Mushroom Model Publications

Yakovlev Yak-23: The First Yakovlev Jet Fighters

by  Marian Mikolajczuk

Reviewed By  Charles Landrum, IPMS# 26328

MSRP: $24.95 ISBN: 978-83-89450-54-8 Website: www.mmpbooks.biz Available from Squadron (www.squadron.com) My thanks to Roger Wallsgrove, Editor-in-Chief of Mushroom Model Publications, who provided this review sample. I had the pleasure of meeting him and his team at the 2008 Nationals. The Yak-23 was the final fighter from Yakovlev which could trace its lineage that began with the Yak-1. The "Flora" (as named by NATO), while a great deal different than the Yak-15 and 17, still showed hints of its origin as a tadpole derivative of the Yak-3. The Yak-23 went on to populate many of the Warsaw Pact air forces as the Soviet Union transitioned to the Mig-15. With the ascendancy of Mig, the Yak-23s days were numbered the last of them were phased out in the late 1950s. Still the Flora was a good and forgiving transition aircraft for these air forces before they too moved on to their Migs. This latest portfolio in Mushroom models Yellow Series not only covers the Yak-23 but also the preceding Yak-17 and Yak-15 models. Poland had a central role in the operation and aborted production of the Yak-23 and it is obvious that this author had access to veterans, archives and photographs providing an additional richness to the book. It is a good mix of narrative for the aviation enthusiast and detail for the modeler. The book is full of high quality photographs, vintage images in clear B&W and sharp modern color photos. It also contains a good number of excerpts from aircraft technical manuals. The first 60 pages of the book is the narrative with photos and drawings that traces the development of the family starting with the Yak-15 through to the Yak-23 including an overview of operational history of each. The next sixty pages provide the detail photos and drawings of each aircraft. The final 30 pages is a series of color profiles, again covering all three aircraft. The chapter break down is as follows. Yak-15 Design and Development The book opens with the story of the development of the Yak-15. The chapter briefly mentions the other competitors in the race for a Soviet jet fighter, but really focuses on what was achieved. Included are some nice drawings of the Yak-15. A very helpful development diagram precedes the chapter outlining the family tree. Birth of the Yak-17 This is a brief chapter that outlines not only the refinements, notably the tricycle landing gear, which formed the basis for the Yak-17. Also highlighted was the development of the Yak-17 UTI 2-seat trainer, which became the first two seated Soviet trainers. Yak-17 Successors A two-page chapter, it discusses the Yak-19 and Yak-25. Although dead-ends, their development contributed to the development of the Yak-23. Yak-23 Development This chapter is not long on design details; it really is a summary of the short developmental life of the aircraft. The Yak-23 began as a private development by a team of designers of the Yakovlev Bureau led by a chief designer who would not let go of the Yak-15 development line. Powered by a licensed copy of the Derwent 5 engine the Yak-23 was a lightweight development. By the time the plane was introduced it was superseded by the Mig-15 and the Flora was shipped to Warsaw Pact nations. Yak-17 and Yak-23 Exports Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania took delivery of the Yak-23 in that order. The author outlines the role the aircraft played in these air arms. The most interesting part of this chapter is the discussion of the USAF acquisition, testing and return of a Yak-23, all without the apparent knowledge of the Soviet Union. Yak-23 Structure While this chapter begins with a description of the aircraft and its specifications, the more interesting portion is a discussion of the flight handling of the aircraft. This evaluation is based on remembrances of Polish pilots and is quite interesting. It is too bad that not more space is devoted to these recollections. Detail Photos Broken down by aircraft type, this chapter is dense with pictures and drawings. The pictures are good with walk-arounds of each type including Yak-15, Yak-17, Yak-17 UTI and the Yak-23. The most complete information is on the Yak-23 which includes details from the original technical manuals. Color Profiles Mushroom Model Publications includes 65 original color profiles in the book. These include all operators of the Yak-15, Yak-17, Yak-17UIT and the Yak-23 including the USAF "borrowed" aircraft. Typical of the era, most of the planes are not very colorful either green over blue, gray or silver. Still there are some surprising exceptions. In summary this is a nice book on a family of unheralded aircraft that paved the way for the Soviet Union and it satellites states to enter the jet age. If you have any interest in the Early Yak jets this book is essential and provides more coverage than the Yefim Gordon book, Early Soviet Jets. Highly Recommended.