The Yakovlev Yak-14 was a transport glider produced in the USSR from 1948. USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 24"^[1], NATO reporting name "Mare"^[2][3].

[edit] Design and development

During World War II, the Soviet Union operated only light gliders like the Gribovski G-11, Antonov A-7 and Kolesnikov-TsybinKC-20 which were unable to transport vehicles, light tanks or artillery. Only after the war were Soviet designers ordered to develop medium gliders capable of carrying heavy or bulky loads. Work started during 1948, at the Yakovlev bureau, to produce a transport and assault glider for Airbourne Troops (VDV - Vozdooshnodesahntnyye voyska). The first prototype of the Yak-14 was built in 1948 and, after manufacturers trials, a second prototype was built, with modifications to rectify faults shown up in the initial tests. State acceptance trials from August 2 to September 17, 1949 were successful, with only minor criticisms, so production was ordered to commence at factory no. 168 at Rostov-on-Don. From 1951 an upgraded version, with increased load capacity, enterred production as the Yak-14M, a total of 413 being built when production stopped.

[edit] Description

The Yak-14 was a high-wing braced monoplanewith a welded steel tube, canvas covered, Fuselage, rectangular in cross-section and wings of wooden construction and duraslumin sheet skin forwrd of the Spar. A cockpit for two pilots was on the top of the fuselage, offset to port, troops in the cabin sat on bench seats along each side of the cabin. Access to the cabin was eased by swinging nose and tail sections, allowing direct access for loading of vehicles or freight. The fixed tricycle landing gear was supplemented by skids under the fuselage, which could be used for making short landings by collapsing the main undercarriage shock absorbers. The ease of loading allowed the Yak-14 to carry a wide range of vehicles, artillery etc.,including a 76 mm field gun with GAZ-67B jeep, two GAZ-67B's (later GAZ-69's), GAZ-51 truck, 122 mm howitzer, ASU-57 light self-propelled gun or 35 troops.

[edit] Operational history

Towed by Ilyushin Il-12D assault transports, the Yak-14 was used by airbourne units for military and civilian missions, all over the USSR and at least two were delivered to Czechoslovakia, in the early 1950s as the NK-14. In March 1954 four Yak-14s were used to transport machines, among other a dozer, to Arctic survey station SP-4(Severnnyy Polyus - north pole), floating on an ice floe. They flew from Tula on March 10, with several stops at Omsk, Krasnoyarsk and the Schmidt Cape, on Sakhalin island, in the Far East, reaching SP-4 in early April, during a heavy freeze. Transport gliders in the USSR were withdrawn from service as the new turbo-prop transports, like the Antonov An-24 and Antonov An-12 enterred service in the late 1950's

[edit] Variants

Yak-14

Basic production variant.

Yak-14M

Increased payload version built from 1951.

NK-14 (Nakladni kluzak - cargo glider)

Yak-14's delivered to Czechoslovakia

[edit] Operators

 Czechoslovakia

• Czechoslovakian Air Force

 Soviet Union

• Soviet Air Force

[edit] Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: two pilots
• Capacity: 35 troops or 3,500 kg cargo
• Payload: 3,500 kg (7,700 lb)
• Length: 18.44 m (60 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 26.17 m (85 ft 10 in)
• Height: 7.2 m (23 ft 7 in)
• Wing area: 83.3 m² (896.3 ft²)
• Empty weight: 3,082 kg (6,780 lb)
• Loaded weight: 6,750 kg (14,850 lb)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 300 km/h (162 knots, 186 mph)
• Best glide ratio: 12.5

[edit] References

• Yak-14 at Ugolok Neba (Russian)

[edit] See also

Comparable aircraft

• General Aircraft Limited Hamilcar
• Airspeed Horsa
• WACO CG-4
• Gotha Go 242
  

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS