The aircraft in front of us was the first major modification of the H-6I.

Compared with the H-6I bomber, which is undergoing intensive test flights in a certain department of the Air Force and has not yet been officially put into service, this aircraft is different from the H-6I in that the transparent pilot cabin in front is gone, and the tail turret at the tail of the fuselage is also missing, replaced by a "small house" with transparent glass, and another less obvious change is that there are strange "pods" in the outer wing sections of the wings......

Yes, this is the H-6I air refueling model, HU-6I, considering that the H-6I will receive the official number of H-8 after it officially enters service, if the HU-6I passes the acceptance of the military and officially joins the Huaxia Air Force, the official number should be H-8U, H-8.

Why did Xifei develop a new air refueling modification of H-6I when the H-6U (H-6) air tanker had just officially entered service this year? is because H-6U has a big shortcoming, that is, compared with the air tanker, our air tanker only has a maximum fuel load of 37 tons, and the maximum refueling capacity is only a pitiful 18.5 tons.

Compared with the maximum air refueling capacity of the US KC-135 with a maximum of 52 tons and the KC-10A air tanker with a maximum of 89 tons, the air refueling capacity of the bombardment -618.5 tons is simply pitiful, and it can only be said that the problem of "having and not having it" has been initially solved.

Therefore, after making the H-6U, Xifei did not stop, there was no better platform, and there was no good way to fly west, but after having the H-6I, which is known as the "small stratofortress", the leaders of Xifei put forward an idea: Is it possible to develop another air tanker with H-6I? If an air tanker is developed on the basis of H-6I, what level can the performance of this air tanker achieve?

This question was sent to the technical department of Xifei, and the technical department quickly gave an answer to the first question: no problem.

Immediately afterwards, the answer given by the technical department to the second question was: because the H-6I enlarged the fuselage and wings, and retained the original engine compartment of the H-6 and changed it into a fuel tank, the maximum refueling capacity of the H-6I air refueling type can reach the level of about 48 tons, which is close to the KC-135 air tanker of the US military.

In other words, if an air tanker is modified on the basis of the H-6I, we have an air tanker with a refueling capacity similar to that of the main air tanker in the US military: KC-135!

This analysis report was immediately sent to the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense by Xifei.

The Commission of Science and Technology quickly gave instructions, and at the same time allocated funds, agreeing that Xifei Group will develop an air refueling modification on the basis of H-6I, and tomorrow will be the day of the official test flight of the H-6I air refueling modification.

Wang Xiaodong attaches great importance to tomorrow's test flight, and he is still staying in the workshop so late, which is to ask everyone to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the aircraft to ensure that the first flight tomorrow is complete.

Mr. Bai Qiupingbai, deputy chief engineer of Xifei, who had just completed the inspection of each system, handed the inspection list in his hand to Wang Xiaodong: "Lao Wang, the inspection is completed, the aircraft is in good condition, and it can be used for tomorrow's test flight mission." ”

Wang Xiaodong, whose eyes were red but in good spirits, nodded, took the checklist and looked at it carefully.

Bai Qiuping looked at the plane in front of him, smacked his lips, and said to Wang Xiaodong with emotion: "Director, you said that the bombers of the Americans and Lao Maozi not only fly tens of thousands of kilometers, but also carry more than a dozen cruise missiles with a range of hundreds of kilometers. ”

"Sooner or later," Wang Xiaodong, as the director of Xifei, knew more, in view of Bai Qiuping's level, he vaguely revealed a little information to Bai Qiuping: "We have such a good platform now, if we don't make good use of it, wouldn't it be too wasteful?"

"That's what I said," looking at the huge plane in front of him, Bai Qiuping couldn't help but reverie: "I don't know when I will see that day." ”

"Have you forgotten the sketch of the H-6I that Mr. Chen showed us at the beginning, there are 8 cruise missiles hanging under the wings, and 5 more can be hung in the bomb bay, a full 13 long-range cruise missiles, and there is also the ability to refuel in the air, tsk......" Thinking of the sketch called H-8N drawn by Chen Geng, Wang Xiaodong couldn't help but shake his head again and again: "When the day comes, in addition to the fact that our aircraft has a little less bomb load, the deterrent power is not weaker than Lao Maozi's Tu-95 and the American's B-52." ”

"Yes," that picture is just a sketch drawn by Chen Geng, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the super reverie type of H-8, Bai Qiuping has also seen it, and when he heard this, Bai Qiuping nodded again and again: "In-flight refueling capability, hehe......"

Thinking of the beautiful scene of the super modification called H-8N drawing a map around Huaxia, Bai Qiulian was already looking forward to it.

"So, let's do a good job of the super nurse of the air tanker now," Wang Xiaodong said, "Take your time, one day we can see that plane." ”

Looking at the brand-new air tanker in front of him, Bai Qiulian muttered: "If there is really one day, as long as I don't die, even if it is carried by my grandson, I will see its first flight with my own eyes......"

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"Boss, the Canadian Airshow Organizing Committee has replied, and they welcome you to the show. Leilani Taylor reported the latest situation to Chen Geng.

After returning from McDonnell Douglas, Chen Geng sent a letter of inquiry to the Organizing Committee of the Canadian Airshow in the name of the shareholder of COMAC, asking about COMAC's participation in the exhibition.

For Canada, the United States is the father, and Chen Geng, the richest man in the world, is the father they can't afford to offend, not to mention that before that, they have received an official letter from the two major American military giants, McDonnell Douglas Group and Lockheed Group, "hoping that they can invite Chen Geng's COMAC Group to participate in the exhibition, in this case, how can the Canadian Airshow Organizing Committee refuse?

Chen Geng was not surprised by the reply of the Canadian Air Show Organizing Committee, he nodded: "What else is going on?"

"Then there's the North American Detroit Auto Show coming up in January," said Laylani Taylor, "and the auto show organizing committee hopes that the city government will give them more support." ”

As one of the world's five major auto shows, the city of Detroit attaches great importance to the Detroit Auto Show, which has now been renamed the North American Auto Show, and it is not an exaggeration to describe it with the words "full support", but in this way, Chen Geng wondered: "The city government has taken next year's auto show as the most important work in the second half of this year, and the security in Detroit has also been greatly improved.