Country of origin:

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Description:

Four-seat cabin monoplane

Power Plant:

One 269 kw (360 hp) Vedeneyev M-14P supercharged nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine

Specifications:

History:

The prototype of the Yak 18 series was flown for the first time in 1945 and, after entering production in 1947, saw extensive service with the Soviet Air Force, and the air forces of Austria, China, Czechoslovakia, North Korea, Poland, East Germany, Egypt and Hungary.  Some 9,000 examples of all variants were produced, and it was licence-built in China as the T-6.  First production model was the Yak 18 powered by a 119 kw (160 hp) Ivchenko M-11R engine, this model being widely used by civil and military schools. It was used to set a number of FAI recognised records in the 1950s.  It was also operated by the Soviet airline Aeroflot as a basic trainer.

The Yak 18U followed, this having a retractable tricycle undercarriage. This was followed by the Yak 18A, with a 194 kw (260 hp) radial engine, structural strengthening, some re-design, and increased fuel capacity, some 6,700 being built.  The Yak 18P was a specialised single-seat variant designed for aerobatics.  The Yak 18PM was a development which appeared in 1965 with a 224 kw (300 hp) AI-14R engine for aerobatics. The Yak 18PS was similar to the Yak 18PM with a retractable undercarriage.  The Yak 18T, a light transport variant, was first flown in 1967 and more than 700 were built at the Smolensk Aircraft Plant. However, production ceased after a period.

Production re-commenced in 1993 but ceased again in 1998 due to financial troubles.  The Yak 18T in itself has been produced in a variety of models, including advanced trainer, cargo and mail aircraft. All had the 269 kw (360 hp) Vedeneyev M-14P engine.  New production aircraft became known as the Technoavia SM.94 and accommodation was increased to seat six with full leather interior.  Fuel capacity was 190 litres (41.8 Imp gals) but optional capacities of 321 litres (70.6 Imp gals) and 360 litres (79.4 Imp gals) were available.  The 1999 model had a fuel capacity of 614 litres (135 Imp gals).  It also had the option of a 294 kw (394 hp) Vedeneyev M-14PPF engine.  It could perform all basic aerobatic manoeuvres and was available with inverted systems for fuel and oil.

In the early 1990s a Sydney group attempted to import three Yak 18Ps but, due to problems which occurred at the time, they did not arrive. In December 1992 seven Yak 18Ts and an Antonov An-2 flown by Moscow Aero Club members arrived in Australia on a goodwill flight and visited a number of States.  These aircraft (registrations CCCP-06029, CCCP-01084, CCCP-02082, CCCP-01006, CCCP-01005, CCCP-01042 and CCCP-01001), with the Antonov An-2 (CCCP-1100) as a support aircraft, had flown from Russia, and returned early in 1993.

The Yak 18T was a fully aerobatic, low-wing, monoplane with a retractable tricycle undercarriage seating four and, with the 269 kw (360 hp) engine, used about 65 litres (14.2 Imp gals) of fuel per hour in cruise.  By western standards it was a large aircraft and was developed using the wings and tail of the venerable Yak 18 trainer married to a new fuselage.  In later years the Technoavia concern in Moscow in Russia placed the Yak 18T back into production and produced 10 to 12 aircraft per year.  The Chief Engineer of this company, Slava Kondratyev, designed both the Yak 55 for Yakovlev and the Su 26 for Sukhoi, and the company had a de Havilland Beaver replacement in production, known as the Technoavia Finist. An example visited Australia during 2002, was still here in 2005, and was seen at a number of aviation events.  A number of Yak 18Ts have been exported to the United Kingdom and the USA.

First of the type seen in this region arrived in late 1999 and became VH-YYZ (c/n 0731 – ex HA-JAW) at Camden, NSW followed by VH-YAK (c/n 22202021950). A further six examples were imported in 2003, followed by a licence-built Technoavia SP 55M model, VH-JCE (c/n 01 01 00 07 – ex RA44547) registered to its owner at Sunbury, VIC in March 2005.

Further examples registered include: VH-IBT (c/n 6201612) in September 2005 at Mt Annan, NSW;  VH-KGU (c/n 6201111) at Kingaroy, QLD in September 2005;  VH-XKZ (c/n 7201913 – ex CCCP44316) in August 2005;  VH-IEE (c/n 22202034049) in February 2005; VH-WLD4 (c/n 22202034096 – ex CCCP44508) in April 20o6 but exported in 2016 as N9218T;  VH-BVT (c/n 22202040114 – ex CCCP44560) in May 2006, and VH-TMK (c/n 7200116) in October 2006.

First of the type in New Zealand was imported in 2006 from Lithuania, becoming ZK-SSR (c/n 07-40) and being assembled at Nelson.