Dragon's Wings-Chinese Military Aviation Since 1949 -Andreas Rupprecht ("Deino")

[ov-101]

I mean Koku-Fan's publisher——BUNRINDO. As far as I know they have a lot of high quality photos of Chinese aircraft。

 

[Deino]

I mean Koku-Fan's publisher——BUNRINDO. As far as I know they have a lot of high quality photos of Chinese aircraft。

To admit I don't know him. Do You have an e-mail address or any other possibility to get in contact with him ? That would be very kind and a great opportunity.

To admit I have the hope to get in contact with more Chinese photographers in the near future and maybe an offer I received from the Chinese magazine (http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/nz/bqzz/) to publish with them might help there too.

Anyway thanks a lot,
Deino

 

[ov-101]

Koku-Fan's Blog: http://blog.goo.ne.jp/koku-fan TEL:03-5385-5868 FAX:03-5358-5613

Weapon's E-Mail:weapon8953@163.com

 

[ov-101]

A new book published in China--Secret Archives of PLAAF Test Flight

 

[Krishna_j]

Andi - i am yet to see a copy of the book - but in any case will order one - the cover is a bit tame though - was expecting something as exciting as the older Russian SF books by Tony Buttler

a quick question do you cover the secretive VSTOL designs ? there have been persistent rumours that the PLAAF have bought the Yak 41 and Yak-43 designs and test data

 

[Deino]

Andi - i am yet to see a copy of the book - but in any case will order one - the cover is a bit tame though - was expecting something as exciting as the older Russian SF books by Tony Buttler

a quick question do you cover the secretive VSTOL designs ? there have been persistent rumours that the PLAAF have bought the Yak 41 and Yak-43 designs and test data

Thanks for Your reply and to admit even if at first something similar was planned for the cover when it was initiated as the "Chinese Secret Projects" book I'm now quite happe with the cover as it is and even more as how the book is right now.

However as typical with such books right after being published new information bacame avaialble and even if the Yaak-41/-43 rumours are not included - IMO these are simply just rumours - I included a short chapter regarding Chinese VSTOL-projects.

The most secretive one and only known by a tiny image from a wall at Shenyang is a development of the J-6 called 'mission-4' ... I knew that Bai Wei had some news and was working on a CG but sadly it was too late to be included in the book. Anyway I hope You like that book and here it is ...

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_5f6ff8c90101etv0.html

Deino

 

[robunos]

Interesting...looking at the reconstruction, the lift fans don't appear to have any structural support, unless the gas ducts are load-bearing...
Also, although the source image is tiny, it appears to show that the aft duct is at a different angle to the forward one. Perhaps control was to be by swivelling the fans, rather than by vanes in the exhaust flow...

cheers,
Robin.

 

[Krishna_j]

Thanks Andi - this is helpful - look fwd to getting your book- perhaps a web site where you update new info periodically will also be helpful

 

[GTX]

Got my copy yesterday. Very well done!

 

[Deino]

Fine and THANKx for Your reply ... so it is finally out !!

Do You think You could add a short review .... ??

Deino

 

[GTX]

Fine and THANKx for Your reply ... so it is finally out !!

Do You think You could add a short review .... ??

Deino

Can do. Just give me a few days to have a proper read through.

 

[gatoraptor]

Amazon (U.S.) still shows an availability date here of 4 October.

 

[SOC]

Amazon (U.S.) still shows an availability date here of 4 October.

Do what I do: cheat. I recently got a CD from Amazon Japan that was released there on 4 September and isn't released here until next Tuesday. I've done the same thing with books ordered from Amazon UK.

 

[Krishna_j]

Andi - your book is not available in the usual london Bookshops I frequent - including Ian Allan - apparently initial copies all sold out

 

[Deino]

That's on the one side fine (if it would sell fine) but on the other side a pitty ... quite funny my parents were in London last week and noticed the same !

But overall I'm sure that Ian Allan have some more volumes in their stock ...

Deino

 

[Lauge]

The most secretive one and only known by a tiny image from a wall at Shenyang is a development of the J-6 called 'mission-4' ... I knew that Bai Wei had some news and was working on a CG but sadly it was too late to be included in the book. Anyway I hope You like that book and here it is ...

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_5f6ff8c90101etv0.html

Deino

Erm....knowing full well that I might be nominating myself for the "Stupid Question of the Year 2013" award: Where do the lift fans go during cruise flight? And I realize full well that this question is irrelevant if the aircraft shown is "only" supposed to be a V/STOL test rig.

Regards & all,

Thomas L. Nielsen
Luxembourg

 

[Deino]

To admit that is not a that stupid question (at least not for me !) but maybe we transfer the discussion of that unique type and the question if it was only a testbed or even an operational type into a new tread.

Cheers, Deino

 

[sallows01]

I will admit that I had been looking forward to this book ever since I heard the first hints about it on this site. Chinese Aviation still has the ability to throw up new projects and actual hardware that I have not heard of previously. Unfortunately the long development cycles and the need to publicise early in a project mean that most American / European projects suffer from over exposure before a rivet or strip of glue has been put in place. Of course the Textron Scorpion has recently totally undermined that last comment!.
Simply put this book is a future classic that deserves to be updated and reprinted as more information comes to light over the next decade. From a front cover that incidentally looks far better in the flesh, through to page after page of atmospheric photos and computer generated models the book just grabs your attention. The writing is informal but very informative, I particulary liked the fact that the pace of Chinese development, both the slow and seemingly fast times, seemed to come across in the text. There are models of planes that I may have read about but never seen a graphical representation of before, like the Project 751 or J10, that really lifted the book above other titles in this area. It is a book that I am sure the more I delve into it is just going to continue to delight and enlighten.
If I could think of a way to emoticon a standing oviation I would.... Bravo Deino

 

[Deino]

Thanks a lot !

 

[ov-101]

look

 

[Deino]

Ohh . can You please tell me what magazine this is ??

I know that Bai Wei uses this comic-style illustrations in recent times - not sure but he also covered the Z-7 helicopter and the SAC J-10 - but so far I did not know in what magazine !

Is there a chance to get a copy ???

Deino

 

[ov-101]

come from this magazine

 

[Deino]

Oh, that's fine ! I just got an invitation from them to publish a few of my Combat-Aircraft-reports by them.

 

[gollevainen]

Has anyone managed to get their copy from Amazon yet? I ordered the book sometime around august and I got an email today that Amazon still cannot give the shipping date for the book. I'm getting inpatient here!! ...... B)

 

[sallows01]

Has anyone managed to get their copy from Amazon yet? I ordered the book sometime around august and I got an email today that Amazon still cannot give the shipping date for the book. I'm getting inpatient here!! ...... B)

I got mine from Amazon.uk delivered to Australia a few days ago.

 

[gatoraptor]

My copy arrived today, and at first blush it is an excellent piece of work; my only complaint at first is that the line drawings of the J-9 and J-13 variants are so light as to be almost invisible! I also wonder if the lack of an index will prove problematic in the long run. But I'll have to go through the book more thoroughly in order to make a true judgment. Certainly the photo selection is remarkable.

 

[famvburg]

Maybe those drawings are of the stealth variants of the J-9 and J-13. I'm still awaiting my copy.

 

[gollevainen]

I got notification from amazon that my delivery date is in 15th of November...so over a month wait still :'(

 

[Krishna_j]

Got my copy from Amazon

Here's my review from Amazon : http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1906537364/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img



In a well packaged book from Ian Allan (with Midland label now killed) - well researched text on the military fighter and bomber aircraft give a first look on the evolution of Chinese Fighter , ground attack and bomber aircraft from 1949 onwards . The reader is given a first glimpse of the conceptual designs like J-11 and J-13 and the H-7 bomber . The new types like the J-7 and J-8 are covered in detail with their variants. The origins of the J-10 could have done with more detail but the author has given us other interesting sidelights on engine development like the WS-9 and missiles like the YingJi-8 Anti ship missile - there is also a small reference to STOL projects .

Andi also provides extensive references and bibliography which is a refreshing change from some the Russian and UK authors who tend not to reveal their sources.

my recommendation is this is a must buy for anyone with an interest on China and the origins of their military aviation - as a bonus its in hardcover at an affordable price.

 

[Deino]

My copy arrived today, and at first blush it is an excellent piece of work; my only complaint at first is that the line drawings of the J-9 and J-13 variants are so light as to be almost invisible! I also wonder if the lack of an index will prove problematic in the long run. But I'll have to go through the book more thoroughly in order to make a true judgment. Certainly the photo selection is remarkable.

@ to all !

back from the holydays and THANKs a lot for Your kind words, ... indeed "gaotoraptor" hit two weak point of that book right on the nail.

To admit, I wasn't aware of how faint these lines would be when printed so this is surely my fault. A minor solution could be this line drawing made by Jens again with slightly more visible lines ... (who wants an even larger version just give me a PM)

Regarding the missing index that is another and IMO surely a bigger MINUS but the problem was that after all the work and research and all editing by Tony was done, it was quite a "hurry" I completely underestimated. Another - and for me mayor - concern was Ian Allans quite surprising decision to cut the book from 224 to 192 pages, which I only was informed when I received the first pdf. ... after some longer negotiations everthing was redone again and in the end there was no time - and to admit - also no space left to add an index. Sorry for that but I hope it is stillworth its price !

Cheers, Deino

 

[Jemiba]

I must admit, that I'm not guiltless about the faint drawings, as I already experienced this problem in Tonys Soviet
Secret Bomber Projects, so I should have put more emphasis on this detail.
Here's the J-13 page in the same format:

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

All of Jen's drawings, while excellent, tend towards the lines being too thin. When printed at high resolution, they are too fine.

 

[famvburg]

My copy arrived today and I have only thumbed through it, but just wanted to say, WELL DONE!!

 

[Jemiba]

Our discussion about line width and size can now be found here:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,20536.msg201359.html#new

 

[Peter Wimpsey]

It is always a bit difficult if the artist is not aware of the final size of his product as well as the kind of printing.

An epaper might be fine to zoom in if the drawings are still a vector graph - great for scale modellers.

But neither is it easy to do such a book with many pictures in a proper electronical layout nor is it economical liable as a pdf can be distributed way too easily then.

We should be happy that Deino has been persistent to get this book finally published in a decent quality!

 

[Deino]

@ again THANKs to all and even more that this quite interesting discussion about line width and sizewas moved into a separate tread !

Anyway since I still want to learn to improve I would be glad for some more comprehensive reviews but even more please tell me what's missing, could have done better (or could be done maybe next time), what annoys You ... or what is even wrong.

Cheers, Deino

 

[ov-101]

Andreas, on of your article has been translated into Chinese.

 

[Deino]

Interesting ! ??? Is it the Y-8 Versions Report published in the Combat Aircraft Monthly from earlier this year ... and is at least my Name given ??

By the way what Magazine is it ? Is it "Weapon" ??

Deino

 

[ov-101]

yes，it's comes from Weapon ...and By Rppurecht

 

[Deino]

Just found

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/ref/cp/book_cp_dragon.shtml

In introducing his book, Andreas Rupprecht candidly identifies rapidly changing events as the chief obstacle to accurately chronicling Chinese aviation history.

"[N]ew developments are happening in China all of the time," he writes, "and one can be certain that new information will appear immediately afterwards. That is the risk one has to take."

I, for one, am glad he took that chance: Rupprecht penned Dragon's Wings, his thoroughly informative, highly entertaining chronicle from Classic – an imprint of Ian Allan Publishing.

Subtitled "Chinese Fighter and Bomber Aircraft Development", the lavishly illustrated, 224-page account details development of frontline combat types. Most intriguingly, it also reveals numerous secret Chinese projects. And along the way, it corrects many myths, mistakes and misimpressions.

Coverage begins with the earliest Soviet jets in PLAAF/PLNAF service, segues to licensed production of MiG-17 and MiG-19 variants, recaps the native JJ-1 trainer, and continues with the first largely indigenous fighter designs and MiG-21 developments.

That's where Rupprecht unearths nuggets like the Dong Feng (DF) 107 and DF-113 – advanced concepts that confirmed maturing Chinese design talents. But when they failed to achieve production, China successfully developed domestic derivatives of the MiG-21F – the Chengdu-built J-7, the vastly enlarged J-8 and, eventually, the almost unrecognizably related FC-1/JF-17 "Thunder".

Next comes a fascinating chapter on further "In-House" projects. Coverage thereafter hits crescendo with sections on today's modern Chinese designs – the stillborn J-9, world-class J-10 and stealth J-20. Some of these allegedly equal the best world's best warplanes. Did Israel materially aid J-10 development? The author's research offers no definitive answer.

I especially enjoyed Rupprecht's segue into strike, attack and bomber types – notably Q-5 and H-6 variants, my personal favorites. How about that turboprop Il-10? And that torpedo-carrying Q-5B? Or that Xi'an H-7 study? The last resembled a hybrid Tu-16 and B-52!

Dozens of rare photos, color profiles and helpful sidebars augment text. Charts conveniently distill variant details. And Bai Wei's digital illustrations of Chinese projects provide intriguing peeks at what might have been.

Our Chinese cups truly runneth over. And this volume perfectly complements other recent references – including Chinese Air Power (Midland), Chinese Air Power (Harpia) and Chinese Aircraft (Hikoki).

But with extensive coverage of key designs – almost a medley of monographs – Classic's Dragon's Wings stands apart. Author Rupprecht offers plenty of previously unseen information for a truly compelling chronicle. I really enjoyed this enormously informative effort.

Roundly recommended!

CHeers, Deino