Harbin/CHDRI Z-6

Last updated
Z-6
Harbin Z-6 THE DATANSHAN AVIATION MUSEUM BEIJING CHINA OCT 2012 pic2.jpg
Harbin Z-6 in Chinese Aviation Museum, Beijing
Role Helicopter
National originChina
ManufacturerHarbin/CHDRI (Zhongguo Zhishengji Sheji Yanjiusuo - Chinese Helicopter Research and development Institute [CHDRI])
First flight15 December 1969 [1]
Number built11 [1]
Developed from Harbin Z-5 [1]

The Harbin/CHDRI Z-6, (Z - Zhishengji - vertical take-off aircraft), is a Chinese helicopter development based on the Harbin Z-5, itself a licence-built / reverse engineered Mil Mi-4. A limited production run was terminated after performance was found to be inferior to its Z-5 progenitor (sources vary from 6 to 15 completed out of orders for 100). [1]

Contents

Design and development

Through the Z-5 project the Chinese obtained valuable knowledge and experience in helicopter design and development. The Z-6 is a turboshaft powered development of the piston engine powered Z-5, the first Chinese designed turboshaft helicopter. The major difference is that the piston engine is replaced by a 1,641 kW (2,200 hp) Dongan WZ-5 turboshaft engine, mounted above the cabin forward of the main gearbox. [1]

Development began in 1966 at the Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (HAMC), but two years later development was moved to the newly formed Chinese Helicopter Design Research Institute (CHDRI), with HAMC still responsible for manufacture and assembly of components. [1]

The first prototype (No.6001) was completed in 1967 for use in static testing and official authorisation for the project was given in 1968 and on 15 December 1969 the second Z-6 prototype (No.6002), flew for the first time, piloted by Wang Peimin (王培民). Flight tests proceeded as preparations for production were made in various provinces supplying the assembly line at Hongzhuang Machinery Factory at Changzhou. [1]

Flight tests revealed excessive vibration, insufficient tail rotor thrust, as well as engine and main rotor gearbox overheating. These teething troubles were addressed during the development programme and type approval was given in 1977, despite a fatal crash of a prototype on 7 August 1972 at Princess Ridge (Gongzhuling, 公主岭) in Jilin province, killing all 6 occupants including the pilot, Mr. Fu Guifa (傅贵法). It was discovered that the cause of the accident was due to failure of a transmission component, resulting in engine seizure. Elimination of the seizure problem resulted in 11 design changes as well as those to rectify flight test faults. [1]

Fear of an attack by the USSR, after the Sino-Soviet border conflict, precipitated evacuation of production and development to the Changzhou Airplane Factory and Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation in 1970. However, the political turmoil in China, namely, Cultural Revolution, took a great toll on the production and only 11 were built before the program was cancelled because the single engine design was deemed unsafe and under-powered. [1]

Specifications (Z-6)

Data from Chinese Aircraft [1]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists List of aircraft

Related Research Articles

Harbin Aircraft Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. (HAIG), often shortened to Hafei, is an aircraft manufacturing company headquartered in Pingfang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China. It was previously called Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (HAMC) in English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon</span> 1962 transport helicopter family

The AérospatialeSA 321 Super Frelon is a three-engined heavy transport helicopter produced by aerospace manufacturer Sud Aviation of France. It held the distinction of being the most powerful helicopter to be built in Europe at one point, as well as being the world's fastest helicopter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yakovlev Yak-24</span> Transport helicopter in the USSR

The Yakovlev Yak-24 is a Soviet twin-engine, tandem rotor, transport helicopter developed by Yakovlev in the 1950s. The Yak-24 saw limited use in the Soviet Air Force, and the exact number produced and duration of service are unknown due to inconsistencies in data.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mil V-12</span> Prototype heavy transport helicopter

The Mil V-12, given the project number Izdeliye 65, is a prototype helicopter designed in the Soviet Union and the largest helicopter ever built. The designation "Mi-12" would have been the designation for the production helicopter and did not apply to V-12 prototypes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mil Mi-10</span> Heavy transport helicopter

The Mil Mi-10, given the product number izdeliye 60, is a Soviet military transport helicopter of flying crane configuration, developed from the Mi-6, entering service in 1963. While most versions had been retired by 2009, the short-legged Mi-10K was still in service as of 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mil Mi-6</span> Transport helicopter

The Mil Mi-6, given the article number izdeliye 50 and company designation V-6, is a Soviet/Russian heavy transport helicopter that was designed by the Mil design bureau. It was built in large numbers for both military and civil use and was the largest helicopter in production until the Mil Mi-26 was put in production in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Changhe Z-10</span> Chinese attack helicopter

The Changhe Z-10 is a Chinese medium-weight, twin-turboshaft attack helicopter built by the Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation for the People's Liberation Army Ground Force. Designed by 602nd Aircraft Design Institute of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and Kamov Design Bureau, the aircraft is intended primarily for anti-tank warfare missions with secondary air-to-air combat capability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbin Y-11</span>

The Harbin Y-11 is a high wing twin-engine piston utility and geological survey aircraft built by Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (HAMC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbin Z-9</span> Series of Chinese utility helicopters

The Harbin Z-9 is a Chinese military utility helicopter with armed variants, manufactured by Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. It is a license-built variant of the French Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turbomeca Turmo</span>

The Turbomeca Turmo is a family of French turboshaft engines manufactured for helicopter use. Developed from the earlier Turbomeca Artouste, later versions delivered up to 1,300 kW (1,700 shp). A turboprop version was developed for use with the Bréguet 941 transport aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbin Z-5</span> Chinese transport/utility helicopter

The Harbin Z-5 is a Chinese variant of the Soviet Mil Mi-4 piston powered helicopter. Before its discontinuation from service, it was produced in Harbin, China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airbus Helicopters H175</span> Medium utility helicopter

The Airbus Helicopters H175 is a 7-ton class super-medium utility helicopter produced by Airbus Helicopters. In China, the H175 is produced by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) as the Avicopter AC352. Originally launched as the Eurocopter EC175 and the Harbin Z-15, it has been referred to as being a 'super-medium' helicopter.

The Mil V-16 was a Soviet heavy cargo/transport helicopter project of the late 1960s. The Mil V-16 was designed by Mil Design Bureau, a Moscow helicopter plant. The original scheme described a heavy side-by-side twin-rotor aircraft with two Soloviev D-25VF gas turbine engines below six-bladed rotors at the tips of heavily supported wings on each side of the fuselage and tricycle-type landing gear, with both rear landing wheels mounted below the wings while the front wheel was located below the cockpit, as well as located directly under the wings.

The Mil Mi-22 was a 1960s Soviet project to develop a military transport helicopter. It was a development of the Mil Mi-2, but did not enter production when the Soviet military selected the Mil Mi-24 for this role instead. The Mi-22 designation which had become unused was later re-applied to a completely unrelated design, an airborne command post variant of the Mil Mi-6. This first Mi-22 concept was a Soviet attempt to create a helicopter in the Bell UH-1 class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yakovlev EG</span> Type of aircraft

The Yakovlev EG (Eksperimentalnyi Gelikopter), also commonly known as the Yak-M11FR-1 and Sh (Shootka), was an experimental aircraft with coaxial rotors. The prototype was first flown by V.V. Tezavrovsky in December 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yakovlev Yak-60</span> Experimental helicopter design

Yakovlev Yak-60 is the possible designation for an experimental Yakovlev tandem-rotor heavy-lift helicopter design of the late 1960s. This design never progressed beyond the model stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbin Z-19</span> Chinese reconnaissance and attack helicopter

The Harbin Z-19 is a Chinese light reconnaissance/attack helicopter developed by Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (HAMC) for the People's Liberation Army Air Force and the Ground Force Army Aviation. It is a specialized combat variant of the Harbin Z-9, which is a license-built version of the Eurocopter Dauphin.

The Capital Machinery Factory Capital-1 was a twin-engined monoplane light transport/utility aircraft designed and built in the People's Republic of China at Beijing in the late 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbin Z-20</span> Chinese medium-lift utility helicopter

The Harbin Z-20 is a Chinese medium-lift utility helicopter produced by the Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG). It was first flown on 23 December 2013 and has a maximum takeoff weight in the range of 10 tonnes (22,000 lb). The Z-20 can operate from locations above 4,000 m (13,000 ft) in altitude as well as from the Liaoning aircraft carrier. It is regarded to be comparable in performance to the US-made Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, of which the civilian Sikorsky S-70C-2 variant has been used by the People's Liberation Army since 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Changhe Z-18</span> Chinese medium-lift transport helicopter

The Changhe Z-18, also known as Z-8G, is a medium-lift transport helicopter developed by Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC) to replace the Changhe/Harbin Z-8.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Gordon, Yefim; Dmitry Komissarov (2008). Chinese Aircraft. Manchester: Hikoki Publications. p. 267. ISBN   9-781902-109046.

Bibliography

  • Gordon, Yefim; Dmitry Komissarov (2008). Chinese Aircraft. Manchester: Hikoki Publications. p. 267. ISBN   9-781902-109046.