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

History

The Soviets provided China with Mi-4 blueprints just a few years before the

Sino-Soviet split The Sino-Soviet split was the gradual worsening of relations between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) during the Cold War. This was primarily caused by divergences that arose from their ...

in 1958; maiden flight was in 1958 and mass production started in the mid-1960s. China has produced a number of unique variants through this model, and the Z-5 was employed by the PLA,

PLAAF The People's Liberation Army Air Force, also referred to as the Chinese Air Force () or the People's Air Force (), is the primary aerial warfare service of the People's Liberation Army. The PLAAF controls most of the PLA's air assets, includi ...

and

PLANAF The People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF; zh, c=中国人民解放军海军航空兵, p = Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn Hǎijūn Hángkōngbīng) is the naval aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army Navy. History Histor ...

in large numbers as reserve forces. A total of 558 Z-5 were built. A few Z-5 helicopters were modified to carry machine-guns and rocket pods. During the Chinese-Western rapprochement, one Z-5 was refitted with a

Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is a turboprop aircraft engine produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. Its design was started in 1958, it first ran in February 1960, first flew on 30 May 1961, entered service in 1964, and has been continuously upd ...

T-6 "Twin Pac" turbo-shaft engine in 1979. Some sources refer to this as the Z-6, but this variant was discontinued after its first model.

Variants

The text in parentheses is used for distinction. ;Z-5(Z-5A) : Military transport helicopter.In terms of the original aircraft, it is equivalent to the Mi-4. ;Z-5(Z-5B) assault helicopter: Some Z-5 were converted to carry rocket pods on outriggers in addition to a gondola with a forward firing machine gun manned by the

flight engineer A flight engineer (FE), also sometimes called an air engineer, is a member of an aircraft's flight crew who is responsible for monitoring and operating its complex aircraft systems. In the early era of aviation, the position was sometimes referr ...

.In terms of the original aircraft, it is equivalent to the Mi-4A. ;Z-5(Z-5C) Xuanfeng : Civil transport helicopter.In terms of the original aircraft, it corresponds to the Mi-4P. ;Z-5 VIP(Z-5D) helicopter:VIP versions distinguishable by larger rectangular windows in the cabin.In terms of the original aircraft, it is equivalent to the Mi-4S. ;Z-5(Z-5E) agricultural helicopter: Some Z-5s were fitted with chemical hoppers and/or spray gear for agricultural or forestry protection use.In terms of the original aircraft, it is equivalent to the Mi-4Skh. ;Z-5 SAR(Z-5F) helicopter:Thirteen z-5s are known to have been converted to SAR helicopters with a winch and external fuel tanks.In terms of the original aircraft, it is equivalent to the Mi-4MO. ; Harbin/CHDRI Z-6 : A turboshaft variant of the Z-5, eleven aircraft built.

Operators

Current

; * Korean People's Army Air Force − 48 Mi-4s and Z-5s as of 2024

Former

; * Albanian Air Force − 37 Z-5(31 Z-5A, 6 Z-5D)s received from China between 1967 and 1971 to replace Soviet-built Mi-4s in service. By 2010, they were replaced with

Bell 205 The Bell 204 and 205 are the civilian versions of the UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopter of the Huey family of helicopters. They are type-certificated in the transport category and are used in a wide variety of applications, i ...

Bell 206 The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- and twin-engined helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec, plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter progr ...

AgustaWestland AW109 The AgustaWestland AW109, originally the Agusta A109, is a lightweight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter designed and initially produced by the Italian rotorcraft manufacturer Agusta. It was the first all-Italian helicopter to b ...

, and

MBB Bo 105 The Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105 is a light, twin-engine, multi-purpose helicopter developed by Bölkow of Ottobrunn, West Germany. It was the first light twin-engine helicopter in the world, and the first rotorcraft that could perform ...

helicopters Harbin Z-5

; *

People's Liberation Army Air Force The People's Liberation Army Air Force, also referred to as the Chinese Air Force () or the People's Air Force (), is the primary aerial warfare service of the People's Liberation Army. The PLAAF controls most of the PLA's air assets, includi ...

− Operated 350 Z-5s and Z-6s in 2010 *

People's Liberation Army Ground Force The People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF), also referred to as the PLA Army, is the army, land-based service branch of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), and also its largest and oldest branch. The PLAGF can trace its lineage from 192 ...

* People's Liberation Navy − Operated at least six Z-5s in 2010 ; Flag of Democratic Kampuchea

Khmer Rouge The Khmer Rouge is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), and by extension to Democratic Kampuchea, which ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. The name was coined in the 1960s by Norodom Sihano ...

* National Army of Democratic KampucheaGunston, ''An Illustrated Guide to Military Helicopters'' (1981), p. 112. − Status unknown after 1990s

Specifications (Z-5)

References

Bibliography

*Bill Gunston, ''An Illustrated Guide to Military Helicopters'', Salamander Books Ltd, London 1981. * * {{Chinese Military Aircraft 1950s Chinese military transport aircraft China–Soviet Union relations Military helicopters 1950s Chinese helicopters Harbin aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1958 Single-engined piston helicopters