Polikarpov R-Z

what is it?

The Polikarpov R-Z was a Soviet reconnaissance bomber aircraft of the 1930s. 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.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · 15.5 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 316 km/htop speed
• range 1,000 kmwithout refuelling
• size 3,150 kgmax take-off weight
• built 1,031made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 91 years ago, in 1935.
• 🏎️Top speed is 2.4× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 15.5 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🌍Range of 1,000 km: 6× Amsterdam to Brussels.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1935

introduced

1935

number built

1,031

role

reconnaissance/light bomber

engines

1× Mikulin AM-34

crew

2

length

9.7 m

wingspan

15.5 m

height

3.6 m

max take-off weight

3,150 kg

top speed

316 km/h

range

1,000 km

ceiling

8,700 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.