Yakovlev Yak-30

Yakovlev · Soviet Union · first flew 1948 · fighter

The Yakovlev Yak-30 was a Soviet single-seat jet fighter prototype of 1948, designed as a high-speed competitor to the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 during the early jet age. It featured a straight wing and nose intake layout typical of early jet designs and was powered by a Rolls-Royce Derwent-derived RD-500 engine.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	Bubble canopy over mid-fuselage cockpit
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Early Soviet straight-wing jet fighter of 1948
Single nose intake feeding a single RD-500 turbojet
Bubble canopy over mid-fuselage cockpit

A compact straight-wing jet with a large circular nose intake, retractable tricycle undercarriage, and a bubble canopy; easily confused with early Western jets of similar configuration.

Specifications

The Yakovlev Yak-30 has a length of 9.21 m (30 ft).
It has a wingspan of 8.52 m (28 ft).
Its maximum speed is 875 km/h (544 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed in parallel with the MiG-15 as part of a Soviet competition for a new jet fighter in 1947–1948, the Yak-30 flew in 1948 and demonstrated competitive performance but lost the competition to the swept-wing MiG-15. The programme was cancelled and the type never entered production.

Variants

A two-seat variant, the Yak-30D, was proposed but not built; the programme ended with the single flying prototype.

Where you'll see it

The Yak-30 was a prototype only and never entered Soviet Air Force service; the MiG-15 was selected instead.

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