Photo evidence: Maiden flight for the second China’s J-20 stealth fighter prototype

May 16, 2012 China

David Cenciotti

After a series of high-speed taxi tests with the nosewheel off the ground and subsequent use of the drag chute, here are the first images published on the Chinese forums showing the second J-20 stealth fighter prototype performing its first flight at Chengdu.

Image credit: http://club.mil.news.sina.com.cn/

[Updated] Photo: Second China’s J-20 stealth fighter prototype (almost) makes maiden flight (theaviationist.com)
Here we go again: second China’s J-20 stealth fighter prototype getting ready for first flight (theaviationist.com)
Second China’s J-20 stealth fighter prototype’s new radome: a sign of an installed AESA radar set? (theaviationist.com)

New China’s J-20 fifth generation stealth fighter prototype spotted at Chengdu (theaviationist.com)
China’s 5th generation stealth fighter performing combat maneuver tests over Chengdu (theaviationist.com)

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.