Yak-11 a interesting plane.

[Stratos]

A plane I think is very interesting is the YAK-11 Trainer, derived from the Yak-3 with a radial engine that I feel is not a very smart decision for train young pilots but it served in several AF of the Warsaw pact and countries close to the Soviet Union. It even saw combat in Korean War and Yemen. I can find some info on Yemeni conflict:

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 (no idea if in pod or inside thee wing). And were used in the ground attack role.

but nothing on Korean War, only that one was the first aircraft shoot down in June 1950.

Some pics:

 

 

[Stratos]

some pics of the Egyptian Yaks in Yemen:

 

[+Coupi]

Hello ! I took this one in 2019 at Cazaux (BA 120)... I suppose this is a modified Yak-11 for airshows. P.

[Stratos]

Looks like it! Beautiful Normandy Niemen paintscheme!

[+Gepard]

The Yak-11 was not a basic trainer. It was a transistion trainer for pilots, which was intended to become a fighter pilot.

The engine was basically the WW2 fighter motor ASh-82, but reduced by one cylinder ring. The power was dramatically reduced, so that the plane was not overpowered and easy to handle, even for unexperienced pilots. On the other side the climb speed of the plane was poor and it needed long runways for take off.

Flugplatzmuseum Cottbus

Luftwaffenmusem Berlin-Gatow

 

 

 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Gepard

[+Coupi]

The "single seated" in flight ! 

why not a next "Yak-11" project for SF2... 

P. 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Coupi

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, Gepard said:

The Yak-11 was not a basic trainer. It was a transistion trainer for pilots, which was intended to become a fighter pilot.

The engine was basically the WW2 fighter motor ASh-82, but reduced by one cylinder ring. The power was dramatically reduced, so that the plane was not overpowered and easy to handle, even for unexperienced pilots. On the other side the climb speed of the plane was poor and it needed long runways for take off.

Really interesting! Now imagine flying it with a combat load on hot skies of Yemen.

[+Gepard]

An other interesting fact:

In 1960 french and the soviet moviemakers created the war movie "Normandie Njemen". In this movie the Yak-11 was used to act as soviet WW2 fighters.

Here the french trailer:

It shows the Yak-11 in action. If you can get access to the movie, it is worth to have a look on it.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Gepard

[+Coupi]

Top ! Thank You ! 

[Stratos]

Great find!

[Stratos]

@Gepard Do you know if the guns used by the egyptians in Yemen were put into the wings or in underwing pods?

[+Gepard]

6 hours ago, Stratos said:

@Gepard Do you know if the guns used by the egyptians in Yemen were put into the wings or in underwing pods?

I have no idea. But i would say, that the wings were not made for built in weapons. Since the wings had one hardpoint for light bombs, i think the Egyptians would have used underwing pods. But this only a guess.

In the GDR the Yak-11 only used the internal 12,7 mm gun.

[Stratos]

Thanks, egyptian added their rockets on external mounts, so If the Yak-11 can carry small bombs make sense they used the HP to hang their Gun pods.