Yakovlev Yak-38 NATO Code: Forger

The Yakovlev Yak-38 (NATO reporting name: Forger) was USSR's first and only operational VTOL multi-role combat aircraft.
The Yak-38s limited useful payload was always its Achilles heel, but the high ambient temperatures that had been encountered in the Black Sea during the summer 1976 trials frequently prevented the aircraft from carrying any external stores at all, despite a reduced fuel load. Similar problems were then encountered when Minsk sailed off the coast of West Africa and then in the Indian Ocean; in these instances the lift jets proved unwilling to start under hot and humid conditions.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Yakovlev
• Yak-38
• Forger
• Soviet
• Union
• Naval
• Aviation
• VTOL
• fighter
• interceptor
• USSR

[Vyun1969]

Why the American documentary films so stupid?

[StiviGun1]

@tHeWasTeDYouTh The military cuts after the fall of the USSR were because of the corruption that had installed in Russia, not because it was necessary. They could've kept the Kiev carriers & the Yak-38 in service if they really wanted to. & they also could've kept the ak-141 program open until they would've had money 2 develop the airplane. Anyway, the Kiev carriers & the Yak-141 would've significantly increased the Russian navy's today capabilities, that's for sure.

[PhilK5100]

@NoBrakes23 As to no American, thats true up to a point. Like everywhere, it's dependent on the basic knowledge of the person. The subject dealt with by U571 - about the enigma decoding - most Americans still believe THEY not the Royal Navy, did that due to the movie. The feller that got the enigma device lived near me. VERY modest man. On the Harrier, many Europeans have actually called the Harrier American. As they did Stephenson's Rocket......:-)

[PhilK5100]

@NoBrakes23 I recall seeing a show where there was some American Marine Colonel had visited the British Military and saw the Harrier, and went back BEGGING to have it but US congress weren't happy with a foreign supplier, so the UK/US deal for it to be made by McDD went through.

[PhilK5100]

@NoBrakes23 Your knowledge is commenable, friend.

Still, the "Flying Bedstead" which was the early Harrier, went back to the late FIFTIES and the thing flew early 60s. NO American involvement (quite the opposite - they had their own, Ryan X13 being one, sat on it's tail...ridiculous)

[NoBrakes23]

@PhilK5100 American and German test pilots were involved with the P1127, and NASA also played with the Kestrel as early as '68. McDD was far more involved in the Harrier II, that is true, but Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 513 transitioned from the F-4 Phantom to the AV-8A Harrier in April 1971. I have never seen a claim that the Harrier was an American jet, and in fact always heard it referred to as "That funny little British jet that the Jarheads, (US Marines) use."

[PhilK5100]

@NoBrakes23 Much better. Americans improved a number of items on the later Harriers. But it would have happened anyways - time tends to improve all aircraft. As you know.

I'd like to have seen the Shorts VTOL continue. It wasn't selected, the Harrier was.

[PhilK5100]

@NoBrakes23 Bullshit.

The yanks got involved in the later Harrier. Harrier II

It was never a "Anglo American" Harrier until it WORKED.

[NoBrakes23]

@PhilK5100 Actually the Harrier was an Anglo-American project going all the way back to the Hawker-Siddley Kestral P1127. BAe/McDonnellDouglas developed the Harrier II jointly. The separate version are interesting, though. We didn't get radar birds in the Corps until about '98-'99, but the Brits were using radar in the Falklands on the old Harriers.

[NoBrakes23]

@PhilK5100 You know, I just remembered that there are significant differences between the Harriers the Brits use and the Harriers I worked on in the US Marine Corps. Different Engines, different weapons delivery systems, etc. I haven't touched a Harrier since '04, and it is possible that US Harriers have switched to FBW,, but it might also be that US AV-8Bs are Flight Cable and the Sea Harriers and Crab Harriers are FBW.

[PhilK5100]

@NoBrakes23 They have FBW now, I believe.

[PhilK5100]

@advari001 No, they just took the British idea of the Harrier, made them in America too and called it their idea

Its what they do.