Yakoklev 141, NATO code named Freestyle. This innovative aircraft would have been the first supersonic VTOL fighter if it had reached Russian Navy service. Work began in 1975, but with budgetary and technical difficulties, particulary with the engine, delayed a first flight until March 1987, flown by Andrei Sinitsin.
The second prototype flew in April 1989, but crashed aboard the carrier Admiral Gorshkov in October 1991. During testing it several records for VTOL aircraft have created. Including a climbing speed record ( 116,5 seconds to 12,000 feet) and exactly his top speed to Mach 1,8.
For Russian aircraft, Yak 141 had more composites than other previous combat ones. There's up to 28% by weight being carbon fibre and remainder of the structure was mainly alumunium lithium alloys.
Development had virtually stopped by the time the Yak 141 appeared at the 1992 Farnborough Air Show. A land based STO/VL version was designed, but never developed. Now the surviving Yak 141 is in the Monino Air museum, Moscow. Russian was never being had the first operasional supersonic VTOL fighters. The US did finally wiyh his F35 JSF !
Yak 141 has a huge main vectored thrust turbofan engine assisted with 2 little lift turbofan only in Vertical take off or landing. That system finally has copied to F35 JSF when Yakoklev made some collaboration with Lockheed Martin. The partnership began in late 1991, though it was not publicly revealed by Yakovlev until 6 September 1992, and was not revealed by Lockheed-Martin until June 1994. Its swivelling main engine nozzle and automatic vertical Takeoff/landing assisted computer system have believed inspirating any F35 JSF aircraft programs.
The second prototype flew in April 1989, but crashed aboard the carrier Admiral Gorshkov in October 1991. During testing it several records for VTOL aircraft have created. Including a climbing speed record ( 116,5 seconds to 12,000 feet) and exactly his top speed to Mach 1,8.
For Russian aircraft, Yak 141 had more composites than other previous combat ones. There's up to 28% by weight being carbon fibre and remainder of the structure was mainly alumunium lithium alloys.
Development had virtually stopped by the time the Yak 141 appeared at the 1992 Farnborough Air Show. A land based STO/VL version was designed, but never developed. Now the surviving Yak 141 is in the Monino Air museum, Moscow. Russian was never being had the first operasional supersonic VTOL fighters. The US did finally wiyh his F35 JSF !
Yak 141 has a huge main vectored thrust turbofan engine assisted with 2 little lift turbofan only in Vertical take off or landing. That system finally has copied to F35 JSF when Yakoklev made some collaboration with Lockheed Martin. The partnership began in late 1991, though it was not publicly revealed by Yakovlev until 6 September 1992, and was not revealed by Lockheed-Martin until June 1994. Its swivelling main engine nozzle and automatic vertical Takeoff/landing assisted computer system have believed inspirating any F35 JSF aircraft programs.
Specifications (Yak-41)
General characteristics
- Crew: one: pilot
- Length: 18.36 m (60 ft 2 1/4 in)
- Wingspan: 10.105 m (33 ft 1 1/2 in)
- Height: 5.00 m (16 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 31.7 m² (341 ft²)
- Empty weight: 11,650 kg (25,683 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 19,500 kg (42,989 lb)
- Powerplant: 1× MNPK Soyuz R-79V-300 lift/cruise turbofan
- Dry thrust: 108 kN (24,300 lbf)
- Thrust with afterburner: 152 kN (34,170 lbf
- Lift engines: 2x RKBM RD-41 turbojets 41.7 kN (9,300 lbf) thrust each)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 1,800 km/h (1,118 mph, Mach 1.4+)
- Range: 2,100 km (1,305 mi)
- Ferry range: 3,000 km (1,865 mi)
- Service ceiling: 15,500 m (50,853 ft)
- Rate of climb: 15,000 m/min (49,213 ft/min)
Armament
- Guns: 1 × 30 mm GSh-301 cannon with 120 rounds
- Hardpoints: 4 underwing and 1 fuselage hardpoints with a capacity of 2,600 kg (5,733 lb) of external stores,with provisions to carry combinations of:
- Missiles: R-73 Archer, R-77 Adder or R-27 Alamo air-to-air missiles
- Missiles: R-73 Archer, R-77 Adder or R-27 Alamo air-to-air missiles
