Yak-18 by A.S.Yakovlev ('Max')

Primary trainer, one of the principal Soviet post-war designs. Yak-18 was a development of the UT-2 with retractable landing gear and enclosed cockpit. It also was of all-metal structure (steel tube) with mixed metal and fabric cover. Fuselage was covered with metal to the rear cockpit, wing root section and leading edge also had aluminum alloy cover. Yak-18 is equipped with 2-blade variable-pitch V-501-D-81 type propeller, rarely carrying a spinner.

Wings have distinctive sharp dihedral from the centre section. Single pneumatically-operated landing flap extends across the whole center section. Landing gear also retracts pneumatically backwards, leaving wheels half-exposed. Tailwheel is not retractable.

Yak-18 family aircraft are fully equipped for blind flight, since 1957 carry ARK-5 radiocompass. Both cockpits are equipped with radio receivers and transmitters.

First flown in 1946, Yak-18 made first international appearance at Poznan Trade Fair exhibition in 1948. In 1949... 1954 Yak-18 pilots established number of class records: 100km closed circuit speed: 262.77km/h; 500km closed circuit speed: 251.83km/h; 1000km closed circuit speed: 223.56km/h; 2000km closed circuit speed: 209.66km/h; Altitude record: 6311km; Distance: 2004.6km at 1283kg takeoff weight;

66k Yak-18 N200YK and its proud owner -

Yak-18 was built in large number of variants: as taildraggers and with tricycle landing gear, two-seaters trainers and single-seat aerobatic planes. It was (and still is!) highly praised by pilots for its light controls and ability to perform flick and inverted maneuvers.

3752 were assembled in the USSR (Kharkov and Arsenyevsk) during period from 1947 to 1955, and 379 more in China.

Some 6760 (all modifications) were built, thousands still in service in various countries.

Created January 25, 1996 Modified October 18, 1999

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