Thread by @CarlZha

Chinese General of Russian heritage, Lin Hu 林虎. Frmer Deputy Commander of PLA Airforce.

He is 1st gen of PLAAF pilots trained during Chinese Civil War. He flew fighter plane over Tiananmen during the Founding Ceremony of the People’s Republic of China on Oct 1st, 1949

Lin Hu’s father is a Shandong migrant worker who went to Russia where he married his Russian mom. Couple fled to China in Russian Civil War.

Orphaned at age 4, he was adopted by Lin family frm Shandong. He fled abuse at age 11 to join Communist Army during Japanese invasion

Communist commander gave him a new name Hu 虎 meaning tiger, he became known as Lin Hu.

Lin Hu started as an orderly as the Communist Army fought guerrilla war agst IJA in mountains of Shangdong. By Japanese surrender, 18yr old Lin Hu already served 7 years.

18 yr old Lin Hu joined Communist Party in 1945. Aft Japanese surrender, he went w his unit to Manchuria.

As a young man who already served 7 yr in Communist Army, he was selected to be trained as a pilot in new Communist aviation school under surrendered Japanese pilots

Lin Hu was among 1st graduating class of 10 frm the Aviation School 东北老航校.

He flew captured KMT P-51 Mustang over Tiananmen during founding ceremony of the People’s Republic of China on Oct 1st, 1949.

There were only 17 planes, so 9 P-51 flew back over Tiananmen twice

As Korean War broke out, Lin Hu (leftmost backrow in pic1, rightmost one pic 2) flew Mig-15 agst “UN forces”. He shot down 1 F-86, scored hit on another.

Later Lin Hu was shot down himself. Because of his features, Korean villagers mistook him for US pilot and proceeded to beat the crap out of him.

A Korean People’s Army commander who was frmer PLA, recognized his badges and saved him frm further beating.

After Korean War, Lin Hu got married and was made the deputy commander of PLAAF 18th division based in Shadi Air Base in Guangdong.

During 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis, 18th division under his command shot down 2 KMT fighter planes, injured another.

During Cultural Revolution, Lin Hu (left) was demoted frm Deputy Commander of Guangdong Air Force, forced to stayed at home to accept 政审 political investigation

During 1979 Sino-Vietnam War, Lin Hu (left) resumed his command post and went to Yunnan to prepare PLAAF for participation.

1974 battle of Paracel Islands agst South Vietnam and 1979 Sino-Vietnamese exposed many problems w PLAAF which failed to participate.

China talk w France to purchase Mirage 2000 in 1980s. But France backed out in 1986 due to US pressure

Soviet Union offered China Mig-29 instead

Deputy Commander of PLAAF Lin Hu decided Mig-29 not fit China’s need, to import Su-27 instead. He correctly understood USSR in 1990 was in position to say no to cash.

In order to raise funds, Lin ordered stop production of Chengdu J7-2, cut order for J7-3 frm 1,000 to 50

In 1992, Russian Air Force flew 12 Su-27 to China becoming 1st Russian fighter pilots flying into China in more than 20 years.

Ukraine offered advanced air defense Command & Control system. But PLA high command didn’t understand its importance,rejected Lin Hu’s purchase proposal

China purchased Su-27 along w production line. Lin Hu was able to get Russia to agree to licensed production before his retirement in 1994.

By 2006, Russian Su-27 experts shocked to find out Chinese J-11B has surpassed Su-27SK in production quality and fixed many Su-27SK flaws

In 1997, 70 yr old retired Lin Hu (right) was invited to attend Moscow air show. Russian pilot and Hero of the Russian Federation Anatoly Kvochur invited him to pilot Su30.

Lin executed a series of aerobatic maneuvers including the Pugachev's Cobra independently.

Lin Hu passed away on March 3, 2018. Age 90 (91 in Chinese age).

In his lifetime, he witnessed China transformed from a war torn country under Japanese occupation into a world superpower. And he helped to shape that history