Yakovlev Yak-100

Yakovlev Design Bureau

Industry	Aerospace, Helicopter design
Headquarters	Soviet Union

File:Yakovlev Yak-100 3-view line drawing.svg

Three-sided view of the Yak-100

The Yakovlev Yak-100 was a Soviet single-engine transport helicopter developed in 1948. It marked the second rotorcraft project undertaken by the Yakovlev Design Bureau.

Design and development

Originally known as the Yak-22, the Yak-100 was created to compete directly with Mikhail Mil's Mi-1 helicopter. Its design bore a notable similarity to the Sikorsky H-5, featuring a traditional layout with a main rotor and a tail rotor for anti-torque control, powered by an Ivchenko AI-26GRFL radial piston engine. The cockpit accommodated the pilot and an additional crew member or passenger beneath an extended greenhouse-style canopy, offering excellent visibility.

During flight testing, vibration issues common to helicopters of the era were addressed by repositioning the main rotor blades' center of gravity behind their flexural axes. Manufacturer trials concluded in June 1950, followed by successful State acceptance tests later that year.

Despite favorable trial outcomes, the Yak-100 did not enter mass production because the Mi-1 had already been readied for manufacturing prior to the completion of the Yak-100’s acceptance evaluations. The second prototype incorporated three seats and several minor enhancements.