Curtiss F7C Seahawk vs Chengdu J-7

Curtiss F7C Seahawk

The Curtiss F7C Seahawk was a carrier-capable biplane fighter aircraft of the United States Navy Marine Corps in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Vote

Chengdu J-7

The Chengdu J-7 (Chinese: 歼-7; third generation export version F-7; NATO reporting name: Fishcan) is a People's Republic of China fighter aircraft. I...

The Chengdu J-7 (Chinese: 歼-7; third generation export version F-7; NATO reporting name: Fishcan) is a People's Republic of China fighter aircraft. It is a license-built version of the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, and thus shares many similarities between the two types.During 30 March 1962, the Soviet Union and China signed a technology transference arrangement pertaining to the MiG-21. Allegedly, while various kits, components, completed aircraft and associated documents were delivered to the Shenyang Aircraft Factory, the design documentation was incomplete, thus Chinese designers made efforts to reverse engineer the aircraft. While the two aircraft are greatly similar, areas of difference include the hydraulic systems and internal fuel arrangements. During March 1964, domestic production of the J-7 reportedly commenced at the Shenyang Aircraft Factory, however due to various factors, including the Cultural Revolution, mass production was only truly achieved during the 1980s. Numerous models of the J-7 were developed, featuring improvements in areas such as the armaments, avionics, and wing design. It has been principally operated by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) while numerous other operators have also procured the type. Outside of China, the largest operator of the J-7 is the Pakistan Air Force. Further Chinese aircraft, such as the Shenyang J-8 interceptor, were developed upon the experiences gained from the J-7 programme. Several nations, including Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka, deployed the type in offensive roles. During 2013, production of the J-7 was terminated. Newer fighter aircraft, such as the JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter, have succeeded it for the export market. To date, large numbers of J-7s remain in service with both the PLAAF and multiple export customers.

Read more ↓ Vote