General Information | |
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Type | Yak-1 |
Function | Fighter (winter) |
Year | 1941 |
Crew | 1 |
Powerplant | |
Type | M-105PA |
Power at 0m | 1020hp |
Takeoff Power | 1100hp |
Size | |
Length | 8.48m |
Height | ?m |
Wingspan | 10.0m |
Wing area | 17.15m2 |
Weights and loads | |
Empty | 2475kg |
Loaded | 2985kg |
Wing Load (kg/m2) | 174 |
Power load (kg/hp) | 2.82 |
Speed | |
at 0m | 441km/h |
at 5100m | 533km/h |
Landing | 144km/h |
Maneuverability | |
Turn time | 19.5sec |
Roll | |
Landing | 500m |
Takeoff | 360m |
Range | |
Practical | 550km |
Ceiling | |
Ceiling | 10400m |
Climb | |
5000m | 5.9min |
Combat turn | 900m |
Payload | |
Fuel | 305kg |
Gun Type | Ammo |
1*20mm ShVAK | 120 |
2*7.62mm ShKAS | 2*750 |
Salvo (kg/sec) | 1.73 |
On some aircraft: | |
Bombs | up to 2*100kg |
or Rockets | 6*RS-82 |
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Yak-1 M-105PA was built in special variant during winter season 1941- 1942. Harsh conditions of Russian Winter are very demanding not only on troops, but on any type of equipment, and special measures are to be taken to keep aircraft in high combat readiness and allow to perform service in open field conditions. Foreseeing those problems already in Summer 1941, the GKO (August 14) ordered the NKAP to design, produce and present to the VVS universal (except the top side fairing) ski design suitable for LaGG-3, MiG-3 and Yak-1. All had to be done in two weeks timeframe.
Corresponding order from NKAP followed next day to A.S.Yakovlev for a good reason: Yakovlev's first prototype I-26-1 passed the factory trials on snow covered field, equipped with skis.
Main ski, designed at Yakovlev KB was of 2-spar design, 62x165cm2 size. Weight of a pair was 123kg. Tail ski was also retractable, same for all types of fighters. Weight - 6kg.
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Winter variant of Yak-1 was a series production aircraft with changes to landing gear and powerplant, painted with winter camouflage. Analysis of those changes is presented below:
Landing Gear: wheels were replaced by retractable skis. Despite original fighter design was developed without such a conversion in ming, modification was performed without major airframe changes. Even the leg and retraction system remained unchanged. During retraction, skis were raised tight to the ex-wheels wells, proturbing 600mm in front of the wing leading edge. This part of the ski had special fairing, providing smooth match with the wing surface.
Positive results | Negative results |
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Powerplant: oil and water system elements (tubes, tanks, filters) under the engine cowling were provided with heat-preserving wrapping. Special system was responsible for liquefying the oil using the gasoline. Water was replaced by antifreeze, capable to handle frigid winter temperatures. Aircraft was supplied to airforce with set of cotton-filled blankets and plugs ('pillows'), specially shaped to cower the propeller spinner, engine, radiators and air intakes.
Positive results | Negative results |
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Camouflage: Winter Variant of Yak-1 was painted with white glue-based washable paint right over the standard summer camouflage.
Positive results | Negative results |
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Flight technic of the ski-fitted Yak-1 did not differ from the standard aircraft. But combat use of ski-equipped fighters proved to be a failure. Luftwaffe operated their fighters on wheels all the year around, and speed losses of Soviet fighters did not compensate for some airfield advantages.
Some 830 Yak-1's were fitted with ski landing gear in period from September 1941 to February 25, 1942, when the concept was finally disregarded. Since 1942 ski-fitted fighters saw only limited service with the North Front regiments.
Rejection of the ski undercarriage put stricter demands on the airfield preparation and increased workload on the BAO. Special tools had to be developed and produced, but it was necessary to return combat performance to the combat planes.
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Different concept surfaced later, when test-pilot of NII VVS B.K.Kondratiev proposed so called 'takeoff skis'. Those skis were not attached to the aircraft and did not help during landing. This solution found limited use only, mostly to transport damaged aircraft within airfield or from the scene of emergency landing.
Predecessors | Modifications |
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![]() Yak-1 M-105P/PA |
None |
References | Links |
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Created April 28, 2000 | ![]() |
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