G-25

The G‑25, conceived and built by Russian designer Vladislav Gribovsky in the early 1930s, was a pioneering single‑engine transport that marked a transition from biplanes to modern monoplanes in the Soviet Union. Development began in 1931 at the Gribovsky Experimental Aviation Plant, where the designer applied lessons learned from his earlier G‑15 sport aircraft. The prototype flew for the first time on 12 May 1933, demonstrating a sleek, low‑wing layout with a wooden semi‑monocoque fuselage and retractable Fairey‑type landing gear—features rare for Soviet aircraft of the period. Powered by a 300 hp Shvetsov M‑11 radial engine, the G‑25 could carry four passengers or a modest cargo load while reaching a maximum speed of 210 km/h and a service ceiling of 5 000 m.

Although only ten units were produced before the program was abandoned in 1936, the G‑25 influenced later Soviet transport designs such as the Polikarpov R‑5 and the Yakovlev UT series. Its emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency, streamlined construction, and versatility helped establish new standards for civil and military utility aircraft in the pre‑World War II era, cementing Gribovsky’s reputation as an innovative engineer.