Nanchang CJ-6

History

Studying the evolution of aircraft design can be as fascinating as Darwin's study. An example is the development of the Yakovlev Yak-18 and Nanchang CJ-5/6.

Modifications to the basic Soviet Yakovlev UT-2M trainer in 1943 included the inclusion of a tandem cockpit and the replacement of the tail skid with a tail wheel. The new model, the UT-2MV, laid the groundwork for the Yak-18 prototype, which first flew in 1945, just as the dust settled on the final battle of World War II.

The aircraft, with an all-metal structure and hybrid fabric/metal skin, entered production in 1947 with relatively small engines. The aircraft was heavily built as a "trailer" and redesigned in 1955 as the Yak-18U with an enlarged wing dihedral, a longer fuselage and a partially retractable tricycle landing gear for use as a jet pilot main trainer. Despite the significant weight increase, the aircraft still used the same old Shvetsov M-11FR radial engine as the prototype, and its performance was disappointing. But after receiving the new engine, the 260-horsepower Ivchenko AI-14R Radial with a revised fairing served for many years as the main trainer in the Soviet Union and many customer countries, codenamed Yak-18A.

There are other variants, sometimes in large numbers, such as the Yak-18P, a single-seat aerobatic aircraft that first flew in 1961.

Production of the Yak-18 trainer ceased in 1967, with 6,670 of all versions produced, many for export. That same year, however, production began on the redesigned Yak-18T, which was actually a new machine, a four-seat sport/touring aircraft with side-by-side seating for pilot and passengers.

Production of the Yak-18T continued into the 1980s, with more than 1,000 built.

Specification

Basic

Service Years

1960

Origins

China

Status

Active.

Crew

2

Production

2,005

Manufacturer

Nanchang (Hongdu) Aircraft Factory - China

Operators

Albania; Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; Ecuador; Laos; North Korea; Sri Lanka; Tanzania; Zambia

Roles

Training (General)

Develop the ability to become a dedicated student pilot instructor (usually under the supervision of an instructor).

Dimensions and Weight

Length

27.7 feet

(8.45m)

Width/span

33.6 feet

(10.25m)

Height

10.8 feet

(3.30m)

Cured weight

2,425 lbs

(1,100 kg)

MTOW

3,086 lbs

(1,400 kg)

Wgt Difference

+661 lbs

(+300 kg)

Performance

Installed:

1 x Zhouzhou Thick Race (SMPMC) HS-6A air-cooled radial piston engine producing 285 hp and driving a twin-blade propeller unit in the nose.

Maximum speed

230 km/h

(370 km/h | 200 knots)

Maximum

21,325 feet

(6,500 m | 4 km)

Area

435 km

(700 km | 1,296 nautical miles)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Armor

None.

VARIANTS

CJ-6 - name of the basic series; two-seat version; powered by Zhuzhou Haosa HS-6 radial engine 260 hp. CJ-6A - Improved CJ-6 model with Zhuzhou Housai HS-6A 285 hp radial engine.

CJ-6B Limited production, two-seat version for border security; equipped with Zhuzhou Housai HS-6D radial engine 300 hp. BT-6 - Export CJ-6/CJ-6A models. PT-6A - Export CJ-6A model. Haiyan-A () - 1985 prototype. Haiyan-B - Agro-industrial model. Haiyan-C - General Aviation (GA) market model.