"About the new Chinese Y-20 strategic transport aircraft " Topic

"The Y-20, China's first domestically designed large transport aircraft developed by Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation, is likely to enter service with the People's Liberation Army in the next two years, Chinese newspaper People's Daily reported on Oct. 16…."

Full article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

Looks like an Il-76 with no tail turret and modified front section:

Especially the tail section looks to me like a copy of a C-17.

Cheers,
Benjamin

Agreed, MCV 80. Much of the fuselage aft of the cockpit looks like a C-17 knockoff, while the cockpit itself is a bit different. It looks like the aiframe may actually be a lot smaller than the C-17 as well.

Yes, very much a C17 knockoff. The tail assembly in particular is EXACTLY the same:

But that can't be true, as China says it doesn't conduct industrial espionage or copyright theft.

Wing structure and especially the bit where they connect to fuselage are Il-76 as is the rear landing gear.

Dimensions are closer to Il-76 as well than a C-17. Engines are same as Il-76MD (though it's planned to put Chinese engines in at some time).

None of this is particularly surprising given the Chinese have imported and continue to imported large numbers of Il-76s.

Apparently both failed Russian An-70 and espionage re: C-17 might have played a role in it's development but C-17 influence is regarded as superficial.

This article analyses the aircraft with referrences to espionage as well as analysis design paradigm of aircraft.

globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/y-xx.htm

Here's a comparison between PLA airlifters including two Y-8 (An-12) variants, an Il-76 and a Y-20.

Whilst the Chinese might copy western aesthetic looks, they generally go for a more Russian approach in the actual aircraft. Makes sense given their far less developed technogoical base and lack of massive US logistics systems.

I agree with Thomas that some essential parts look like being designed from Il-76 plans.
However the rear/main landing gear looks like being taken from a A400M. And still the whole tail section looks like stolen from a C-17 no matter what they say. Or even like a A400M, I wasn't aware of how similar that section of the A400M is to the one of the C-17.

Cheers,
Benjamin

To a degree it's not stealing – the aerodynamic requirements imply a certain approach. After all physics work the same regardless of whether you're in China or USA or Russia. Look at how similar airliners are.

It's like the fashion with twin tails or variable geometry wings or stealth.

The more serious espionage is usually to do with less obvious items – construction materials, electronics, mechanical components etc.

After all copying the shape of a C-17 is irrelevant. It's all the "insides" that are far more important in this day and age.

I agree again with you Thomas, that to some extent some things like tails of specific aircraft will look (very) similar. This is why I wrote looks like stolen…
For sure it is more to copy a sophisticated item like an aircraft than getting the shape right.
However even design features may be protected by copyright or patents or whatsoever.
At last I wouldn't say that copying the shape of a C-17 or whatever plane is irrelevant, as you need to get a right shape for the right job. What I want to say is that copying or even allowing some influence from a specific, working and tested airframe can be relevant. No one would copy or?
However we all like good looking aircraft don't we?