The Harbin SH-5 (Chinese: 水轰五型; pinyin: Shuǐhōng wǔxíng; lit. 'water bomb type 5', where "水轰" is short for 水上轰炸机; Shuǐshàng hōngzhàjī; 'seaborne bomber') is a Chinese maritime patrol amphibious aircraft intended for a wide range of duties, including aerial firefighting, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and air-sea rescue (ASR). One prototype and six production aircraft have been built.

SH-5
General information
TypeMaritime patrol amphibian/air-sea rescue
ManufacturerHarbin Aircraft Factory
Primary userPeople's Liberation Army Naval Air Force
Number built7 [1]
History
Manufactured1984-1985
Introduction date1986
First flight3 April 1976[2]

Design and development

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Research to build a seaplane capable of replacing Beriev Be-6s in service was initiated by the PLANAF in 1968, with designers reassigned from "Objective 3/17", a supersonic canard-wing fighter project. The first prototype flew in 1976; further units were delivered between 1986 and 1990.

Variants

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Harbin SH-5 on display at China Aviation Museum - Beijing, China
SH-5B Firefighter
One SH-5 was rebuilt for firefighting duties.[1]
However, by a Chinese source, there were total of 7 SH-5 were produced: 3 SH-5X Prototype, 3 Maritime patrol aircraft, and 1 SH-B Firefighter.[3]

Operators

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  People's Republic of China

Specifications (SH-5)

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Data from Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide,[5] Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89[6]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 8
  • Capacity: 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) maximum payload (cargo), 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) maximum weapons load
  • Length: 38.9 m (127 ft 7 in)
  • Wingspan: 36 m (118 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 9.79 m (32 ft 1 in)
  • Wing area: 144 m2 (1,550 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 25,000 kg (55,116 lb) SAR (Search And Rescue) and Transport
26,500 kg (58,400 lb) ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare)
  • Gross weight: 36,000 kg (79,366 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 45,000 kg (99,208 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 16,500 kg (36,400 lb) max
  • Powerplant: 4 × Dongan WJ5A turboprop engines, 2,350 kW (3,150 hp) each
  • Propellers: 4-bladed constant speed reversible propellers, 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in) diameter

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 560 km/h (350 mph, 300 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 450 km/h (280 mph, 243 kn) maximum
  • Min Patrol speed: 230 km/h (120 kn; 140 mph)
  • Take-off speed (water): 160 km/h (86 kn; 99 mph)
  • Landing speed (water): 92 km/h (50 kn; 57 mph)
  • Range: 4,756 km (2,955 mi, 2,568 nmi) with maximum fuel
  • Endurance: 15 hours on two engines
  • Service ceiling: 10,250 m (33,630 ft) service ceiling
  • Rate of climb: 9 m/s (1,800 ft/min)
  • Wing loading: 250 kg/m2 (51 lb/sq ft) at 36,000 kg (79,000 lb)
312.5 kg/m2 (64 lb/sqft) at 45,000 kg (99,000 lb)
  • Power/mass: 0.302 kW/kg (0.184 hp/lb) at 36,000 kg (79,000 lb)
0.242 kW/kg (0.147 hp/lb) at 45,000 kg (99,000 lb)
  • Take-off run (water): 548 m (1,798 ft)
  • Landing run (water): 240 m (790 ft)

Armament

  • Hardpoints: 4 with a capacity of 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) of C-101 ASMs, ASW torpedoes, depth charges; mines; bombs

Avionics
Doppler search radar in nose radome; MAD (Magnetic Anomaly Detector) boom extending from the tail of the fuselage

See also

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

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Notes
  1. ^ a b c "The Shin Meiwa PS-1 / US-1 / US-2 & Harbin SH-5 Flying Boats". Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  2. ^ John Pike. "PS-5 / SH-5 - Shuishang Hongzhaji (Maritime Bomber)". Archived from the original on 25 April 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  3. ^ "某型水上飞机水动力性能数值验证研究". Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  4. ^ "shenzhou_01". SinoDefence. Archived from the original on 18 March 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  5. ^ Rendall, David (1995). Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide. Glasgow, UK: HarperCollinsPublishers. pp. 505. ISBN 978-0-00-470980-2.
  6. ^ John W.R. Taylor, ed. (1988). Jane's all the World's Aircraft. London: Jane's information Group. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.
Bibliography