December Mystery Airplane

During WW II, the Red Air Force realized the importance of having dual-control fighter trainers. Thus, production versions of the Polikarpov I-16UTI, Lavochkin La-5UTI and La-7UTI, and the Yakovlev Yak-7V were built to provide transition training for front line pilots. Each of these, over 1,600 Polikarpov I-16UTI's for example, gave new pilots the chance to experience the flight characteristics of front-line combat aircraft before they met the Luftwaffe. Dual-control fighter trainer development continued after "The Great Patriotic War" for the new jets.

A dual-control version of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was built in large numbers. Since the Soviets felt the MiG-15UTI was acceptable as a trainer, they did not build two-seat versions of the more potent MiG-17 and supersonic MiG-19. However, the Chinese saw a new trainer as necessary and evolved the Chengdu JJ-5 for the People's Liberation Army Air Force and the FT-5 for export.

The JJ-5/FT-5 was a composite of the MiG-15UTI front fuselage, the Chinese-built J-5's rear fuselage with a 5,010-pound thrust Wopen WP-5D engine (a copy of the Rolls-Royce Nene), one 23 mm cannon in a ventral fuselage pack, and a small nose radome for radar ranging. The first flight of the JJ-5 took place on 8 May 1967 and production aircraft joined the People's Liberation Army Air Force in November 1967. A total of 1061 JJ-5's and export FT-5's was manufactured, production ending in 1986. In addition to aircraft for China, the FT-5 was delivered to Albania, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Zimbabwe.The JJ-5/FT-5 has a maximum speed of 651 mph, a range of 760 miles and a service ceiling of 46,900 feet.

The Pakistani Air Force notes that the FT-5's instruments and switches were "scattered around with no concession to ergonomics" and the ejection seats were not satisfactory. The Pakistanis used the FT-5 to replace American Lockheed T-33's. Only the North Korean Air Force continues use of the FT-5 trainer.

The FT-5 in the Oshkosh 2001 photo is an ex-Chinese Air Force example, serial number 551604, imported into the United States and registered N905DM in January 1988. For a time, it was operated by Dean Martin Warbirds of Burlington, Vermont. It is currently registered to Red Storm Airshows of Morrison, Colorado.

The Chengdu FT-5 proved a confusing mystery. A number of writers called it a MiG-15UTI or a MiG-17. Only Ed Wells recognized it as a Chinese model. As always, brief well, fly smart and fly safe. Blues skies and fair winds.