Yakovlev Yak-4

Yak-4
Role	Light bomber
Manufacturer	Yakovlev
Designer	Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev
First flight	20 February 1940
Introduction	1941
Retired	1945
Primary user	VVS
Number built	90
Developed from	Yakovlev Yak-2

The Yakovlev Yak-4 (Service names Yak-4, BB-22bis (Blizhnij Bombardirivschik, "short-range bomber")) was a Soviet light bomber used during World War II. It was developed from the Ya-22/Yak-2.

Design and development[]

The Yak-4 was an improved version of the Yak-2 with more powerful Klimov M-105 engines and a number of other changes that were made to try to rectify the problems of the Yak-2. Two additional fuel tanks were added in the outer wings to bring the total capacity up to 180 litres (40 imp gal; 48 US gal) and the gunner's canopy was bulged to give him more room to use his 7.62 mm (0.300 in) ShKAS machine gun. The upper fuselage was redesigned to improve the gunner's field of fire and the oil coolers were relocated from the sides of the engine nacelles to the 'chin' position to improve their performance.

Operators[]

Soviet Union

VVS

Specifications (Yak-4)[]

Data from Gunston, The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995

General characteristics

Crew: two
Length: 10.18 m (33 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 14.00 m (45 ft 11 in)
Height: m (ft)
Wing area: 29.4 m² (316 ft²)
Empty weight: 4,560 kg (10,053 lb)
Loaded weight: 6,115 kg (13,481 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: kg (lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Klimov M-105 V12 engines, 821 kW (1,100 hp each) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 533 km/h (331 mph)
Range: 925 km (548 miles)
Service ceiling: 9,700 m (31,824 ft)

Armament

2 × 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns

up to 600 kg (1,300 lb) of bombs

References[]

Bibliography[]

Gordon, Yefim. Soviet Airpower in World War 2. Hinckley, England: 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[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yakovlev Yak-4.

Yak-4 description on aviation.ru

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