Kharkiv KhAI-5

The Kharkiv KhAI‑5, also known as the 'Red Flag', was a Soviet‑era twin‑engine bomber designed and built in the late 1930s by the research department of the National Aerospace University – Kharkiv Aviation Institute (KhAI). Conceived under the direction of famed aeronautical engineer Iosif Grigor’evich, the aircraft first flew on 1 March 1939 and entered limited service with the Red Army Air Force in 1940. Its all‑metal, low‑wing monoplane layout featured retractable main gear, a streamlined fuselage, and a crew of four. Powered by two 1,200 hp Shvetsov M-62 radial engines, the KhAI‑5 could reach a maximum speed of 540 km/h, a range of 2,400 km, and carried up to 1,000 kg of bombs. The aircraft incorporated advanced aerodynamic devices for its time, such as leading‑edge slats and split‑flaps, which improved lift and handling at low speeds. Although production was curtailed after only 78 units due to shifting wartime priorities, the KhAI‑5 demonstrated the capability of Soviet academic institutions to develop front‑line combat aircraft. Its design experience fed directly into later KhAI projects and contributed to the evolution of Soviet bomber technology during World War II.

National Aerospace University – Kharkiv Aviation Institute

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Design & Classification