Posted on 06/28/2012 10:47:31 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
A handsome target indeed.
AFAIK, Italian version of this Yak is competing for a future USAF trainer and Israel ordering it to replace A-4s.
It’s a trainer.
Are those wingtip fuel tanks? Ram air inlets under the wings?
From the article: The Yak 130 has been designed right from the start not just as a trainer but potentially as a proper combat aircraft.
Interestingly, from 1941-1942, Russia’s best fighter was . . . The American P-39 Airacobra.
“Yak-130 is an advanced pilot training aircraft, able to replicate characteristics of Russian 4+ generation fighters, as well as the Sukhoi T-50 fifth generation fighter.”
“The developer estimates that the plane can cover up to 80% of the entire pilot flight training program.”
“In addition to its training purpose, it is also able to function as a light-attack and reconnaissance plane.”
“It can carry a combat load of 3,000 kg, including weapons, auxiliary fuel tanks, weapon guidance, electronic intelligence and electronic countermeasures pods.”
From:
United Aircraft Corporation
http://www.uacrussia.ru/en/models/military/yak-130/design/
Air Transport Observer
http://www.ato.ru/content/reprogrammed-trainer
Let's name our next jet the Donkey 131, He Hah, He Hah!
You don't know much about the history of aviation do you?
You could pretty well bet he’s never heard of Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev, couldn’t you?
Rocket pods.
F-16ski cross-bread with the Harrier?
It’s just another aircraft that US movie sets will use when our fighter jets kill the enemy.
“Interestingly, from 1941-1942, Russias best fighter was . . . The American P-39 Airacobra.”
A army air corp pilot of that era once told me of the P39, it had a mid engine with a drive shaft running between the pilots legs. He told the story of how a drive shaft blew up, the pilot survived, but certain parts of him did not. He said from then on no one, no one wanted to fly them. So the brass thought it would be fitting to give them to the commies.
Interestingly, from 1941-1942, Russias best fighter was . . . The American P-39 Airacobra.
**************************
Built by Bell Aircraft in Marietta GA. I worked for and retired from Bell Helicopter Textron in TX. During my time at Bell, I served on an Aerospace Industries Assoc. team that included people from Boeing, Gen. Dyn., Lockeed and others. We met every couple of months at a team member’s facility. .........Lockeed GA, in Marietta, was one of the locations.
The old Bell Aircraft machine shops, etc., were all underground (WWII you know) and there were lots of tunnels. Many of the walls were tiled and still had tiles showing “Bell Aircraft Co.” engraved in colors on them.
I also have a framed full page ad from LIFE or LOOK magazine from the WWII era that shows a couple of P-39s flying low in ground support ops.
I know that’s off topic, but the mention of the Bell P-39 just triggered some memories of this 70 y/o.
C’mon. Aircobra was a dog by Soviet standard too. BTW, Soviet TsAGI contributed a lot into developing a “Model 26e” or P-39Q which is significantly better than original model but still worse than average midwar legacy fighters.
Russians mostly used it as a ground pounder or to escort Il-2s CAS aircraft.
Well, the Airacobra was a “dog” here, but in 1941, it was the best airplane the Sovietskis could put up.
Yep. My point was NOT that they were good airplanes-—they sucked. But they were absolutely the best the Soviets had in the defense of Moscow. Saved their commie butts.
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