Yakovlev Yak-18: differenze tra le versioni

Versione delle 17:51, 30 set 2010

Versione delle 18:04, 30 set 2010

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== Storia ==

=== Sviluppo ===

Aleksandr Sergeevič Jakovlev, membro della seconda generazione di progettisti aeronautici russi ed autore di numerosi modelli di [[aereo da caccia|caccia]], decise di sviluppare, nel maggio [[1945]], un nuovo velivolo biposto da addestramento basico che potesse rimpiazzare i suo precedenti [[Yakovlev UT-2|UT-2]] e [[Yakovlev Yak-5|Yak-5]] il quali erano utilizzati nei reparti di formazione dei piloti della VVS e della DOSAAF, quest'ultima organizzazione paramilitare che preparava i futuri piloti per esercito, aeronautica e marina militare.

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|Yak-5]] in service with the [[Soviet Air Force]]s 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 and featured an enclosed canopy and fixed landing gear which bears a striking resemblance to 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'''.

Già nel [[1944]], l'[[OKB]] 115 diretto da Jakovlev aveva sviluppato una versione avanzata dell'UT-2, caratterizzato dall'abitacolo chiuso e da un carrello d'atterraggio fisso, che prefigurava l'aspetto del nuovo modello che assunse la designazione 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 destroying of a fuel dump with nearly 5.5 million gallons of fuel in Inchon area in June 1953 by 4 or 5 Yak-18s<ref>Richard P. Hallion (1986), ''The Naval Air War in Korea'', ISBN 0-933852-47-9, p.186</ref>. 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-18's along with Polikarpov [[Po-2]]'s became quite a nusiance until US night fighters began shooting them down.

Other claims to fame for the Yak-18 are an international speed record for 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: defected with a Mig-15 during the Korean War).