Polikarpov R-Z
R-Z | |
---|---|
Polikarpov R-Z "Natacha" of the Spanish Republican Air Force | |
Role | Reconnaissance/Light Bomber |
Manufacturer | Polikarpov |
First flight | January 1935 |
Introduction | 1935 |
Primary user | Soviet Air Force
|
Number built | 1,031 |
Developed from | Polikarpov R-5 |
The Polikarpov R-Z was a
Development and design
The R-Z or R-Zet was developed at the aircraft factory
Operational history
Like its predecessor the R-5, the R-Z was used in large numbers by both the Soviet Air Force and Aeroflot.
Its first use in combat was during the Spanish Civil War from 1937. 61 R-Zs were delivered to the Spanish Republican Air Force,[2] where they were nicknamed Natacha.[3] These were heavily used, flying in tight formations and using co-ordinated defensive fire to defend against fighter attack, while returning individually at low levels.[2] Despite these protective measures and the Soviet fighters escort, the R-Zs were easy prey for the
Although many R-Zs were damaged by ground fire, and the 2ª Escuadrilla, Grupo 30 lost 9 of their 60 aircraft in one day on 24 December 1938,[7] overall losses were relatively low [8] with 36 of the 61 delivered surviving to be captured by the Nationalists at the end of the war in April 1939.[9]
R-Zs were used by the Soviet air force against
Variants
- R-Z
- Main production reconnaissance bomber. Powered by M-34N engine.
- R-ZSh
- Shturmovik. Single ground attack prototype armed with four ShKAS machine guns in lower wing.
- P-Z
- Commercial variant with limited changes used for carrying mail and/or two passengers. Produced in considerable numbers. Powered by M-34NB engine.
- PT
- Attempt at improved civil version with streamlined containers for cargo above lower wing. Unsuccessful, only one built.
- R-ZR
- Single seat conversion for record breaking purposes. One built. Flown to 11,100 m (36,417 ft) on 8 May 1937
Operators
- Spanish Nationalist Air Force
- Aeroflot
- Soviet Air Force
- Mongolian People's Army Air Force
Specifications (R-Z)
Data from The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft from 1875 - 1995 [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 9.72 m (31 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 15.45 m (50 ft 8 in)
- Height: 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in) [9]
- Wing area: 42.5 m2 (457 sq ft)
- Airfoil: Clark Y (10%) [10]
- Empty weight: 2,007 kg (4,425 lb)
- Gross weight: 3,150 kg (6,945 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Mikulin AM-34 V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 611 kW (819 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 316 km/h (196 mph, 171 kn) at 3,500 m (11,500 ft)
- Range: 1,000 km (620 mi, 540 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 8,700 m (28,500 ft)
- Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 6 minutes 36 seconds
- Wing loading: 74.1 kg/m2 (15.2 lb/sq ft)
- Power/mass: 0.19 kW/kg (0.12 hp/lb)
Armament
- Guns: 1 × fixed forward firing PV-1 machine gun and 1 or 2 × ShKAS machine guns in rear cockpit
- Bombs: Up to 400 kg (882 lb) bombs
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
- List of Interwar military aircraft
- List of aircraft of the Spanish Republican Air Force
References
- ^ a b c d Gunston, 1995, p. unk.
- ^ a b "Polikarpov R-Z (Zet) Поликарпов Р-Z (Зет)" (in Russian). Retrieved 2007-07-31.
- ^ Asociación de Aviadores de la República - Polikarpov RZ Natacha Archived 2013-07-22 at archive.today
- ^ Jackson 1979, p. 18.
- ^ Jackson 1979, p.24.
- ^ Ejército del Aire; Historia - 1938 Archived 2014-12-20 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Ejército del Aire; Historia - 1938 Archived 2014-12-20 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "República - Aviones de bombardeo" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2007-07-29.
- ^ a b c Donald, 1997, p. unk.
- ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
Bibliography
- Donald, David, ed. (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
- Gunston, Bill (1995). The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft from 1875 - 1995. London: Osprey Aerospace. ISBN 1-85532-405-9.
- Jackson, Robert. Fighter! The Story of Air Combat 1936-1945. London, Artur Barker Limited. 1979. ISBN 0-213-16717-4.