Most aircraft aficionados that go to Beijing will know and visit Xiaotangshan, but downtown Beijing houses the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution in a recently refurbished and properly impressive palace.
Before the mass license production of the MiG-17, 19 and homebred derivatives started, the Peoples Republic started its jet age with the MiG-15bis, later followed by the MiG-15UTI like this 67973.
Loooong, J-8 the first operational indigenous air defence fighter; at least if you discount the J-7 being a MiG-21 derivative. Of course, you could say the J-8 is a J-7 on steroids...
China had P-51Ds? Well, yes they did, but not this particular one that was obtained for display purposes. The Mustang is significant as it was operated by Chinese Communist forces in 1939, even before the Peoples Republic was established.
First generation J-7 aircraft closely resemble the MiG-21F it was developed from. This J-7-I is suspended from the roof leading a row of sixties-era figher aircraft.
Another historic aircraft that can be found in the museum is this Tu-2, a highly acclaimed fast Soviet bomber. The PLAAF operated the type until as recent as 1982.
The MiG-15bis was operated in the fifties in large numbers. Contrary to what is reported sometimes, these were not manfactured in China and they were not called J-2 either.
Eye-catcher is undoubtedly this early model H-6A bomber. Being the real centrepiece, it proofed hard to photograph unobstructed.
Two Q-5 attack aircraft are captured in this shot with a J-8E sticking its nose in too. The gloss white does give these strike aircraft derived from the MiG-19/J-6 an odd look.
This is an early MiG-17, later models were manufactured locally as J-5.
The two-seat JJ-6 development of the J-6, itself a MiG-19, looks gorgeous we think.
Unique aircraft is the two seat JJ-5, since there are no dual seat MiG-17s! Basically, the resourceful Chinese bolted a MiG-15 cockpit onto a MiG-17 frame an stretched the nose a bit. Basic trainer CJ-6 is on its six.
The Y-5 is a license built An-2. Behind it the CJ-6 can bee seen a bit better. That one is a far cousin of the Yak-18 and is still being produced in small numbers.
Price exhibit is the Republic of China/US operated U-2C 3512/56-6691 that was shot down by an SA-2 on 10 January 1965. The wreck of it is now laid out as complete as possible in the basement amidst hordes of tanks and artillery pieces.
The 70th anniversary of the Peoples Republic of China on 1 October 2019 meant extra adornments throughout the city. Also, the museum held a special exhibition on calligraphy in commemoration of this.