Gribovsky G-5

Role	Single seat light sports aircraft
National origin	СССР
Designer	Vladislav Gribovsky
First flight	1928

The Gribovsky G-5 (Russian: Грибовский Г-5) was a small, low powered Russian single seat sports aircraft from the late 1920s.

Design and development

The G-5 was the first powered Gribovsky aircraft to fly; his first three designs were gliders and the first powered type, the Gribovsky G-4, though built, was not flown. Structurally all of his aircraft were wooden and several had smooth, rounded monocoque fuselages. That of the G-5 was oval in cross-section, with a single, open cockpit. Its low, cantilever wing had a high aspect ratio (9.0) for the time and the rear surfaces were also high aspect ratio. All flying surfaces were unbraced, keeping the G-5 aerodynamically clean, and the only external bracing was for the main landing gear.

The G-5 was powered by a small British V-twin, the 18 hp (13 kW) Blackburne Tomtit,^[1] an engine which had been installed in several of the aircraft that competed in the first Lympne light aircraft trials of 1923, mostly running inverted.^[2]

Specifications

Data from Gunston (1995) p.77^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 5.0 m (16 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 9.0 m (29 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 9.0 m² (97 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 170 kg (375 lb)
• Gross weight: 270 kg (595 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 20 kg (44 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Blackburne Tomtit air-cooled V-twin, 13 kW (18 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 130 km/h (81 mph; 70 kn)
• Range: 350 km (217 mi; 189 nmi) in 3 hr
• Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,764 ft)
• Landing speed: 60 km/h (37 mph)

References

1. Gunston, Bill (1995). The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875-1995. London: Osprey (Reed Consumer Books Ltd). p. 77. ISBN 1 85532 405 9.
2. Lumsden, Alec (1994). British Piston Aero-engines and their Aircraft. Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 91. ISBN 1 85310294 6.