The Chinese aeronautical industry has been based for many years upon the production of airplanes of Soviet origin or upon their redesigning, but it has been able, even if sometimes with limited success, to develop original projects. One of these is the four engine hydroplane for maritime and antisom patrol, developed jointly in the Sixties from HAMC (Harbin Aìrcraft Manufacturing Corporation) of Harbin, in the province of Heilong-jiang, and from Institute of Hydroplanes Design.
The development was stopped by the cultural revolution; the
project was sketched in 1970 and a first prototype, completed in December 1973, was
flown on April 3, 1976 after trials in water in May 1975 and March 1976.
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more of this planes, designated SH-5 (Shuishang Hongzhaji) 5 (maritime bomber
5, shortened as Shuihong 5) or PS-5 according to the western designation,
were built, four of which delivered to the Chinese Navy Aviation in September
1986. Conceived for a vast range of employments, as antiship and antisom warfare,
laying of mines, search and rescue and transport, (a variation has also been
appreciated as water bomber for fire struggle), SH-5 has a one-step hull with
a high length / width ratio, tall wings with floaters in proximity of wing
tips, and it seems to combine characteristics from the Japanese Shin Meìwa
SS-2 and from the Berìev Be-12; the wide fuselage, not pressurized, hosts
a crew of eight and allows the transport of huge payloads in three compartments
in the foremost part of the hull. The avionics endowment features, along with
navigation and communication devices, a Doppler search radar in a nose radome and a MAD in the tail; it could be planned a modernization program,
perhaps wtih western devices.
The SH-5 is currently in the PLAN North Sea Fleet based in Qingdao, mainly
as maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft.
Characteristics
Type: antisom and maritime patrol amphibious
Weapon: upper turret with two weapons, four subalar pods for antiship missiles
C101, or other types in the inner bays. Max 3 Light torpedoes on the outer pods,
depth charges, mines, sonobuoys, ore othe mission equipment in the rear part
of the hull.
Engines: 4 turboprops Dongang (DEMO) WJ5A 2349 kW (3192 CV equivalenti)
Performances: max speed 556 km/h, minimum patrol speed 230 kmlh; ceiling 10250
m; max range with full fuel 4750 km, patrol range (2 engines) 12 / 15 hours
Weights: empty equipped 26500kg; max at takeoff 36000kg
Dimensions: wing span 36,00 m; total length 38,90 m; wing surface 144
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