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Eastern Order of Battle

Chinese Beijing Military Region
Ground Forces in the eighties

After the Sino-Soviet border conflict, both sides had stationed huge military forces in inner and Outer Mongolia. In the seventies and eighties the three Soviet Combined Arms Army at the Sino-Soviet and Sino-Mongolian border to confront six Army Groups of the People Liberation Army. In the late sixties, the Soviet forces of the Transbaikal Military District used World War two military equipment, for example, IS heavy and T-34/85 medium tanks but later got modern weapons too.

Chinese Beijing Military Region Chinese Beijing Military Region
Chinese Beijing Military Region Chinese Beijing Military Region

The Military parade in honor of the 35th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China. The military units of the Beijing Military Region in 1984.

At this time the Chinese People Liberation Army was a huge mass army with outdate military weapons and tactics. The Beijing Military Region is mainly responsible for defending the People's Republic of China from Mongolia and the USSR, and also protects the capital of China.

 

The seven Chinese fortress of the NorthEastern Frontier

 

Chinese Beijing Military Region

The Beijing Military Region had the largest number of military personnel during the Cold War. Six large Chinese Group Armies served in the Beijing Military Region in the eighties:
 

Chinese Beijing Military Region

 

Chinese Beijing Military Region Chinese Beijing Military Region
Chinese Beijing Military Region Chinese Beijing Military Region

The military units of the Beijing Military Region in 1989 on the Tiananmen Square. AP Photos

Chinese Beijing Military Region
Air Force in the eighties

Last updated: 07. 02. 2020

The Beijing Military Region's Air Force Headquarters was formed in October 1950. In June 1957, the Beijing MR Air Force and Beijing MR Air Defense Force were merged into a combined air defense system, covering Hebei, Shanxi, Neimenggu (Inner Mongolia), Beijing, and Tianjin provinces. After the Sino-Soviet split, the Beijing MR Air Force contained three Air Corps:

  • the 6th Air Corps was re-established in Tangshan, Hebei province, in December 1968
  • the 10th Air Corps was established in January 1969 at Datong, Shanxi province
  • the 13th Air Corps was created in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, in August 1970

In 1976, three air Corps were converted into two Command Post (Datong and Tangshan), subordinated to nine air divisions.

Chinese Nanchang Q-5 (1st Gen) Fantan ground attack aircraft
 Chengdu J-7I (MiG-21F-13) Fishbed interceptor fighter aircraft and PL-2 missile
Chinese Shenyang J-6 (MiG-19S) Farmer-C fighter aircraft

Above left: The 50th Air Division demonstrative bombing over inner Mongolia region with Q-5 (1st Gen) 'Fantan' in the late seventies. The 50th Air Division was established in 1971, later used Soviet-made MiG-15bis 'Fagot-B', and Nanchang Q-5 (1st Gen) 'Fantan' ground attack aircraft type from the middle of the seventies.


Above: Military crews of the 38th Air Division in front of four their Shenyang J-6 (MiG-19S) ‘Farmer-C’ fighter aircrafts in the late seventies.


Left: The elite 7th Air Division received a regiment Chengdu J-7I (MiG-21F-13) ‘Fishbed’ interceptor fighter type in the late seventies. The J-7 type used for the first time PL-2 air to air missile in the Chinese Air Force. Photo: bbs.top81.com.cn



The Beijing Military Region's Air Force was the most important Chinese military region during the Cold War. The Air Force is mainly responsible for protects the capital of China Beijing and defending the People's Republic of China from Mongolia and the Soviet Union in the seventies and eighties.
 


After the Sino-Soviet relationship deteriorated, the Soviet Tactical Air Force deployed one fighter, and three fighter-bomber air division to Mongolia and the Transbaikal Military District.

The Soviet MiG-21bis ‘Fishbed-L’ and MiG-23M/MLA ‘Flogger-B/G’ tactical fighter types were a very modern aircraft over the Inner Mongolia region in the seventies and eighties. The leaders of the Soviets looked down on the Chinese Air Force. Only 20% of the VVS aircraft was fighter aircraft. In comparison, in east Germany, 50% of the VVS was fighter aircraft at the same time. According to the leaders of the Soviets, the Su-17 ‘Fitter’ fighter-bomber type is equal in the air to air combat with the Chinese MiG-19 ‘Farmer’ type.
 

Sino-Soviet border conflict in the seventies and eighties map

Five Soviet Aviation Division (One tactical fighter, two bomber, and two fighter-bomber air division) in front of the Chinese Datong and Tangshan Command Post (with nine Chinese air division)

Shenyang J-6III MiG-19 Farmer advanced interceptor version

Chinese soldier in front of the 24th Air Division's Shenyang J-6III (MiG-19) 'Farmer' advanced interceptor version

In the early eighties, three Chinese air divisions of the Tangshan Command Post was deployed near the Beijing capital town. Three fighter air divisions (7th, 24th and 38th air division) defended the capital city in the daytime with Shenyang J-6III (MiG-19) 'Farmer', Chengdu J-7I (MiG-21) 'Fishbed-C' and new Shenyang J-8 Finback high-performance interceptors fighter aircraft, and at night they used the Shenyang J-6A (MiG-19P) 'Farmer-B' and Shenyang J-5A (MiG-17PF) Fresco-D night fighter version.  And a lot of HQ-1/2 'SA-2 Guideline' anti-aircraft missiles unit settled around the Beijing.

 

Combat fighter and bomber air units of
the Beijing Military Region's Air Force in the early eighties:
 

Tangshan Command Post
Datong Command Post



* Clarification is needed.
** The regiment used twin-seat Chengdu JJ-5 (MiG-17) 'Fresco' trainer type

The Datong Command Post’s four tactical bomber and attack air divisions (8th, 15th, 41st, and 50th air divisions) among other things flew with Nanchang Q-5 (1st Gen) 'Fantan' attack aircraft and Harbin H-5 (IL-28) 'Beagle' bomber aircraft type in the early eighties.

They were given tactical tasks facing the Soviet forces. At its northernmost, the 41st Air Division settled in the Inner-Mongolia, near the Sino-Soviet border with Shenyang J-6 (MiG-19) ‘Farmer’ tactical fighter and Soviet-made older Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 ‘Fagot’ trainer/attack aircraft types in the early eighties.

 

Chinese Shenyang J-6A (MiG-19P) Farmer-B all-weather interceptors Chinese early Chengdu J-7I (MiG-21F-13) Fishbed-C high-speed interceptor

Chinese Shenyang J-6A (MiG-19P) 'Farmer-B' all-weather interceptors of 38th Air Division landing

Chinese 7th Air Division used early Chengdu J-7I (MiG-21F-13) ‘Fishbed-C’ high-speed interceptor

Chinese PL-2 short-range missil Chinese pilot Chinese Nanchang Q-5 Fantan attack aircraft

The Chinese Air Force's most modern infrared-guided PL-2 air to air missile. The PL-2 short-range missile was very outdated in the eighties. The Chengdu J-7 (MiG-21) 'Fishbed' and the Shenyang J-8 'Finback' interceptor aircraft used this missile.

The 50th Air Division's Nanchang Q-5 (1st Gen) 'Fantan' attack aircrafts wore a white combat camouflage scheme. The photo was taken in 1984.

 

Chinese Xian H-6 (Tu-16) Badger twin-engined jet bomber

The 8th Air Division’s Xian H-6A (Tu-16) ‘Badger’ twin-engined jet bomber

In 1985 the Chinese leaders were restructuring the Chinese Air Forces. They withdraw the older MiG-15 ‘Fagot’, MiG-17 ‘Fresco’ and IL-28 ‘Beagle’ aircraft types from combat use. Several air divisions were merged or transformed.

On the Datong Command Post, the 41st and the 15th air division, the 50th and the 8th air division merged in 1985. The 41st and the 50th air divisions disbanded.

From 1985 the 8th Air Division used Nanchang Q-5 (1st Gen) 'Fantan' attack aircraft and received a regiment with Xian H-6 (Tupolev Tu-16) 'Badger' heavy bomber aircraft type.

Combat fighter and bomber air units of
the Beijing Military Region's Air Force in the late eighties:
 

Tangshan Command Post
Datong Command Post



* Clarification is needed.

The Tangshan Command Post received two new fighter types in the eighties. In the late seventies and the early eighties, the Soviet Tactical and the Long-Range Aviation forces deployed modern Sukhoi Su-24 'Fencer' and Tupolev Tu-22M2 'Backfire' supersonic, all-weather bomber aircraft to the Chinese border. The Chinese Air Force needed modern weapons, so the Chinese 7th and the 24th Air Divisions received new Chengdu J-7II (MiG-21) ‘Fishbed’ and Shenyang J-8A ‘Finback’ interceptors type in the eighties.

Later the 17th Air Division were transformed into a Training Base in 1988. And a lot of new HQ-2 'SA-2 Guideline' anti-aircraft missiles unit defended too the China's capital town Beijing.

Chengdu J-7II (MiG-21) Fishbed interceptor with PL-5 short-range air to air missile

Chinese 7th Air Division used Chengdu J-7II (MiG-21) ‘Fishbed’ interceptor with PL-5 short-range air to air missile

Shenyang J-8A Finback of the 24th Air Division take of with afterburner

Shenyang J-8A Finback of the 24th Air Division take of with afterburner

HQ-2 'SA-2 Guideline' anti-aircraft missiles

A lot of HQ-2 'SA-2 Guideline' anti-aircraft missiles unit defended the Beijong capital town. This photo taken on military parade in 1984.

** In Sep 1980, the 34th Air Division changed to Independent Transport Regiment or Center. In Marc 1988 changed back to 34th Air Division that is in fact directly subordinate to the PLAAF headquarters

*** The 17th Air Division transformed into a Training Base in 1988

The Chinese Air Force's first aerobatic team established on February 1, 1962, at Yangcun airport. The main task of the new air unit was to air escorting and flight demonstration. Their Shenyang J-6 (MiG-19) 'Farmer' fighter replaced on better performing Chengdu JJ-5 (MiG-17) 'Fresco' twin-seat trainer aircraft in 1980.

In 1987 the team was renamed the August 1st Aerobatic Display Team to commemorate the founding of the People's Liberation Army on August 1, 1927. The aerobatic team used this vintage MiG-17 ‘Fresco’ type until 1991.

Chinese Chengdu JJ-5 (MiG-17) 'Fresco' demonstration flight in 1984 with Xian H-6 (Tu-16) 'Badger' bomber

Chinese Chengdu JJ-5 (MiG-17) Fresco demonstration flight in 1984 with Xian H-6 (Tu-16) Badger bomber.

Chinese August 1st Aerobatic Display Team's Chengdu JJ-5 (MiG-17) Fresco aircraft Chinese August 1st Aerobatic Display Team's Chengdu JJ-5 (MiG-17) Fresco aircraft

Chinese August 1st Aerobatic Display Team's Chengdu JJ-5 (MiG-17) 'Fresco' aircraft.