Yakovlev Yak-36 (Freehand)

Experimental Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Aircraft

Soviet Union | 1963

"Four Yakovlev Yak-36 Freehand aircraft were completed for testing of a viable Vertical Short Take-Off and Landing aircraft platform."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Yakovlev Yak-36 Experimental Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Aircraft.

2 x Tumansky R-27-300 turbojet engines with thrust vectoring developing 11,688lb of thrust each.
Propulsion

559 mph
900 kph | 486 kts
Max Speed

39,370 ft
12,000 m | 7 miles
Service Ceiling

230 miles
370 km | 200 nm
Operational Range

28,000 ft/min
8,534 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Yakovlev Yak-36 Experimental Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Aircraft.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

55.8 ft
17.00 m
O/A Length

32.8 ft
(10.00 m)
O/A Width

14.8 ft
(4.50 m)
O/A Height

11,684 lb
(5,300 kg)
Empty Weight

19,621 lb
(8,900 kg)
MTOW

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Yakovlev Yak-36 (Freehand) Experimental Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Aircraft .

PROPOSED:
1 x 23mm GSh-12L cannon

OPTIONAL (proposed):
Externally-held ordnance carried on two hardpoints supporting conventional drop bombs, rocket pods, and cannon pods.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Yakovlev Yak-36 (Freehand) family line.

Yak-36 - Base Series Designation

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/20/2016 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The road to the Yak-38 "Forger" for Yakovlev went through the Yak-36 "Freehand" technology demonstrator. This aircraft was devised as a Vertical, Short Take-Off and Landing (V/STOL) platform from its inception, intended to showcase the viability of a specially-designed propulsion lift arrangement to achieve the desired results. Four test articles were completed before project's end of which three were used in actual flight testing. The Yak-36M evolved as the prototype form to the Yak-38 which achieved operational service with the Soviet Navy in 1976.

Yakovlev engineers completed work on an early-form VSTOL aircraft through the Yak-104 during the 1960s. This, based on a modified Yak-30 jet-powered trainer, laid the framework for a more advanced form still to come. When development of the Yak-104 was abandoned due to its complex lift system, attention turned to a more condensed model.

An initial single-engine approach was dropped in favor of a twin-engine product and the primary propulsion units would be featured in a side-by-side arrangement aspirated at the nose of the aircraft through a bifurcated intake. The same engines, mounted forward in the design, would also provide the necessary lifting power by way of swiveling exhaust nozzles set about the underside of the airframe. The design held a single pilot under a bubble-style canopy with minimal framing. A single vertical fin was featured at the tail with high-mounted horizontal planes. The wing mainplanes themselves were mid-mounted, swept-back, cropped-delta elements showcasing 37-degree sweepback along their trailing edges and slight anhedral (downward angle) overall. The undercarriage was of particular note, arranged in a "bicycle" pattern in which the main legs were inline under the fuselage's centerline. Outriggers were added to the wingtips to prevent tipping when ground-running.

The initial prototype was reserved for static tests so the second prototype was used in actual hovering, landing, and take-off actions. The third prototype was a more evolved model based on experiences gained with the first and second prototypes. The fourth prototype became another flyable example. The third and fourth units eventually crashed during tests with only the third example being rebuilt to continue work.

As a fighter development, it was envisioned that the production-quality Yak-36 would carry underwing hardpoints for conventional drop bombs, rocket pods, or cannon pods. Provision for 1 x 23mm GSh-12L series cannon was also planned. However, these were never fitted due to the design's lack of power - which kept it forever as a test platform and nothing more.

A first flight, though tethered for pilot safety, was held on January 9th, 1963 and a completely untethered test flight was recorded on June 23rd of that year. A first vertical-to-horizontal action was finally had on September 16th and March 24th, 1966 marked the first vertical-to-horizontal launch with vertical landing action undertaken (successfully). In July of 1967, the aircraft was publically showcased during the celebrations surrounding the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. When identified in the West, it received the NATO codename of "Freehand".

The Yak-36 never materialized beyond the test articles as it lacked useful-enough qualities to become a combat-worthy platform - mainly operational range and power. Thusly, the Yak-36M was designed as a separate entry influenced by experience gained in the Yak-36 program - though the two aircraft held few similarities on the whole. The Yak-38 went on to become one of the few frontline VSTOL aircraft to see operational service - joining the vaunted British "Harrier" strike fighter appearing during the Cold War.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Yakovlev Yak-36 (Freehand). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 4 Units
Contractor(s): Yakovlev OKB - Soviet Union

[ Soviet Union (cancelled) ]

1 / 1

Image from the Public Domain.

Going Further...
The Yakovlev Yak-36 (Freehand) Experimental Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Aircraft appears in the following collections:

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