PLA J-15 "Flying Shark" Naval Fighter

China’s first aircraft carrier, the refurbished Varyag acquired from Ukraine in 1998, took to the sea on 10 August this year. Leaving its dock at Dalian, it undertook a maiden four-day sea trial. China has long been working at providing the People’s Liberation Army Navy with an aircraft carrier, a military asset that befits a global power. China has simultaneously been developing a fighter to operate from its future fleet of carriers, and the type selected is known as the J-15 from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) and 601 Institute. The J-15 “Flying Shark” is heavily based on the Russian Sukhoi Su-33 ship-borne fighter, but it features a locally made radar system and weapons. Powered by a pair of AL-31F turbofan engines, the J-15’s maiden flight occurred in August 2009. The Shenyang J-15 performed its first ski-jump takeoff in May 2010, and its development is continuing at a rapid pace, including with indigenous WS-10 engines.

Mirroring China’s own design path for the country’s first-generation carrier-borne fighter, Dragon has based its new 1/144 scale plastic kit of the J-15 on the company’s previously released Su-27 and Su-33 kit. However, the J-15 model has received parts like the arresting hook at the rear of the fuselage. The J-15 model is finely detailed in 1/144 scale, and it will quickly assemble into an authentic-looking model. The maiden voyage of China’s first carrier is a significant milestone, and it’s expected a series of advanced J-15s will eventually be embarked onboard for training purposes. Following on from the recent release of the J-20 stealth fighter, modelers can now reinforce their Chinese airpower with the J-15 “Flying Shark”!

Models are supplied unpainted and some assembly is required.