Nanchang Q-5III "Fantan"

Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company · China · first flew 1985 · bomber

The Q-5III was the foreign-trade variant of the Nanchang Q-5 (export name A-5III/A-5C, Project Long6), with ten pylons including an extra one under each wing for R.550 Magic or AIM-9 air-to-air missiles, and Western instruments and Martin-Baker ejection seats to customer request.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	15.65 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Export Q-5 with ten pylons
Extra underwing pylons for Magic or Sidewinder missiles
Side intakes and solid nose of the Q-5 family

Very close to the Q-5II externally. Radar warning receiver antennas on the fin tip and around the intake lips may be spotted at close range. The Q-5 family is always recognisable by its Coke-bottle fuselage, lateral intakes, and solid nose — features shared by no other contemporary Chinese aircraft.

Specifications

The Q-5III has a length of 15.65 m (51 ft).
It has a wingspan of 9.68 m (32 ft).
Its maximum speed is 1190 km/h (739 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed as an export model, it was sold to Pakistan as the A-5C and to Myanmar as the A-5IIIK.

Variants

The A-5IIIK was the Myanmar version; the later Q-5IV (Q-5M) added Italian AMX-derived avionics.

Where you'll see it

Exported to Pakistan (A-5C) and Myanmar (A-5IIIK).

Related aircraft

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