Yakovlev Yak-6

Yakovlev Yak-6

Company type	Aircraft
Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1942
Headquarters	Soviet Union
Products	Twin-engine utility aircraft

The Yakovlev Yak-6 (NATO reporting name: Crib) was a twin-engine utility aircraft developed and produced in the Soviet Union during World War II. It served primarily as a short-range light night bomber and a light transport plane.

Development

In April 1942, the Yakovlev design bureau received orders to create a twin-engine utility transport aircraft intended to complement smaller single-engine models such as the Polikarpov U-2. The design brief emphasized simplicity in both construction and operation. Progress on the project was rapid, with the initial Yak-6 prototype taking to the skies by June 1942. Following successful state acceptance trials in September of the same year, the aircraft was promptly approved for mass production.

The Yak-6 featured a cantilever low-wing monoplane design constructed entirely from wood and covered with fabric. It utilized a retractable tailwheel undercarriage, where the main wheels retracted rearward into the engine nacelles. The horizontal stabilizer was supported by bracing. Power was supplied by two 140 hp Shvetsov M-11F radial engines turning two-bladed wooden propellers. Although originally intended to be equipped with 190 hp M-12 engines, these were unavailable at the time. The engine installation drew upon Yakovlev’s experience with the UT-2 primary trainer. To conserve scarce materials, fuel tanks were constructed from chemically treated plywood instead of metal or rubber. Additionally, many Yak-6 units were fitted with fixed landing gear.

Two primary variants of the aircraft were produced. The first served as a transport and utility model, supporting partisan supply missions, medical evacuation, liaison duties, and courier services. This version accommodated two crew members seated side-by-side within an enclosed cockpit and could carry four passengers or up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of cargo. The second variant functioned as a light night bomber (designated NBB - nochnoy blizhniy bombardirovshchik or Short Range Night Bomber), capable of carrying a bomb load of up to 500 kg on racks beneath the wing center sections and armed defensively with a single dorsal-mounted ShKAS machine gun. Production concluded in 1943 after 381 units had been built.

A limited number of an enhanced Yak-6 version featuring swept outer wings—sometimes referred to as the Yak-6M—were tested in flight. This development eventually led to the larger Yak-8, which made its first flight in early 1944.

Operational history

Throughout the Great Patriotic War, the Yak-6 served effectively on the front lines, fulfilling roles both as a transport and a bomber. It gained favor among its pilots and crews, despite a known risk of entering a spin when overloaded or mishandled, which eventually led to the cessation of its production in 1943. The decision favored the adoption of the similarly powered Shcherbakov Shche-2 instead. By 1944, the majority of VVS operational units incorporated the Yak-6 as a versatile utility aircraft. During the Battle for Berlin, the Yak-6 was equipped with underwing rocket launchers capable of carrying ten 82-mm RS-82 rockets aimed at ground targets. Following the conclusion of World War II, several Yak-6 aircraft were transferred to allied nations, while it continued to serve extensively within Soviet forces until 1950.

Variants

• Yak-6 : Light twin-engine utility transport aircraft.
• NBB : Night bomber designed for short-range missions.
• Yak-6M : Enhanced model of the Yak-6.

Operators

Template:FRA

• Normandie-Niemen squadron utilized as a transport aircraft

Template:USSR

• Soviet Air Force

Template:MNG

• Mongolian People's Army Air Force - Employed for transport duties

External links

• https://web.archive.org/web/20130430162446/http://www.aviation.ru/Yak/#6