Yak-11 "Mr. Awesome"
Arrival at TASM 7/14/14
"Mr. Awesome"
Photo courtesy Juha Ritaranta
Photo courtesy Juha Ritaranta
History of Yakovlev Yak-11 (Let C.11)
(From MeierMotors GmbH Warbirds in Bremgarten)
The Yakovlev Yak-11 was an advanced trainer. It flew in the air forces of all Warsaw-pact countries, the middle east, China and Austria. In the Czechoslovakian republic, Let-Aircraft built this famous plane under license.
In 1944, Alexander Yakovlev based this new construction on the Yak-9 fighter. Different than its predecessor, a radial engine ASch-21 was used instead of the V-engines used previously. As is typical of Russian aircraft production, production and maintenance was relatively simple; for example, wide opening hoods made it very easy to maintain the radial engine. The two bladed (variable pitch) propeller was at first curved in a crescent-shaped manner, later straight propellers (diameter 3 meters) type WISch-111-W20 or WISch-11-D-15 were used.
The maiden flight of the prototype (Yak-3 UTI) took place on the 10th of November 1945 and mass production began 1946/47. Production ended after 3859 planes were built (excluding the planes built under license).
The airplane factory Kunovice in the Czechoslovakian Republic built 707 planes under license. These so called Let-C11 were built from 1952 to 1956. One difference from the Russian production was the use of metal parts instead of wooden parts (for ex. stringers and frames).
The Yakovlev Yak-11 was used for advanced training after the pilots had learned the basics on the Yak-18 primary trainer. Because the plane was also used on the shooting range, it was equipped with a synchronized UBS 12,7mm machine gun in the front of the airframe and a gun camera in the cockpit. The Yak-11 was used up to the late fifties in the active training units and later as a special purpose plane, for example, in the NVA of the German Democratic Republic, it was used to tow targets.
The Yak-11 was constructed in a composite building method. The airframe was a metal-tube-construction sheeted with plywood. The airframe underside was fabric-covered. The wing was designed with two main spars (in between the fuel tanks) as a metal construction and was equipped with two hard points for external stores. The main gear is retractable, the tail gear fixed. All rudders are fabric-covered.
(From MeierMotors GmbH Warbirds in Bremgarten)
The Yakovlev Yak-11 was an advanced trainer. It flew in the air forces of all Warsaw-pact countries, the middle east, China and Austria. In the Czechoslovakian republic, Let-Aircraft built this famous plane under license.
In 1944, Alexander Yakovlev based this new construction on the Yak-9 fighter. Different than its predecessor, a radial engine ASch-21 was used instead of the V-engines used previously. As is typical of Russian aircraft production, production and maintenance was relatively simple; for example, wide opening hoods made it very easy to maintain the radial engine. The two bladed (variable pitch) propeller was at first curved in a crescent-shaped manner, later straight propellers (diameter 3 meters) type WISch-111-W20 or WISch-11-D-15 were used.
The maiden flight of the prototype (Yak-3 UTI) took place on the 10th of November 1945 and mass production began 1946/47. Production ended after 3859 planes were built (excluding the planes built under license).
The airplane factory Kunovice in the Czechoslovakian Republic built 707 planes under license. These so called Let-C11 were built from 1952 to 1956. One difference from the Russian production was the use of metal parts instead of wooden parts (for ex. stringers and frames).
The Yakovlev Yak-11 was used for advanced training after the pilots had learned the basics on the Yak-18 primary trainer. Because the plane was also used on the shooting range, it was equipped with a synchronized UBS 12,7mm machine gun in the front of the airframe and a gun camera in the cockpit. The Yak-11 was used up to the late fifties in the active training units and later as a special purpose plane, for example, in the NVA of the German Democratic Republic, it was used to tow targets.
The Yak-11 was constructed in a composite building method. The airframe was a metal-tube-construction sheeted with plywood. The airframe underside was fabric-covered. The wing was designed with two main spars (in between the fuel tanks) as a metal construction and was equipped with two hard points for external stores. The main gear is retractable, the tail gear fixed. All rudders are fabric-covered.
Most of the known Yak-11 survivors are Let-C11. The reason for this is very simple; Jean Salis and Raymond Capel managed to buy 41 planes from the Egypt Air Force and sold them throughout the whole world to warbird lovers. Most of the flyable Yak-11( Let C.11) are coming out of this Egyptian connection. The serial numbers of this “Egyptian-deal” are well-known as are as follows:
102146 N214X, private owner, Kalifornien (Umbau auf P&W R2000)
105022 N711JT, private owner, Anchorage
123012 N498SD, private owner, Kalifornien (Umbau auf Yak-3UR, P&W R2000)
170101 N130AM, Chino Air Museum (Umbau auf Yak-3, Allison engine)
170406 N33UA, Tulsa Warbirds, Oklahoma (Umbau auf Yak-3R)
171101 D-FMAX (ex-G-KYAK), Meier Motors GmbH Bremgarten
171103 D-FYWM, private owner, Meier Motors Bremgarten
171205 G-OYAK, private owner, North Weald , England
171304 ohne Reg, Planes of Fame Museum Chino, Kalifornien
171306 ohne Reg, Planes of Fame Museum Chino, Kalifornien
171314 G-BZMY, private owner, North Weald, England
171315 ohne Reg, Standort nicht bekannt
171521 N190JF, Frost Flying Inc., Arkansas (Umbau auf P&W R3350-42)
171529 N11MQ, “Czech Ride” AnticAirRacer, Les Mureaux, Frankreich (P&W R3350-42)
171729 ohne Reg, private owner, Texas (Umbau auf Yak-3R, Allison)
172503 F-AZOK, private owner, melun, Frankreich (auch #25111/19)
172521 N111YK, Mid America Sprayers Inc., Kansas (Umbau P&W R-1830-75)
172612 F-AZOS, Jean-Marie Delimboeuf, Garric, Frankreich (Umbau auf Yak-9R, Allison)
172623 G-BTUB, private owner, Little Grandsden, England
172624 F-AZYA, Michel Defaye, Ste Foy la Grande, Frankreich
172809 N3UA, private owner, Texas (Umbau auf Yak-3R, Allison)
172890 F-AZLY, private owner, Rouen, Frankreich (Umbau auf Yak-3R, Allison)
1701231 ZK-YYY, private owner, Auckland, Australien (Umbau auf Yak-3U, Allison)
458519 N261MS, private owner, Pennsylvania
8492250 N5YK, private owner, Kentucky
25111/02 F-AZFJ, Henri Raymond Capel, La Ferté-Alais, Frankreich
25111/03 F-AZJB, Jacques Bourret, St.Rambert d'Albon, Frankreich (Umbau auf Yak-9R)
25111/05 F-AZNN, George Perez, La Ferté-Alais, Frankreich
25111/06 F-AZFB, Henri Raymond Capel, La Ferté-Alais, Frankreich
25111/08 G-YCII, private owner, Woodchurch, England
25111/20 N18AW, William J.Lewallen, Arizona (Umbau auf P&W R2800)
25111/21 F-AZIR, Henri Raymond Capel, La Ferté-Alais, Frankreich
25111/25 N25YK, private owner, New Orleans (USA)
Y337 F-AZXZ, private owner, Coulommiers, Frankreich (Umbau Yak-3 R, P&W R1830)
51-24D N7YK, private owner, Virginia (Umbau auf Yak-7UTIR, Allison)
210 N5940 Stephen J.Connolly, Massachuchettes
407 N5943 private owner, Kalifornien
Serial unknown N5942, private owner, Oregon
Serial unknown N5945, private owner, Oregon
DMC-003 N134US, private owner, Idaho (Umbau auf P&W R2000)
Y-5434 D-FJII, MeierMotors GmbH, Bremgarten
Source: Warbirds Directory 2008, Key Publishing, Flugzeuge, Aviation ancienne, Normandie-Niémen, Touchdown, FAA, DGAC, G-Info.
105022 N711JT, private owner, Anchorage
123012 N498SD, private owner, Kalifornien (Umbau auf Yak-3UR, P&W R2000)
170101 N130AM, Chino Air Museum (Umbau auf Yak-3, Allison engine)
170406 N33UA, Tulsa Warbirds, Oklahoma (Umbau auf Yak-3R)
171101 D-FMAX (ex-G-KYAK), Meier Motors GmbH Bremgarten
171103 D-FYWM, private owner, Meier Motors Bremgarten
171205 G-OYAK, private owner, North Weald , England
171304 ohne Reg, Planes of Fame Museum Chino, Kalifornien
171306 ohne Reg, Planes of Fame Museum Chino, Kalifornien
171314 G-BZMY, private owner, North Weald, England
171315 ohne Reg, Standort nicht bekannt
171521 N190JF, Frost Flying Inc., Arkansas (Umbau auf P&W R3350-42)
171529 N11MQ, “Czech Ride” AnticAirRacer, Les Mureaux, Frankreich (P&W R3350-42)
171729 ohne Reg, private owner, Texas (Umbau auf Yak-3R, Allison)
172503 F-AZOK, private owner, melun, Frankreich (auch #25111/19)
172521 N111YK, Mid America Sprayers Inc., Kansas (Umbau P&W R-1830-75)
172612 F-AZOS, Jean-Marie Delimboeuf, Garric, Frankreich (Umbau auf Yak-9R, Allison)
172623 G-BTUB, private owner, Little Grandsden, England
172624 F-AZYA, Michel Defaye, Ste Foy la Grande, Frankreich
172809 N3UA, private owner, Texas (Umbau auf Yak-3R, Allison)
172890 F-AZLY, private owner, Rouen, Frankreich (Umbau auf Yak-3R, Allison)
1701231 ZK-YYY, private owner, Auckland, Australien (Umbau auf Yak-3U, Allison)
458519 N261MS, private owner, Pennsylvania
8492250 N5YK, private owner, Kentucky
25111/02 F-AZFJ, Henri Raymond Capel, La Ferté-Alais, Frankreich
25111/03 F-AZJB, Jacques Bourret, St.Rambert d'Albon, Frankreich (Umbau auf Yak-9R)
25111/05 F-AZNN, George Perez, La Ferté-Alais, Frankreich
25111/06 F-AZFB, Henri Raymond Capel, La Ferté-Alais, Frankreich
25111/08 G-YCII, private owner, Woodchurch, England
25111/20 N18AW, William J.Lewallen, Arizona (Umbau auf P&W R2800)
25111/21 F-AZIR, Henri Raymond Capel, La Ferté-Alais, Frankreich
25111/25 N25YK, private owner, New Orleans (USA)
Y337 F-AZXZ, private owner, Coulommiers, Frankreich (Umbau Yak-3 R, P&W R1830)
51-24D N7YK, private owner, Virginia (Umbau auf Yak-7UTIR, Allison)
210 N5940 Stephen J.Connolly, Massachuchettes
407 N5943 private owner, Kalifornien
Serial unknown N5942, private owner, Oregon
Serial unknown N5945, private owner, Oregon
DMC-003 N134US, private owner, Idaho (Umbau auf P&W R2000)
Y-5434 D-FJII, MeierMotors GmbH, Bremgarten
Source: Warbirds Directory 2008, Key Publishing, Flugzeuge, Aviation ancienne, Normandie-Niémen, Touchdown, FAA, DGAC, G-Info.
Additional military and civilian aircraft may be seen at the Texas Air & Space Museum