Yakovlev Yak-15
The Yakovlev Yak -15 (Russian Яковлев Як -15, NATO reporting name " Type 2" ) was, together with the MiG- 9, the first Soviet fighter with jet propulsion, which was built in series and used in the air forces.
Development
Alexander Yakovlev was based on the design of the machine largely on the Yak- 3, from which he also took over most assemblies. Only the bow had to be changed due to the new drive. On April 24, 1946 M. I. Ivanov, first flew the 004 equipped with a Jumo prototypes. The first flight test of twelve pre-production began on 5 October of the same year with a RD -10 engine. In May 1947, all the tests were completed and it started the series production, in which in the same year 280 machines left the production halls.
The Yak- 15 was used primarily to that of the piston-engine aircraft pilots accustomed to the new, to make loose propeller jet propulsion and handling of the machine equipped with it familiar. While held annually flyby 1948 group of Yak- 15 led before some figures of the higher aerobatics, which demonstrated the performance of this new type. A built as Yak- 154 or also known as Yak- 15U prototype was later called the Yak- 17 and marked the beginning of the development of the Yak- 15th The implemented only in a prototype two-seat trainer variant Yak- 21 was not pursued because of the success of the Jak - 17UTI.
The Yak- 15 was held in composite construction, the hull consisted of a welded tubular steel construction and was dressed in the bow area with sheet metal and covered in the back of fabric. The arranged in mid-wing configuration, the wing was made of wood with metal bars. The main wheels of the landing gear could be retracted into the wing. The tail wheel, which had to be made entirely of steel because of the hot engine exhaust jet, was drafted into the rear fuselage. The engine was built with a slight skew in the fuselage nose, because of him received the continuous wing main spar a horseshoe-shaped buckle and a refractory steel cladding in the turbine.