Yakovlev Yak-25
| Yak-25 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Yak-25 at Monino Aviation Museum | |
| Role | Interceptor fighter and reconnaissance aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Yakovlev |
| First flight | 19 June 1952 |
| Introduction | 1955 |
| Retired | 1967 |
| Primary users |
Soviet Air Force Soviet Anti-Air Defense |
| Number built | 483 + 155 |
The Yakovlev Yak-25 (NATO designation Flashlight-A/Mandrake) was a swept wing, turbojet-powered interceptor aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft built by Yakovlev and used by the Soviet Union.
The Yak-25 originated from a need for long-range interceptors 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. The aircraft was to use the new Mikulin AM-5 turbojet. The first prototype, the Yak-120, flew on 19 June 1952.
The new design mounted the turbojets in pods in the wings, with bicycle landing gear, leaving the fuselage volume free for the two crewmen and a substantial fuel load, giving an unrefueled range (with external tank) of about 2,560 km (1,600 mi). The large, blunt nose contained the radome for the air-interception radar. Armament was two 37 mm NL-37L cannon with 50 rounds per gun.
Despite some significant problems the type was cleared for production in 1953 and the first were produced in 1954. Early production models, designated Yak-25, were delivered the following year, although they were not yet to operational capacity because of problems with the RP-6 'Sokol' (NATO Scan Three) radar. As a result, early aircraft used a modified version of the RP-1D 'Izumrud' (NATO High Fix) ranging radar instead. When the 'Sokol' was finally available, the newly equipped aircraft were designated Yak-25M, with deliveries starting in January 1955. The Yak-25M received a number of other improvements, including recoil dampers for the cannon, upgraded AM-5A engines (with the same thrust), and a slight increase in fuel capacity. RAF RPF ELINT flights from October 1956 indicated that the Yak-25M had entered service, but that height-finding by ground-based radars was poor and so interception was ineffective above 35,000 feet.
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