Hovatia HB-10

Under construction.

**Hovatia HB-10** (Krasnoc: Cnoczип ZB-10) is a Krasnoc twin-engined airliner. Hovatia's production of the airliner started in November 1951. It quickly became *Krasnoc Civil Aviation*'s backbone airliner due to its costs and ability to land on unpaved airfields.

## Hovatia HB-10

### Designer

* Nikolaevich Ivanovich Tunolevsky
* Purdo Yelikov

### Primary users

* *Krasnoc Civil Aviation* (now Krasnovsky Air)
* Kemevrov Air Charter Services

### Variants

* Hovatia HB-10
* Hovatia HB-10A
* Hovatia HB-10B
* Hovatia HB-10B-2
* Hovatia HB-10M

## Development

In 1949, *Krasnoc Civil Aviation* issued a new requirement for a short-range, narrow-body, and twin-engined airliner that could carry at least 35 passengers. Nikolaevich Tunolevsky replaced Pavel Hovatia's role as one of the designers as Pavel Hovatia was fighting illness in hospital. The requirement reads:

* Cruise speed: 470-500 km/h (292-310 mph, 253-269 kn)
* Cruise altitude: 7315 m (24,000 ft)
* Service ceiling: 8070 m (26,500 ft)
* Crew: 3 (a pilot, a co-pilot, and a flight engineer)
* Capacity: at least 35 passengers
* Payload: 3,000 kg (6610 lbs)
* Range: 800 km (497 mi, 431 nmi)
* Type: twin-engine

The design phase had been completed by May 1950. The Civil Aviation Board of Krasnovsky had awarded the company a contract to build and test the plane. In July 1950, the prototype was complete, and the flight-testing phase began. Initial flight testing revealed minor problems with directional stability. Test pilot Andrei Komarov completed the first test flight. The aircraft was brought back to the plant. A new and slightly larger vertical stabilizer was installed onto the aircraft.

More flight testing was performed. *Krasnoc Civil Aviation* accepted the aircraft.

In January 1951, a lengthened version, **HB-10A,** was produced.

The **HB-10B**, also called "**HB-10B-1**" is a version of the aircraft with more efficient and powerful engines. The **HB-10B-2** is the HB-10B, with weight reductions for faster speeds.

During the 1970s to 1980s, HB-10B-1s and HB-10B-2s were converted into the modernized Modzek variant, although this caused a total of six accidents and incidents caused by inexperienced pilots.

## Operational history

*Krasnoc Civil Aviation* introduced the HB-10 to its fleet on November 27, 1950. The HB-10 was used on a route from Kemevrov Airport to Elizovo Airport.

During its service time, it saw popularity with Krasnoc pilots for its easiness and stability. In 1956, Kransoc pilots selected the HB-10 as the best plane in the Krasnoc fleet. From the 1970s to the 1980s, the HB-10 was becoming old and obsolete. Its unpopularity quickly grew. The Modzek variant even made things worse, as old pilots familiar with HB-10As and HB-10Bs could not familiarize themselves with the modernized variant.

In 1987, the HB-10 was finally retired from the Krasnoc fleet, ending its 37-year lifetime.

## Variants

**Hovatia HB-10**

The standard 35-seat model. Only three were built, excluding the prototype.

**Hovatia HB-10A**

Lengthened version. It was capable of carrying 50 passengers, 15 more passengers when compared to the standard HB-10.

**Hovatia HB-10B**

More efficient and powerful engines were installed on the aircraft. This increased its range by 200 km (124 mi, 107 nmi).

**Hovatia HB-10B-2**

Weight savings made the aircraft lighter by about 190 kg (418 lbs) and faster by 15 km/h (9 mph, 13 kn).

**Hovatia HB-10M**

A modernized version of the aircraft. All HB-10As and HB-10Bs were converted to this type except for five.

## Specifications (HB-10B)

**General characteristics**

* Crew: 3 (a captain, a first officer, and a flight engineer)
* Capacity: 50 passengers in one-class configuration, about 28 passengers in two-class configuration
* Length: 24.09 m (79 ft)
* Height: 8.11 m (27 ft 7 in)
* Wingspan: 29.50 m (96 ft 9 in)
* Wing area: 75 m² (807 ft²)
* Airfoil**:** TsAGI R-II-14
* Empty weight: 14,744 kg (32,504 lbs)
* Fuel capacity: 2,670 L (705 US gal)
* Powerplant: 2x Luvichensk LB-1520 piston engines, 2,206 kW (3,000 hp)
* Propellers: 4-bladed VVJ-33 propellers

**Performance**

* Cruise speed: 450-480 km/h (279-298 mph, 242-259 kn)
* Stall speed: 135 km/h
* Range: 1,100 km (683 mi, 593 nmi)
* Rate of climb: 1.91 m/s (375 ft/min)