The Yakovlev Yak-5 () was an experimental trainer aircraft designed by Yakovlev OKB in the
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, and first flown in 1944.
Development and design
In 1944, the
Yakovlev UT-2 was the standard primary trainer of the
Soviet Air Forces
The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...
, but its simplicity caused problems when pilots moved on to more sophisticated aircraft, so the Yakovlev
design bureau
OKB () is a transliteration of the Russian initials for "" (), which translates to "Experimental Design Bureau." It could also mean or "Special Design Bureau" in english. During the Soviet era, OKBs were closed institutions working on design and ...
designed a more sophisticated derivative, the UT-2L, which featured an enclosed tandem cockpit, the addition of
flaps and blind flying instruments.
[Gunston 1995, p. 459.][Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, pp. 56–57.]
At the same time, Yakovlev designed a single-seat aircraft based on the UT-2L, intended as a fighter-trainer. This aircraft, the Yak-5, was a low-wing
monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
of wooden construction, but unlike the UT-2, had the front cockpit removed and an enclosed sliding canopy placed over the rear cockpit. A retractable
tailwheel undercarriage replaced the fixed landing gear of the UT-2. It was powered by a
Shvetsov M-11
The Shvetsov M-11 is a five-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, radial aircraft engine produced in the Soviet Union between 1923 and 1952.Gunston 1989, p.158.
Design and development
The Shvetsov M-11 was designed under a 1923 competition in the S ...
D five-cylinder radial producing 115 hp (86 kW), which drove a two-bladed
variable-pitch propeller. It could be fitted with a single
synchronized ShKAS machine gun
The ShKAS (Shpitalny-Komaritski Aviatsionny Skorostrelny, Shpitalny-Komaritski rapid fire for aircraft; Russian language, Russian: ШКАС - Шпитального-Комарицкого Авиационный Скорострельный) is a ...
aimed by a
reflector sight
A reflector sight or reflex sight is an optical sight that allows the user to look through a partially reflecting glass element and see an aiming point or some image (helping to aim the device, to which the sight is attached, on the target) sup ...
, while the aircraft was also fitted with a radio.
[Gunston and Gordon 1997, p. 91.][Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, p. 57.]
Operational history
The prototype Yak-5 first flew on 7 September 1944.
[Gunston and Gordon 1997, p. 92.] The new fighter-trainer's handling proved popular with its test pilots, and the aircraft successfully passed official evaluation. In the end, neither the UT-2L or the Yak-5 entered production because the Soviet Air Force command believed wooden aircraft were becoming obsolete, which would result in production of the all-metal
Yakovlev Yak-18
The Yakovlev Yak-18 (; NATO reporting name Max) is a tandem two-seat military primary trainer aircraft manufactured in the Soviet Union. Originally powered by one 119 kW (160 hp) Shvetsov M-11FR-1 radial piston engine, it entered ser ...
trainer in late 1945.
The sole Yak-5 was destroyed when it suffered failure of the wooden wing during a snap roll and crashed.
[Gunston 1995, p. 467.]
Specifications (Yak-5)
References
;Notes
;Sources
* Gordon, Yefim, Dmitry Komissarov and Sergey Komissarov. ''OKB Yakovlev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft''. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2005. .
* Gunston, Bill. ''The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995''. London: Osprey, 1995. .
*
Gunston, Bill and Yefim Gordon. ''Yakovlev Aircraft since 1924''. London, UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1997. .
{{WWIIUSSRAF
Low-wing aircraft
1940s Soviet military trainer aircraft
Yak-005
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Single-engined piston aircraft
Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear
Aircraft first flown in 1944