Yakovlev Yak-25

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakovlev_Yak-25

The Yakovlev Yak-25 (NATO designation Flashlight-A/Mandrake) was a swept wing,
turbojet-powered interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft built by Yakovlev and
used by the Soviet Union.

The Yak-25 originated from a need for long-range Interceptor aircraft to protect
the USSR's northern and eastern territory. The specification for a two-seat,
twin-engine jet fighter and a related reconnaissance aircraft was issued by
Joseph Stalin on 6 August 1951.

Yakovlev began developing a two-seat, twin-engine patrol interceptor, designated
the Yak-120 by the design bureau, in 1951. It received official authorization by
a directive of the Council of Ministers on 10 August of that year. In a break
from previous Yakovlev designs, the Yak-120's thin, mid-set wings were swept
back at a 45 degree angle with large two-section flaps. To provide more
directional stability, a ventral fin was attached to the swept cruciform tail
surfaces. The aircraft was powered by two Mikulin AM-5 turbojets, mounted in
nacelles that were attached directly to the undersurface of the wing.

The design maximized fuel capacity to provide greater endurance, resulting in
the usage of a bicycle undercarriage with a single-wheel nose unit and a
two-wheel main unit, augmented by outrigger struts mounted under the wingtips.
The Yak-120 was configured to carry a conformal drop tank on the centerline of
the fuselage to provide additional endurance.

The aircraft was armed with two 37 mm NL-37L cannon, mounted low on the sides of
the center fuselage. A supply of 50 rounds per gun was typically carried,
although the ammunition boxes could contain twice as much. Under the wings,
there was provision for two 212-millimeter (8.3 in) ARS-212 unguided rockets.
The aircraft's avionics allowed it to navigate and intercept its targets in all
weather conditions at altitudes up to its service ceiling. As well as the radar,
the aircraft was equipped with an SRO-1 IFF transponder, an RSIU-3 Klyon VHF
radio, and an AP-28 autopilot. To set up an automatic landing approach in bad
weather, the Yak included a Materik (Russian for continent) Instrument landing
system. The Pozitron-1 system completed the aircraft's avionics systems, and was
likely a command link system.

The aircraft's wings, tail unit, and air intakes were equipped with hot air
de-icing, while the foreign object damage protection screens and intake
center-bodies of the engines were de-iced electrically, enabling the Yak to
remain at colder high altitudes for longer times and to operate in regions with
a cold climate. Despite its complex and heavy avionics, the aircraft had a
lightweight airframe for a twin-engined fighter, due to a design that reduced
structural weight to the minimum. Two prototypes and a static test mockup were
built by Yakovlev. The first prototype flew on 19 June 1952, piloted by Yakovlev
test pilot Valentin Volkov


Role
Interceptor fighter and reconnaissance aircraft

Manufacturer
Yakovlev

First flight
19 June 1952

Introduction
1955

Retired
1967

Primary users
Soviet Air Force
Soviet Air Defence Forces

Number built
483 + 155

The Yak-25 was first displayed at Tushino Airfield in July 1955, and received
the NATO reporting name Flashlight, which was subsequently changed to
Flashlight-A when the Yak-26 and Yak-27 were reported. They started to equip air
defence units from 1955. They were considered easy to fly and popular among the
crews. Quite common were engine breakdowns, mostly due to the low engine
position when on the ground, which demanded clean airfields, but thanks to
twin-engine arrangement, few such failures were fatal.

Due to its twin engines and radar intercept operator, pilots gained more
confidence on long missions in the remote northern and eastern areas of the
Soviet Union.

In 1955, 108 pilots and 95 ground crewmen finished conversion training on the
Yak-25M at the Savasleyka PVO Training and Methodical Center. As it was intended
for low-altitude flying, the Yak-25's service ceiling was too low to intercept
the American RB-47 Stratojet, which often flew reconnaissance missions over
Soviet territory.

Their withdrawal started in 1963. The last Yak-25 interceptors were retired by
1967; the 'Mandrake' reconnaissance version soldiered on in various roles
through the late 1970s. Like many other PVO interceptors of the Cold War era,
the Yak-25M was not exported to the Warsaw Pact or other nations.

Specifications (Yak-25)

General characteristics
Crew: two, pilot and radar intercept operator
Length: 15.665 m (51 ft 4.87 in)
Wingspan: 10.964 m (35 ft 11.65625 in)
Wing area: 28.95 m2 (311.62 ft2)
Empty weight: 6,210 kg (13,690 lb)
Gross weight: 9,220 kg (20,326 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Mikulin AM-5 (RD-5A) turbojets, 19.6 kN (4,410 lbf) thrust each

Performance
Maximum speed: 1090 km/h (677 mph)
Range: 2,700 km (1,677 miles)
Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,370 ft)
Rate of climb: 44 m/s (8,660 ft/min)

Armament
Guns: 2× 37 mm Nudelman NL-37 cannon (50 rounds per gun)




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