1986 postage stamp issued by the Soviet Union to commemorate the Yak-18
A member of the second generation of Russian aircraft designers, and best known for fighter designs, Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev always retained a light aircraft design section. In May 1945, Yakovlev initiated design of the Yak-18 two-seat primary trainer. He designed it to replace the earlier Yakovlev UT-2 and Yakovlev Yak-5 in service with the Soviet Air Forces and DOSAAF (Voluntary Society for Collaboration with the Army, Air Force and Navy, which sponsored aero clubs throughout the USSR). In 1944, an advanced version of the UT-2 had been built with many of the features of the new Yak-18. The new aircraft flew a year later, powered by a 119 kW (160 hp) Shvetsov M-11 five-cylinder radial engine and featuring pneumatically operated retractable main landing gear and a fixed tailwheel. It entered service as a trainer later that year and was built by Yakovlev up until 1956. Examples were exported to China in kit form beginning in 1950. The Chinese began producing license built copies in 1954 with the designation CJ-5.
The Yak-18's greatest claim to fame is its use as a night bomber by the North Korean Air Force during the Korean War. The aircraft were modified with bomb racks on the wing center section and flew over UN troop locations at night to drop bombs and harass UN forces. The single most successful attack of the North Korean aviation during the war was the destruction of a fuel dump with nearly 5.5 million US gallons (21 million L; 4.6 million imp gal) of fuel in the Inchon area in June 1953 by four or five Yak-18s.[1] The five-cylinder engine reminded many of the US troops of the sound made by early gasoline powered washing machines, earning them the name: "Washing Machine Charlie". The name "Bed Check Charlie" was also used for these night intruders. The Yak-18s, along with Polikarpov Po-2s, became quite a nuisance until US night fighters began shooting them down. One nightfighter crashed shooting down a Bed Check Charlie and another nightfighter rammed its target.
Other claims to fame for the Yak-18 are an international speed record for its class in 1951 as well as being the aircraft used for initial flight training by Yuri Gagarin (1st human in space) and Ken Rowe (No Kum-Sok, who defected from North Korea with a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet fighter during the Korean War). Later, as the need for conventional landing gear trainers abated, Yakovlev re-designed the Yak-18 with retractable tricycle landing gear and an Ivchenko AI-14RF radial engine of 224 kW (300 hp); this was designated the Yak-18A. The design proved exceptionally easy to build and maintain.
There are an estimated 40 original Yak-18s in existence worldwide. Five are currently flyable in the US, three are flyable in Europe, and the Chinese Air Force has one flyable with several other airframes in storage. Approximately four other aircraft worldwide are currently[date missing] being restored for flight. Many are found in major aviation museums worldwide including the National Air and Space Museum in the USA. The Nanchang CJ-6, produced in China, is sometimes quoted as a variant but is a completely different aircraft designed in China by Bushi Cheng and built by Nanchang Aircraft Company.
Operational historyEdit
Aerobatic formation of Yak-18sSoviet Yak-18PM single-seat aerobatic aircraft competing in the 1970 World Aerobatic Championship at RAF Hullavington, England, in 1970
The Yak-18 became the standard trainer for Air Force flying schools and DOSAAF, was in wide use[citation needed] in China, and in many other countries.
Photographs showing Kim Jong-Un visiting a North Korean Air Force base in March 2014 suggest that the North Koreans may still maintain original Yak-18s or CJ-5s in a bombing role.[2]
VariantsEdit
Yak-18A
Yak-18
The original production version. Retractable main undercarriage, fixed tailwheel.
Yak-18U
This version was built in small numbers. It had retractable tricycle landing gear.
Yak-18A
Cleaned up version of the Yak-18U, powered by a 194 kW (260 hp) Ivchenko AI-14 FR engine. Built in large numbers.
Yak-18P (NATO reporting name Mouse)
Single-seat aerobatic aircraft for use by flying clubs. Adaptation of Yak-18 two-seat trainer.
Yak-18PM
Single-seat aerobatic aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear.
Yak-18PS
Aerobatic aircraft with retractable main gear.
Hongzhuan-501 (Red Craftsman)
Probable original designation for early CJ-5 production aircraft.
Nanchang CJ-5
The Yak-18 was built under licence in China as the CJ-5 for use by the PLAAF, PLANAF and civilian flying clubs; 379 CJ-5s had been built when production ended in 1958.
Similar model designationEdit
The Yakovlev Yak-18T was developed as an Aeroflot training aircraft and also as a light passenger transport aircraft, with a cabin for one pilot and three passengers. It is not a variant of the Yak-18 as it has very little in common, and was designed from scratch 20 years later.
^Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yakovlev Yak-18.
The initial version of this article was based on material from aviation.ru. It has been released under the GFDL by the copyright holder.
September 08, 2023
yakovlev, russian, Яковлев, Як, nato, reporting, name, tandem, seat, military, primary, trainer, aircraft, manufactured, soviet, union, originally, powered, shvetsov, 11fr, radial, piston, engine, entered, service, 1946, also, produced, china, nanchang, polish. The Yakovlev Yak 18 Russian Yakovlev Yak 18 NATO reporting name Max is a tandem two seat military primary trainer aircraft manufactured in the Soviet Union Originally powered by one 119 kW 160 hp Shvetsov M 11FR 1 radial piston engine it entered service in 1946 It was also produced in China as the Nanchang CJ 5 Yak 18A Polish Yakovlev Yak 18 in flightRole Training aircraftManufacturer YakovlevFirst flight 1946Introduction 1946Status in limited servicePrimary users Soviet Air ForceDOSAAFPeople s Liberation Army Air ForcePolish Air Force Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Similar model designation 5 Operators 6 Specifications Yak 18A 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksDesign and development Edit nbsp 1986 postage stamp issued by the Soviet Union to commemorate the Yak 18A member of the second generation of Russian aircraft designers and best known for fighter designs Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev always retained a light aircraft design section In May 1945 Yakovlev initiated design of the Yak 18 two seat primary trainer He designed it to replace the earlier Yakovlev UT 2 and Yakovlev Yak 5 in service with the Soviet Air Forces and DOSAAF Voluntary Society for Collaboration with the Army Air Force and Navy which sponsored aero clubs throughout the USSR In 1944 an advanced version of the UT 2 had been built with many of the features of the new Yak 18 The new aircraft flew a year later powered by a 119 kW 160 hp Shvetsov M 11 five cylinder radial engine and featuring pneumatically operated retractable main landing gear and a fixed tailwheel It entered service as a trainer later that year and was built by Yakovlev up until 1956 Examples were exported to China in kit form beginning in 1950 The Chinese began producing license built copies in 1954 with the designation CJ 5 The Yak 18 s greatest claim to fame is its use as a night bomber by the North Korean Air Force during the Korean War The aircraft were modified with bomb racks on the wing center section and flew over UN troop locations at night to drop bombs and harass UN forces The single most successful attack of the North Korean aviation during the war was the destruction of a fuel dump with nearly 5 5 million US gallons 21 million L 4 6 million imp gal of fuel in the Inchon area in June 1953 by four or five Yak 18s 1 The five cylinder engine reminded many of the US troops of the sound made by early gasoline powered washing machines earning them the name Washing Machine Charlie The name Bed Check Charlie was also used for these night intruders The Yak 18s along with Polikarpov Po 2s became quite a nuisance until US night fighters began shooting them down One nightfighter crashed shooting down a Bed Check Charlie and another nightfighter rammed its target Other claims to fame for the Yak 18 are an international speed record for its class in 1951 as well as being the aircraft used for initial flight training by Yuri Gagarin 1st human in space and Ken Rowe No Kum Sok who defected from North Korea with a Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 15 jet fighter during the Korean War Later as the need for conventional landing gear trainers abated Yakovlev re designed the Yak 18 with retractable tricycle landing gear and an Ivchenko AI 14RF radial engine of 224 kW 300 hp this was designated the Yak 18A The design proved exceptionally easy to build and maintain There are an estimated 40 original Yak 18s in existence worldwide Five are currently flyable in the US three are flyable in Europe and the Chinese Air Force has one flyable with several other airframes in storage Approximately four other aircraft worldwide are currently date missing being restored for flight Many are found in major aviation museums worldwide including the National Air and Space Museum in the USA The Nanchang CJ 6 produced in China is sometimes quoted as a variant but is a completely different aircraft designed in China by Bushi Cheng and built by Nanchang Aircraft Company Operational history Edit nbsp Aerobatic formation of Yak 18s nbsp Soviet Yak 18PM single seat aerobatic aircraft competing in the 1970 World Aerobatic Championship at RAF Hullavington England in 1970The Yak 18 became the standard trainer for Air Force flying schools and DOSAAF was in wide use citation needed in China and in many other countries Photographs showing Kim Jong Un visiting a North Korean Air Force base in March 2014 suggest that the North Koreans may still maintain original Yak 18s or CJ 5s in a bombing role 2 Variants Edit nbsp Yak 18AYak 18 The original production version Retractable main undercarriage fixed tailwheel Yak 18U This version was built in small numbers It had retractable tricycle landing gear Yak 18A Cleaned up version of the Yak 18U powered by a 194 kW 260 hp Ivchenko AI 14 FR engine Built in large numbers Yak 18P NATO reporting name Mouse Single seat aerobatic aircraft for use by flying clubs Adaptation of Yak 18 two seat trainer Yak 18PM Single seat aerobatic aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear Yak 18PS Aerobatic aircraft with retractable main gear Hongzhuan 501 Red Craftsman Probable original designation for early CJ 5 production aircraft Nanchang CJ 5 The Yak 18 was built under licence in China as the CJ 5 for use by the PLAAF PLANAF and civilian flying clubs 379 CJ 5s had been built when production ended in 1958 Similar model designation EditThe Yakovlev Yak 18T was developed as an Aeroflot training aircraft and also as a light passenger transport aircraft with a cabin for one pilot and three passengers It is not a variant of the Yak 18 as it has very little in common and was designed from scratch 20 years later Operators Edit nbsp Polish Air Force Yak 18 in the Polish Aviation Museum nbsp North Korean Air ForceAfghanistanAfghan Air ForceAlbaniaAlbanian Air Force including Chinese CJ 6 variants AlgeriaAlgerian Air ForceArmeniaArmenian Air ForceAustriaAustrian Air ForceBulgariaBulgarian Air ForceCambodiaRoyal Cambodian Air Force Khmer Air ForceChinaPeople s Liberation Army Air Force manufactured in China under the designation CJ 5 CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakian Air Force Czechoslovakian National Security GuardEast GermanyAir Forces of the National People s ArmyEgyptEgyptian Air ForceGuineaMilitary of GuineaHungaryHungarian Air ForceIraqIraqi Air ForceLaosLao People s Liberation Army Air ForceMaliAir Force of MaliMongoliaMongolian People s Air ForceNorth KoreaNorth Korean Air ForcePolandPolish Air ForceRomaniaRomanian Air ForceSomaliaSomali Air CorpsSoviet UnionDOSAAF Soviet Air ForceSyriaSyrian Air ForceTransnistriaMilitary of Transnistria 2 3 TurkmenistanTurkmenistan Air ForceVietnamVietnam People s Air ForceYemenYemen Air ForceZambiaZambian Air ForceSpecifications Yak 18A Edit nbsp Yak 18 3 view drawingData from citation needed General characteristicsCrew 2 Length 8 35 m 27 ft 5 in Wingspan 10 6 m 34 ft 9 in Height 3 35 m 11 ft 0 in Wing area 17 8 m2 192 sq ft Airfoil root Clark YH 14 5 tip Clark YH 9 3 4 Empty weight 1 025 kg 2 260 lb Max takeoff weight 1 320 kg 2 910 lb Powerplant 1 Ivchenko AI 14RF 9 cylinder air cooled radial piston engine 224 kW 300 hp Propellers 2 bladed variabre pitch propellerPerformance Maximum speed 300 km h 190 mph 160 kn Range 700 km 430 mi 380 nmi Service ceiling 5 060 m 16 600 ft See also Edit nbsp Aviation portalRelated development Nanchang CJ 6 Yakovlev Yak 20Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Zlin Trener LWD Junak de Havilland Canada DHC 1 Chipmunk Percival Prentice Ryan NavionReferences Edit Richard P Hallion 1986 The Naval Air War in Korea ISBN 0 933852 47 9 p 186 http spioenkop blogspot it 2014 03 north korea forgotten aircraft yak 18cj html self published source Transnistrian military aviation OrBat Lednicer David The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage m selig ae illinois edu Retrieved 16 April 2019 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yakovlev Yak 18 Description page on aviation ruThe initial version of this article was based on material from aviation ru It has been released under the GFDL by the copyright holder Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yakovlev Yak 18 amp oldid 1160416701, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
