Yakovlev Yak-42
Yakovlev · Soviet Union · first flew 1975 · airliner
The Yak-40's big brother — a 120-seat trijet that served as the Soviet short-haul jet of the 1980s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 3 × turbofan, tail-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 36.38 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Trijet tail cluster like a shrunken 727
- Modestly swept low wing
- Rear ventral airstair
Reads like a compact 727: three rear engines and a T-tail, but with a fatter fuselage, gentler wing sweep, and a rear airstair. The centre intake sits flush atop the fuselage rather than in a 727-style S-duct fin inlet.
Specifications
- The Yakovlev Yak-42 has a length of 36.38 m (119 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 34.88 m (114 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 810 km/h (503 mph).
- Typical crew: 2-3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1975, the Yak-42 applied the trijet formula at 727 scale with modern high-bypass engines, becoming a mainstay on Aeroflot's medium routes. Under 200 were built as the USSR's collapse cut production short.
Variants
The definitive Yak-42D improved range; calibration and survey conversions followed. A stretched Yak-42M study never flew.
Where you'll see it
Occasionally seen at UK airports in the 1990s-2000s on East European charters; now almost entirely retired.
Related aircraft
- Yakovlev Yak-50
- Yakovlev Yak-38
- Yakovlev Yak-55
- Yakovlev Yak-40
- Boeing 747SP
- de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7
- Douglas DC-9-50
- Falcon 50
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