Alexander Yakovlev (engineer)
Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 22, 1989 Moscow, Soviet Union |
| Occupation(s) | Aerospace engineer, aircraft designer |
| Years active | 1927–1984 |
| Known for | Creator of the Yakovlev series of military aircraft; founder of Yakovlev Design Bureau |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2012) |
Template:Infobox engineer Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev (Russian: Алекса́ндр Серге́евич Я́ковлев; Template:OldStyleDateTemplate:Spaced ndash22 August 1989) was a prominent Soviet Union aerospace engineering specialist. He was the creator of the Yakovlev series of military aircraft and established the Yakovlev Design Bureau.[1] Yakovlev became a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1938.[2]
Biography
Born in Moscow, Yakovlev’s father worked for the Nobel Brothers oil enterprise. Between 1919 and 1921, while still attending school, he took on part-time work as a courier. In 1922, as part of a school assignment, he constructed his initial model airplane. Two years later, he developed a glider named AVF-10, which successfully flew for the first time on 24 September 1924. This accomplishment earned him an award and led to employment at the Zhukovsky Air Force Military Engineering Academy. Despite this, his multiple applications to enroll at the Academy were rejected initially due to his perceived insufficient proletarian background. In 1927, Yakovlev designed the AIR-1 ultralight aircraft, marking the first in a series of ten aircraft he developed from 1927 through 1933.
Yakovlev gained admission to the Academy in 1927 and completed his studies by 1931. Subsequently, he was assigned to Moscow Aviation Plant No. 39, where he founded his first lightweight aviation design bureau in 1932. He advanced to lead designer in 1935 and later served as chief designer (1956–1984) at the Yakovlev Design Bureau.
The Yakovlev Design Bureau produced numerous fighter planes that were extensively utilized by the Soviet Air Force during World War II. Among their most notable models are the Yakovlev Yak-1, Yakovlev Yak-3, Yakovlev Yak-7, and Yakovlev Yak-9, alongside the transport aircraft Yakovlev Yak-6. In 1945, Yakovlev created one of the Soviet Union’s earliest jet-powered aircraft, the Yakovlev Yak-15. He also engineered the USSR’s first all-weather interceptor, the Yak-25P, as well as its inaugural supersonic bomber, the Yakovlev Yak-28. Following World War II, Yakovlev became renowned for designing civilian airplanes such as the three-engine medium-range airliner, the Yakovlev Yak-42, along with various aerobatic models.
Between 1940 and 1946, under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, Yakovlev held the position of Vice-Minister of Aviation Industry. Prior to World War II's outbreak, he conducted several international visits—including trips to Italy, England, and Germany—to observe advancements in aircraft technology. Once hostilities commenced, he played a key role overseeing the relocation of aircraft manufacturing facilities eastward and managing production efforts while remaining chief designer at his bureau. In 1943, he was elected as a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The title "Colonel General of Aviation" was conferred upon him in 1946.
In 1976, Yakovlev attained full academician status within the USSR Academy of Sciences. His political career included serving as a deputy in the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 1946 until 1989. He retired on 21 August 1984 and was interred at Moscow’s prestigious Novodevichy Cemetery.
Awards and distinctions
- Hero of Socialist Labour (awarded in 1940 and 1957)
- Lenin Prize (received in 1972)
- Stalin Prize of the first degree (conferred in 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, and 1948)
- USSR State Prize (1977)
- Order of Lenin (decorated ten times)
- Order of the October Revolution
- Order of the Red Banner (awarded twice)
- Order of Suvorov, both I and II classes
- Order of the Patriotic War, first class (awarded twice)
- Order of the Red Banner of Labour
- Order of the Red Star
- Legion of Honor, Officer rank (France)
- Gold medal from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Commemoration
- A bronze sculpture honoring Yakovlev stands in Moscow's Aviator Park.
- The name Yakovlev has been assigned to:
- Design Bureau 115 (OKB 115);
- Moscow Machine-building Plant "Speed";
- Yakovlev Street (previously known as 2nd Usievich Street) located in the Airport district of Moscow's Central Administrative Okrug since 2006;
- a street in Novorossiysk;
- a street in Ulan-Ude;
- a street in Kopishche, Minsk district.
See also
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References
Further reading
- Iakovlev, I.A. “Aim of a Lifetime, Story of Alexander Yakovlev, Designer of the YAK Fighter Plane”, Central Publishers, 1972, ISBN 0-7147-0474-1