The CJ-6A Nanchang rests on the airstrip with the rising sun silhouetting its form, outlining the classic World War II era shape and evoking a bygone era of courage and daring in the face of incredible danger.

Every time I see it standing there, the timeless Nanchang warbird beckons me to climb inside and ride the wind on its sturdy wings, experiencing the joys and thrills of wild aerial combat manoeuvres that would make any grown man squeal with delight.

It was made during the age of heroes ‒ men who took to the sky to fight it out to win against all odds, putting their faith in the marvellous engineering ingenuity behind some of the world’s greatest advances in aircraft design.

A Certified Classic

Nearly 65 years since this particular plane was designed at China’s Nanchang Aircraft Factory in the late 1950s, it remains a rock-solid aeronautical marvel that has proven it can handle just about anything I throw at it. Few planes of its era were built as sturdy, capable of rocking anything from -2Gs to +6Gs without breaking a sweat.

And boy do I push it! High up above ground, with nothing but the horizon in sight and a bogey on my six, I know that this old bird will reliably handle whatever twists and turns I attempt and still keep flying.

This robust machine, the CJ-6, was commissioned by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force to replace the outdated CJ-5 World War II fighter plane. The CJ-6A earns its designation thanks to the engine being upgraded from the original 260-hp Zhuzhou Housai HS-6 engine in the CJ-6 to the redesigned 285-hp Zhuzhou Housai HS-6A radial piston engine in 1965.

An Enduring Masterpiece

The CJ-6A is one of the easiest planes I’ve ever flown but can be a handful to taxi under crosswinds. It is very responsive and handles like a dream, has a relatively comfy cockpit, and doesn’t cost a Shiekh’s ransom in fuel to keep it airborne. It has ample space inside for passengers and/or baggage if I want to do a cross-country trip, making it a great plane for social flying experiences.

Plus, its fully retractable three-wheel landing gear allows a relatively drag free 135 TAS cruise with approx 60 lt/hr at cruise power.

The strength of the bird is, however, one of its best features. Its aluminium alloy body is riveted to the gills and, in the opinion of some, overbuilt. But I say you can’t make a warbird too strong, especially when you fly aerobatics missions almost on a daily basis. At the end of the day, you want to get back on the ground in one piece.

The CJ-6A is agile, smooth and as close to being rock-solid as anything airborne could possibly be. It has that genuine retro feel with the leather WWII headset, the purring of the supercharged radial engine and even a genuine fuel smell every now and then, not to mention the sight of another aircraft in your crosshairs as you dance around the skies trying to shoot down your ‘partner’.

At Combat Flights Gippsland, we fly CJ-6A Nanchang warbirds so that you can experience the thrill of being in warbird either conducting aerobatics or the ultimate two ship aerial dogfighting while knowing you’re in safe hands in the air. Contact us now to book a flight or buy a gift voucher for that someone special!