Polikarpov R-Z

infobox Aircraft
name = R-Z
type = Reconnaissance/Light Bomber
manufacturer = Polikarpov


caption =
designer =
first flight = 1935
introduced = 1935
retired =
status =
primary user = Soviet Air Force
more users =
produced =
number built = 1,031
unit cost =
developed from = Polikarpov R-5
variants with their own articles = The Polikarpov R-Z was a Soviet reconnaissance bomber aircraft of the 1930's. It was a revised version of the Polikarpov R-5 which was built in large numbers between 1935 and 1937. It was used in combat during the Spanish Civil War as well as the Winter War and Battle of Khalkhin Gol.

Development and design

The R-Z or R-Zet was developed at the aircraft factory GAZ No 1 (State Aircraft Factory No 1) at Moscow as a development of, and a replacement for the Polikarpov R-5, the standard light reconnaissance bomber of the Soviet Air Force. Based on the R-5SSS, the most advanced variant of the R-5, the R-Z had a new, deeper, monocoque fuselage, with a sliding canopy for the pilot and fixed glazed fairing for the observer. The 730 hp M-17F engine (a licenced built copy of the BMW VI was replaced with the more powerful (820 hp) M-34 engine. The R-Z first flew in January 1935 Cite book|author=Gunston, Bill|authorlink =Bill_Gunston|title=The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft from 1875 - 1995|publisher=Osprey Aerospace |location=London|year=1995|isbn= ISBN 1-85532-405-9 and was accepted for the Soviet Air Forces in preference to the competing Kochyerigin LR, also an R-5 derivative. By the time production finished in spring 1937, 1,031 R-Zs had been built.

Operational history

Like its predecessor the R-5, the R-Z was used in large numbers by both the Soviet Air Force and Aeroflot.

Its first use in combat was during the Spanish Civil War, where 61 R-Zs were delivered to the Spanish Republicans cite web |url= http://www.cofe.ru/avia/P/P-134.htm|title= Polikarpov R-Z (Zet) Поликарпов Р-Z (Зет)|accessdate=2007-07-31 |language= Russian ] from 1937, where they were nicknamed "Rasante". These were heavily used, flying in tight formations and using co-ordinated defensive fire to defend against fighter attack, while returning individually at low levels . Although many R-Zs were damaged by ground fire, complete losses were relatively low [cite web |url=http://www.sbhac.net/Republica/Fuerzas/Armas/AvBomb/AvBomb.htm |title= República - Aviones de bombardeo|accessdate=2007-07-29 |language= Spanish|format= |work= ] with 36 surviving to be captured by the Nationalists at the end of the war in April 1939 .

R-Zs were used by the Soviet air force against Japan above Mongolia in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol in 1939, and the Winter War against Finland in the same year . By the time of the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the R-Z was in the process of being replaced by the Ilyushin Il-2, although it remained in service with a number of light bomber regiments .

Variants

;R-Z: Main production reconnaissance bomber. Powered by M-34N engine.;R-ZSh:"Shturmovik". Single ground attack prototype armed with four ShKAS machine guns in lower wing.;P-Z: Commercial variant with limited changes used for carrying mail and/or two passengers. Produced in considerable numbers. Powered by M-34NB engine.;PT:Attempt at improved civil version with streamlined containers for cargo above lower wing. Unsuccessful, only one built.;R-ZR:Single seat conversion for record breaking purposes. One built. Flown to 11,100 m (36,400 ft} on 8 May 1937

Operators

;flagicon|Spain|1931 Spanish Republic
*Spanish Republican Air Force;flagicon|Spain|1939 Spanish State
*Spanish Air Force;USSR
*Aeroflot
*Soviet Air Force

pecifications (R-Z)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft from 1875 - 1995

crew=2
capacity=
length main= 9.72 m
length alt= 34 ft 7½ in
span main= 15.45 m
span alt= 50 ft 8¼ in
height main= 3.60 m cite book|author=Donald, David (Editor)|title = The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft|year = 1997
publisher = Aerospace Publishing|isbn = 1-85605-375-X]
height alt= 11 ft 9¾ in
area main= 42.5 m²
area alt= 458 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,007 kg
empty weight alt= 4,425 lb
loaded weight main= 3,150 kg
loaded weight alt= 6,944 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)=Mikulin AM-34
type of prop= water cooled V-12
number of props=1
power main= 612 kW
power alt= 820 hp
power original=

max speed main= 316 km/h
max speed alt= 170 knots, 196 mph
max speed more= at 3,500 m (11,500 ft)
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 1,000 km
range alt= 540 nm, 621 mi
ceiling main= 8,700 m
ceiling alt= 28,550 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main= 74.1 kg/m²
loading alt= 15.2 lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.19 kW/kg
power/mass alt= 0.12 hp/lb
more performance=*Climb to 3,000 m (9,800 ft): 6.6 min

armament=
*One fixed forward firing PV-1 machine gun and one or two ShKAS machine guns in rear cockpit
*Up to 400 kg (880 lb) bombs

avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=*Polikarpov R-5

similar aircraft=*Hawker Hind
*Fokker C.X

sequence=

lists=

see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.ctrl-c.liu.se/misc/ram/r-z.html Russian Aviation Museum, R-Z, Factory-1]

* [http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww15/o/395/271 Wings Pallette - Profiles of R-Z]

* [http://usuarios.lycos.es/mrodval/GC105901.HTM]