Yakovlev Yak-53

Yakovlev Yak-53
Yakovlev Yak-53
General information
Type	Aerobatic trainer
National origin	USSR
Manufacturer	Yakovlev
Number built	1
History
First flight	1982
Developed from	Yakovlev Yak-52

Last updated November 09, 2025

The Yakovlev Yak-53 was a single seat aerobatic trainer aircraft produced in the USSR during 1981/2. Only one prototype was produced.^[1]

Development

The prototype Yak-53 was derived from the Yak-52, differing in being a single seater designed as an aerobatic trainer. The front cockpit was deleted and the canopy modified to suit. The cockpit used the flying controls of the Yak-50 without the spring loading of the Yak-52, and the use of the undercarriage and tankage of the prototype Yak-52 to save weight, making the Yak-53 100 kg (220 lb) lighter than the Yak-52.^[1]

Operational history

The prototype Yak-53 set two world records for time to height in its class on 15 February and 23 February 1982. Some sources state that a 3-bladed propeller of western origin was used for the record setting flights.^[1]

Specifications (Yak-53)

Data from OKB Yakovlev^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 7.68 m (25 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 15 m² (160 sq ft)
Empty weight: 900 kg (1,984 lb)
Gross weight: 1,060 kg (2,337 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Vedeneyev M-14P 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 270 kW (360 hp)
Propellers: 3-bladed Foreign manufacture constant-speed propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 300 km/h (190 mph, 160 kn)
Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 5 minutes 5 seconds; 6,000 m (20,000 ft) in 13 minutes 54 seconds
Take-off run: 150 m (490 ft)
Landing run: 250 m (820 ft)

References

1 2 3 4 Gordon, Yefim; Dmitry; Sergey Komissarov (2005). OKB Yakovlev . Hinkley: Midland Publishing. pp. 289-290. ISBN 1-85780-203-9.

v t e Yakovlev aircraft
Early aircraft	AVF-10 AVF-20 AVF-34 AIR-1 AIR-2 AIR-3 AIR-4 AIR-5 AIR-6 AIR-7 AIR-8 AIR-9 AIR-10 AIR-11 AIR-12 AIR-14 AIR-15 AIR-16 AIR-17 AIR-18 Ya-1 Ya-2 Ya-3 Ya-4 Ya-6 Ya-7 Ya-10 Ya-19 Ya-20 Ya-21 Ya-22 Ya-23
Fighters	Yak-1 Yak-3 Yak-7 Yak-9 Yak-15 Yak-17 Yak-23 Yak-25 (II) Yak-28 Yak-38
Bombers	Yak-2 Yak-4 Yak-28 Yak-35
Transports	Yak-6 Yak-10 Yak-12 Yak-14 Yak-18T Yak-40 Yak-42 Yak-44 Yak-58 Yak-77 Yak-112 Yak-242 (MC-21)
Reconnaissance	Yak-25 Yak-27 Pchela
Helicopters	Yak-24 Yak-100
Trainers	UT-1 UT-2 UT-3 UT-15 UT-21 UT-23 Yak-7 Yak-11 Yak-17 Yak-18 Yak-20 Yak-21 Yak-28U Yak-30 (II) Yak-32 Yak-50 (II) Yak-52 Yak-53 Yak-54 Yak-55 Yak-130 Yak-152 Yak-200 Yak-210
Experimental	EG Yak-5 Yak-8 Yak-13 Yak-16 Yak-19 Yak-25 (I) Yak-26 Yak-30 (I) Yak-36 Yak-41 Yak-43 Yak-44 Yak-45 Yak-46 Yak-50 (I) Yak-60 Yak-140 Yak-141 Yak-201 Yak-1000

Yakovlev Yak-53

Contents

Development

Operational history

Specifications (Yak-53)

References

Further reading