The Yak-17 was a solid operator in service with the Soviet Union. As a post-World War Two design, the system had its roots in the Yak-3 piston-engine fighter which spawned the jet-powered Yak-15 - of which the Yak-17 was a direct development of. The Yak-17 appeared in twice the numbers as did the Yak-15, featuring a host of improvements over its predecessor.
The Yak-17 was fitted with a larger and more powerful engine in the form of the Klimov RD-10A turbojet engine. Still retaining the fuselage characteristics of a piston-engine aircraft, the Yak-17 did in fact feature a tricycle retractable undercarriage with no tail wheel - something found on the Yak-15. Wings were of a straight-wing design and elevators were mounted close to the single rudder - an arrangement still stemming from piston-engine aircraft development.
The base cockpit seated one pilot and a pilot and trainer in the two seat conversion model. Vision was reportedly good from the front and to the sides with decent peripheral vision at rear. Outwardly, provisions for drop tanks increased the combat radius and loitering time the system - a pivotal consideration for the early fuel-hungry turbojets and standard armament consisted of just 2 x 23mm fixed-forward cannons mounted in the nose.
The Yak-17 served along with Soviet-controlled countries up until the middle of the 1950s where the system would soon give in to the ever-advancing aircraft in the development pipeline.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Air-to-Air Combat, Fighter
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
Length
28.8 ft (8.78 m)
Width/Span
30.2 ft (9.20 m)
Height
6.9 ft (2.10 m)
Empty Wgt
5,357 lb (2,430 kg)
MTOW
7,326 lb (3,323 kg)
Wgt Diff
+1,969 lb (+893 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Yakovlev Yak-17 production variant)
Installed:
1 x Klimov RD-10A turbojet engine developing 2,205 lb of thrust.
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 0
Yak-17 - Single Seat Production Model
Yak-17UTI - Two-Seat Conversion Trainer
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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Czechoslovakia; Poland; Soviet Union
