Yakovlev Yak-6

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Yak-6
Yakovlev Yak-6.jpg
Role Utility
Manufacturer Yakovlev
First flight 1942
Introduction 1942
Retired 1950
Status Retired
Primary user Soviet Air Force
Number built 381

The Yakovlev Yak-6 was a Soviet twin-engined utility aircraft, developed and built during World War II. It was used as a short range light night bomber and a light transport.

Development

In April 1942, the Yakovlev design bureau was instructed to design a twin-engined utility transport aircraft to supplement smaller single-engined aircraft such as the Polikarpov U-2. The design was required to be simple to build and operate.[1][2] Design and construction work proceeded extremely quickly, with the first prototype Yak-6 flying in June 1942. It passed its State Acceptance Tests in September that year and was quickly cleared for production.[1]

The Yak-6 was a cantilever low-wing monoplane of all-wood construction with fabric covering. It had a retractable tailwheel undercarriage, with the main wheels retracting rearwards into the engine nacelles. The horizontal tail was braced. It was powered by two 140 hp Shvetsov M-11F radial engines driving two bladed wooden propellers,[nb 1] with the engine installation based on Yakovlev's UT-2 primary training aircraft. In order to minimise the use of scarce resources, the aircraft's fuel tanks were made of chemical-impregnated plywood rather than metal or rubber. Many Yak-6s were fitted with fixed landing gear.[3][4]

The aircraft appeared in two versions, one as a transport and utility aircraft for the supply of partisans, transport of the wounded, and for liaison and courier services. It could accommodate two crew side-by-side in an enclosed cockpit with capacity to carry four passengers or 500 kg (1,100 lb) or cargo.[4][5] The second version was a light night bomber (designated NBB - nochnoy blizhniy bombardirovshchik - Short Range Night Bomber), capable of carrying up to 500 kg of bombs on racks under the wing centre sections and with a defensive armament of a single ShKAS machine gun in a dorsal mounting.[6] A total of 381 examples were built with production ending in 1943.[7][8]

A few examples of an improved version of the Yak-6 with swept outer wings were flown, with the modified version sometimes known as the Yak-6M.[9][10] The Yak-6M led to the larger Yak-8 which flew in early 1944.[11]

Operational history

The Yak-6 was used with great effect at the front lines in the Great Patriotic War both as a transport and as a bomber, proving popular with its crews, although the potential for the aircraft to enter a spin if overloaded or carelessly handled resulting in production ending in 1943 in favour of the similarly powered Shcherbakov Shche-2. By 1944, most operational units of the VVS had a Yak-6 as a utility aircraft.[10] In the Battle for Berlin, the Yak-6 was fitted with rocket launchers under the wings for ten 82-mm RS-82 missiles for use against ground targets.[12] After the end of the Second World War, some Yak-6s were supplied to allies, while it remained in large scale service with Soviet forces until 1950.[11][12]

Variants

  • Yak-6 : Twin-engined light utility transport aircraft.
  • NBB : Short-range night bomber aircraft.
  • Yak-6M : Improved version of the Yak-6.

Operators

 France
 Soviet Union
 Mongolia

Specifications (Yak-6 (1943 production))

Data from Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft[11]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Capacity: 4 passengers
  • Length: 10.35 m (33 ft 11 in)
  • Wingspan: 14.0 m (45 ft 11 in)
  • Wing area: 29.6 m2 (319 sq ft)
  • Airfoil: Clark-YH
  • Empty weight: 1,415 kg (3,120 lb)
  • Gross weight: 2,300 kg (5,071 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Shvetsov M-11F 5-cylinder radial engines, 100 kW (140 hp) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 187 km/h (116 mph; 101 kn)
  • Range: 900 km (559 mi; 486 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 3,380 m (11,089 ft)
  • Time to altitude: 5.4 min to 1,000 m (3,300 ft)

Armament

  • Guns: 1 × ShKAS machine gun in dorsal position
  • Rockets: provision for 10 × RS 82 rockets
  • Bombs: Up to 500 kg (1,102 lb) bombs

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists

References

  1. ↑ Yakovlev intended the Yak-6 to use 190 hp M-12 engines, but these were not available.[2]
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, p. 235.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gunston 1995, p. 467.
  3. ↑ Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, pp. 235–236.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gunston 1995, p. 467–468.
  5. ↑ Alexander 1975, p. 437.
  6. ↑ Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, pp. 235, 237.
  7. ↑ Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, p. 237.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov 2005, p. 238.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Donald 1997, p. 915.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Gunston 1995, p. 468.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Alexander 1975, p. 438.
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External links

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