Yakovlev AIR-3
Yakovlev · Soviet Union · first flew 1929 · light aircraft
The Yakovlev AIR-3 was a Soviet two-seat light monoplane designed by Aleksandr Yakovlev, a development of his AIR-2 with a strut-braced high parasol wing and a 60 hp Walter NZ-60 radial. Known as 'Pionerskaya Pravda' after the newspaper whose readers funded it, it set two light-aircraft world records in 1929.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.1 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Early Soviet Yakovlev light aircraft design
- Open-cockpit monoplane for sport and training
- One of Yakovlev's first original designs
A small strut-braced parasol monoplane with open tandem cockpits, a five-cylinder Walter radial in the nose and fixed tailskid undercarriage.
Specifications
- The Yakovlev AIR-3 has a length of 7.1 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 146 km/h (91 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed while Yakovlev was a student at the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy, the AIR-3 first flew on 17 August 1929. On 6 September 1929 it flew non-stop 1,835 km from Mineralnye Vody to Moscow, setting two light-aircraft world records. It was refined in 1930 as the AIR-4.
Variants
The AIR series progressed through several numbered variants (AIR-1 through AIR-9 and beyond) as Yakovlev refined his approach.
Where you'll see it
Used by Soviet flying clubs and Osoaviakhim (the voluntary aviation society) for training and sport flying.
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- Yakovlev AIR-1
- Yakovlev AIR-5
- Yakovlev AIR-6
- Yakovlev AIR-7
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