Shavrov Sh-5

A special committee convened to investigate the use of special aircraft for photographic survey concluded that it was desirable. To fulfil the requirements Shavrov designed the Sh-5 amphibian as a large aircraft designed to carry cameras aa well as all the equipment and crew to develop and print the images. The committee envisaged two versions; the FS-1 landlplane and the FS-2 flying boat, (FS - Foto Samolyet – Photographic aircraft), the latter requirement was fulfilled by the Sh-5 amphibian as built in the former Richard OKB factory, GAZ-28 (GAZ - Gosudarstvenny Aviatsionnyy Zavod – state aviation plant/factory).^[1]

The Sh-5 was a cantilever high-wing monoplane amphibian flying-boat.^[2] Designed as a camera platform with glazed cabin areas it could also carry 12 passengers.^[2] It was powered by two 480 hp (358 kW) Shvetsov M-22 engines, (developed from license built Gnome-Rhône GR9ASB / Bristol Jupiter VI), mounted in nacelles, supported by struts, above the wing roots.^[2] It had a boat shaped fuselage bottom with a retractable landing gear and outrigger floats.^[2] Although the design work started in 1929 construction was slow, the prototype fitted with a skid landing gear first flew on 19 March 1934.^[2] With the use of military aircraft, particularly the Tupolev R-6 for aerial mapping and the fact it had become an outdated design by the time it had first flown meant the type did not enter production.^[2]

FS-1

Landplane version, not built.

FS-2

Flying boat version, not built

Sh-5

The amphibious aircraft designed by Shavrov and built at GAZ-29 to fulfil both roles. The sole prototype was in flight test when a main undercarriage strut failed. The aircraft was not repaired and later scrapped.