Yakovlev Yak-55

Yakovlev · Soviet Union · first flew 1981 · light aircraft

The Yakovlev Yak-55 is a single-seat Soviet aerobatic monoplane built for unlimited-category competition flying, featuring a symmetrical mid-wing layout and powerful radial engine. It was designed to compete at the highest levels of world aerobatic championships.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	7.29 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Symmetrical mid-wing aerobatic monoplane with large radial engine
Very wide-chord wings giving a stubby, purposeful silhouette
Soviet competition aerobatic design with fully symmetrical aerofoil

Distinguished by its very wide-chord, almost square-tipped mid-mounted wings and prominent radial cowling. The short, stocky fuselage and symmetrical wing section set it apart from touring types of similar size.

Specifications

The Yakovlev Yak-55 has a length of 7.29 m (24 ft).
It has a wingspan of 8.1 m (27 ft).
Its maximum speed is 305 km/h (190 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

Developed in the late 1970s at the Yakovlev design bureau and first flown in 1981, the Yak-55 was built at the Progress aviation plant in Arseniev. It replaced earlier Yak-50 aircraft on the Soviet aerobatic team and went on to win multiple World Aerobatic Championship titles during the 1980s.

Variants

The improved Yak-55M appeared with a revised wing planform and aerodynamic refinements. The Yak-54 is a two-seat derivative sharing the family lineage.

Where you'll see it

Operated exclusively by Soviet and later Russian aerobatic teams and sport-flying clubs; examples have flown in international competition circuits worldwide.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.