Shenyang JZ-8
The Shenyang J-8 is a Chinese high-speed interceptor with a long, narrow fuselage and twin engines, often compared visually to a stretched MiG-21. Early J-8 versions used a nose intake and were designed to climb rapidly against high-flying threats. Later versions received side intakes and improved radar, producing a noticeably different silhouette. The type served for decades as China developed more capable fighters, and is notable for its role in the 2001 Hainan Island incident involving a US EP-3.
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Did you know?
Early J-8 interceptors used a nose intake like a stretched MiG-21, a giveaway trait that later J-8 variants abandoned entirely.
Specifications
| Length | 21.6 m (71 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 9.3 m (31 ft) |
| Height | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 12.7 t |
| Range | 1,200 NM (2,222 km) |
| Maximum speed | 1,250 kt (2,315 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 68,000 ft (20,726 m) |
| Engines | 2x Liyang Wopen-7A |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Shenyang JZ-8 starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Shenyang, the JZ-8 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
Catch it yourself.CatchFlights shows the aircraft flying near you on a radar, so a type like this one is only a catch away when it passes overhead. Explore CatchFlights.
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