Yakovlev yak-z. Olympiad on the history of aviation and aeronautics The main technological innovations available in aircraft design

22.09.2019 State

The Yak-3 aircraft was a Soviet-made fighter, which was equipped with one engine. The development of this machine was carried out by designer Yakovlev and his group of designers, who confirmed their capabilities in the manufacture of similar machines on the Yak-1 model. The designers were tasked with increasing the firepower of the device and increasing its survivability in combat conditions. To achieve these indicators, it was necessary to significantly reduce the weight of the car and increase the power of the power plant to obtain higher speed indicators.

A brief history of the creation of the Yak-3 fighter

Yakovlev began to engage in the initial development of fighters even before World War II, as a result of which the Yak-1 model fighter was manufactured. This vehicle had excellent flight and combat characteristics. The new Yak-3 prototype was based on the main systems and developments from the Yak-1 fighter.

Factory research began in 1943, and the vehicle established itself as an excellent combat unit. It could reach a maximum speed that exceeded even the designers' plans, namely 680 km/h. By October of this year, the aircraft was handed over for state tests.

The new device was put into serial production in the fall of 1943, and six months later the first one was built. fighting machine of this class. This aircraft first flew in March 1944. Production proceeded at an accelerated pace, and in two years 4,848 Yak-3 aircraft were built.

In mid-1943, this device was actively used in combat operations and was appreciated by domestic pilots. He could easily resist German planes and destroy them. The advantage of this device was that it was very light, since many of the body parts were made of wood. In addition, he was very fast and maneuverable. The advantage of the car was its flight range, which was quite large at that time, which was about 885 kilometers. There was also superiority in armament, since the Yak-3 was equipped with two machine guns and one large-caliber cannon.

Design features of the Yak-3 aircraft

It should be noted that this car was manufactured only for two years, but during all this time many modifications were created that differed in both layout and armament.

The Yak-3 aircraft was manufactured according to the design of a cantilever monoplane, which is equipped with a retractable landing gear system.

The power plant is represented by a twelve-cylinder engine that developed a power of 1250 horsepower. The engine drove a three-bladed propeller of a new design, which could change pitch in flight; this unit was designated VISH-105SV. The truss-type body was made of steel pipes, which were connected by welding, and the casing of the machine was made of duralumin sheets. In addition to metal, most of the body was made of wooden structures. The engine frame of the device was manufactured as a single unit with the aircraft body. The pilot's canopy was made in a teardrop shape, which increased the streamlining of the car. This unit was equipped with an emergency release system.

The wings were composed of two spars on which a wooden skin was installed. Fuel tanks were located in the wings between the spars, and a fuel tank was also located here. The designers provided a system that prevented fuel leakage from the tanks if they were damaged. Landing flaps were also installed on the wings of this vehicle.

The landing gear consisted of three struts, which were retracted into the fighter body during flight. Telescopic oil shock absorbers were installed on the struts, which effectively dampened vibrations during landing.

In the cockpit, in addition to standard navigation equipment and control systems, a radio communication device, a collimator sight device, and an oxygen supply system were installed. For night flights, lighting was installed in the cockpit, and there were side lights on the outside of the hull. To reduce the visibility of the device during combat operations, all Yak-3 aircraft had a camouflage coloring, namely the bottom of the vehicle was painted blue.

A country: USSR

Type: single engine fighter

Crew: one pilot

This is Yakovlev's second aircraft to receive the designation Yak-3 (the first with this name was closed in the fall of 1941 due to low engine reliability and a lack of suitable materials to build the aircraft). This aircraft was built to meet the requirements of the Air Force to create a maneuverable fighter, with high performance at low altitudes. The fighter provided the Soviet Air Force with air superiority over the battlefield - something similar to what most time the German Air Force had on Eastern Front.

Using a modified Yak-1M airframe equipped with a smaller wing, the prototypes were tested from February to October 1943, by which time a small pre-production batch of this aircraft was put into production at the State Aviation Plant (GAZ) No. 286 in Kamensk-Uralsky. The Yak-3 aircraft remained in production until early 1946. By this time, 4848 aircraft had been produced.

In 1991, between OKB im. A. S. Yakovlev and the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica concluded an agreement that provided for the supply of several Yak-ZUA aircraft newly built at the Orenburg plant using drawings, equipment, templates and tools from the war, but equipped with American Ellison engines. - hence the designation UA. A small number of two-seat radial-engined Yak-11 aircraft have also been converted into Allison Yak-ZUA aircraft.

Basic data

Dimensions:

Length: 8.49 m
Wingspan: 9.2 m
Height: 2.42 m

Empty: 2105 kg
Maximum take-off: 2550 kg

Flight characteristics:

Maximum speed: 655 km/h
Flight range: 900 km

Power point:

"Allison" 2L Power: 1240 hp. With. (925.04 kW)

First flight date:

February 28, 1943 (original) and July 1993 (Yak-ZUA aircraft)

Surviving airworthy modifications:

Yak-ZUA (newly built at the A.S. Yakovlev Design Bureau) and Yak-ZUA (Yak-11 aircraft equipped with an Allison 2L engine)

Yak-3 characteristics:

Modification
Wingspan, m	9.20
Length, m	8.50
Height, m	2.42
Wing area, m2	14.85
Weight, kg
empty plane	2123
normal takeoff	2692
engine's type	1 PD VK-105PF2
Power, hp	1 x 1240
Maximum speed, km/h
near the ground	567
on high	646
Practical range, km	648
Rate of climb, m/min	1111
Practical ceiling, m	10400
Crew	1
Weapons:	one 20-mm ShVAK cannon, two 12.7-mm UBS machine guns

Yak-3 video

Overcoming the shortage of light aviation materials in 1943, the re-evacuation of TsAGI wind tunnels, as well as the accumulated experience allowed the AS Design Bureau. Yakovlev to finally begin creating a fighter capable of gaining air superiority on the Eastern Front. The well-developed and perfected one was taken as a basis. Its design was revised and the weight of all parts was thoroughly reviewed. Replacing heavy wooden wing spars with duralumin ones, lightening some parts and components of the structure, reducing the geometric dimensions of the wing (the span became smaller by almost 1 m, and the area by 2.3 m 2) made it possible to reduce the weight of the aircraft to 2655 kg (compared to 2880 -2900 kg for the serial Yak-1) and thereby increase the power supply and maneuverability of the vehicle. Sometimes such solutions went against established ideas, but at the same time they were amazingly simple. There was also a radical improvement in the overall aerodynamics of the aircraft through careful finishing of the wing and fuselage. The fabric covering of the tail section was replaced with plywood. The oil cooler tunnel was “recessed” as much as possible into the under-engine space. The tail wheel was made retractable. The aircraft with the M-105PF engine, called the Yak-Sh (“M” - “Mosquito”), was built in February 1943, underwent factory tests until June and state tests until August. The maximum speed, compared to the serial Yak-1, increased by 40 km/h.

The second experimental aircraft (backup), produced in September 1943, was equipped with a new uprated M-105PF-2 engine with an increase in hp by 110. power. At the same time, according to the new layout of the engine cooling system, the oil cooler with a large cooling area was replaced with two round ones, connected in parallel and located in the center section, under the floor of the pilot's cabin. The absence of an oil cooler tunnel under the engine made it possible to significantly improve the external contours of the lower hood. Comprehensive measures were taken to improve the aerodynamics of the aircraft. A reduction in the relative thickness and area of the wing, excellent aerodynamic shapes, combined with a lighter structure and greater engine power, provided the new fighter with high speed and excellent maneuverability, especially vertical.

The results of state tests conducted in October showed that the backup's flight performance improved compared to the first prototype. It developed a speed of 570 km/h at the ground, at an altitude of 4300 m - 651 km/h (for the serial Yak-1, 531 and 592 km/h, respectively). During a combat turn, it gained 1250-1300 m of altitude, 5000 m in 4.1 minutes (for the Yak-1b, 1000 m and 5.6 minutes, respectively). In the act summing up the results of state tests, it was noted that the idea of a “light fighter” was successfully implemented in this aircraft. In terms of climb rate to an altitude of 6000 m, the vehicle had no equal among known fighters.

The promise of the aircraft with the M-105PF-2 engine was obvious. The fighter had a finished shape and was easy to control. Under the designation Yak-3, the backup was recommended for serial production to replace the Yak-1.

Mass production of the Yak-3 was organized at two factories. The first aircraft was ready on March 1, 1944, i.e. almost five months after the completion of state tests of the backup.

Soviet pilots, having quickly mastered the Yak-3, skillfully used its high qualities, dictating battle conditions to the enemy. In a maneuverable battle with the Yak-3, I was on its tail already from the first vertical turn and after three or four horizontal turns. , being heavier, the Yak-3 lost even more.

Luftwaffe experts closely monitored the work of the Yakovlev Design Bureau AS. In 1944, in connection with the appearance of the Yak-3 at the front, the German command sent out a directive to its aviation units in the East, which ordered them to avoid fighting with Yak fighters that did not have an air intake under the hood at altitudes of up to 5 km and below.

The Yak-3 was one of the lightest and most maneuverable fighters of the Second World War. These aircraft were mass-produced until 1946, the time of the appearance of jet fighters. A total of 4848 Yak-3s of various modifications were produced.

The first Soviet serial jet fighter was the Yak-15, which rolled off the assembly line in April 1946. To create it, the Yak-3 airframe was used with minor design changes necessary to replace the piston engine with a turbojet. In the well-known cockpit, the combat pilots felt familiar and easily mastered the new aircraft.

Technical characteristics of the Yak-3

Crew: 1 person
Maximum take-off weight: 2697 kg
Dimensions: length x wingspan: 8.5x9.2 m
Powerplant: no. engine x power: 1 (M-105PF-2) x 1290 hp.
Maximum flight speed at an altitude of 4100 m: 646 km/h
Rate of climb (average): 18.5 m/s
Service ceiling: 10,400 m
Flight range: 648 km
Armament: 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon, 2 x 12.7 mm UBS machine guns

Design features of the Yak-3

The Yak-3 fuselage frame is a truss structure, welded from steel pipes. Duralumin easily removable panels on the sides provided easy access to the cabin equipment;
The barrel of a gun installed in the engine cylinder chamber passed through the hollow propeller shaft;
The exhaust pipes are made individually for each cylinder;
On the Yak-3 cockpit, instead of a faceted visor with front armored glass, a new one-piece visor of improved shape was installed. The moving part of the lantern was equipped with special emergency release mechanisms;
The pilot's seat had a steel armored backrest and a headrest made of armored glass;
The retractable orienting crutch wheel was covered with flaps in flight;
To reduce the drag of the water radiator tunnel. it was “sunk” into the fuselage as much as possible;
One-piece wing of mixed construction, with plywood sheathing that takes the force load. Between the duralumin side members there were two protected gas tanks;
The wing is equipped with landing flaps;
When the landing gear was retracted, the niches were covered with shields. The position of the landing gear was signaled by pins (“soldiers”), which, when the landing gear was extended, protruded above the upper skin of the wing;
At the leading edge of the wing, near the fuselage, there were air intakes for the entry of cooling air to the oil coolers and the engine supercharger;

Modifications of the Yak-3

Yak-3 (serial). Produced since 1944, only with the M-105PF-2 engine, but with various weapons options. In 1944, a ShVAK cannon and a UBS synchronized machine gun were installed. There was a lightweight version of the aircraft - only with a ShVAK cannon. In 1945, the Yak-3 was produced with a ShVAK cannon and two synchronized UBS.

Yak-3 - VK-107A (1944). With a 1650 hp engine. with a flight weight of 2984 kg, this experimental machine reached a speed of 720 km/h at an altitude of 5750 m. The state test report noted that the Yak-3 with such an engine at all altitudes has high flight performance, is stable and easy to control, has powerful weapons. However, difficulties arose with the engine due to its excessive boost and underdevelopment. The vehicles, produced in a small series, did not have time to take part in hostilities. Armament was provided in two versions: a 20-mm cannon and two UBS machine guns, or two synchronized cannons.

Yak-3 - VK-108 (experienced). In August 1944, design began on a modification of the Yak-3 for a new M-108 engine (1800 hp) with an NS-23 cannon. The first flight took place on December 19. During the tests, record flight data were obtained: with a flight weight of 2896 kg at an altitude of about 6000 m, the aircraft reached a speed of 745 km/h and reached a height of 5000 m in 3.5 minutes. The test program could not be completed due to numerous complications with the engine, which had a very intense thermal regime. Neither the engine nor the aircraft were modified.

Yak-3RD (Yak-3R)- experienced, with a combined power plant. In 1944, OKB AS. Yakovleva was one of the first to carry out work to obtain a significant increase in speed on a piston fighter. For the experiments, a serial Yak-3 with an M-105PF-2 engine was chosen. An RD-1 type liquid-propellant rocket engine installed in the rear fuselage under the vertical tail was used as a temporary accelerator. The fuel tanks for the auxiliary engine were located under the cockpit. The tests, during which several accidents occurred, were interrupted on August 16, 1944. For unknown reasons, a disaster occurred. The test pilot died. Work on the aircraft was stopped due to the lack of development of the RD-1 engine. A short-term increase in speed to 782 km/h was achieved. In 1945, similar experiments were carried out at the Lavochkin Design Bureau, AI. Mikoyan and P.O. Sukhoi.

Yak-3U- experimental version of the Yak-3 with a star-shaped air-cooled engine ASh-82FN (1850 hp). Built in early 1945, the first flight took place on May 12. With a take-off weight of 2792 kg at an altitude of 6000 m, a speed of 705 km/h was achieved (for comparison: for the La-7 - 3265 kg and 680 km/h, respectively). Armed with two synchronized ShVAK cannons mounted above the engine. According to testers, the aircraft was quite successful, but was not put into mass production, since it was considered inappropriate to launch production of a new piston fighter after the end of the war.

Yak-3T- heavy. The production Yak-3 with the M-105PF-2 engine was equipped with an NS-37 cannon and a UBS synchronous machine gun. Built in one copy in 1945.

Yak-3UTI-Training two-seat fighter. Structurally similar to the serial Yak-3. To install the ASh-21 radial air-cooled engine (570 hp) and the cadet and instructor seats, the fuselage had to be changed. It was slightly expanded, and therefore the wing span increased by 200 mm. The cockpit canopy from the Yak-9V (exportable) was used.

The control was twofold. The upper and lower parts of the fuselage behind the cabin were covered with plywood, and along the sides - with canvas. Armament: UBS machine gun (100 rounds) on the right above the engine and 50-100 kg of bombs on two holders. The first flight took place on November 10, 1945. With a take-off weight of only 2250 kg at an altitude of 2550 m, a speed of 478 km/h was achieved. It was not mass-produced, but became a prototype for the Yak-11.

Yak-3P (cannon)- modification of the Yak-3 with three B-20 cannons designed by M.E. Berezina. Built in 1946

The superiority of the Yak-3 in speed, climb rate and maneuverability at altitudes from the ground to 5000 m over all types of enemy aircraft was stunning. Outwardly similar to its predecessor, the Yak-1, it more than once misled German pilots.

Thus, the battle carried out on July 16, 1944 by pilots of the 91st Fighter Aviation Regiment, in which military tests of the new Yak-3 took place - 18 Yak-3 fighters met with a mixed group of 24 Bf 109G-2 and . In the battle, 15 enemy aircraft were shot down. only one Soviet fighter.

The Yak-3 fighter was very popular with the pilots, since, as they put it, it “got good on gas” - it differed from the others in having better throttle response.

The new car was appreciated not only by the Soviets, but also by the Soviet Union. Of the British, American and Soviet fighters offered to them to choose from, they preferred the Yak-3 and scored 99 victories on it.

OKB Yakovlev

Yak-3 from the Normandie-Niemen regiment

1943 was the year for Design Bureau A.S. Yakovlev's year of the most fruitful work. It was at this time that many modifications of the Yak-9 were designed there, as well as one of the best Soviet fighters of the war period, the Yak-Z.

If the development of the Yak-9 in the first half of 1943 went mainly in the direction of strengthening its armament and increasing its range, then the design of the new Yak-Z was focused primarily on a sharp increase in flight data in order to provide it with decisive superiority in air battles with enemy fighters. Since at the beginning of 1943 there were no new powerful engines suitable for the fighter and in mass production, the main attention of the designers was focused on increasing the aerodynamic and weight perfection of the designed aircraft. The Yak-1 fighter was used as a basis. A noticeable reduction in aerodynamic drag was achieved by reducing the size of the wing and improving individual layout elements. No less attention was paid to the weight analysis of the structure. As a result, the weight of the Yak-Z compared to the Yak-1 decreased by almost 200 kg. Engine builders also helped. They carried out a second boost of the M-105PF engine, increasing power by 80 hp. The new engine M-105PF-2 (since 1944 VK-10 5PF-2) went into production.

The complex of measures taken gave excellent results. In 1943, during tests, the Yak-Z (under the Yak-1M brand) demonstrated excellent horizontal and especially vertical maneuverability and high speed. It was a stable and easy to control aircraft. Since 1944, the Yak-Z began to be mass-produced.

The actions of the aviation units that had this aircraft in service were very effective. The French pilots of the Normandie-Niemen regiment fought on the Yak-Z and highly appreciated this fighter.

Of course, in terms of tactical use, the Yak-Z did not replace other fighters with a longer range and powerful weapons, but perfectly complemented them, embodying the idea of a light, high-speed and maneuverable combat vehicle. The Yak-Z, ideally suited for the war conditions on the Soviet-German front, left a bright mark on the history of world aircraft construction during the Second World War as one of the best examples of a fighter for gaining air superiority.

In 1991, an agreement was concluded between the Yakovlev Design Bureau and the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica providing for the supply of several aircraft newly built at the Orenburg plant using drawings, equipment and templates from the Second World War, but with an American 1240 - horsepower "Allison" engine. .

* Power-to-weight ratio - the ratio of power to weight.

		Yak-9	Yak-9U		La-5	La-5FN	La-7
WWII fighters
Year of issue		1942	1944	1944	1942	1943	1944
Geometry
Aircraft length, m		8,48	8,5	8,5	8,67	8,67	8,67
Wingspan, m		9,74	9,74	9,2	9,8	9,8	9,8
Wing area, m²		17,15	17,15	14,85	17,5	17,5	17,56
Weights, kg
Takeoff weight		2870	3204	2697	3360	3290	3310
Power point
Motor		M-105PF	VK-107A	VK-105PF2	M-82	M-82FN	AS-82FN
Power, hp		1210	1650	1290	1700	1850	1850
Flight data
Maximum speed, km/h	near the ground	520	575	567	509/535 *	551/583 *	579/613 *
	on high	599	672	646	580	634	661
	m	4300	5000	4100	6250	6250	6000
Climbing time 5 km, min		5,1	4,4-5,0	4,5	6,0/5,7 *	5,3/4,7 *	5,25/4,6 *
Turn time, sec		17-18	19	17	22	19-20	19
Practical ceiling, m		11100	10650	10400	9500	10000	10450
Flight range**, km		660	675	550	660	590	570
Armament
Number	guns	1	1	1	2	2	3
Number	machine guns	1	2	2	-	-	-

*Using 10-minute afterburner.
** At 90% of maximum speed.

Photo	Description
	Yak-3 scheme
	Yak-3 in flight. In the cockpit, test pilot V.I. Rastorguev. IN AND. Rastorguev also tested the Yak-3R with the liquid rocket engine RD-1, developed by the future academician and rocket engine designer V.P. Glushko in 1944. The aircraft reached a speed of 820 km/h at an altitude of 7800 m, but on the third test flight, on August 16, 1945, the rocket engine exploded, killing the pilot and destroying the only Yak-3R.
	Yak-3 in standard configuration.
	Three views of the same Yak 3 after installing flame arresters. This measure simultaneously slightly increased the maximum speed.

Sources

"History of aircraft designs in the USSR, 1938-1950." /V.B. Shavrov/
"Planes of Stalin's falcons" / K.Yu. Kosminkov, D.V. Grinyuk/
"Stories of an aircraft designer" / A.S. Yakovlev/

The Messerschmitt Bf.109K-4 will not be able to escape from the Yak-3 in the ground zone during climb only if the same climb program is followed and special boosting of the Messerschmitt DB.605 ASCM/DCM engine by injection of a water-methanol mixture is not applied. Because special forcing gives a tangible advantage to the German aircraft in vertical maneuver.
If the Yak-3 has a rate of climb at the ground of 21.5 meters per second (climbing 5000 meters in 4.5 minutes), then for the Messerschmitt Bf.109K-4 the usual boost boost gave a rate of climb at the ground of 14.1 meters per second (climbing altitude of 5000 meters in 5 minutes), and with the MW50 special boost system turned on, the rate of climb at the ground reached 24.5 meters per second (climbing to 5000 meters takes about 3 minutes).
The MW50 special boost system increased the rate of fuel consumption by one and a half times, and the rate of engine resource consumption by two to three times. But special forcing was used only in special cases and for relatively a short time. Continuous operation of the propeller engine installation with the MW50 system turned on was allowed for 10 minutes, no more... since the engine overheated, after which it required long-term cooling (5-10 minutes) before turning on again.
In horizontal maneuvering, the use of “hovering” flaps on the Messerschmitt Bf.109K-4 made it possible to reduce the minimum time for a full turn from 22 seconds to 20 seconds. But only the most experienced pilots could do this.
The minimum time for performing one full turn by a Yak-3 fighter was 21 seconds (although you can find statements that it was 18 seconds, but this is too obvious a mess), and the Yaks did not have flaps (as well as slats).
--
Andrey Ulbin

Fighter Yak-3.
Year of manufacture: 1944.
Engine VK-105PF-2, 1240 hp. (special forcing is not provided).
Speed: 567 km per hour at the ground, 646 km per hour at an altitude of 4100 meters, 624 km per hour at an altitude of 6000 meters, 600 km per hour at an altitude of 7500 meters.
Range 648 km.
The rate of climb at the ground is 21.5 meters per second. Climbing 5000 meters in 4.5 minutes.
The minimum time to complete one full turn is 21 seconds.
Armament: one 20 mm cannon (100 rounds of ammunition) and one 12.7 mm machine gun (200 rounds of ammunition).

Fighter Messerschmitt Bf.109K-4.
Year of manufacture: 1944.
Engine DB.605 ASCM/DCM, 1800 hp. without special boost (2030 hp with special boost in flight).
Speed without special boost: 515 km per hour at the ground, 631 km per hour at an altitude of 4100 meters, 670 km per hour at an altitude of 6000 meters, 710 km per hour at an altitude of 7500 meters.
(Speed with special acceleration: 580 km per hour at the ground, 658 km per hour at an altitude of 4100 meters, 710 km per hour at an altitude of 6000 meters, 720 km per hour at an altitude of 7500 meters.)
Range without special boost (with navigation fuel reserve of 20 percent) 645 km.
The rate of climb at the ground without special boosting is 24.1 meters per second. Climbing altitude: 5000 meters - in 5.0 minutes without special boost (in 4.2 minutes with special boost).
The minimum time to complete one full turn is 22 seconds.
Armament: one 30-mm cannon (65 rounds of ammunition) and two 13.2-mm machine guns (300 rounds of ammunition for each machine gun).
--
Andrey Ulbin

Test pilot Hans-Werner Lerche:
“...Goering looked at me complacently with his blue eyes. It all seemed a little theatrical to me. I noted his consumptive rosy cheeks and soft Russian leather boots of some indeterminate color. My answer to his questions regarding the Yak-3 was that test flights had not yet begun, but due to the extremely low weight of the aircraft, together with its excellent aerodynamic qualities and powerful engine, one could expect excellent rate of climb and horizontal maneuverability at low altitudes compared to our Me-109 and FV-190 fighters. I also could not help but note the mediocre behavior of the aircraft at high altitudes due to the characteristics of its engine. These were simple physical laws understandable to anyone involved in these issues. Thanks to its excellent aerodynamics, the Yak made a good impression, and this could not be ignored. Due to low engine power at medium altitudes, this aircraft could not have good characteristics which was consistent with his concept. It was obvious to me that they weren't particularly interested in the technical details."

Commander of the 303rd IAD, Major General G.N. Zakharov:
“The attitude towards an airplane,” said Georgy Nefedovich, “is always very subjective. Therefore, it will not be surprising if many of my friends, former fighter pilots, find my assessment of the Yak-3 too high. The pilots of the 139th Guards Regiment, who flew Yak-9U aircraft at that time, recognized the merits of the Yak-3, but did not consider them absolute. In any case, many found that the powerful engine of the Yak-9U and its gun were worth the lightness and maneuverability of the Yak-3. Well, patriots of the Lavochkin, especially its latest modifications - La-7 and La-9, will never and will never agree that the Lavochkin was in some way inferior to the Yak. It all comes down to the personal attachments of the pilot, sometimes even to the character of the pilot himself. Therefore, speaking about the Yak-3, first of all, I, of course, talk about my attitude towards this machine...
Thirty years after my first flights on the Yak-3, I found in the archives a review I wrote at the front in the fall of forty-four. These were the conclusions that arose then: “Before the units of the 303rd division received the Yak-3 type aircraft, I flew all fighters, starting from the I-2bis, including foreign ones, as well as the Yak-1, Yak-76, Yak-9 (all variants ). Recently I flew the La-5FN, considering it the best.
Upon arrival, the Yak-3 took off on it and completed up to forty flights. I came to the following conclusion: there are no competitors to such a fighter. The Yak-3 is simple to operate and accessible to the technical staff, stable on takeoff and landing, and can be piloted by any pilot, which is completely impossible for the La-5FN aircraft.”

K.Yu. Kosminkov:
“A radical redesign of the Yak design was undertaken in 1943 with the goal of dramatically improving flight characteristics with a very modest power plant power. The decisive direction in this work was to lighten the aircraft (including by reducing the wing area) and significantly improve its aerodynamics. Perhaps it was the only possibility to qualitatively promote the aircraft, since the Soviet industry has not yet mass-produced new, more powerful engines suitable for installation on the Yak-1.
Such a path of development of aviation technology, extremely difficult to implement, was extraordinary. Regular way improvement of the complex of aircraft flight data then consisted of improving aerodynamics without noticeable changes in the dimensions of the airframe, as well as installing more powerful engines. This was almost always accompanied by a noticeable weight gain.
The designers of the Yak-3 coped with this difficult task brilliantly. It is unlikely that in the history of aviation during the Second World War one can find another example of similar and so effectively completed work.
The Yak-3, compared to the Yak-1, was much lighter, had a smaller relative profile thickness and wing area, and had excellent aerodynamic properties. The aircraft's power supply has increased significantly, which has dramatically improved its rate of climb, acceleration characteristics and vertical maneuverability. At the same time, such an important parameter for horizontal maneuverability, takeoff and landing as the specific wing load has changed little. During the war, the Yak-3 turned out to be one of the easiest fighters to pilot.
Of course, in tactical terms, the Yak-3 did not at all replace aircraft that were distinguished by stronger weapons and a longer combat flight duration, but perfectly complemented them, embodying the idea of a light, high-speed and maneuverable air combat vehicle, designed primarily to combat fighters enemy."

On a July day in 1944, 18 Red Star fighters lifted from a front-line airfield met 30 enemy fighters over the battlefield. In a fast-paced, fierce battle, the Soviet pilots won a complete victory. They shot down 15 fascist planes and lost only one. The battle once again confirmed the high skill of our pilots and the excellent qualities of the new Soviet fighter.

The aircraft was created in 1943 by a team headed by A. S. Yakovlev, developing the Yak-1 fighter, which had already proven itself in battle. It differed from its predecessor in having a smaller wing (its area was 14.85 m2 instead of 17.15 m2) with the same fuselage dimensions and a number of aerodynamic and design improvements. The empty weight was only 2105 kg, the takeoff weight was 2650 kg. It was one of the lightest fighters in the world in the first half of the forties.

High speed (more than 650 km/h with the VK-105PF engine and 720-740 km/h with the VK-107 and VK-108 engines), excellent rate of climb (climb time 5 thousand m - 4.1 min.), good ceiling (11800 m) and maneuverability, ease of piloting made it the favorite aircraft of our fighter pilots.

The design embodied the experience of the team, which had already created a number of excellent combat vehicles, and the advice of the pilots who fought in them, the achievements of industry, which provided the designers with materials that made it possible to design a vehicle with a wing load close to 200 kg/m2. In the conclusion of the Air Force Research Institute, it was noted that with the VK-107A engine “... according to basic flight technical data in the altitude range from the ground to the practical ceiling, it is the best of the known domestic and foreign fighters.” The factories built 4848 aircraft.

In the pre-war years, many of our aircraft designers developed models of front-line fighters designed to destroy enemy aircraft over the battlefield. Among them, the I-26 fighter aircraft, created by a team then led by the young chief designer A. S. Yakovlev, stood out. The I-26 was equipped with an M-105P liquid-cooled engine designed by V. Ya. Klimov. This aircraft had interesting design features that distinguished it from our other fighters. Its design was extremely simple - the wing was integral, one-piece, made of wood, the fuselage was welded from steel pipes, and the tail was riveted from duralumin. The fuselage truss had upper and lower garrots, which gave the aircraft a streamlined shape.

In the spring of 1939, flight tests of the I-26 were completed, conducted by pilot Yu. I. Piontkovsky. Tests showed excellent flight and aerobatics characteristics of the aircraft, and it was accepted for mass production. In 1940, engine builders boosted the M-105P engine, increasing its power from 1050 hp. With. up to 1240 l. With. The new engine was named M-105PF. It was installed on the I-26. Subsequently, in 1941, this engine became known as the VK-105PF. The aircraft with the new engine was named Yak-1. The aircraft had a very high maximum flight speed for that time - 599.5 km/h and had good armament - a 20 mm cannon and two 7.62 mm machine guns.

The Yak-1 had exceptional maneuverability and excellent combat qualities. Once there was a case at the front when seven Yak-1s entered into battle against 25 fascist aircraft. This was reported in Pravda correspondence dated March 11, 1942, when Captain Eremin’s group repelled a German armada of seven bombers and eighteen fighters.

In 1942, work began to further improve the Yak-1 fighter.

The design of this aircraft has been improved both in terms of reducing the weight of the structure and in reducing the drag force. As a result of the modifications, a sample of the Yak-3 fighter was obtained, superior in its flight characteristics to the Yak-1. For example, the maximum speed of the Yak-1 was 599 km/h, while for the Yak-3 it increased to 650 km/h. The 7.62-lsh machine guns were replaced by 12.7-lsh. The Yak-3 was immediately put into mass production. The Yak-3 first appeared at the front during the battles in the Kursk direction in the summer of 1943. On this new plane, our pilots defeated the Nazis at the front with great success. In 1942, a new engine was created by V. Ya. Klimov VK-107A with a power of 1650 hp. pp., which was a further development of the VK-105PF. Since the beginning of 1944, this engine has been installed on the Yak-3. The Yak-3 aircraft with the VK-107A engine was already armed with two 20-mm cannons. At the same time, the aircraft's flight characteristics have improved further. The maximum speed increased to 720 km/h. The Yak-3 fighter turned out to be the best of all the fighters that fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic War. There were cases when our hero pilots shot down enemy planes when their number far outnumbered the fighting Yak-3s. So, on July 14, 1944, eight Yak-3s began a battle with sixty German aircraft. At the same time, ours shot down three Yu-87s and four Messerschmitts, without losing a single one. In 1944, the Germans were forced to issue instructions to their pilots, which stated that “when meeting with Russian fighters without an oil cooler in the nose and with an inclined antenna, do not engage in battle” (meaning the Yak-3 aircraft).

When the French fighter pilots fighting on the Soviet-German front were asked to choose the types of aircraft to replenish the Normandy-Niemen regiment, they chose the Yak-3 from all the Soviet, American and British aircraft. And their choice was right! In just a ten-day period in October 1944, French pilots shot down 119 German aircraft on the Yak-3, and their losses were reduced to two wounded pilots!

The main data of this aircraft are as follows: wingspan - 9.2 m; length - 8.4 m; height - 2.4 m; wing area - 14.9 m2; flight weight - 2650 kg; maximum speed - 660 km/h; flight range - 900 km; ceiling - 10800 m; vertical speed - 19.3 m/sec.

Near Moscow, on the side of Mozhaisk, a monument was erected with a full-size Yak-3 soaring into the sky. One copy of the Yak-3 aircraft is kept in the French Aviation Museum in Paris.

The painting of Yak-3 aircraft was usually done on top in camouflage in the form of black and green stains. The color underneath is blue. Red stars were painted on the side of the fuselage, on the vertical tail and on the wings. The tires on the wheels are black.

The Yak-3 became one of the most famous aircraft of the Second World War. It was the lightest fighter of its time in the world. The pilots who flew it highly appreciated its flying qualities. In air battles, it showed significant superiority over all enemy fighters.

In the early autumn of 1942, a new modification of the Messerschmitt, the Bf 109G, equipped with a high-power engine, appeared on the Soviet-German front. This event immediately rendered our Yak-1, Yak-7 and LaGG-3 aircraft obsolete, which were created to counter earlier versions of the German fighter. The Bf 109G was far ahead of them in speed, climb rate and acceleration characteristics. As a result, despite the quantitative growth of Soviet aviation, the Germans, due to their technical superiority, were able to maintain their strategic air supremacy, which they had seized at the beginning of the war.

To rectify the situation, the Yakovlev Design Bureau in November of the same year began a radical modernization of the Yak-1 fighter in order to bring its flight characteristics as close as possible to the performance of the enemy machine, and, if possible, to surpass them. Aircraft designers approached their goal in three ways - increasing engine power, reducing the weight of the aircraft and improving its aerodynamics. In February 1943, construction of the Yak-1M fighter was completed. It was a further development of the Yak-1 aircraft, from which it differed mainly in its lighter weight and smaller wing area. The flight characteristics of the vehicle have noticeably improved; the maximum speed at an altitude of 4430 m has increased to 633 km/h, the time to climb to an altitude of 5000 m with a take-off weight of 2655 kg has been reduced to 4.1 minutes. In September 1943, an improved version was prepared - the Yak-1M "Double". On this aircraft, the fabric covering of the rear fuselage was replaced with plywood 2 mm thick, the water and oil cooling systems were modified, a mastless antenna was used, the ring sight with the front sight was changed to a collimator one, the armor was improved and a new propeller was installed.

The test pilots were pleased with the new fighter. Their reviews stated that “The Yak-1M has excellent horizontal and especially vertical maneuverability. The maximum speed has increased significantly compared to production Yak aircraft. With high flight characteristics, it remains easy to pilot and does not require higher training of flight personnel.” So, the next fighter received a start in life, and at the same time a new name - Yak-3. The first production aircraft were sent to the 91st Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 2nd Air Army, which took part in the offensive Lvov operation in June 1944. More than 40% of the regiment's flight personnel were young pilots who had never taken part in combat. However, in a month and a half they successfully completed 430 sorties and conducted five air group battles, destroying 23 enemy aircraft. Their losses amounted to two Yak-3s. The pilots’ conclusion was unequivocal: “At altitudes up to 5000 m (there were no battles above), the Yak-3 is superior to both the Me-109 and FV-190. The Yak-3 easily catches up with enemy fighters in a vertical ascending and descending maneuver.” The pilots especially remembered the battle on July 16 1944, which showed that Yak-3 aircraft can successfully fight a numerically superior enemy. The battle began with ten Yak-3s against eight Me-109s and four FV-190s with an increase in forces on our side to 18 and up to 24 aircraft on the enemy’s side As a result, 15 enemy fighters and only one Yak-3 were shot down.

The combat debut of the Yak-3 fighter took place in July 1944 during the Lvov-Sandomierz war. offensive operation. The 91st Fighter Aviation Regiment, which was the first to receive these vehicles, took part in it. Almost half of its personnel were young, inexperienced pilots, yesterday's graduates of flight schools. However, after conducting five group air battles in a month, the 91st shot down 23 enemy aircraft and lost only two. In the report on combat use of the new machine, the pilots noted: At altitudes up to 5000 m (there were no battles above), the Yak-3 is superior to both the Me-109 (Bf 109 - editor's note) and the FV-190 (Fw 190 - editor's note). The Yak-3 easily catches up with enemy fighters during ascending and descending maneuvers. They also pointed out the ease and simplicity of piloting, high stability and good takeoff and landing characteristics. However, these qualities are inherent in almost all A.S. products. Yakovleva. He knew how to create pleasant-to-drive cars that pilots liked.

In a word, the Yak-3 has established itself as an excellent air fighter, capable of successfully resisting any German piston fighters. It is not surprising that the French pilots of the Normandy-Niemen regiment, who had the opportunity to fight on any type of not only Soviet, but also Anglo-American fighters supplied to our country under Lend-Lease, chose the Yak-3. The French fought on them until the end of the war, and on them they returned to their homeland in the summer of 1945. The Soviet government donated these aircraft to France in gratitude for their assistance in the fight against the common enemy. The only drawback of the Yak-3, which limited its combat capabilities, was the relatively small fuel supply, which did not allow it to fly hunting behind enemy lines and accompany bombers far beyond the front line. These tasks were usually assigned to the Yak-9 and Lavochkin fighters. The Yak-3 was luckier than many other types of Soviet aircraft that took part in World War II. At least two original copies of this car have survived to this day in good condition. One of them is located in the French aviation museum in Le Bourget, and the second is in the Vadim Zadorozhny Museum of the History of Technology near Moscow.

Design
The Yak-3 is built according to the aerodynamic design of a cantilever low-wing aircraft. Initially the design was mixed. The wing had duralumin spars, wooden ribs (1 and 7 were made of duralumin) and plywood sheathing. The oval-section fuselage had a truss frame made of steel pipes, a duralumin skin for the nose, a plywood middle and a canvas tail. After the war, the all-metal Yak-3 was produced. The landing gear is retractable, tricycle, with a tail wheel.

The fighter's power plant consisted of a VK-105PF2 engine with a power of 1240 hp. with an automatically variable pitch propeller VISH-105SV-01. Gas tanks, as on all Yakovlev fighters, were located in the wing; their total volume was 370 liters. A water radiator was installed behind the cockpit. The peculiarity of installing a water radiator on the Yak-3 was that it was deeply recessed into the fuselage, and the air supply channel to the radiator expanded sharply. This led to a decrease in the speed of the air flow blowing over the radiator. As a result, the cooling efficiency increased, and the aerodynamic resistance of the radiator itself, as well as its outer fairing, was significantly reduced. The same principle was used in the layout of oil coolers.

About coloring
The Yak-3 was launched into production at the final stage of the war, when the Germans rarely tried to bomb Soviet airfields. Therefore, there was no longer a need to camouflage fighters against the background of the earth's surface and paint them on top in the colors of vegetation, and in winter - in the color of snow. Camouflage in flight against the background of the sky or earth, observed from high altitudes, came to the fore. It was experimentally found that the best color for this is light gray, or two shades of gray - light and darker. All front-line Yak-3s were painted this way, although prototypes during testing may have still had the old camouflage of two shades of green. Regimental designations, various inscriptions, marks of air victories and individual pilot emblems added variety to the boring gray paint job. For example, the aircraft of the famous Normandy-Niemen air regiment were distinguished by their tricolor propeller spinners, painted in the colors of the French flag, as well as white zigzag arrows on the sides of the fuselages. Another feature of these aircraft was that the French pilots, in accordance with national tradition, celebrated their aerial victories not with asterisks, but with crosses - reduced images of the German identification mark, which were painted under the cockpit. The aircraft of the Sword strike group as part of the 150th Fighter Aviation Regiment received a catchy , provocative colors with bright red propeller spinners and engine hoods. On the sides of the hood was the group's emblem - a white winged sword cutting a swastika. The fighters of the 14th Guards IAP of the Baltic Fleet Air Force were easily recognized by the yellow diagonal stripes on the vertical tail, and the aircraft of the 1st Guards IAP had white and thinner stripes. Tactical numbers ( usually double-digit) were almost always painted with white paint on the sides of the fuselage between the identification mark and the tail. Only on Normandy-Niemen aircraft the number was located closer to the cockpit and was inscribed in the boom.

Modifications
Yak-ZVK-1 105PF2The main serial modification with mixed machine gun and cannon armament. It was produced until August 1945. Yak-ZP (cannon) Option with reinforced armament, consisting of a B-20M motor cannon of 20 mm caliber and two synchronized B-20S cannons of the same caliber, installed in place of synchronized machine guns. The motor gun's ammunition load was 120 shells, and that of the synchronized guns - 130 shells each. In March - April 1945, it successfully passed state tests. It was put into production literally a few days before the end of the war, so it never made it to the front. From August 1945 until the end of serial production, all Yak-3s were made only according to the Yak-ZP standard. A total of 596 copies were built, the last of which served until 1950. Yak-ZPDAn attempt to create a high-altitude interceptor based on the Yak-3, equipped with a VK-105PV or VK-105PD engine with a two-stage E-100 supercharger and a water-alcohol mixture injection system. also featured an increased wingspan and a larger diameter propeller. The prototype with the VK-105PV was tested in September - October 1944, and two prototypes with the VK-105PD were tested from February to July 1945. The first of them was armed with the usual serial Yak-3, and the second one had synchronized machine guns removed, but installed a 23-mm NS-23 motor gun with 60 rounds of ammunition. To make the vehicle lighter, the volume of gas tanks was reduced to 270 liters. The second prototype with the VK-105PD reached an altitude of 13,300 m and a speed of 710 km/h at an altitude of 11,000 m. The results were impressive, but the picture was spoiled by the unreliable operation of the engine and supercharger. In addition, the armament, which consisted of a single cannon, was considered too weak, the fuel supply was insufficient, and the working conditions of the pilot in an unpressurized cabin at altitudes of more than 10 km were considered too difficult. As a result, the Yak-ZPD did not go into production, but experiments with prototypes continued until the spring of 1947. Yak-ZT (tank) A variant of the Yak-ZP with even more powerful weapons. Instead of the B-20M motor cannon, it was equipped with an N-37 cannon of 37 mm caliber with a shortened barrel. Its ammunition load was only 25 rounds, which was a serious drawback, allowing only a few short bursts. To maintain alignment, the cockpit was moved back 40 cm, and to compensate for the increased mass of weapons, the armored seat back and armored headrest had to be removed. However, the aircraft became almost 100 kg heavier, and its flight performance deteriorated. The aircraft was tested from February to April 1945 and was returned to the factory to eliminate identified defects. It was presented again for testing at the end of May, that is, after the end of the war. A repeated test cycle showed that the vehicle required further improvements, but by that time interest in it from the military had sharply weakened, so the program was soon closed. Yak-ZRDE experimental fighter with a combined power plant. In addition to the VK-105PF2 piston engine, it was equipped with a liquid rocket engine (LPRE) RD-1 designed by V.P. Glushko, which entailed a radical redesign of the rear fuselage and empennage. Tanks with fuel and oxidizer for the rocket engine were installed in the wing. The Yak-ZRE was built in December 1944 and tested until August 16, 1945. On that day, a disaster occurred in which test pilot Viktor Rastorguev died. The cause of the disaster could not be determined. This put an end to the Yak-ZRD program, especially since due to the advent of turbojet engines, combined power units were considered unpromising. Yak-ZVK-107 Even before the start of mass production of the Yak-3 with the VK-105PF2 engine, they decided to equip the aircraft with a more powerful and high-altitude engine VK-107. The first prototype with this engine was completed in January 1944. In addition to the power plant, it differed from production vehicles in a reinforced chassis, a cabin moved back to maintain alignment, an increased fuel volume and armament, which consisted of two synchronized B-20 cannons. Flight tests began in April and lasted until November. The new fighter demonstrated excellent performance (in particular, the speed exceeded 700 km/h for the first time), however, due to the extremely unreliable operation of the engine, it could not be considered a full-fledged combat vehicle. The aircraft did not pass state tests. Yak-ZVK-108 An experimental modification of the Yak-3 with the VK-108 engine, which had a take-off power of 1800 hp. The armament is similar to the Yak-ZPD - one NS-23 motor cannon. The aircraft was tested from October 1944 to March 1945. Thanks to its high power supply, it had unique flight characteristics. In particular, on December 21, the fighter reached a speed of 745 km/h. This was the highest performance ever achieved by a Soviet piston engine aircraft. The Yak-ZVK-108 reached an altitude of 5000 m in 3.5 minutes, which was also a record achievement. Unfortunately, this promising vehicle was also ruined by engine defects, which were never brought to the required degree of reliability. The torment with the VK-108 continued until the spring of 1946, after which work was stopped due to the transition of the Yakovlev Design Bureau to jet technology. Yak-ZUE Experimental vehicle with a star-shaped air-cooled engine ASh-82FN. The aircraft was made in one copy in the spring of 1945 and was, in general, quite successful, but due to the lack of obvious advantages over the La-7 fighter already in service with the same engine, it was not mass-produced. Subsequently, on its basis, the Yakovlev Design Bureau developed the Yak-11 training fighter.

In total, in 1944-1946, 4848 (4111 during the war) Yak-3 aircraft of all modifications were manufactured. Of these, 3,137 aircraft were manufactured at plant No. 292 in Saratov, and 934 at plant No. 31 in Tbilisi. They were delivered to Yugoslavia. The Yak-15 jet fighter was developed on the basis of the piston Yak-3. At the end of the 40s, based on the Yak-3, the S-49 fighter and the Type 213 training aircraft were developed in Yugoslavia. In 1991, an agreement was concluded between the Yakovlev Design Bureau and the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica providing for the supply of several aircraft newly built at the Orenburg plant using drawings, equipment and templates from the Second World War, but with an American 1240 - strong Allison engine. .

Technical characteristics of the Yak-3
Crew: 1 Length: 8.49 m Wing span: 9.20 m Height: 2.38 m Wing area: 14.83 m? Empty weight: 2105 kg Curb weight: 2650 kg Powerplant: 1 ? VK-105PF2 Engine power: 1? 1240 hp

Flight characteristics
Maximum speed: 645 km/h Cruising speed: 600 km/h Practical range: 648 km Service ceiling: 10,700 m Rate of climb: 1,111 m/min