Yak-3 pictured at Wanaka, New Zealand, in April 1998.
(Photo courtesy of Graham Orphan, Classic Wings magazine.)

History: During the final two years of the Second World War, the Yak-3 proved itself a powerful dogfighter. Tough and agile below an altitude of 13,000 feet, the Yak-3 dominated the skies over the battlefields of the Eastern Front during the closing years of the war.

The first attempt to build a fighter called the Yak-3 was shelved in 1941 due to a lack of building materials and an unreliable engine. The second attempt used the Yak-1M, already in production, to maintain the high number of planes being built. The Yak-3 had a new, smaller wing and smaller dimensions then its predecessor. Its light weight gave the Yak-3 more agility. The Yak-3 completed its trials in October 1943 and began equipping the 91st IAP in July of 1944. In August, small numbers of Yak-3s were built with an improved engine generating 1,700-hp, and the aircraft saw limited combat action in 1945. Production continued until 1946, by which time 4,848 had been built.

The story of the Yak-3 did not end with the Second World War. In 1991, the Museum of Flying, in Santa Monica, California, asked Yakovlev to produce a new series of Yak-3s to be built at Orenburg, Russia. The new Yak-3s were built using the plans, tools, dies and fixtures of the original. They were powered by American Allison engines, and given the designation Yak-3UA. These aircraft are now available on the civilian market.

Nicknames: Ubiytsa ("Killer"); Ostronosyi ("Sharp-Nose" -- Generic term for all inline-engine powered Yak fighters).

Specifications:
        Engine: One 1,300-hp Klimov VK-105PF-2 V-12 piston engine
        Weight: Empty 4,641 lbs., Max Takeoff 5,864 lbs.
        Wing Span: 30ft. 2.25in.
        Length: 27ft. 10.25in.
        Height: 7ft. 11.25in.
        Performance:
            Maximum Speed: 407 mph
            Ceiling: 35,105 ft.
            Range: 559 miles
        Armament:
            One engine-mounted 20-mm ShVAK cannon
            Two 12.7-mm (0.5-inch) UBS machine guns

Number Built: 4,848 (Original 1940s-era models)

Number Still Airworthy:  At least 5 newly-manufactured aircraft.

Links:
European Yak Club
Kiwi Aircraft Images Yak-3 Page
Steadfast - Yak-3U Race Team
Yak UK

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