KhAI-3
Kharkiv Aviation Institute · Soviet Union · first flew 1936 · transport aircraft
The Kharkiv KhAI-3, or Aviavnito-3, was a Soviet tailless motor-glider transport of the mid-1930s. It was designed to carry eleven passengers on an engine of little over 100 hp.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tailless motor-glider transport with a broad-chord wing of 22.4 m span
- Single Shvetsov M-11 radial engine mounted ahead of the leading edge on steel tubes
- Large triangular fin and rudder on the centreline, with two long six-seat cabins either side
A tailless machine with a very wide wing, a tractor radial engine on tubes ahead of it, a single triangular fin and rudder, and a fixed tailwheel undercarriage.
Specifications
- The KhAI-3 has a length of 6.8 m (22 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 22.4 m (73 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 135 km/h (84 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Alexandr Lazerev led the design team, which had earlier worked on the KhAI-4. The KhAI-3 was meant to show that a low-powered aircraft could carry a useful load and so reduce transport costs. It first flew on 14 September 1936. Controlled turns proved difficult, and a long development programme brought significant improvements.
Variants
One was built. A development, the Aviavnito-8 of 1937, had the same capacity, dimensions and engine but was never flown.
Where you'll see it
The KhAI-3 was an experimental type and saw no regular service.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 8,606 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.