Yakovlev Ya-21
Yakovlev · USSR · first flew 1937 · light aircraft
The Yakovlev Ya-21 was a single-seat high-speed sport aircraft and fighter-trainer designed and built in the Soviet Union in the late 1930s. It was also known as the UT-21.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.4 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Low-wing monoplane with the rear cockpit enclosed by an aft-sliding canopy
- Fixed trousered and spatted undercarriage with a spring steel tailskid
- Inverted in-line engine in place of the UT-1 radial
It is a compact low-wing monoplane with split flaps and a rear cockpit enclosed by a sliding canopy. The undercarriage is fixed, trousered and spatted.
Specifications
- The Yakovlev Ya-21 has a length of 6.4 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.8 m (26 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 322 km/h (200 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was derived from the Yakovlev UT-1, with the Shvetsov M-11 radial replaced by an imported 220 hp Renault 6Q-01 inverted in-line engine. It first flew in September 1937. It carried a synchronised 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun in the forward fuselage decking.
Variants
The sole Ya-21 was converted into the No.25 prototype with a Voronezh MV-6 engine and an open cockpit. Production of neither was undertaken.
Where you'll see it
Only one was built. Production was not implemented because Yakovlev was concentrating on combat aircraft.
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