View source for Yakovlev Yak-2

{{Short description|Soviet WWII bomber and recon airplane}}
{{Infobox aircraft
  |name =Yak-2
  |image =File:Yak2-4.jpg
  |caption =A Yak-2 of the VVS in flight
  |type =Light bomber
  |manufacturer =[[Yakovlev]]
  |designer =[[Alexander Sergeyevich Yakovlev]]
  |first_flight =1939
  |introduction =1940
  |retired =
  |status =
  |primary_user =[[Soviet Air Forces|VVS]]
  |more_users =
  |produced =
  |number_built =111
  |unit cost =
  |variants =[[Yakovlev Yak-4]]
}}

The '''Yakovlev Yak-2''' was a short-range [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[light bomber]]/[[reconnaissance]] aircraft used during [[World War II]]. It was produced in small numbers, and most of them were destroyed during the opening stages of [[Operation Barbarossa]].

==Design and development==
The Yak-2 was initially known as the Ya-22, in the Yakovlev [[OKB]] numbering sequence, before it was redesignated as the Yak-2 in 1941.<ref name=g1/> It was of mixed construction with wooden wings and center fuselage, [[duralumin]] forward fuselage, and steel tube framing in the rear fuselage with a wooden upper decking and fabric skin. The cockpit was at the very tip of the nose, but the navigator/gunner was in a compartment behind the trailing edge of the wing. The prototype was unarmed and no bomb shackles were fitted. It also lacked a radio and navigational equipment. It was, however, the fastest multi-engined aircraft in the Soviet Union, able to reach {{convert|567|km/h|abbr=on}} at {{convert|9900|m|abbr=on}}, not least because it lacked heavy military equipment.<ref name=g32>Gordon, p. 132</ref>

[[Joseph Stalin|Stalin]] ordered it into production, as the BB-22 ({{langx|ru|Ближний бомбардировщик}}, ''Blizhniy Bombardirovshchik''— short-range bomber), on 15 March 1939 before it could be evaluated by the NII VVS (''Naoochno-Issledovatel'skiy Institoot Voyenno-Vozdooshnykh Seel'' – Air Force Scientific Test Institute).<ref name=g0>Gunston, p. 460</ref> Their tests were conducted in the early summer and concluded that the engine cooling systems were inadequate, the brakes were troublesome and the fuel system unreliable.<ref name=g32/> The task of converting the aircraft to a bomber was formidable and included redesigning the center fuselage to accommodate the gunner/navigator immediately aft of the pilot and provision of two {{convert|7.62|mm|adj=on|1}} [[ShKAS machine gun]]s, one for the gunner and the other fixed in the nose. The rear decking of the fuselage was hinged to pivot down to allow the rear gunner to use his gun.<ref name=g0/>

Factory No. 1 produced the first pre-production BB-22 in December 1939, although it did not make its first flight until the following February. It was submitted for its service evaluation in March–April 1940 and proved to be a disappointment. Gross weight had increased {{convert|357|kg|abbr=on}} despite the reduction in fuel from {{convert|1000|kg|abbr=on}} {{convert|600|kg|abbr=on}} and the maximum speed had declined to {{convert|515|km/h|abbr=on}} at {{convert|5000|m|abbr=on}}. The engine cooling system was still unsatisfactory and the [[Landing gear|undercarriage]] too weak. Longitudinal and lateral stability were also unsatisfactory which made it suitable only for well-trained pilots. The test programme report concluded that it was not combat-capable and reliable and that flights with a {{convert|400|kg|adj=on}} bomb load could be dangerous to the crew.<ref>Gordon, pp. 133–134</ref>

A remediation program was begun which replaced the single-wheel main [[landing gear]] with two-wheeled units and the fuselage upper decking was cut down. Around the same time Factory No. 1 ceased production and Factory No. 81 in [[Moscow]] continued to work on the aircraft. Aircraft built by Factory No. 81 were of better quality because the surface finish was better and the engine cowlings and doors were more closely fitted to minimize drag. These improvements increased the speed by {{convert|10|-|20|km/h|abbr=on}}. Development work continued and resulted in the [[Yakovlev Yak-4|Yak-4]] when [[Klimov M-105]] engines were fitted. A grand total of 201 Yak-2s were built before production was terminated in April 1941.<ref name=g45>Gordon, pp. 134–135</ref>

Aviation historian [[Bill Gunston]] reports that several prototype variants were built, including the R-12 reconnaissance aircraft which retained the original positioning of the crew, put three cameras in the fuselage and added a bomb bay for eight {{convert|20|kg|abbr=on}} FAB-20 bombs behind the pilot. Another was the I-29 or BB-22IS escort fighter with restored fuel and two 20&nbsp;ShVAK cannon underneath the fuselage.<ref>Gunston, pp. 460–461</ref> But neither of these can be confirmed by other, post-Cold-War sources.<ref>Gordon, pp. 132–135</ref>

Russian aviation historian Yefim Gordon does mention a Yak-2KABB ground-attack variant which might have been confused with the I-29 because it had two ShKAS in the nose and two {{convert|20|mm|abbr=on}} [[ShVAK cannon]] in a depressible ventral pack.<ref name=g45/> Unfortunately no other details are available, although photos do exist. Another variant mentioned by Gordon was the BPB-22 (''Blizhiy Pikeeruyushchiy Bombardirovshchik'' — short-range [[dive bomber]]) prototype that was fitted with two M-105 engines, dive brakes and an automatic dive entry/exit control system. It was first flown at the end of October 1940 although it crashed during the test programme when fuel unexpectedly cut out, but not before it was flown to a maximum speed of {{convert|558|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name=g45/>

==Operational history==
When the Germans [[Operation Barbarossa|invaded]] the Soviet Union on 22 Jun 1941, 73 Yak-2s were in service, mostly with the 316th Reconnaissance Regiment in the [[Kiev Military District]]. Most of these were destroyed in the opening days of the campaign; the 316th mustered only four on 11 July.<ref>Bergström, p. 127</ref>

==Variants==
;Ya-22
:Prototype.
;BB-22
:Initial production with flush rear canopy
;Yak-2
:(VVS designation used in service of ''izdeliye 70'' / BB-22 2M-103) Two-seat light bomber/reconnaissance aircraft.
;BPB-22
:(aka BPB-22 2M-105, BB-22PB) ''Blizhiy Pikeeruyushchiy Bombardirovshchik'' — short-range [[dive bomber]]. Prototype only.
;Yak-2KABB
:Prototype ground-attack aircraft fitted with the KABB-MV gun/bombing installation (KABB-MV - ''kombineerovannaya artillereeysko-bombardirovochnaya batareya Mozharovskovo i Venevidova'' - combined gun/bomb battery designed by Mozharovskiy and Venevidov), composed of a ventral cannon pack and a special glazed nose for bomb aiming equipment.
;R-12
:Prototype photographic reconnaissance aircraft.
;I-29 or BB-22 IS
:Experimental long-range [[fighter aircraft]].
;Yak-2''bis'' / BB-22''bis'' / ''izdeliye'' 70''bis'')
:Prototype of the [[Yak-4 2M-105]]

==Users==
;{{USSR}}
*[[Soviet Air Forces|VVS]]

==Specifications (Yak-2)==
[[File:Yakolev Yak-2 3-view.svg|thumb|upright=1|right]]
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=''The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995'' <ref name=g1>Gunston, p. 461</ref>
|prime units?=met
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=3
|length m=9.34
|length note=
|span m=14
|span note=
|height m=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=29.4
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=4043
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=5380
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=[[Klimov M-103]]
|eng1 type=V-12 liquid-cooled piston engines
|eng1 kw=716

|prop blade number=3
|prop name=constant-speed propellers
|prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia note=
<!--
        Performance
-->
|max speed kmh=515
|max speed note=at {{cvt|5200|m|ft}}
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=800
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling m=8900
|ceiling note=
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=7.7 minutes to {{cvt|5000|m}}
|wing loading kg/m2=183
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|power/mass={{cvt|0.27|kW/kg}}
|more performance=
*'''Take-off run:''' {{cvt|500|m}}
*'''Landing run:''' {{cvt|500|m}}
<!--
        Armament
-->
|armament=
* 2 × 7.62&nbsp;mm [[ShKAS machine gun]]s
* up to {{convert|600|kg|abbr=on}} of bombs
}}

==See also==
{{aircontent|
|related=
*[[Yakovlev Yak-4]]
|similar aircraft=
*[[Bloch MB.170]]
*[[Breda Ba.88]]
*[[Breguet 693]]
*[[Bristol Blenheim]]
*[[CANSA FC.20]]
*[[Caproni Ca.313]]
*[[Fiat CR.25]]
*[[Martin Maryland]]
*[[Potez 630]]
*[[Tupolev SB]]
|lists=<!-- related lists -->
|see also=<!-- other relevant information -->
}}

==References==

===Notes===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*Bergström, Christer. ''Barbarossa — The Air Battle: July-December 1941''. Hersham: Midland Publishing, 2007 {{ISBN|1-85780-270-5}}
* Gordon, Yefim. ''Soviet Airpower in World War 2''. Hinckley: Midland Publishing, 2008 {{ISBN|978-1-85780-304-4}}
* [[Bill Gunston|Gunston, Bill]]. ''The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995''. London, Osprey, 1995 {{ISBN|1-85532-405-9}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Yakovlev Yak-2}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130430162446/http://www.aviation.ru/Yak/#2 Description page on aviation.ru]
* [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/aww2/yak2kabb.html airwar.ru page describing the Yak-2 KABB]

{{Yakovlev aircraft}}
{{Soviet bomber-attack designations}}
{{Soviet fighter designations}}
{{Soviet scout designations}}

{{aviation.ru}}

[[Category:1930s Soviet bomber aircraft]]
[[Category:Yakovlev aircraft|Yak-002]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1939]]
[[Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft]]