After determining the work plan, Zhou Yang and others did not bother to take a break, and even threw themselves into the intense work!
Since there are only two J-8 fighters at Liaoshen Aircraft Factory, and time is tight!
For Zhou Yang and others, this means that any changes must be foolproof. After all, limited resources greatly reduce their chances of trial and error.
Fortunately, Zhou Yang has not only seen the J-8B fighter modified by the Thief Eagle, but also the J-8 II fighter designed by us. He knows very well that the key to upgrading the J-8 fighter is to improve the front-end body layout of the fighter.
The J-8 adopts an aerodynamic layout with nose air intake, large sweep angle, small aspect ratio, thin delta wing, lower horizontal tail, and double ventral fins.
Although this layout highlights high-altitude and high-speed performance, increases range, improves climb rate and strengthens firepower, it meets the requirements for high-altitude combat. Compared with the J-5, J-6 and J-7 fighters, this fighter has better performance in various performance indicators. Improve and improve.
However, this layout also sacrificed some space of the fighter aircraft, leaving the original J-8 model lacking space to install more advanced avionics equipment.
Therefore, Zhou Yang immediately redesigned part of the original aircraft body according to the nose layout of the J-8II fighter he remembered, and proposed an aerodynamic layout with air intakes on both sides, a flat tail under the delta wing and double ventral fins.
At the same time, he also proposed to use an all-metal semi-monocoque fuselage for the fighter's fuselage to increase the strength of the fighter's fuselage.
Subsequently, Gu Zhenhua led the J-8 fighter design team to immediately demonstrate the plan proposed by Zhou Yang and conduct wind tunnel testing.
Since Zhou Yang's plan has been verified, there will naturally be no problems in theoretical demonstration.
Although due to limited conditions, there is no large-scale wind tunnel available for testing, and only models can be used for testing, the theoretical demonstration was quickly passed.
After passing the demonstration, Liaoshen Aircraft Factory immediately re-produced the nose according to the improved plan.
Due to the tight schedule, engineers at the airport could only hand-build the required parts.
On September 8, after a week of overtime work, the nose part of the improved model of the J-8 fighter was finally built.
Subsequently, under the auspices of Zhou Yang, Gu Zhenhua and others, the new machine head finally replaced the original old machine head.
After replacing the new nose, everyone felt that the modified model was more domineering.
However, the purpose of modifying the nose is not to make the fighter plane look better, but to add more space to facilitate the installation of more advanced avionics systems.
How the fighter aircraft performs, the avionics system is crucial.
Among all avionics systems, radar is the most important component. In addition, there are global positioning integrated navigation systems, multi-function display systems, integrated electronic countermeasures systems, etc.
After the nose modification was completed, it was Zheng Aiguo's turn and others' turn.
Then, with the efforts of Zheng Aiguo and others, the pulse Doppler radar brought from Babaoliang Village was installed on the No. 2 aircraft.
Finally, after working hard for so long, this advanced radar finally has a real home.
At this time, the time has come to September 20, a full 25 days since Zhou Yang and others arrived at Liaoshen Aircraft Factory.
To be honest, this time is much slower than Zhou Yang expected!
However, Zhou Yang also knew that this could not be blamed on anyone. It was mainly because emergencies delayed work progress.
The sudden death of that person directly disrupted the research progress of the research team.
Coupled with various mourning activities, it was delayed for more than ten days.
Fortunately, although this matter has a great impact, everyone also knows that the dead have passed away, and the living must continue to live.
After a period of delay, the comrades of the working group once again devoted themselves to intense work.
Finally, on September 20, the transformation and upgrade of the fighter radar system was completed!
Subsequently, Zhou Yang and Gu Zhenhua jointly reported the situation to the top management of Liaoshen Aircraft Factory and requested the first test flight.
After a meeting and discussion by the factory's senior management, their request for a test flight was agreed to and the test flight time was set for the morning of September 23rd!
.......
In the early morning of September 23, 1976, at one end of the test runway of the Liaoshen Aircraft Manufacturing Factory, a heroic fighter plane was parked there, waiting for the order to take off.
In the observation area on one side of the test flight ground, hundreds of uniformed staff gathered together excitedly, and everyone's eyes were fixed on this domineering-looking fighter plane.
In the front row of the observation area, Zou Haiping, director of the Liaoshen Aircraft Factory, and a group of factory leaders were also discussing the fighter jet in front of them enthusiastically.
Although they often listened to reports from Gu Zhenhua, Zhou Yang and others during this period, and knew that the changes they made to the No. 2 aircraft were particularly large, they did not expect that the fighter plane would look so domineering after the modification.
More importantly, even people who don't understand technology can see that with this change, the space in front of the fighter plane has been significantly increased. This solution is obviously better than their previous design.
For a time, everyone was full of expectations for this fighter plane!
At 9:30 a.m., as the test pilot entered the cockpit, the countdown to the test flight began.
Then, at Zou Haiping's order, the test pilot started the fighter plane!
With a loud roar, the fighter plane began to slide quickly on the runway. Then the pilot pulled the stick to climb, and the fighter plane soared into the blue sky.
After the fighter plane took off, everyone did not relax, and no one cheered. Everyone's heart was lifted.
After all, the aircraft has been modified so much that it doesn't matter if it flies, it still has to be stable.
At this moment, the pilot's voice came from the tower's microphone: "Report, the aircraft is at an altitude of 3,000 meters and a speed of Mach 1.5. It is flying normally!"
After hearing the pilot's report, the staff on site breathed a sigh of relief and then cheered.
At this moment, a huge engine sound was heard in the air again, and then the fighter plane was seen lowering its altitude and circling smoothly and cheerfully.
Everyone was excited to see the fighter plane's vigorous and light movements. This shows that the fighter plane's flight has not been affected by changes in body design, and their improvements have been successful.
At that moment, Zhou Yang immediately passed the tower and asked the pilot to test the performance of the radar immediately!
Soon, the pilot's exclamation came from the tower: "Report: The radar scanning range is plus or minus 65 degrees; pitch is 8 lines... The detection range of the front hemisphere is 310 kilometers, and the detection range of the rear hemisphere (lateral) is 245 kilometers. ..."
Hearing the voice coming from the tower microphone, everyone in the entire observation area was stunned!
Although not all the leaders and technicians present understand radar, they all know the basic parameters of the J-8 fighter. In comparison, the data reported by the pilots can no longer be described as a slap in the face.
The two are completely incomparable!
Such parameters not only easily achieve over-the-horizon detection and tracking, but even surpass the functions of ordinary early warning radars, outperforming the radar they had equipped before!
After replacing the radar brought by Zhou Yang and others, not to mention firepower, but just in terms of detection and tracking capabilities, the J-8 fighter is no longer inferior to any fighter in the world.
Even against the third-generation fighters of the Woolly Bear Alliance and the Thief Eagle, they are not inferior in this regard.
If the problems with the engine and weapon system are solved, this fighter may really become a true third-generation fighter, as Zhou Yang said.
Thinking of this, everyone including Zou Haiping became excited.
After a brief silence on the field, the staff on the field soon burst into loud cheers again.
In an instant, the entire test flight ground erupted in applause, which lasted for a long time!
(J-8 prototype: both sides of the nose are round and have no air inlets)
(J-8 improved version: the air intakes on both sides are very obvious)
(Improved version!)
