Yu Zhenwu

Yu Zhenwu (; July 1931 – 29 September 2023) was a pilot and general of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). As one of China's first test pilots, he conducted the 1958 maiden flight of the Shenyang JJ-1, China's first indigenously developed jet aircraft. He later served as commander of the Guangzhou Military Region Air Force from 1982 to 1985, deputy commander of the PLAAF from 1985 to 1994, and commander of the PLAAF from 1994 to 1996.

Early life Yu Zhenwu was born in July 1931 in Kuandian, Liaoning, Republic of China. He enlisted in the army in December 1947 and joined the Chinese Communist Party in August 1949. After the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) was established, Yu transferred to the PLAAF and trained to become a fighter pilot. He was deployed in North Korea in the last few months of the Korean War. Yu, one of the top fighter pilots in the air force, was selected for the dangerous job as the test pilot for the second plane. On 26 July 1958, Yu successfully completed the maiden flight of the JJ-1, which has since been celebrated as a landmark in the history of Chinese aviation. In August 1958, Yu performed an air show at the celebration ceremony for the successful development of the JJ-1, which was attended by Marshal Ye Jianying and the PLAAF Commander Liu Yalou. Yu attained the rank of full general in January 1996,