Yakovlev Yak-11 Moose

Summary

Category Training aircraft
Origin country 🇨🇳 Ex-USSR
First flight10 November 1945
Year of introduction1946
Number produced4566 units
Average unit price$0.0 million

Description

The Yak-11, nicknamed the "Moose," was a Soviet training aircraft used after World War II. It was developed from the Yakovlev Yak-3U, which itself was derived from the Yak-3 fighter. The Yak-11 was primarily used for basic pilot training and was the Soviet equivalent of the North American T-6 Texan.

The Yak-11 was constructed with a blend of wood and metal, including fully metallic wings. It had a tandem seating arrangement with two cockpits and was powered by a reduced-power piston engine. The aircraft had a top speed of approximately 600 km/h in a dive and was highly maneuverable in flight. It was equipped with a 7.62 mm machine gun mounted on the engine cowling and could carry two 100 kg bombs.

The first Yak-11s entered service in the Soviet Union in 1946, with mass production starting in 1947. Approximately 3,900 Yak-11s were produced in the Soviet Union. In 1953, a production license was granted to the Czechoslovakian aerospace industry, which manufactured 707 aircraft under the names C-11 or LET C-11. The Yak-11 was widely used by the Soviet Union and its satellite countries. In the Soviet Union, it was actively used until 1962, after which some units were repurposed as liaison or target-towing aircraft. Egypt also received a number of aircraft, one of which crashed in Cyprus in 1964 and was subsequently recovered and re-registered as G-AYAK. The Yak-11 was the first victim of an American aircraft engaged in the Korean War on June 27, 1950, shot down by a North American F-82 Twin Mustang.

The Yak-11U was a tricycle landing gear version intended to replace the Yak-11, but only a small quantity of units were produced. Currently, a few Yak-11s are still in service as collector's aircraft.

Technical specifications

Version: Yak-11 Moose
Crew1 pilot + 1 instructor
Operational range1280 km (795 mi)
Maximum speed 465 km/h (289 mph)
Wing area15.4 m² (165.8 sqft)
Wingspan9.4 m (30.8 ft)
Height3.3 m (10.8 ft)
Length8.5 m (27.9 ft)
Service ceiling7100 m (23294 ft)
Empty weight1900 kg (4189 lbs)
Max. takeoff weight2500 kg (5512 lbs)
Powerplant1 × radial engine Shvetsov ASh-21 delivering 419 kW

Current operating countries

No country is operating the Yak-11 Moose in 2024.

All operators

AfghanistanAngolaAlbaniaAustriaBulgariaChinaCuba • Ex-East Germany • AlgeriaEgyptHungaryIraqMaliMongoliaPolandNorth KoreaRomania • Somalia • Syria • Ex-Czechoslovakia • Ex-USSR • Yemen

Armament

Bombs payload:

  • Low-Drag FAB-100

Photo of Yak-11 Moose

Photo of Yak-11 Moose

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3-view profile of Yak-11 Moose