Neman R-10
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The R-10 (KhAI-5) was the Soviet reconnaissance and light bomber aircraft, designed in the mid-1930s in the Kharkov Aviation Institute (KhAI, HAI - in Russian: ХАИ), under direction of Iosif G. Neman.
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Development
The first prototype of the plane, with a factory designation KhAI-5 (ХАИ-5), flew in June 1936. Despite a lower performance, the aircraft won a contest against other reconnaissance plane design, Kotcherigin R-9, and was accepted for a production, with a military designation R-10 ('R' meant a purpose - razvyedchik - reconnaissance). It was quite a modern design at that time. There were produced 493 of R-10 in Kharkov and Saratov aviation plants by early 1940. The first series showed some teething problems, and because of it I. Neman was arrested by NKVD on December 11, 1938 under false accusation of sabotage and espionage.
In 1938, a variant KhAI-5bis was tested - fitted with M-25E engine, it developed a speed of 425 km/h. In 1938 there was also developed ground attack aircraft KhAI-52 basing on the R-10. It was fited with an engine M-63 900 hp (670 kW) and armed with 7 machineguns and 400 kg bombs. A production of the experimental series of 10 aircraft was prepared, but it was canceled, after I. Neman had been arrested.
Some serial produced R-10 were fitted with stronger engines M-88, M-62 and M-63. Over 60 aircraft, withdrawn from the Air Force, were used from 1940 in Aeroflot airline, under a designation PS-5 (Russian: ПС-5), as mail carriers, with 3 passenger seats.
Combat use
The aircraft entered service in the Soviet Air Force in 1937, replacing part of Polikarpov R-5s. R-10s were first used in combat in the Soviet-Japanese Battle of Halhin Gol in 1939. Then, they were used in the initial stage of the World War II, starting with use against Poland in the Polish September Campaign (without combat encounters) and against Finland in the Winter War (1939-1940). R-10s were next used in the first period of the German-Soviet war, following the German attack on June 22, 1941. They were not much modern by then, and suffered big losses, just like the rest of the Soviet Air Force. Many planes were destroyed on airfields. They were used as close reconnaissance aircraft, and, in need also as light attack bombers. Later many were used as night bombers, to avoid losses in encounters with fighters. The remaining R-10s were withdrawn from combat service in 1943 (two Finnish pilots claimed shooting R-10 in 1944).
Description
The aircraft was conventional in layout, with low wings, of wooden construction, plywood covered. Fuselage of semi-monocoque construction. An undercarriage was retracted into the wings. The crew consisted of two: pilot and an observer-rear gunner in separate cabs; the observer was sitting in a turret with one machinegun. In the observer cab's floor there was a camera AFA-13 for reconnaissance duties. Between the crew cabs there were fuel tanks and a vertical bomb bay. The maximum bomb load was 300 kg (6 x 50 kg or 10 x 25 kg). The plane was powered initially by M-25A, later M-25V radial engine power: 730 hp (540 kW). A propeller was metal, two-blade.
Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: Two - pilot and observer
- Length: 9.40 m ( ft in)
- Wingspan: 12.20 m ( ft in)
- Height: 3.80 m ( ft in)
- Wing area: 26.8 m² ( ft²)
- Empty: 2,197 kg ( lb)
- Loaded: 2,877 kg ( lb)
- Maximum takeoff: kg ( lb)
- Powerplant: 1× M-25, 730 hp
Performance
- Maximum speed: 388 km/h ( mph)
- Range: 1300 km ( miles)
- Service ceiling: 6,700 m ( ft)
- Rate of climb: 417 m/min ( ft/min)
- Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: kW/kg hp/lb ( hp/lb)
Armament
- 2× fixed, forward-firing 7.62 mm ShKAS machineguns in wings (450 rounds)
- 1× 7.62 mm ShKAS machinegun in a rear turret (600 rounds)
- bombs: 300 kg
Related content
Related development: KhAI-1 - KhAI-6 - KhAI-52
Comparable aircraft: Heinkel He 70 - PZL.23 Karas - DAR-10
Designation sequence: R-1 - R-5 - R-6 - R-9 - R-10 - R-12
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