Sheet "100 Years of the Kharkiv Aviation Plant"

The Kharkiv State Aviation Manufacturing Enterprise, better known as KAZ (Kharkiv Aviation Plant), was founded in September 1926, based on the aviation workshops of the joint-stock company "Ukrpoviroshliakh." By 1927, the first aircraft—the K-2 and the K-3 (an air ambulance)—had been produced, followed by the serial production of the K-4 and K-5 models.

Over its 100-year history, the Kharkiv Aviation Plant has manufactured dozens of aircraft types, including the KhAI-5, Yak-18, MiG-15UTI, Tu-104, Tu-124, Tu-134, An-72, An-74, and An-140. In total, at least 3,700 of these aircraft were built. Notable among the plant's legendary creations are the K-7 (a giant aircraft), the KhAI-1 (one of the fastest passenger planes of its time), and the Su-2 (one of the most widely produced combat aircraft).

At various times, the history of KAZ has been linked to prominent aircraft designers, including Konstantin Kalinin, Iosif Neman, Pavel Sukhoi, Pyotr Grushin, and Oleg Antonov.

During russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kharkiv Aviation Enterprise was subjected to massive missile and aerial bombardment, forcing it to suspend its operations.