Harbin Z-5
Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation · China · first flew 1958 · helicopter
The Harbin Z-5 was a Chinese variant of the Soviet Mil Mi-4 piston-powered helicopter, built at Harbin.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 16.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Chinese-built Mil Mi-4 with a single 14-cylinder two-row radial piston engine
- Z-5D VIP versions have larger rectangular cabin windows
- Z-5B assault conversions carry rocket pods on outriggers and a gunner gondola
It is externally an Mi-4, with a single radial engine in the nose and a 21 m main rotor. The length given is the Mi-4 article figure, as the Z-5 article gives only an overall length including rotors.
Specifications
- The Harbin Z-5 has a length of 16.8 m (55 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 21 m (69 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 210 km/h (130 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Soviets supplied Mi-4 blueprints to China a few years before the Sino-Soviet split. The maiden flight was in 1958 and mass production began in the mid-1960s.
Variants
Variants include the Z-5A transport, Z-5B assault, Z-5C civil, Z-5D VIP, Z-5E agricultural and Z-5F search and rescue. The turboshaft-engined Z-6 was a later development, with eleven built.
Where you'll see it
A total of 558 were built. Operators included the PLA, Albania, the Khmer Rouge and North Korea, which still flew them in 2024.
Related aircraft
- Harbin H-5
- Harbin Y-11
- Harbin SH-5
- Harbin Z-20
- Bell 204B
- Boeing Vertol 107
- Bristol Belvedere
- Kaman UH-43C Huskie
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