WS-6 is not a Xian’s project but Liming engine plant’s in Shenyang, actually because of WS-6 project onging in Shenyang Liming, the Xian No430 engine factory was able to secure the Spey MK202 deal.

Yes … but should this be a reason not to consider the WS-6 for the JH-7 ???

How many engines were built until 1980s? the anwser is zero WS-9, I have already said RR has already sold 50+ Spey MK202 to Xian upon signing the TOT deal with Chinese counterpart. so the engine is always available should Xian decide to trail the new fighter. However, Ws-6 is never intended to be used for JH-7. rather for a new high speed/high altitude fighter. Ws-9 came to live only when JH-7 prototype powered by Spey MK202 seemed successful.

Ok. … I think now I’m much closer – THANKS a lot for Your explanations ! – but regarding the WS-6 are You sure that this engine was never considered for the JH-7 ??? I have several reports/rumours or whatever You may call them which state that the WS-6 was originally foreseen as the suggested powerplant (as for the J-9, J-13 and Q-6)… and that the problems related to the WS-6 were one reason for the delys in the JH-7 programe. Only after the WS-9 promised to be succesful the JH-7 project was revived again !

Thanks again for Your help,

Deino 😉

Well, Deino, maybe I read too fast last time.

:p .. never mind !

…
Chinese has purchased 50+ Spey MK202 ready kits in RR’s stock plus spare parts upon agreement to the Spey deal. So the 1st batch of engine is just Spey MK202 not with any Chinese designation like what you said WS-9. The pity thing is when Chinese signed contract with RR in 1970s, and started to build all relevant facility to manufacture the engine afterwards. The then leadership of Chinese Aviation industries found no existing fighters were suitable to adapt Spey MK202. RR never advised Chinese to use Chinese version of Spey MK202 to power any new type fighter in Chinese blueprint. RR’s argument is that Spey MK202 is used to replace J79 on a mature platform of F-4. Chinese should not apply a new engine to a newly designed fighter. So you see during the whole 1980s, the setup facility assisted by Britons just sat idly for years, only when the idea of JH-7 fighter bomber came into play in 1990s, the people started to re-look at Spey MK202 and its production facility and decide to resume the indigenization of Spey MK202 which is code named WS-9. There’s always an argument on whether the Spey MK202 deal is worth or not, taking into account so many years are spent as well as a large sum of money. However, generally people would say it’s worthy as the spey project has changed Chinese aviation engine landscape and seeded many relevant Aviation engine tooling industries.

So in a summary, the spey MK202 kits powering PLANAF’s JH7, Chinese made WS-9 powering JH-7A in PLAAF & PLANAF

Thanks for that description … but the underlined, fat & red part couldn’t be completely correct as the decission to use the Spey 202 and later WS-9 instead of the originally planned WS-6 must have made earlier:

If I’m correct, the Xian made third prelimanary design proposal 10 November 1977 – most likely still with the WS-6 – but untill the roll -out in August 1988 and the first flight in December the change must have been done.

So my opinion is that during the prolonged and often delayed development phase, which came nearly to a halt between 1980~1981/82 (because of the country’s economic development was given a higher priority) this was the timeframe in which the engine was changed to the WS-9 … latestly by 1983 as at the same time Xian launched the testing program of the WS-9 turbofan engine !!

Anyway at the beginning of 1983, JH-7’s final configuration seems to have been finalized as its structural and system tests were completed, and the program moved into the stage of detailed full-scale development. The development project resumed full speed in 1984 only to be scaled down again in 1985 but was revived finally in 1986. After that XAC produced six prototype aircraft in 1987, with one used for static testing and the rest flight testing. The aircraft made its maiden flight on 14 December 1988.

So the question is: How many engines were built until the late 1980s ??

Deino

Hmmm … thanks for Your reply but sorry to say that, nothing realy new and if the JH-7 can be judged a failure should be left to other treads as I don’t want to ruin that in the same way as so many other treads.

Deino

WS-9 is the official designation for indigenized Spey MK.202 turbofan. Amd “Qinling” is the official name for WS-9. There’s no so called WS-9A.

Yes I know, but IMO the Quinling is an improved WS-9, whereas the standard WS-9 was already produced in China when the Quinling was only at the drawing board. Therefore – once again IMO – I was surprised that the Quinling was never called the WS-9A.

WS-9 turbofan engine is DESIGN certificated in 2003 and the following year it entered the production phase, however, the WS-9 only got its full certification much later, in Dec, 2007. it was production certificated and WS-9 powers JH-7A.

That’s another mystery to me: Some sources say the development was – as expected – heavily delayed my problems with production and only the Quinling was the final originally anticipated Spey-copy. Other sources – and here also the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust say that around 300-400 engines of the standard WS-9 were already built up to large stocks, at a time when only few JH-7 actually flew.

Specification wise, it’s quite similar to basic Spey MK.202, only marginally improved in TWR as reported quite sometime ago.

And that’s the point: What changes were made to achieve this ??

:confused: Deino :confused: