An extraordinary machine by any standard. In 1967, China attempted to develop its first AEW platform based on the Tu-4 airframe with AI-20 turboprop engines. The project was named KJ-1, with a Type 843 rotor-dome on top. However, the equipment was too heavy and failed to meet PLAAF requirements so the project was cancelled in 1971

One of the surprising exhibits to be found in the very dark cavern display. Apparently one of six received by China in 1983 as part of an arms exchange package and used for reverse-engineering in the abortive Q-6 attack aircraft project

There are two of these extraordinary turboprop conversions of the Russian-built B-29 at Datangshan, one an AEW variant and this drone carrier. The engines were the Ivchenko AI-20, as used in the Il-18

A large helicopter park at the China Aviation Museum holds several examples of the Chinese-built Mil Mi-4, including this medevac example

Equivalent to the MiG-17UTI trainer, this is a two-seater version of the Shenyang J-5 in the colours of the August 1st Aerobatic Team. The team later went on to the Chengdu J-7 (MiG-21) and since 2009 the J-10

When I last saw this Viscount in 1999, it was painted in China United markings, but it has since been restored with Chinese AF insignia, having served the PLAAF from 1983 to 1988

One of three examples of this heavy-lift helicopter bought in the 1960s, restored late 2010