Yakovlev Yak-38
Yakovlev · Soviet Union · first flew 1971 · fighter
The first Soviet operational fixed-wing VTOL carrier fighter, using two dedicated lift jets plus a vectoring main engine.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Vectoring twin main exhaust nozzles under the aft fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two lift jets behind the cockpit fed by a large dorsal intake door
- Vectoring twin main exhaust nozzles under the aft fuselage
- Short fuselage with folding wings and a single swept tail
The dorsal lift-jet intake door behind the cockpit and the twin vectoring rear nozzles distinguish it from the four-poster Harrier.
Specifications
- The Yakovlev Yak-38 has a length of 16.37 m (54 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.32 m (24 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1050 km/h (652 mph).
- Typical crew: 1 pilot.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Yak-36M prototype first flew in 1971 and the Yak-38 entered Soviet Naval Aviation service in 1976. Its three-engine layout gave limited range and payload and proved troublesome in service.
Variants
Around 231 were built, including the Yak-38 Forger-A, the lengthened twin-seat Yak-38U trainer and the uprated Yak-38M.
Where you'll see it
Flew almost exclusively from the Kiev-class carriers until retirement around 1991-92. Not seen in UK skies.
Related aircraft
- Yakovlev Yak-42
- Yakovlev Yak-50
- Yakovlev Yak-40
- Yakovlev Yak-32
- Bell 309 KingCobra
- Embraer EMB 326 Xavante
- IAI Nesher
- IAI Nesher T
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