Harbin H-5
Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation · China · first flew 1966 · bomber
The Harbin H-5 is a Chinese-manufactured copy of the Soviet Ilyushin Il-28 Beagle, produced after the Sino-Soviet split when the USSR withdrew technical assistance, enabling China to build the type from reverse-engineered examples.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 17.65 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Chinese-built copy of the Ilyushin Il-28 jet bomber with underwing pods
- Two turbojet pods slung below the straight-swept mid-wing
- Glazed bombardier nose with a tail gun position
Virtually identical in appearance to the Soviet Il-28: two tubular turbojet nacelles underslung below the swept mid-wing near the roots, a glazed Plexiglas nose cone for the bombardier, and a tail turret for the gunner. The mid-mounted wing has moderate sweep on the leading edge. The nose glazing tapering to a conical tip is the easiest front-aspect recognition cue.
Specifications
- The Harbin H-5 has a length of 17.65 m (58 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 21.45 m (70 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 900 km/h (559 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
China had received Il-28s from the Soviet Union in the 1950s, and when Soviet technical aid ended in 1960, Harbin undertook to manufacture the type domestically. The H-5 entered production in the late 1960s and served as the PLAAF's primary jet bomber for several decades. It also filled torpedo-bomber and reconnaissance roles for the PLAN.
Variants
H-5 (standard bomber), H-5 torpedo bomber (PLAN), HJ-5 (two-seat trainer variant analogous to Il-28U).
Where you'll see it
PLAAF and PLAN operated H-5s from the late 1960s; North Korea also received examples. Gradually phased out from the 2000s onward.
Related aircraft
- Harbin Y-11
- Harbin SH-5
- Harbin Z-20
- Hawker Siddeley Nimrod
- BAC TSR-2
- General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark
- HAL (SEPECAT) Jaguar International
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