| Yak-11 | |
|---|---|
_F-AZFJ_(9684468633).jpg) Let C-11 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Training aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Yakovlev,Let |
| Primary user | Soviet Air Force |
| Number built | 4,566 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1946 |
| First flight | 10 November 1945 |
| Retired | 1962 |
| Developed from | Yakovlev Yak-3 |
TheYakovlev Yak-11 (Russian:Яковлев Як-11;NATO reporting name: "Moose") is atrainer aircraft used by theSoviet Air Force and other Soviet-influenced air forces from1947 until1962.
TheYakovlev design bureau began work on an advanced trainer based on theYak-3 fighter in mid-1944, although the trainer was of low priority owing to the ongoingSecond World War.[1] The first prototype of the new trainer, designated Yak-UTI or Yak-3UTI flew in late 1945. It was based on theradial-powered Yak-3U, but with the newShvetsov ASh-21 seven-cylinder radial replacing theASh-82 of the Yak-3U.[2][nb 1] It used the same all-metal wings as the Yak-3U, with a fuselage of mixed metal and wood construction. The pilot and observer sat in tandem under a long canopy with separate sliding hoods. A singlesynchronisedUBS 12.7 mm machine gun and wing racks for two 100 kg (220 lb) bombs comprised the aircraft's armament.[3]
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An improved prototype flew in 1946, with revised cockpits and a modified engine installation with the engine mounted on shock absorbing mounts.[2] This aircraft passed state testing in October 1946, with production beginning at factories inSaratov andLeningrad in 1947.[4]
Production Yak-11s were heavier than the prototypes, with later batches fitted with non-retractable tailwheels and revised propellers. A 7.62 mmShKAS machine gun was sometimes fitted instead of the UBS, while some were fitted with rear-view periscopes above the windscreen.[4] Soviet production totalled 3,859 aircraft between 1947 and 1955, with a further 707 licence-built byLet inCzechoslovakia as the C-11.[5]
In 1951, Yakovlev revised the design of the Yak-11, adding a retractabletricycle landing gear, with two variants proposed, the Yak-11U basic trainer and Yak-11T proficiency trainer, which carried equipment similar to contemporary jet fighters. The new aircraft had reduced fuel capacity and was unsuitable for operations on rough or snow-covered runways, and so was rejected for Soviet service, although a few units were built in Czechoslovakia as the C-11U.[6]
The Yak-11 entered service in 1947, serving as a standard advanced trainer with theSoviet Air Forces andDOSAAF.[7] Both the Yak-11 and C-11 were used in allWarsaw Pact countries and were exported to eighteen countries, including many African,Middle Eastern and Asian countries.[4]
Egyptians used the aircraft extensively during their intervention in the Yemeni Civil war. Egyptian aircraft were modified with Sakr 78mm unguided rockets and two .303in guns in the wings. and were used in the ground attack role.
North Korean Yak-11s were used in combat in theKorean War, with one Yak-11 being the first North Korean aircraft shot down by US forces when it was destroyed by aNorth American F-82 Twin Mustang overKimpo Airfield on 27 June 1950.[8]East Germany used the Yak-11 to intercept Americanreconnaissance balloons.[7]
Due to its Yak-3 lineage, the Yak-11 has recently seen widespread popularity amongwarbird enthusiasts. Highly modified versions of the Yak-11 are often seen atair races. About 120 Yak-11s remain airworthy.
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General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
