Yakovlev UT-1

Infobox Aircraft
name = UT-1



caption = Yakovlev UT-1
type = Trainer
national origin = Soviet Union
manufacturer = Yakovlev
designer = Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev
first flight = 1936
introduction = 1937
retired =
status =
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = 1,241
program cost =
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Yakovlev UT-1 ( _ru. УТ-1) was a single-seater trainer aircraft used by the Soviet Air Force from 1937 until the late 1940s.

History

The UT-1 was designed as a single-seater advanced trainer and aerobatic airplane by the team lead by Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev. The first prototype, designated the AIR-14, was flown in early 1936. Gunston 1995, p.457.] The AIR-14 was a small low winged monoplane with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage, with a welded steel fuselage and a wooden wing.

After some changes, the AIR-14 was accepted for production. Among other improvements, the 75 kW (100 hp) Shvetsov M-11 radial was changed to the more powerful 86 kW (115 hp) M-11G. The plane received the designation UT-1 ("uchebno-trenirovochnyi" {учебно-тренировочный}, primary/advanced trainer); despite this designation, it was not suitable for primary training.

The UT-1 was used as a transitional type between the UT-2 and fighters like the I-16. It was not easy to fly, requiring precise piloting, thus forming an ideal intermediate between basic trainers and the manouverable but trick to fly I-16. In 1939 the plane was modified by moving the engine 26 cm (10 in) forward, which improved its handling. During production, the 112 kW (150 hp) M-11E engine was also used. Soviet pilots broke several records on the UT-1 before the war, some on its floatplane variant. In total, 1,241 aircraft were built between December 1936 and 1940.

During World War II, from 1941, the UT-1 was also used for reconnaissance. Some were used as improvised combat machines, after fitting with underwing machineguns or even 2 unguided rockets. In February 1942, about 50 UT-1 were converted in workshops as improvised ground attack planes UT-1B (УТ-1б), fitted with two machineguns and 2-4 rockets. They were next used in the Black Sea Fleet aviation in Sevastopol and Caucasus. The survivors were disarmed in December 1942.

Variants

Experimental variants:
*AIR-15 (UT-15) - race plane, tested in 1938 by "TsAGI"
*AIR-18 - UT-1 with a 104 kW (140 hp) Renault Bengali 4 inline engine and closed canopy, not produced serially
*AIR-21 (Ya-21, UT-21) - the AIR-18 with 164 kW (220 hp) Renault Bengali 6 engine, tested in 1938-39

Description

Mixed construction (metal and woooden) fabric-covered low wing tailwheel monoplane, with open cockpit, 5-cylinder M-11 radial, and two-blade fixed pitch propeller. Conventional fixed landing gear with large aerodynamic covers. In winter it could operate on skis.

Operators

;USSR
*Soviet Air Force
*Soviet Naval Aviation;China as ROC
*Chinese Nationalist Air Force

pecifications (UT-1)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=One
length main=5.75 m
length alt=18 ft 10 in
span main=7.3 m
span alt=23 ft 11 in
height main=2.34 m
height alt=7 ft 8 in
area main=9.58 m²
area alt=103 ft²
empty weight main=420 kg
empty weight alt=924 lb
loaded weight main=590 kg
loaded weight alt=1,298 lb
max takeoff weight main= kg
max takeoff weight alt= lb
engine (prop)=Shvetsov M-11G
type of prop= air-cooled radial engine
number of props=1
power main=86 kW
power alt=115 hp
max speed main=249 km/h
max speed alt=156 mph
range main=670 km
range alt=419 miles
ceiling main=7,120 m
ceiling alt=23,354 ft
climb rate main=444 m/min
climb rate alt=1,456 ft/min
loading main=61.6 kg/m²
loading alt=12.6 lb/ft²
power/mass main=0.15 kW/kg
power/mass alt=0.09 hp/lb

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Yakovlev UT-2
similar aircraft=
sequence=
lists=
see also=

References

* Gunston, Bill. "The Osprey of Russian Aircraft 1875-1995". London:Osprey, 1995. ISBN 1 85532 405 9.