J-7C come to War Thunder.

[_Pixy 196]

+1

[Bringer_Of_War 901]

+1 

[Borotovas 4,500]

+1 I still want to see this J-7 variant.

 

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

+1

[dawn_strike 73]

I don't understand why J7G was passed for consideration while this was not. It should come before J7G.

[Borotovas 4,500]

5 hours ago, dawn_strike said:

I don't understand why J7G was passed for consideration while this was not. It should come before J7G.

 

Maybe they will add both.

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

On 11/01/2021 at 04:09, dawn_strike said:

I don't understand why J7G was passed for consideration while this was not. It should come before J7G.

because player's suggestion is different then the dev team and their plans ?

[wilusXD 436]

)))))

[leroyonly 4,310]

As the J-7E has been implemented with update 2.7 Red Skies,

 

Moved to Implemented Suggestions.