Kharkiv KhAI-5

{{Short description|Soviet recon and light bomber}} {{More footnotes needed|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox aircraft | name = KhAI-5 / R-10 / PS-5 | image = Neman I.G., KhA-5 (R-10) (7586044752).jpg | caption = | type = Reconnaissance and light bomber monoplane | national_origin = Soviet Union | manufacturer = Kharkiv Aviation Institute, Kharkiv Aviation Factory | designer = Iosif Grigorevich Nyeman | first_flight = June 1936 | introduction = | retired = | status = | primary_user = Soviet Air Force | number_built = 500+ | developed_from = | variants = }} The '''Kharkiv KhAI-5''', (sometimes '''Neman R-10''') was a Soviet reconnaissance and light bomber aircraft, designed in the mid-1930s in the Kharkiv Aviation Institute (KhAI, - in Ukrainian: ХАІ), under the direction of Iosif Grigorevich Nyeman (sometimes written as Neman).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://avia.cofe.ru/N/Nyeman-KhAI-1-and-KhAI-5-Neman-HAI-1-i-HAI-5|title=Nyeman KhAI-1 and KhAI-5 (Неман ХАИ-1 и ХАИ-5) — Авиация от A до Z — Энциклопедия мировой авиации. Самолеты и вертолеты XX века}}</ref>

==Development== The first prototype of the plane, with a factory designation '''KhAI-5''' (ХАІ-5), flew in June 1936. Despite a lower performance, the aircraft won a contest against another reconnaissance plane design, the Kochyerigin R-9, and was accepted for a production with the military designation '''R-10''' ('R' indicated ''razvyedchik'' meaning reconnaissance in Russian).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.airwar.ru/enc/spyww2/r10.html|title=Уголок неба ¦ Неман Р-10 (ХАИ-5)|website=www.airwar.ru}}</ref> It was a modern design for the time. 493 R-10s were manufactured in the Kharkiv and Saratov aviation plants by early 1940.

The first series showed some teething problems, which resulted in Iosif Nyeman being arrested by the NKVD on December 11, 1938 under the accusation of sabotage and espionage, a common accusation at the time.<ref>https://shron1.chtyvo.org.ua/Kharuk_Andrii/Litak-rozvidnyk_R-10_KhAI-5_istoriia_stvorennia_vyrobnytstva_ta_vdoskonalennia.pdf?PHPSESSID=4tqqm6nfdsf3gn2p7m8iarsj05</ref>

In 1938 a variant, the '''KhAI-5bis''' was tested with an M-25E engine, achieving a speed of {{convert|425|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2020/04/16/neman-r-10/ | title=Neman R-10 - War History | date=16 April 2020 }}</ref> In 1938, the KhAI-52 ground attack aircraft, based on the R-10, was also developed. It was powered by a Shvetsov M-63 {{convert|670|kW|abbr=on}} radial engine and armed with seven machine guns and {{convert|400|kg|abbr=on}} bombs. A production run of an experimental series of 10 aircraft was prepared, but it was cancelled with Nyeman's arrest.

Some production R-10s were fitted with more powerful Tumansky M-88, Shvetsov M-62 and M-63 engines. Over 60 aircraft, withdrawn from the Air Force, were used from 1940 as mail carriers by Aeroflot, under the designation '''PS-5''' (Russian: ПС-5), with 3 passenger seats.

==Combat use== The aircraft entered service in the Soviet Air Force in 1937, replacing some Polikarpov R-5s. R-10s were first used in combat in the 1939 Soviet-Japanese Battle of Khalkhin Gol.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ctrl-c.liu.se/misc/ram/r-10.html|title=R-10, Neman|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414005325/http://www.ctrl-c.liu.se/misc/ram/r-10.html|archive-date=14 April 2017|access-date=22 November 2024|url-status=dead}}</ref> R-10s were used in against Finland in the Winter War<ref>{{cite web | url=https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2020/04/16/neman-r-10/ | title=Neman R-10 - War History | date=16 April 2020 }}</ref> and World War II, but by this time they were outdated and suffered heavy losses,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com/2021/10/09/bedcheck-charlie-1950-1953/|title=Bedcheck Charlie 1950 – 1953|date=October 9, 2021}}</ref> as did the rest of the Soviet Air Force. Many planes were destroyed on the ground. They were used as tactical reconnaissance aircraft, and, in need, also as light bombers. Later many were used as night bombers, to reduce losses from opposing fighters. The remaining R-10s were withdrawn from combat service in 1943 although two Finnish pilots claimed R-10s in 1944.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://airpages.ru/eng/ru/r10_missions.shtml | title=Neman R-10 (KhAI-5). Combat Use }}</ref>

==Description== The aircraft was conventional in layout, with a low mounted, plywood-covered wooden cantilever wing. The fuselage was of semi-monocoque construction. The undercarriage retracted into the wings. The crew consisted a pilot and an observer/rear gunner in a turret with a single machine gun.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://airpages.ru/eng/ru/r10.shtml|title=Neman R-10 (KhAI-5)|website=airpages.ru}}</ref> In the observer compartment's floor there was an AFA-13 camera for reconnaissance duties. Between the crew compartments there were fuel tanks and a vertical bomb bay. The maximum bomb load was {{convert|300|kg|abbr=on}} (6 × {{convert|50|kg|abbr=on}} or 10 × {{convert|25|kg|abbr=on}} bombs). The plane was powered by various variants of the Shvetsov M-25 and related M-63 radial engines, a development of the Wright R-1820 built under licence, which spun an all-metal two-bladed Hamilton Standard variable-pitch propeller.

==Operators== ;{{USSR}} *Soviet Air Force *Aeroflot

==Variants== * '''KhAI-5bis''' - Improved R-10/KhAI-5, one example flown early 1939. * '''KhAI-51''' alternative designation for KhAI-5bis * '''KhAI-52''' - Production version of KhAI-51. Ten ordered but production cancelled. * '''R-10''' - Production version of '''KhAI-5''' * '''PS-5''' - Decommissioned aircraft used by Aeroflot.

==Specifications== {{Aircraft specs |ref=''Gunston''.<ref name="Gunston">{{cite book|last=Gunston|first=Bill|title=The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995|publisher=Osprey|location=London|year=1995|pages=149|isbn=1-85532-405-9}}</ref> |prime units?=met  |crew=2 |length m=9.3 |span m=12.2 |wing area sqm=26.8 |empty weight kg=1,823 |gross weight kg=2,515 |fuel capacity={{convert|260|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} fuel + {{convert|30|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} oil  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Shvetsov M-25 (license-built Wright SGR-1820-F-3 Cyclone) |eng1 type=9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine |eng1 hp=712 |prop blade number=2 |prop name=Hamilton Standard two-pitch propeller  |max speed kmh=350 |max speed note=at sea level<br/> :::::{{convert|388|km/h|mph|abbr=on|0}} at {{convert|2,500|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} *'''Landing speed:''' {{convert|125|km/h|mph|abbr=on|0}} |range km=1,450 |ceiling m=7,700 |time to altitude={{convert|1,000|m|ft|abbr=on}} in 2 minutes 24 seconds<br/> :::::{{convert|5,000|m|ft|abbr=on}} in 12 minutes *'''Take-off distance:''' {{convert|250|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} *'''Landing distance:''' {{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on|0}}  |guns=<br/> * 2 x fixed forward firing {{convert|7.62|mm|in|abbr=on|3}} ShKAS machine-guns in the forward top decking * 1 x manually aimed ShKAS machine-gun in the rear turret |bombs= 6 x {{convert|50|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} FAB-50 bombs in internal bays }}

==See also== {{aircontent| |related= |similar aircraft= * DAR 10 * Heinkel He 70 * Northrop Delta * PZL.23 Karaś * Vultee V-11 |lists= * List of interwar military aircraft * List of aircraft of World War II * List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS |see also= }}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category|KhAI-5}} *{{cite web |url=http://www.airwar.ru/enc/spyww2/r10.html |script-title=ru:Неман Р-10 (ХАИ-5) |work=Уголок неба |language=ru |access-date=27 February 2011}}

Category:1930s Soviet bomber aircraft Category:1930s Soviet military reconnaissance aircraft Category:Kharkiv Aviation Institute aircraft Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1936 Category:Low-wing aircraft Category:Single-engined piston aircraft Category:Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear