J-4

J-4

J-2

J-6A

J-4

J-2

J-6A

China

V Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
9.0	8.7	9.0

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:61 000

Purchase:340 000

Description

The J-4 (known in Chinese client as MiG-17 米格-17) represented the batches of MiG-17 brought from Soviet Union before they were locally produced as J-5 (歼-5). As part of the 156 Key Projects, Soviet Union confirmed to license MiG-17 to Factory 112 (SAC) in 1953; the complete technical drawings, 2 MiG-17, 15 CKD kits and parts for around 10 jets were then delivered to Mainland China in 1955. The first of these jets took off to the skies in 1956/7/19 as the first jet Mainland China has assembled and soon joined PLAAF with some victories over ROCAF during the heat of Taiwan Strait Crisis. While it soon became the very first prey of AIM-9B on 1958/9/24 with Wang Zizhong (王自重) becoming the very first victim of AAM in combat history, MiG-17 and J-5 still served PLAAF humbly for more than 4 decades before later jets like J-6/7/8 eventually replaced them alongside with the MiG-15bis still in PLAAF service. Some of these jets were also aided to North Korea, Viet Cong and Albania etc., with KPAAF being the only known user up to this date.

Introduced in Update 1.91 "Night Vision" alongside with the Chinese tech-tree, the "J-4" a Chinese version of the MiG-17 and performs identically to it. Although it looks very similar to MiG-15 series, the more powerful engine, extra pair of wing fence and higher swept angle for the wing gives away the identity of J-4; while the jet will be in trouble if enemy jets come with AAMs like AIM-9B or R-3S and players didn't aware of their existence, but having high situation awareness to the battlefield and utilizing the airframe at lower air speeds (the control column is not design for speeds above 900 km/h) in dogfights will make sure most enemy jets face their end rather soon with the devastating firepower onboard; alternatively taking J-4 as a makeshift attacker is viable but requires extensive trainings to get used to the characteristics of the ground-attacking armaments.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Max speed

at 2 000 m1 114 km/h

Turn time21 s

Max altitude15 500 m

EngineKlimov VK-1

TypeJet

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight5 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 2,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	1,091	1,061	15500	22.2	23.2	41.2	39.1	475
Upgraded	1,128	1,114		21.2	21.5	59.9	50.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1,150	450	-	598	450	~12	~5

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 600	< 700	< 750	-

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Klimov VK-1		1	3,958 kg		227 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)			Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		8m fuel	20m fuel	29m fuel
872 kg	Centrifugal-flow turbojet		4,310 kg	4,755 kg	5,130 kg	5,485 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
Condition	100%	WEP	8m fuel	20m fuel	29m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	2,450 kgf	-	0.57	0.52	0.48	0.45
Optimal	2,450 kgf (0 km/h)	-	0.57	0.52	0.48	0.45

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear450 km/h

• 60 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
• 16 mm Steel plates behind the pilot.
• 10 mm Steel plate in the nose.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 726 → 4 056

RB8 118 → 12 079

SB8 861 → 13 185

Total cost of modifications101 700

164 000

Talisman cost2 200

Crew training98 000

Experts340 000

Aces1 800

Research Aces780 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

120 / 380 / 600 %

202 / 202 / 202 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 5 100 Cost: 8 200 300 Compressor Research: 5 100 Cost: 8 200 300 New boosters Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 100 330 Wings repair Research: 8 500 Cost: 14 000 490 G-suit Research: 5 500 Cost: 8 800 320 Engine Research: 5 500 Cost: 8 800 320	Airframe Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 100 330 Cover Research: 5 500 Cost: 8 800 320	ns23_belt_pack Research: 5 100 Cost: 8 200 300 D-4-50 Research: 5 100 Cost: 8 200 300 ns37_belt_pack Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 100 330 S-5K Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 100 330 ns23_new_gun Research: 8 500 Cost: 14 000 490 S-5M Research: 8 500 Cost: 14 000 490 EFS Research: 5 500 Cost: 8 800 320 n37_new_gun Research: 5 500 Cost: 8 800 320 S-21 Research: 5 500 Cost: 8 800 320

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 137 mm Type 37-1 cannon

Ammunition40 rounds

Fire rate400 shots/min

Weapon 22 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannon

Ammunition160 rounds

Fire rate900 shots/min

The J-4 is armed with:

• 1 x 37 mm Type 37-1 cannon, chin-mounted (40 rpg)
• 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, chin-mounted (80 rpg = 160 total)

Suspended armament

List of setups (4)

Setup 12 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bomb

Setup 216 x S-5K rockets

Setup 316 x S-5M rockets

Setup 42 x S-21 rockets

The J-4 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 2 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
• 16 x S-5K rockets
• 16 x S-5M rockets
• 2 x S-21 rockets

Usage in battles

The newly gained top speed performance and manoeuvrability come at a hefty price. Turn rate and low speed flexibility are reduced, due the stronger swept wing design and weight gain.

Acceleration also takes a hit, especially on take-off the predecessor will rush ahead.

As some positive characteristics traits of the MiG-15 vanish, some negative aspects also vanish. The newly designed tail enables far better control close to Mach 0.8 (it still lacks a flying tail though) and the roll rate also significantly improved. Manual limitation set the airframe at positive 8G, with the increased control the likelihood of over stressing your airframe is easy and a steady hand required in evasive manoeuvres.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Incredibly fast in a dive.
• Excellent climb speed, almost same as the J-2
• Very good manoeuvrability at low to medium speeds, also better manoeuvrability than its predecessor at high speed
• Excellent energy retention, but if you turn too hard, expect to lose a few hundred km/h
• Can safely reach a speed of 1,150 km/h when diving
• Unless rolling and pulling up at the same time, it's hard to break your wings in turn

Cons:

• Roll rate is not very good
• Guns are hard to aim and lead due to their relatively low muzzle velocity; small ammo capacity
• Different trajectory performances between 23 mm and 37 mm; requires experience and practice to use the weapons
• Guns tend to spark a lot (the N-37 in particular), especially with stock belts
• Poor acceleration between 800 - 1,100 km/h
• Doesn't do well in uptiers due to lack of air-to-air missiles, afterburner and radar
• Engine easily overheats, throttle management necessary
• Poor forward visibility in simulator, as a large canopy frame and the gunsight block the top and bottom

History

The usage of the designation J-4 is unclear, though most western observers claim it was applied to either the MiG-15 or MiG-17. One theory suggested that J-4 was the Chinese designation of the MiG-15bis, though this was later debunked when it was found that the J-2 was in fact a 15bis model. The most likely theory (and the one followed in-game) is that the designation was applied to imported Soviet-built MiG-17As, while license-built MiG-17Fs were designated Shenyang J-5 (F-5).

The MiG-17 was purchased and used by the PLAAF during the early Cold War era. It saw service alongside the MiG-15 during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, fighting against the ROCAF's F-86 Sabres. The two air forces were matched fairly evenly in terms of aircraft, perhaps with performance advantage going to the MiG-17s over the Sabres, but during the course of the conflict the Sabres were upgraded to use the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile. This new weapon was used successfully to shoot down numerous Communist aircraft, starting its first combat experience on a good note. However, in late September 1958, a dud Sidewinder lodged itself in a MiG-17, which returned to base. The missile was successfully removed and eventually sent to the Soviet Union for reverse engineering. The result of this would be the very similar Vympel K-13 missile, entering service as the R-3S in 1962. The PLAAF would also license produce the K-13 as the PL-2 some years later, bringing the Sidewinder into service on the other side of the Taiwan Strait.

Information is sparse on the fate of the MiG-17 afterwards. They were most likely supplanted by the domestically produced Shenyang J-5 version and eventually phased out of service upon the introduction of sufficient quantities of the superior MiG-19/J-6 and J-7.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the J-4 from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Related development

• MiG-17 (Family)

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (中航工业沈阳飞机工业(集团)有限公司)
Jet Fighters
MiG-15	J-2*
MiG-17	J-4*
MiG-19	J-6A*
J-8	J-8B · J-8F
Su-27 variants	J-11* · J-11A*
Export	Shenyang F-5*
	*Licensed Note: "J-2" and "J-4" are not official designations
See Also	Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau