H-5 [Il-28 BEAGLE (ILYUSHIN)]
The PLA Air Force is equipped itself with several dozen of special-purpose electronic
aircraft, including a few specially modified Hongdian-5 light bombers which have been equiped to support electronic warfare operations. However, the PLAAF remains some 15 years behind world standards in this field.
The Il 28 was the Soviet Union's standard light bomber, and was in use in all air forces of the Soviet Bloc. These aircraft were produced in China under the nomenclature H-5. Although portion of China's jet light bomber force could be used in a limited strategic role, the H-5's low performance envelope mitigates against its use for strategic bombing.
Country of Origin. CIS (formerly USSR).
Similar Aircraft. Canberra, Yak-28 Brewer.
Role. Light bomber, trainer.
Armament. Bombs, two 23-mm cannons in tail.
Dimensions. Length: 57 ft, 11 in (17.6 m).
Span: 70 ft, 5 in (21.5 m).
Wings. High-mounted with straight leading edge and forward-tapered trailing edge with blunt tips.
Engine(s). Two turbojets mounted beneath the wings in pods. Pods extend beyond wings’ leading and trailing edges.
Fuselage. Tubular and cigar-shaped tapering to the rear. Rounded, glassed-in nose. Bubble canopy.
Tail. Fin is swept-back and tapered with a blunt tip. Flats are low-mounted on the fin, swept-back, and tapered with blunt tips. A glassed-in tail gunner compartment is to the rear of the tail.
Egypt, North Korea (H-5), People’s Republic of China (H-5).
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Created by John Pike
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Updated Thursday, July 02, 1998 6:34:53 PM