Soviet Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter1,2
Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter:
Design
The Yakovlev Yak-1 was to be designed so that as much cheap materials could be used as possible.1
During the initial trials the Yak-1 showed great potential and was rushed into production even before the trials were completed.1
Cockpit
The cockpit hood of the Yak-1M was jettisonable and gave the pilot excellent views.1 There was a 1/3" / 9 mm sheet of armor behind the pilot.1
Wings
The Yak-1M had an all metal wing that were replaceable in the field quite easily.1 There were oil coolers in the wing roots.1
Tail
The Yak-1M's tail had a elevator mass balance added that lighted the amount of force that was needed to move them.1 The skin was 1/8" / 2 mm of plywood.1
Undercarriage
The Yak-1's tail wheel didn't retract.1 The tail wheel of the Yak-1M retracted.1
Prototype
The prototypes were nicknamed Krasavyets (beauty).1
The Yak-1 first flew in March 1939.2
Piontkovskii, the test pilot of the Yak-1, was killed in January 1940 while flying the I-26 prototype.1
Stepan Suprun was made a Hero of the Soviet Union for test flying the Yak-1.1
The Yak-1M first flew on September 23, 1944.1
Production
8,7001
Variants
- Yak-1:
- Yak-1M: Had a nitrogen fire suppression system for the fuel tanks.1 Evolved into the Yak-3.1
Usage
Naval Units
Units with the Black Sea Fleet were equipped with the Yak-1 while fighting in the Crimea.1
Female Ace Lilya Litvak
During the fighting over Rostov and Stalingrad, Soviet ace Lilya Litvak shot down 13 planes.1
| Yakovlev Yak-11 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Fighter1 |
| Crew | 11 |
| Engine (Type) | Klimov M-1051 |
| Cylinders | V-121 |
| Cooling | Liquid1 |
| HP | 1,0501 |
| Propeller blades | 31 |
| Fuel capacity | |
| Dimensions | |
| Span | 32' 10"1 10 m1 |
| Length | 27' 9"1 8.48 m1 |
| Height | |
| Wing area | 185 ft2 1 17.15 m2 1 |
| Weight | |
| Empty | 5,610 lb1 2,550 kg1 |
| Loaded | 6,886 lb1 3,130 kg1 |
| Performance | |
| Speed | 329 mph1 530 kph1 |
| Climb to 16,400' / 5,000 m |
7 minutes1 |
| Cruising speed | |
| Service ceiling | 29,500'1 9,000 m1 |
| Range | 435 miles1 700 km1 |
| Turning time | 360° in 17.6 seconds1 |
| Armament | |
| Spinner | 1: 20 mm ShVAK1 |
| Upper fuselage | 2: 12.7 mm MG1 |
| Wing racks | 6: RS-82 rockets1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
