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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 1283.PDF
FLIGHT International, 26 July 1962 133 CHINA The Chinese aircraft industry is con fronted with an immense task. Starting almost from scratch, it has the ultimate aim of making China self-sufficient in both military and commercial aircraft. Much has been achieved already, with the assistance of the Soviet Union, Poland and East Germany. The air forces of China and its allies, such as North Korea, have received a steady flow of Mig-17 fighters, Mig-15UTI two-seat advanced trainers and other Soviet-designed types built in the State Aircraft Works at Shen Yang, near Mukden. Gliding schools have been equipped with sailplanes of Polish design, manufactured under licence. Most signifi cant of all, groups of Chinese engineers and students have developed prototypes of a number of light transport and general- purpose aircraft which will provide valuable experience even if they never enter production. The short time taken to design and build some of these prototypes is startling, even when we bear in mind that they were evolved from existing types. The second generation of aircraft now on the drawing boards will benefit not only from lessons already learned but from the availability of modern research equipment such as the two high-speed wind tunnels erected in China bv East German technicians in 1959. The Chinese State Aircraft Works Shen Yang, near Mukden Delivery of Chinese-built Mig-17s began in 1956 and several hundred airframes have now been produced at Shen Yang. Engines, instruments, radio and other specialized equipment are obtained from the Soviet Union. The Mig-15UTI is in parallel production, as are the Antonov An-2 general-purpose biplane, Yakovlev Yak-18 primary trainer and Mil Mi-4 helicopter. The only aero engines reported to be in production in China are the 160 h.p. M-11FR and 260 h.p. AI-14R radials of Soviet origin. "PekingNo I" Left, Magister production in Israel Asia's Aircraft Industries EVEN when we exclude the Soviet Union, there are more than 40 coun tries in Asia. Yet, of these, only the People's Republic of China, India, Indo nesia, Israel, Japan and Turkey have an established aviation industry, producing aircraft, aero-engines or missiles. In the Philippines, personnel of the Air craft Research and Development Unit of the National Institute of Science and Techno logy spent several years investigating the possibility of establishing a local aircraft industry. They built a series of experimental light aircraft using home-grown wood and materials such as "Wobex," a reinforced woven bamboo. This work was suspended in 1958, following a change in the organiza tion of the Institute. Elsewhere, there are a number of excel lent aviation servicing and repair centres, such as those run by Middle East Airlines in Beirut, Lebanon, and by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd, at Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong.
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