Carrier Based Aircraft Yak-38 "Forger" (1972)

• Ship strike aircraft with vertical take-off and landing Mission: Destroying sea and ground targets.
• Design Bureau: A. Yakovlev ОКВ
• Chief Engineers: О. Sidorov, V. Pavlov

The Yakovlev Yak-38 (NATO reporting name: "Forger") was Soviet Naval Aviation's first and only operational VTOL strike fighter aircraft, in addition to being its first operational carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft. It is a mid-wing monoplane with a swept wing. To decrease the size, wingtips fold upward at 1020. The first flight was performed by test -pilot V. Mukhin on January 15, 1970. For emergency escape К - 36VM ejection seat is used. Power plant comprises one lift / cruise engine and two lift engines. The R27B - 300 lift / cruise engine is in centre fuselage and it has vertical take - off thrust of 5,900 kg hp (max afterburning thrust - 6,600 kg hp).The RD36 - 35FV lift - jets are installed vertically in front fuselage behind the cockpit. Each lift engine weighs about 200 kg (441 lb) and 2,890 kg hp thrust. Uninterrupted work time is 2 min. Total combat load - 700 kg (1543 lb). In 1972 the Yak - 38 performed deck landing on “Moskva” cruiser.

The Yak - 38 exhibited was built in March, 1975. On 24 April, 1978 it was delivered to the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy training base and in 1989 it became the Air Force Museum exhibit.

Technical Features:

• Engines:
  • R-27V-300 lifting marching engine - 1........Engine thrust 6100 kgt
  • R-36-35FVR lifting engine - 2....................Engine thrust 3050 kgt
• Crew:.............................1
• Take-off weight:..............10300 kg (22708 lb)
• Range:...........................1000 km (621 mi)
• Max. speed:....................1050 km/h (652 mph)
• Ceiling:...........................11000 m (36089 ft)
• Armament:...................."AAM" rockets 23mm cannon bombs

Photo #298 taken on June 06, 2013 during countryside tour to the Central Air Force Museum in Monino with my Dear Client from Brazil, Marcelo Ramos.