Yakovlev Yak-2
| Company type | Military aircraft |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1939 |
| Headquarters | Moscow , Soviet Union |
| Products | Light bomber, reconnaissance aircraft |
The Yakovlev Yak-2 served as a short-range Soviet light bomber and reconnaissance plane during World War II. Its production numbers were limited, and the majority were lost during the initial phase of Operation Barbarossa.
Design and development
Originally designated Ya-22 within the Yakovlev OKB sequence, the aircraft was renamed Yak-2 in 1941.[1] Constructed using mixed materials, it featured wooden wings and center fuselage sections, a forward fuselage made of duralumin, and a rear fuselage framework composed of steel tubing covered by wooden upper decking and fabric. The pilot’s cockpit was positioned at the nose tip, while the navigator/gunner occupied a space behind the wing’s trailing edge. The prototype lacked armament, bomb racks, radio, and navigation instruments. Despite this, it was the fastest twin-engine Soviet plane at the time, reaching speeds up to 567 km/h (352 mph) at 9,900 m (32,500 ft), largely due to its absence of heavy military gear.[2]
On 15 March 1939, Stalin ordered the aircraft into production as the BB-22 (Russian: Ближний бомбардировщик, Blizhniy Bombardirovshchik—short-range bomber) before it underwent evaluation by the NII VVS (Nauchno-Issledovatel'skiy Institut Voyenno-Vozdushnykh Sil – Air Force Scientific Test Institute).[3] Testing during early summer revealed several deficiencies: inadequate engine cooling, problematic brakes, and an unreliable fuel system.[2] Transforming the plane into a bomber required significant modifications including redesigning the center fuselage to position the gunner/navigator just behind the pilot and equipping it with two 7.62-millimetre (0.3 in) ShKAS machine guns—one fixed in the nose and one operated by the rear gunner. The upper rear fuselage decking was hinged downward to allow defensive firing.[3]
Factory No. 1 completed the first pre-production BB-22 in December 1939, though its maiden flight occurred only in February of the following year. Service evaluations conducted between March and April 1940 yielded disappointing results: despite reducing fuel capacity from 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) to 600 kg (1,300 lb), gross weight increased by 357 kg (787 lb), and maximum speed dropped to 515 km/h (320 mph) at 5,000 m (16,000 ft). Engine cooling remained problematic, landing gear was fragile, and both longitudinal and lateral stability were unsatisfactory, restricting operation to highly skilled pilots. The evaluation concluded that the aircraft was neither reliable nor combat-ready; carrying a 400-kilogram (880 lb) bomb load posed risks to crew safety.[4]
A corrective program introduced two-wheeled main landing gear replacing single wheels and lowered the upper fuselage decking. Around this period, production shifted from Factory No. 1 to Factory No. 81 in Moscow. Aircraft produced at Factory No. 81 exhibited improved craftsmanship with smoother surface finishes and tighter-fitting engine cowlings and access panels that reduced drag. These enhancements raised speed by approximately 10–20 km/h (6.2–12.4 mph). Continued development led to the creation of the Yakovlev Yak-4 variant equipped with Klimov M-105 engines. In total, production reached 201 units before ceasing in April 1941.[5]
According to aviation historian Bill Gunston, multiple prototype versions existed, such as the R-12 reconnaissance model which retained original crew positions but incorporated three cameras within the fuselage alongside a bomb bay capable of carrying eight 20 kg (44 lb) FAB-20 bombs behind the pilot. Another variant was the I-29 or BB-22IS escort fighter featuring restored fuel capacity and two 20 ShVAK cannons mounted beneath the fuselage.[6] However, these variants lack confirmation from later post-Cold War sources.[7]
Russian aviation expert Yefim Gordon references a Yak-2KABB ground-attack version which may have been confused with the I-29; it carried two ShKAS machine guns in the nose plus two 20 mm (0.79 in) ShVAK cannon housed in a ventral pack capable of depression.[5] While photographic evidence exists, further details remain scarce. Gordon also cites a BPB-22 (Blizhiy Pikeeruyushchiy Bombardirovshchik – short-range dive bomber) prototype powered by two M-105 engines featuring dive brakes and an automatic dive entry/exit system. This model first flew late October 1940 but crashed during testing due to unexpected fuel starvation; prior to this it achieved a top speed of 558 km/h (347 mph).[5]
Operational history
At the onset of the German invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, a total of 73 Yak-2 aircraft were operational, primarily assigned to the 316th Reconnaissance Regiment within the Kiev Military District. The majority of these planes were lost during the initial phase of the offensive, with the 316th fielding only four remaining aircraft by 11 July.
Variants
- Ya-22
- The initial prototype model.
- BB-22
- Early production version featuring a flush rear canopy.
- Yak-2
- The designation used by the VVS for the izdeliye 70 / BB-22 2M-103, serving as a two-seat light bomber and reconnaissance platform.
- BPB-22
- Known also as BPB-22 2M-105 or BB-22PB, this short-range dive bomber existed solely as a prototype.
- Yak-2KABB
- A prototype ground-attack variant equipped with the KABB-MV gun and bombing system (kombineerovannaya artillereeysko-bombardirovochnaya batareya Mozharovskovo i Venevidova), which combined a ventral cannon array and a specialized glazed nose designed for bomb sighting.
- R-12
- A prototype developed for photographic reconnaissance missions.
- I-29 or BB-22 IS
- An experimental long-range fighter aircraft.
- Yak-2bis / BB-22bis / izdeliye 70bis)
- A prototype that served as a precursor to the Yak-4 2M-105.
Users
Specifications (Yak-2)
See also
Notes
Bibliography
- Bergström, Christer. Barbarossa — The Air Battle: July-December 1941. Hersham: Midland Publishing, 2007 ISBN 1-85780-270-5
- Gordon, Yefim. Soviet Airpower in World War 2. Hinckley: Midland Publishing, 2008 ISBN 978-1-85780-304-4
- Gunston, Bill. The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995. London: Osprey, 1995 ISBN 1-85532-405-9
External links
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