The more advanced the aircraft, the easier it is to fly!
The J-20 has a more complete flight control system, which is quite simple to control, especially the precise control required to land on the aircraft carrier, which can be achieved easily. During the whole process, Lei Zi actually did not have to do much operations. Staring at the data on the HUD and the Fresnel assist mirror, I lowered the flight altitude and landed easily!
Although when the deck is rapidly enlarged, it does put a kind of pressure on people, making people want to give up the landing and pull up the control stick to climb. After all, the landing of the carrier-based aircraft is directly hit by it, and people with poor psychological quality will feel fear. But for Lei Zi, after practicing many times on the simulator and doing it for real on the trainer plane, he naturally has nothing to fear now.
At this time, hearing what Lei Zi said, Delano was also full of expectations: "Really? In a few days, my helmet will come, I will try it too!"
If you want to fly this kind of plane, you need a special helmet...wait a minute! I don’t fly in aerial combat events, so I don’t need a helmet sight. As for the helmet display, isn’t there a HUD on the cockpit? I fly with a normal helmet on, and that’s no problem!
Thinking of this, Delano regretted a little: "I said, don't you need a special helmet to fly this kind of aircraft? If so, then I can fly later!"
"Yes, ordinary helmets can also fly, but after all, this is a special plane, we still recommend using customized helmets." Zhao Dangsheng said from the side: "Please don't worry, the pilots in the entire Wasteland Village base, you must He was the first to convert to fly the J-20 carrier-based aircraft."
“Then let’s do it in the afternoon, I’ll fly once in the afternoon!”
"Xiang De, do you still have the organizational discipline? Can you do whatever you want with such a serious activity as a test flight?" Xiang Jing's voice came.
So, Delano shrank: "Okay, I'd better wait for the helmet. If you don't have a helmet, you can always use the simulator, right?"
Everyone looked at this scene and thought it was funny. The mad dog Delano, who was not afraid of anything, was actually afraid of women. Sure enough, it makes sense that there are two types of Yin and Yang in this world.
“Of course you can use the simulator.”
“Then, can I go up to the cockpit and feel it now, okay?”
“You can feel it, but don’t touch it.”
Like a good baby, Delano carefully climbed into the cockpit, sat in, and looked at the single large screen in front of him. He was indescribably pleasing to the eye. This was the most advanced glass cockpit, with only one display screen and a touch screen. of!
Delano was very excited when he thought that a few years ago, he was still using mechanical instruments, but now they have transitioned to such large LCD screens. He looked here and there, and couldn't see enough. Then, he raised his head again and looked. Toward the top hatch.
The canopy is integral, and the windshield is also integrated. You can see two serpentine lines on the top of the canopy. Delano asked curiously: "What are these?"
“Explosive cord.”
“Blow up the canopy and save the time of throwing it out or wearing it?” Delano was very smart and understood it immediately.
Once encountering danger, the pilot needs to leave the cockpit as soon as possible and activate the ejection seat. At this time, there is a trouble: what to do with the canopy overhead?
If you fly directly, you will hit it. This is the case with the stupid goose in "Top Gun".
Modern fighter planes generally have two methods. One is to directly throw away the canopy and the aircraft becomes a convertible. The other is to use a canopy gun to punch four holes in the canopy and then forcefully knock it open by the top of the ejection seat.
No matter what method, time is wasted. For pilots, ejection is a matter of seconds. Therefore, the most advanced ejection method is to embed an explosive cord on the canopy. When necessary, detonate it directly, and the explosive cord will explode directly. Hole, the ejection seat can ignite simultaneously, and by the time it goes out, a big hole has exploded above its head.
This technology is not simple. The direction of the pre-embedment and the amount of explosive charge must be studied repeatedly to make the finally exploded glass fly outward. It is a directional blasting, and it also needs to achieve this effect under high-speed airflow.
“So, how come there are canopy-throwing rockets on both sides of this hatch?” Delano pointed to the two white tubes on the canopy. These are professional canopy-throwing rockets.
"This is double insurance, which can meet more complex and diverse environments." Qin Tao explained on the side: "For example, what should I do if the fighter jet is on the ground and the canopy cannot be opened? If the explosive cord is activated, then the glass of the canopy can't be opened. If it explodes everywhere, it would be more convenient to just throw it away as a whole.”
This is no joke, there really is such an unlucky guy. One morning, after an F-22 pilot from the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia entered the cockpit, the red canopy unlocked warning light came on.
It's just like a car. If you can't close the door, you slam it hard a few times. So the pilot repeatedly opens and closes the canopy. It doesn't work for the first few times. After the fifth time, the canopy does close down and locks, but what's worse is Something happened: This thing can’t be opened!
The pilot was like a child abandoned in a car. He spent five long hours. Fortunately, the weather was not very hot at the time. The ground crew called Lockheed Martin repeatedly to ask for various solutions. In the end, they could only use The simplest and crudest way: ask the base firefighters! A chainsaw solves the problem!
At that time, the rescue scene was in a mess: pieces of plexiglass and lubricating oil from the chain saw were scattered everywhere. The firefighters were only responsible for cutting the hatch cover and not caring about other parts. As a result, the stealth coating on the surface of the F-22 fuselage was scratched. In many places, after the pilot got off the plane, the first thing he did was to pour water on the grass next to the plane. He held it for more than five hours.
Any accident may occur, so it is better to have an additional insurance measure.
“I want to know, since you can already make a one-piece canopy, why do you add such a partition to it?”
Early domestic fighter planes all had fixed windshields and three pieces of glass. There was nothing we could do about it. It could be made into one piece, but the curved glass had optical distortion, making it impossible to aim and shoot. Even the Tomcat fighter jet still had three pieces of windshield in front.
On the F-15, it finally became an integral windshield, removing those partitions that obstructed the view. The F-16 even removed the windshield and used an integral bubble canopy, which looks very modern.
Doesn’t this kind of technology not exist in the East?
The overall canopy does not have a partition frame, which means there are no blind spots in the field of vision, which is very beneficial for observing the surrounding airspace.
"Yes, we can indeed manufacture the overall canopy, but if it does not have a partition frame, we can only increase the thickness of the canopy." This Zhao Dangsheng has the most say. After all, he is a designer. When the J-20 was first manufactured, it did use an integral bubble canopy without a partition, the same as the F-16, but it was later replaced.
"Fighters must pursue stealth, so the canopy must be coated during manufacturing. At the same time, to increase strength, multiple layers of materials must be pressed together." Zhao Dangsheng said: "If there is no partition frame, in order to adapt to high-altitude and high-speed Environmentally speaking, in order to maintain the strength of the canopy in the event of an accident such as a bird collision, it must be made very thick. The thicker it is, the heavier it is. We have to find ways to reduce weight."
“With the partition frame, the canopy can be made thinner, so that the explosive cord can easily function.” Zhao continued to introduce.
It's not just a few words that can point out the country. Various solutions have their own advantages and disadvantages. Just look at the Yankees and you will know that they use integral hatch covers on the F-16 and F22, and add partitions on the F35. frame. Therefore, the specific choice depends on the designer’s ideas.
Delano gave up on the canopy and continued to look at other things. Because the cockpit was not powered on, there was nothing on the display screen. He could only focus on the HUD, which was very large. Not only can it display various data, it is said that it can also display images?
Let's wait and try it on the simulator to find out.
“The satellite window is about to pass, and we need to drag the aircraft to the hangar.” said the person in charge of the base. Nowadays, there are satellites flying overhead at any time, and all kinds of tests that need to be kept confidential have to be carried out in a hurry, and time is very tight.
“That’s right, drag the J-20 to the hangar first.” Wu Shengli was also very serious: “We must not let them know that we have one more type of carrier-based aircraft!”
Qin Tao sighed on the side.
The navy is becoming more and more powerful, and now it really has to hide its strength. If the Americans know that in addition to medium-sized carrier-based stealth aircraft, they also have a heavy-duty carrier-based stealth aircraft, I don’t know how they will react.
After all, their navy has nothing, and its eyes are dark. In this case, will their navy choose to change the F22 into a carrier-based aircraft? The contradiction between the navy and air force is indeed great, but as the generation gap is getting bigger and bigger, it is urgent to update their fighter aircraft.
In fact, the U.S. Navy originally considered a carrier-based version of the F22, and even had a design plan to change the butterfly wing to a variable sweep wing. However, with the end of the Cold War, they no longer have the threat. Such an improvement plan would not only cost a lot of money, but would also embarrass the Navy. After all, the F22 belongs to the Air Force, and in the end it was not changed. They chose to upgrade their Hornets to deal with the lack of supply.
However, there is no airtight wall in the world. Sooner or later, the Americans will know that the East has moved advanced heavy-duty stealth fighters onto aircraft carriers. At that time, what should the Americans do?
Needless to say, at that time, just now, Americans are already anxious.
"The proliferation of stealth aircraft is getting more and more serious. We will face the threat of stealth aircraft at any time. This time our aerial tanker encountered an accident, which is inseparable from the stealth aircraft!" Swift's face was serious.
The war in the oil region has been won with the absolute superiority of the Americans. Swift also left the aircraft carrier formation and returned to the United States. However, he did not feel any joy. The threats they faced were becoming more and more serious. Many countries in the oil region They all joined forces and created an unfavorable situation for them.
The key is, what should they do in the face of a stealth machine?
"The best way to face the enemy's stealth aircraft is that we also have our own stealth aircraft." Hudson proudly said: "Sir Swift, our F-32 has been modified to the 374 model, and it is already a It’s a fighter jet with complete performance. Didn’t you say last time that you wanted to inspect the performance of our fighter jet? Now, our F-32C can go to the Navy base for training at any time. By the way, I heard that General Atomics has recently completed the debugging. We have an electromagnetic catapult and are conducting ejection experiments. The combination of our F-32C and electromagnetic catapult should be the best choice."
"Really? No more falling off the gate? Can you eject carrier-based aircraft?" Swift was very interested in the news: "Okay, then let's go to New Jersey and have a look!"
Lakehurst Air Terminal, New Jersey.
Surrounded by dense forests, this place is very well concealed. Many advanced technologies are being tested here. Of course, the long-awaited electromagnetic catapult technology of the US Navy also started here.
The airport has three main runways. At this time, the runway on the far right has been modified to make it look more like the deck of an aircraft carrier. There are blocking cables behind the runway and a catapult in front. On the side is a conventional steam catapult, and on the right is a newly installed electromagnetic catapult.
Who said that only Easterners can build electromagnetic catapults? American technology is the most advanced in the world! They have decades of experience in operating aircraft carriers. They design and manufacture advanced steam catapults. Of course, they will not fall behind in the field of electromagnetic catapults!
Stimulated by the East, the Navy increased its research and development funding, and General Atomics conducted development day and night. Now, it has finally developed the first electromagnetic catapult and installed it on the runway!
It’s just...this electromagnetic catapult seems a bit long?
When Swift saw this electromagnetic catapult for the first time, he frowned. Comparing it with the steam catapult next to it, he could tell at a glance that this thing was obviously dozens of meters long! The last time I came here, it was still the same length as the steam catapult!
Is it because the power of our electromagnetic catapult is insufficient, so the length must be increased to meet the ejection requirements? Thinking of this, Swift frowned.
“What is the length of this electromagnetic catapult?”
"One hundred and fifty meters." George Sulich said: "We designed it based on the Navy's 150,000-ton aircraft carrier. Once the outside world knows it, we have to scare them to death. Since the East is developing an aircraft carrier with the same tonnage as ours, we Of course we can’t be compared with them, we want to develop a larger super aircraft carrier!”
Swift shook his head. Are you kidding? The Navy has a design plan for an aircraft carrier of 150,000 tons. However, the larger the displacement, the more funds are needed. Under the current circumstances, does the Navy have this strength?
“The Navy does not need a 150,000-ton aircraft carrier. Our electromagnetic catapult must ensure smooth installation under the existing tonnage, and the length is preferably about one hundred meters.”
"Yes, this is also our goal, but this is just an experimental catapult to verify related technologies. When it is installed on the Navy's Ford-class aircraft carrier in the future, it will definitely be shortened to about one hundred meters." Sulich said .
Swift nodded: "I heard that carrier-based aircraft can already be ejected?"
“Yes, we have tested Super Hornet ejections twelve times in three months and the system is working well.”
Three months and twelve tests, that is to say, only four tests in one month! Swift frowned again, the ejection frequency was too low!
"Today we are ready to launch the F-32C." Sulich said: "Please take a look at the majesty of our most advanced catapult. We have gone from the oldest steam train to the advanced maglev train in one step!"
Swift nodded: "Yes, I'm here today to see the preparations."
The F-32C was dragged out of the hangar. It has a big-mouthed toad-like appearance and a bloated body. Every time it looks at it, it will give people a special feeling. However, the appearance is ugly, as long as the performance is powerful. .
However, looking at the slender landing gear, Swift was always a little worried.
"What you see is our most advanced F-32 in the 374 configuration. Compared with the previous 370 model, this configuration of aircraft has reduced its weight by a full 680 kilograms!" Hudson boasted there: "Everybody. Look at the tail of our aircraft. No matter which model it is, there is a baffle-type two-dimensional vector nozzle at the tail, which can deflect by plus or minus 20 degrees. Even if it is a Navy carrier-based aircraft that takes off by catapult, it also has a vector Mobility capabilities are something our competitors don’t have, and even the East doesn’t have similar technology right now.”
The engine's tail nozzle becomes a rectangular shape, and two baffles are placed up and down to change the direction of the jet. This has already been achieved on the F-22, but it is even easier on the F-32. After all, it is a Chinese aircraft carrier. The engine is installed, and there is a long exhaust pipe at the back. When it reaches the tail, the temperature is no longer high, so a simple baffle can be used to adjust the direction of the airflow, which gives the aircraft the ability to vector thrust. This is the key to super mobility!
Swift nodded: "Yes, if we have this capability, the performance of our navy's carrier-based aircraft will exceed that of Eastern products."
Dongfang people have made rapid progress in some aspects, such as the stealth ability, which can be achieved almost at the speed of a rocket. However, they have made slow progress in some aspects, such as vector nozzles. So far, there is still no sight of Dongfang in any way. This technology is used on fighter aircraft, except for vertical take-off and landing aircraft.
Our own aircraft has this ability and can surpass the opponent in an air battle!
Swift is very pleased with this performance.
"By the way, what's the status now? Is it still empty?" Swift thought of something and continued to ask: "After this plane takes off, it should give us a maneuvering show. I hope you can fill up the fuel tank." Full."
The last time the F-32B, in order to demonstrate its vertical takeoff and landing performance, deliberately added less fuel, but Swift asked to fly to land and land, which immediately confused them. Now, hearing Swift's request, haha Dessen was also stunned, then nodded: "Okay, let's fill up the gas tank."
“Bring the missiles with you, and while you’re waiting for the show, open the bomb bay for us to see.”
Sulich was anxious.