Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1976), twice Hero of Socialist Labor, ten-time holder of the Order of Lenin, Member of the USSR Armed Forces in 1946-1989, Stalin’s adviser on aviation issues.
Biography
Family
Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev was born on March 19 (April 1), 1906, in the city of Moscow, in the family of an employee. Father - Sergey Vasilyevich, graduated from the Moscow Alexander Commercial School. After completing his studies, he served in the transport department of the oil company Nobel Brothers Partnership. Mother - Nina Vladimirovna, housewife. The Yakovlev family comes from the serf peasants of Count Dmitriev-Mamonov. Alexander Sergeevich’s grandfather, Vasily Afanasyevich, ran a candle shop in Moscow at the Ilyinsky Gate and had a contract to light the chandeliers of the Bolshoi Theater.
Career
In 1919-1922 he worked as a courier while continuing to study at school. From 1922 he built flying model airplanes in a school club. In the 1920s, Yakovlev was one of the founders of Soviet aircraft modeling, gliding and sports aviation.
In 1924, Alexander Yakovlev built his first aircraft - the AVF-10 glider, which was awarded as one of the best Soviet gliders at all-Union competitions. The AVF-10 made its first flight on September 15, 1924, now this date is celebrated as the birthday of the Yakovlev Design Bureau.
From 1924 to 1927, Yakovlev worked first as a worker, then as a mechanic in the flight squad of the Air Force Academy. N. E. Zhukovsky. Despite numerous requests and appeals, he was not accepted into the academy, due to his “non-proletarian origin.” In 1927, Yakovlev built the AIR-1 light aircraft.
In 1927 he was enrolled in the Academy. Zhukovsky, which he graduated in 1931. In 1931 he entered the aircraft plant No. 39 named after him as an engineer. Menzhinsky, where in August 1932 he organized a light aviation group.
On January 15, 1934, Yakovlev became the head of the production and design bureau of Spetsaviatrest Aviaprom, from 1935 to 1956 - chief designer.
From January 11, 1940 to 1946, he was simultaneously Deputy People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry for New Technology, and from March 1946, Deputy Minister of Aviation Industry (for General Issues). From 1956 to 1984 - General Designer of the Yakovlev Design Bureau.
In total, the Design Bureau created over 200 types and modifications of aircraft, including more than 100 production ones:
- light aircraft for various purposes: sports, multi-purpose, including jets
- fighters of the Great Patriotic War
- first Soviet jet fighters and interceptors
- landing gliders and helicopters, including the world's largest helicopter in the 1950s, the Yak-24
- family of supersonic aircraft, including the first Soviet supersonic bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and interceptors
- the first short and vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the USSR, including a supersonic one, which has no analogues
- jet passenger aircraft
- unmanned aerial vehicles
Since 1934, OKB aircraft have been continuously in large-scale production and operation. In total, more than 70 thousand Yak aircraft were built, including more than 40 thousand aircraft during the Great Patriotic War, in particular, 2/3 of all fighters were Yakovlev aircraft. The OKB's aircraft were awarded the Lenin, State and six Stalin Prizes. They have become widespread in our country and abroad. A. S. Yakovlev donated the Stalin Prize of the first degree (150,000 rubles) in March 1943 to the Defense Fund for the construction of a fighter for the best pilot of the Soviet Air Force.
Aircraft
Under the leadership of Yakovlev, OKB 115 produced over 200 types and modifications of aircraft, including more than 100 serial ones. Since 1932, OKB aircraft have been continuously in large-scale production and operation. Over 70 years, 70,000 Yak aircraft were built. During the Great Patriotic War, 40,000 Yak aircraft were built for the front. Yakovlev Design Bureau set 74 world records on its aircraft.
During the Great Patriotic War the following people flew on Yakovlev's planes:
- Soviet pilot ace A.I. Pokryshkin - very briefly, preferring the all-metal P-39 Aircobra
- pilots of the Normandy-Niemen regiment
- twice Hero of the Soviet Union Arseny Vasilyevich Vorozheikin - 46 out of 52 aircraft shot down (6 on I-16 at Khalkhin Gol)
- Marshals Alexander Ivanovich Koldunov (46 victories) and Evgeniy Yakovlevich Savitsky (22), the latter being the only flying commander of the air corps (even some regiment commanders did not fly in the Red Army after 41 years).
Criticism of activities
Yakovlev was one of the few Soviet designers who did not suffer during the period of mass repressions thanks to a special trusting relationship with Stalin. In his memoirs, A. S. Yakovlev gives the following dialogue with Stalin:
Naturally, such relations with Stalin caused a stream of criticism against Yakovlev after his death. Designer L. Kerber recalls:
It should be noted that Kerber is mistaken in this case, since Tupolev was arrested in 1937, and Yakovlev began to be summoned to the Kremlin only in 1939, it is also worth noting that Yakovlev began writing books in the post-war years. Therefore, denunciations could not be scattered on the pages of his books.
Yakovlev understood that in his post as Deputy People's Commissar for Experimental Aircraft Construction he could become the object of accusations of bias and “overwriting” other aircraft designers.
This is what happened later. It was noted [by whom?] that Yakovlev played a fatal role in the fate of some possibly promising developments of other aircraft designers of his time, in particular, he completely canceled Moskalev’s SAM-13 project in the spring of 1941, the RM-1 project in 1946, RK-800 (Sliding wing 800 km/h) in 1940, SK-1 and SK-2 in 1940, etc. Many [which?] modern sources note the sad role of Yakovlev in the fate of the promising I-180 aircraft designed by N. N. Polikarpov. After Chkalov's death, the plant's management and a number of designers were subjected to repression, but testing of the I-180 continued, but the aircraft was never put into production. In mid-1940, by the time state tests of the I-180 were completed, the I-200 (future Mig-1/-3), I-301 (LaGG-1/-3) and I-26 (Yak-1) were accepted for serial production. . It should be noted that this version seems doubtful simply because of the discrepancy in dates - at the time of the I-180 crash and the death of Chkalov, December 15, 1938, Yakovlev had nothing to do with the leadership of the USSR aviation industry and held the post of one of the general designers of aviation design bureaus. He was appointed to the post of Deputy People's Commissar for Experimental Aircraft Construction only at the beginning of 1940, and thus could not be responsible for the difficulties that arose during the creation of the I-180 fighter in 1938-1939. It can be assumed that it was the image of “Stalin’s favorite” that became the reason for the demonization of Yakovlev’s image by workers in the USSR aviation industry after the death of the leader - the excellent aircraft designer turned out to be a bad apparatchik and managed to make many ill-wishers among the leaders of the Soviet aviation industry.
Bibliography
- Stories of an aircraft designer:: M., 1957
- 50 years of Soviet aircraft construction:: M., 1968
- The purpose of life (notes of an aircraft designer) :: Ed. 2nd, supplemented, M., Publishing House of Political Literature, 1969, 623 pp. with illustrations,
- Soviet aircraft:: Publishing house. 3rd. M., 1979;
Awards
For outstanding services to the Motherland, Yakovlev was awarded the following awards:
Soviet:
- Hero of Socialist Labor - Hammer and Sickle Medal twice (1940, 1957);
- Order of Lenin ten times;
- Order of the October Revolution;
- Order of the Red Banner twice;
- Order of Suvorov 1st and 2nd degree;
- Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree twice;
- Order of the Red Banner of Labor
- Order of the Red Star
- six-time Stalin Prize laureate (1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1948);
- laureate of the Lenin Prize (1971);
- USSR State Prize laureate (1977);
French:
- Order of the Legion of Honor, "Officer" degree (French: Officier de l "Ordre national de la L?gion d"Honneur);
International:
- FAI Gold Aviation Medal.
Memory
- In Moscow, in the Aviator Park, a bronze bust of Yakovlev was installed.
- The names of Yakovlev are:
- Experimental Design Bureau 115 (OKB 115)
- Moscow machine-building plant "Speed";
- Aviakonstruktor Yakovlev Street (formerly 2nd Usievich Street) in the Airport district (since 2006) in the Northern Administrative District of Moscow.
Bust of Yakovlev in Moscow
Russian postage stamp, 2006
April 1, 2016 marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev, the legendary Soviet aircraft designer, Colonel General of Aviation, creator of the entire Yak family of aircraft, founder of a competitive and effective design school. Since 1934, the Design Bureau, which would later be named after the designer, has been continuously engaged in ensuring large-scale production and operation of aircraft. In total, more than 70 thousand Yak aircraft of all types were built, including more than 40 thousand combat aircraft during the Great Patriotic War. In the most difficult years for the country, 2/3 of the entire fighter fleet was made up of the aircraft of Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev. It is no coincidence that during the war years the common affectionate name “Hawk” was assigned to Soviet fighter aircraft.
The future aircraft designer was born on April 1, 1906 in Moscow. His father was Sergei Vasilyevich Yakovlev, an accountant by profession, who served as head of the transport department at the oil company Nobel Brothers Partnership. Mother, Nina Vladimirovna Yakovleva, was a housewife. The family had three children: sons Alexander, Vladimir (1909) and daughter Elena (1907). Alexander Sergeevich’s parents had the title of “hereditary honorary citizens,” which in those years was granted by imperial decree to representatives of the clergy and philistinism.
In 1914, Alexander Yakovlev, having successfully passed the entrance exams in the Russian language, arithmetic and the law of God, entered the preparatory class of the private male Strakhov gymnasium, located on Spasskaya Street. In those years, this gymnasium was considered one of the best in Moscow; it was distinguished by well-equipped classrooms and excellent teachers. After the October Revolution, the gymnasium was combined with a girls’ school, it became a state school, receiving the new name “Unified Labor School of the 2nd level No. 50” in the Sokolniki district of the capital. The future famous designer studied with great eagerness. At the same time, the boy’s favorite subjects were literature and geography; in these subjects he always had excellent grades, and in physics, mathematics and chemistry, which were more suitable for his future specialty, he mostly received fours. Alexander Yakovlev also loved drawing, which was quite important for the designer. In this subject, encouraged by his teachers and mother, he managed to achieve great success.
During his studies, Alexander Yakovlev was a fairly active student, taking part in public school life, he was the head of the class, the chairman of the student committee, for some time he was the editor of the school literary and historical magazine and a member of the drama club. I read quite a lot. He read the works of Jules Verne, Herbert Wales, Jack London, Rudyard Kipling and other authors, loved books on the history of Russia and, of course, about various types of technology. He showed a special interest in technology. During his school years, he even tried to build a perpetual motion machine, attended classes in a radio club, where he assembled a radio receiver with his own hands. He also mastered carpentry, enthusiastically creating models of steam locomotives, stations, bridges, and railway cars. The influence of his uncle, a railway worker, was felt; at that moment Alexander Yakovlev wanted to follow in his footsteps, becoming a railway engineer.
An event that changed his life forever occurred in 1921, when, according to the diagram and description from the book, Yakovlev assembled a flying model of a glider with a wingspan of two meters. He successfully tested the built glider in the school hall. From this moment began his aviation career and endless love for aviation, which ultimately made him one of the most outstanding aircraft designers of the 20th century. He was able to achieve worldwide recognition thanks to his great desire to create new aircraft, which he was able to carry throughout his life. Later, he himself spoke about this feeling: “When I built the glider, I was overcome by an irresistible desire to design an airplane. Later I wanted to make another one, but better, then a third... You build a new plane and think: “If only it would fly, I don’t need anything else in life!”, but when the car is born and begins to fly, a new desire arises - to create another plane, which would be even better, fly faster..."
Yakovlev retained this desire to create and create new aircraft throughout his life, at the same time being able to captivate the team with him, turning people into a group of like-minded people. Already in 1921, he found other aeronautics enthusiasts at school, and in 1922 he independently organized an aircraft modeling circle, his first “design bureau.”
Already in 1924, Alexander Yakovlev created his first full-fledged aircraft - a glider called AVF-10, which managed to receive an award as one of the best Soviet gliders at the all-Union competitions held in Koktebel. This glider made its first flight on September 15, 1924. From that moment on, Yakovlev was engaged only in aviation. In 1924, he voluntarily went to serve in the Red Army, serving at the N. E. Zhukovsky Air Force Academy (VVA). Here he was both a simple worker and a mechanic in the academy's flight squad. In 1927, he designed his first aircraft - AIR-1, the day of the first flight of AIR-1 - May 12, 1927 is considered the birthday of the A. S. Yakovlev Design Bureau. In July of the same year, the first world records of the Soviet Union were set on the AIR-1 aircraft - in terms of flight range (1420 km) and duration (15 hours 30 minutes). For these achievements, Alexander Yakovlev was enrolled as a student at the Zhukovsky Air Force Academy in 1927 without competition. He continued his studies at the academy until 1931, simultaneously continuing to create light aircraft.
After graduating from the academy in 1931, Yakovlev worked for some time as an engineer at a serial plant, but already in 1932 he built the AIR-6 aircraft, which again attracted the attention of specialists. The aircraft was a monoplane parasol of mixed design, distinguished by a closed and fairly comfortable pilot's cabin. A feature of the AIR-6, like many of Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev’s aircraft, was its high mass recoil, and therefore its long flight range. Already in 1933, the AIR-6 aircraft, which was equipped with floats for landing on water, managed to exceed the official international range record for seaplanes. And in 1934, several AIR-6 aircraft were able to make a group flight along the route Moscow - Irkutsk - Moscow, which at that time was a great achievement.
Continuing to work on the design of sports aircraft, Alexander Yakovlev created the AIR-7 two-seater sports aircraft. The plane had a thin wing and a braced monoplane design. At the end of the summer of 1932, this machine managed to reach a maximum speed of 332 km/h at a flight altitude of 1000 meters. For comparison, the I-5 fighter in service, built according to a biplane design, had a maximum speed of 286 km/h. The construction of the AIR-7 made it obvious that the monoplane design, which gives superior flight speed, is more expedient and better suited for combat aircraft. And in 1935, a young design team, headed by Alexander Sergeevich, designed and built a training cantilever monoplane UT-1. It was a single-seat aircraft with a standard air-cooled engine developing 100 hp. With. If a forced engine was installed on the aircraft, developing a power of 150 hp. With. its maximum speed increased to 252 km/h.
Yak-3 fighter
Thanks to the invaluable experience that was accumulated in the process of designing and building training aircraft, the design bureau, which was headed by Yakovlev, was able to move on to the development of fighter aircraft. The first such combat vehicle was the I-26, which was significantly different from aircraft of this class created in other design bureaus of the country. It had a wooden wing, duralumin tail and a welded (from pipes) fuselage frame. For better flow, sheathed gargrots were installed directly on top of the tubular fuselage frame. Like all aircraft of Alexander Yakovlev, the I-26 aircraft was distinguished by its low weight and thoughtful, one might even say elegant, design forms, which became his calling card. The fighter was equipped with a water-cooled engine designed by V. Ya. Klimov, which had a low weight and small dimensions. In forced mode, the engine developed power of 1240 hp. - a very worthy indicator for those years. This combat aircraft went into mass production under the designation Yak-1. At an altitude of 3400 meters, the fighter developed a maximum flight speed of 600 km/h, its armament consisted of a 20 mm cannon and two 7.62 mm machine guns. The creation of the Yak 1 aircraft was a great achievement for the entire domestic aircraft industry.
Somewhat earlier, back in 1939, the design bureau under the leadership of Yakovlev designed and built the Yak-2 high-speed bomber, and then the Yak-4. The latest modification with two water-cooled engines reached a speed of up to 567 km/h, which was the maximum value for military aircraft produced in the Soviet Union at that time. Just over 200 twin-engine bombers Yak-2 and Yak-4 were built. They managed to take part in the first battles of the Great Patriotic War, but most of them were lost in the first week of hostilities.
Already during the war years, the Yakovlev Design Bureau carried out a large amount of work to improve the aerodynamics of the Yak-1 aircraft and rational design, which made it possible to design a fighter with a flight weight of 2650 kg and high maneuverability and speed characteristics. This aircraft was the no less legendary Yak 3. The flight range of this fighter was 900 km. With the V. Ya. Klimov VK 105PF boosted engine, the fighter could reach a speed of 660 km/h, and with an even more powerful VK 107 engine - up to 720 km/h. Upon completion of the tests of the aircraft with the VK 107 engine, a conclusion was drawn up, which noted that, according to basic flight performance data in the altitude range from the ground to the practical flight ceiling, the aircraft is the best of the Soviet and foreign fighters built. This vehicle began arriving in combat units in 1943. It was the most maneuverable and lightest fighter of World War II. It was on Yak-3 aircraft that French volunteer pilots from the famous Normandie-Niemen regiment flew.
Also, already during the war, to provide reliable cover for bomber aviation, the Yakovlev Design Bureau designed an escort fighter that had heavier weapons and a longer flight range than ordinary Yak-1 and Yak-3 fighters. This aircraft was the Yak-9, which was armed with a 37 mm cannon and two large-caliber 12.7 mm machine guns. The fighter's flight range reached 1000 km. During the Great Patriotic War, Yak-9 fighters were also widely used for attacks on ground targets. For example, Yak-9T vehicles were armed with 45-mm cannons. And the appearance in the Air Force of the Yak-9D and Yak-9DD aircraft, which had a flight range of 1400 and 2200 km, respectively, made it possible to provide support for the Soviet troops in the offensive, which was especially important in the final stage of the war. In total, more than 40 thousand Yak fighters of various models were built during the war years. To compare the equally popular Lavochkin fighters, just over 22 thousand were created. Thousands of Soviet pilots fought on Yak fighters, winning victories in the air over German aces on Messerschmitts and Fockewulfs, for which Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev was of considerable personal merit.
Until July 1946, Alexander Sergeevich, leading his design bureau, simultaneously worked as Deputy People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry for Experimental Aircraft Construction and Science, and from March of the same year - Deputy Minister of Aviation Industry for General Issues. In July 1946, due to the heavy workload and busyness at the design bureau, he left this position of his own free will. From 1935 to 1956 he was the chief designer of the design bureau, and from 1956 until his retirement in 1984 he served as general designer.
After the end of World War II, aviation underwent re-equipment with jet technology. The first jet fighter to enter service in the USSR was the Yak-15 fighter. After it, the Yakovlev Design Bureau designed the Yak-17UTI, Yak-23, Yak-25 - the first all-weather interceptor in the USSR, the high-altitude Yak-25RV, and the first Soviet supersonic reconnaissance aircraft Yak-27R, followed by the Yak-28 family of supersonic aircraft, which included the first supersonic front-line bomber in the USSR. The scope of the OKB's activities also expanded, so the Soviet Army received landing craft - the Yak-14 glider and the Yak-24 helicopter, which in 1952-1956 held the title of the most load-lifting in the world.
Yak-40 at Stockholm airport
But Yakovlev and his design bureau became famous not only for military equipment; civil aircraft were also created here. For example, a whole generation of light-engine aircraft was born here: the multi-purpose Yak-12, the training Yak-11 and Yak-18, the first training and sport aircraft in the Soviet Union, the Yak-30 and Yak-32. Since 1960, performing on the Yak-18P, Yak-18PM, Yak-18PS and Yak-50 aircraft, Soviet pilots have stood on the podium many times at the European and World Aerobatic Championships. Separately, mention can be made of the Yak-40 passenger aircraft, which began transporting passengers in 1968. At that time, it was the only aircraft in the USSR that was certified according to Western airworthiness standards and was purchased by Germany, Italy and other countries. Later, the OKB would create a 120-seat passenger aircraft, the Yak-42, which was highly economical; this aircraft is still used by Russian airlines.
Separate mention can be made of vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL). In 1967, during a parade in Domodedovo, the first Soviet VTOL aircraft, the Yak-36, was shown. Since 1976, the Yak-38 vertical and short take-off and landing combat aircraft began to enter service with the Kyiv class cruisers, which became the world's first carrier-based aircraft of this type.
Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev was the winner of many prizes and awards: six Stalin Prizes (1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947 and 1948), the USSR State Prize (1977), the Lenin Prize (1971). He was twice a Hero of Socialist Labor, was awarded 10 Orders of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the October Revolution, two Orders of the Patriotic War 1st degree, Orders of Suvorov 1st and 2nd degrees, Orders of the Red Star and Red Banner of Labor. In addition, he also had foreign awards, in particular the French Officer's Cross of the Legion of Honor and the Military Cross, as well as the Aviation Gold Medal from the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale).
On August 21, 1984, at the age of 78, Alexander Sergeevich retired. He lived in Moscow, where he died on August 22, 1989 at the age of 83, and was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery in the capital. In total, under the direct leadership of this outstanding aircraft designer, more than 200 types of aircraft were created, more than 100 of which went into mass production. At different times, 86 different world records were set on the aircraft created by his design bureau.
Information sources:
http://planetavvs.ru/construktori/yakovlev-aleksandr-sergeevitch.html
http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=12893
http://www.yak.ru
Open source materials
Yakovlev Alexander Sergeevich (1906-1989).
Born on April 1 (March 19 - old style) 1906 in Moscow in the family of an employee. Russian. My father served as head of the transport department at the oil company Nobel Brothers Partnership. Mother was a housewife. In 1914 he entered the preparatory class of the private men's gymnasium of N.P. Strakhov. After the October Revolution, the gymnasium was merged with a girls’ school, became a state school and received the name “Unified Labor School of the 2nd Stage.”
At school, I developed an interest in technology and, in particular, aviation. In 1921, he built a flying model of a glider and successfully tested it in the school hall. There were other enthusiasts at the school, and in 1922 Alexander organized an aircraft modeling club.
Without leaving school, in 1919-1922 he worked as a courier, then as a student in the archives, and as secretary to the head of a department at Glavtop, an organization that distributed all types of fuel. In August 1923, after graduating from school, he organized the first school branch of the Society of Friends of the Air Fleet (ODVF) in Moscow. Aviation enthusiasts, and there were about 60 of them at the school, built models, and then began making a glider.
Since 1924, Yakovlev worked first as a worker, then as a mechanic in the flight squad of the Air Fleet Academy (AVF) named after N.E. Zhukovsky. In the same year, he built his first aircraft - the AVF-10 glider. Despite numerous requests and appeals, he was not accepted into the academy, due to his “non-proletarian origin.” In 1927, Yakovlev built his first aircraft - AIR-1. In July 1927, the first Soviet world records were set on this aircraft - flight range (1420 km) and flight duration (15 hours 30 minutes). For these achievements, A.S. Yakovlev was enrolled as a student at the Air Force Academy without competition. While studying at the Academy, he did not stop building aircraft. In 1927-1931, under his leadership, 8 types of aircraft were created - from AIR-1 to AIR-8, one of which (AIR-6) was built in a large series.
In 1931, after graduating from the academy, he became an engineer at aircraft plant No. 39 named after Menzhinsky, where in August of the following year he organized a light aviation group - his future design bureau. A group of enthusiasts, working under the leadership of A.S. Yakovlev, achieved recognition and in January 1934 was transferred from OSOAVIAKHIM to the state aircraft industry as an independent design and production bureau, which soon became plant No. 115.
The first aircraft created at the new location, AIR-9, was shown at the Paris Aviation Show in the fall of 1934. Later, on its basis, the UT-2 aircraft was created for initial training for Air Force flight schools and flying clubs, produced in 1938-1948. In 1935, A.S. Yakovlev became the chief designer. In subsequent years, the OKB created several more light sport aircraft: UT-1, AIR-11 and AIR-12.
In 1939, the OKB built its first combat vehicle - the twin-engine bomber BB-22 (Yak-2 and Yak-4), whose speed exceeded the speed of the best fighters of that time. The Yak-2 and Yak-4 were built in series, but essentially turned out to be Yakovlev’s design failure; due to their design features, these machines met the Great Patriotic War practically uncombat-ready. In January 1940, he simultaneously worked as Deputy People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry for Experimental Aircraft Construction and Science
On January 13, 1940, the I-26 fighter (Yak-1 prototype) took off. The aircraft was highly praised, and the chief designer became one of the first Heroes of Socialist Labor.
By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated October 28, 1940, for outstanding achievements in the field of creating new types of weapons that increase the defensive power of the Soviet Union, Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle gold medal.
During the Great Patriotic War, based on the Yak-1, the Yak-7 (1941), Yak-9, Yak-3 (1943) and over 30 of their production variants and modifications were created - in total, more than 30 thousand aircraft were produced. They accounted for two-thirds of the fighters produced during the war. Each “yak” had a number of modifications with better characteristics. Replacing wood with metal in the structure and improving aerodynamics made it possible to increase flight speed. The latest modification of the Yak-3 had a speed of up to 720 km/h; it was also the lightest fighter of the Second World War. The armament was increased, from 20 mm guns on the Yak-1 to 37 mm and 45 mm on the Yak-9. The flight range increased, up to 2200 km for the Yak-9DD. Until July 1946, A.S. Yakovlev, while heading the Design Bureau, simultaneously worked as Deputy People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry for Experimental Aircraft Construction and Science (in 1946 - Deputy Minister for General Issues). Major General of the Aviation Engineering Service (11/10/1942). Lieutenant General of the Aviation Engineering Service (12/27/1943).
From 1956 until his retirement, A.S. Yakovlev was the general designer of the OKB. In the post-war period, aviation was re-equipped with jet technology. The Yak-15 fighter became the first jet aircraft to enter service in the USSR. It was followed by the Yak-17UTI, Yak-23, Yak-25 - the first Soviet all-weather interceptor, the high-altitude Yak-25RV, the first supersonic reconnaissance aircraft Yak-27R, the Yak-28 family of supersonic aircraft, including the first Soviet supersonic front-line bomber. Landing vehicles entered service - the Yak-14 glider and the Yak-24 helicopter - the most load-lifting in the world in 1952-1956.
By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated July 12, 1957, Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev was awarded the second gold medal “Hammer and Sickle” (No. 49/II) for outstanding achievements in the creation of new aviation equipment and the labor heroism shown. Became twice Hero of Socialist Labor.
Along with combat aircraft, the Yakovlev Design Bureau also produced equipment for civilian use. A whole generation of light-engine aircraft was created: the Yak-11 and Yak-18 trainers, the multi-purpose Yak-12, the first jet trainer aircraft in the USSR, the Yak-30 and Yak-32. Flying the Yak-18P, Yak-18PM, Yak-18PS and Yak-50 since 1960, Soviet pilots have repeatedly won first places at the World and European aerobatics championships.
Since 1968, the Yak-40 has been carrying passengers - the only Soviet aircraft certified according to Western airworthiness standards and purchased by Italy, Germany and other countries. Later, the 120-seat Yak-42 was created, which was highly economical.
In 1967, the first Soviet vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the Yak-36, was demonstrated at the parade in Domodedovo, and since 1976, the Yak-38 vertical and short take-off and landing combat aircraft, the world's first carrier-based VTOL aircraft, have been in service with Kiev-class cruisers.
On August 21, 1984, A.S. Yakovlev retired at the age of 78. In total, under his leadership, over 200 types of aircraft were created, of which more than 100 were serial, on which 86 world records were set at different times.
Hero of Socialist Labor - Hammer and Sickle Medal twice (1940, 1957);
-10 Orders of Lenin;
-Order of the October Revolution;
-2 Orders of the Red Banner;
-Order of Suvorov 1st and 2nd degree;
-2 Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st degree;
-Order of the Red Banner of Labor;
-Order of the Red Star
- six-time winner of the Stalin Prize (1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1948);
- laureate of the Lenin Prize (1971).
- laureate of the USSR State Prize (1977).
Alexander Yakovlev (center) with his comrades studying an aircraft engine in the school club “Young Friends of the Air Fleet”, 1923.
A.S. Yakovlev at the AIR-2 aircraft. 1928
A.S. Yakovlev at the AIR-4 aircraft. 1930
IV World Aerobatics Championship. A.S. Yakovlev talks near the Yak-50 sports aircraft with the winners of the championship - V.A. Ovsyankin (left) and G.G. Korchuganova. Moscow, August 12, 1966.
List of sources:
Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev. Website "Heroes of the Country".
Memoirs of A.S. Yakovlev. "The purpose of life".
A.S. Yakovlev. Stories of an aircraft designer.
01.04.1906 - 22.08.1989
Twice Hero of Socialist Labor
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Yakovlev Alexander Sergeevich - Soviet aircraft designer, chief designer of OKB No. 115 of the People's Commissariat of Aviation Industry of the USSR, Moscow; General designer of OKB No. 115 of the Ministry of Aviation Industry of the USSR, Moscow.
Born on March 19 (April 1), 1906 in Moscow in the family of an employee. Russian. My father served as head of the transport department at the oil company Nobel Brothers Partnership. Mother was a housewife. In 1914 he entered the preparatory class of the private men's gymnasium of N.P. Strakhov. After the October Revolution, the gymnasium was merged with a girls’ school, became a state school and received the name “Unified Labor School of the 2nd Stage.”
At school, I developed an interest in technology and, in particular, aviation. In 1921, he built a flying model of a glider and successfully tested it in the school hall. There were other enthusiasts at the school, and in 1922 Alexander organized an aircraft modeling club.
Without leaving school, in 1919-1922 he worked as a courier, then as a student in the archives, and as secretary to the head of a department at Glavtop, an organization that distributed all types of fuel. In August 1923, after graduating from school, he organized the first school branch of the Society of Friends of the Air Fleet (ODVF) in Moscow. Aviation enthusiasts, and there were about 60 of them at the school, built models, and then began making a glider.
Since 1924, Yakovlev worked first as a worker, then as a mechanic in the flight squad of the Air Fleet Academy (AVF) named after N.E. Zhukovsky. In the same year he built his first aircraft - the AVF-10 glider. Despite numerous requests and appeals, he was not accepted into the academy, due to his “non-proletarian origin.” In 1927, Yakovlev built his first aircraft - AIR-1 (VVA-1). In July 1927, the first Soviet world records were set on this aircraft - flight range (1420 km) and flight duration (15 hours 30 minutes). For these achievements, A.S. Yakovlev was enrolled as a student at the Air Force Academy without competition. While studying at the Academy, he did not stop building aircraft. In 1927-1931, under his leadership, 8 types of aircraft were created - from AIR-1 to AIR-8, one of which (AIR-6) was built in a large series.
In 1931, after graduating from the academy, he became an engineer at aircraft plant No. 39 named after Menzhinsky, where in August of the following year he organized a light aviation group - his future design bureau. A group of enthusiasts, working under the leadership of A.S. Yakovlev, achieved recognition and in January 1934 was transferred from Osoviakhim to the state aircraft industry as an independent design and production bureau, which soon became plant No. 115.
The first aircraft created at the new location, AIR-9, was shown at the Paris Aviation Show in the fall of 1934. Later, on its basis, the UT-2 aircraft was created for initial training for Air Force flight schools and flying clubs, produced in 1938-1948. In 1935, A.S. Yakovlev became the chief designer. In subsequent years, the OKB created several more light sports aircraft: UT-1, AIR-11 and AIR-12.
In 1939, the OKB built its first combat vehicle - the twin-engine bomber BB-22 (Yak-2 and Yak-4), whose speed exceeded the speed of the best fighters of that time. The Yak-2 and Yak-4 were built in series. In January 1940, he simultaneously worked as Deputy People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry for Experimental Aircraft Construction and Science
On January 13, 1940, the I-26 (Yak-1) fighter took off. The aircraft was highly praised, and the chief designer became one of the first Heroes of Socialist Labor.
Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated October 28, 1940 for outstanding achievements in the field of creating new types of weapons that increase the defensive power of the Soviet Union Yakovlev Alexander Sergeevich awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle gold medal.
During the Great Patriotic War, on the basis of the Yak-1, the Yak-7 (1941), Yak-9, Yak-3 (1943) and over 30 of their production variants and modifications were created - in total more than 30 thousand aircraft. They accounted for two-thirds of the fighters produced during the war. Each “yak” had a number of modifications with better characteristics. Replacing wood with metal in the structure and improving aerodynamics made it possible to increase flight speed. The latest modification of the Yak-3 had a speed of up to 720 km/h; it was also the lightest fighter of the Second World War. The armament was increased, from 20 mm guns on the Yak-1 to 37 mm and 45 mm on the Yak-9. The flight range increased, up to 2200 km for the Yak-9DD. Until July 1946, A.S. Yakovlev, while heading the Design Bureau, simultaneously worked as Deputy People's Commissar of the Aviation Industry for Experimental Aircraft Construction and Science (in 1946 - Deputy Minister for General Issues). Major General of the Aviation Engineering Service (11/10/1942). Lieutenant General of the Aviation Engineering Service (12/27/1943).
From 1956 until his retirement, A.S. Yakovlev was the general designer of the OKB. In the post-war period, aviation was re-equipped with jet technology. The Yak-15 fighter became the first jet aircraft to enter service in the USSR. It was followed by the Yak-17UTI, Yak-23, Yak-25 - the first Soviet all-weather interceptor, the high-altitude Yak-25RV, the first supersonic reconnaissance aircraft Yak-27R, the Yak-28 family of supersonic aircraft, including the first Soviet supersonic front-line bomber. Landing vehicles entered service - the Yak-14 glider and the Yak-24 helicopter - the most load-lifting in the world in 1952-1956.
By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated July 12, 1957, he was awarded the second gold medal “Hammer and Sickle” for outstanding services in the creation of new aviation equipment and the labor heroism demonstrated. Became twice Hero of Socialist Labor.
Along with combat aircraft, the Yakovlev Design Bureau also produced equipment for civilian use. A whole generation of light-engine aircraft was created: the Yak-11 and Yak-18 trainers, the multi-purpose Yak-12, the first jet trainer aircraft in the USSR, the Yak-30 and Yak-32. Flying the Yak-18P, Yak-18PM, Yak-18PS and Yak-50 since 1960, Soviet pilots have repeatedly won first places at the World and European aerobatics championships.
Since 1968, the Yak-40 has been carrying passengers - the only Soviet aircraft certified according to Western airworthiness standards and purchased by Italy, Germany and other countries. Later, the 120-seat Yak-42 was created, which was highly economical.
In 1967, the first Soviet vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the Yak-36, was demonstrated at the parade in Domodedovo, and since 1976, the Yak-38 vertical and short take-off and landing combat aircraft - the world's first carrier-based VTOL aircraft - have been in service with Kiev-class cruisers.
On August 21, 1984, A.S. Yakovlev retired at the age of 78. In total, under his leadership, over 200 types of aircraft were created, of which more than 100 were serial, on which 86 world records were set at different times.
Lenin Prize (1971). USSR State Prize (1977). Six Stalin Prizes (1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1948).
Colonel General of the Aviation Engineering Service (07/09/1946). Awarded 10 Orders of Lenin (04/27/1939; 10/28/1940; 09/06/1942; 05/25/1944; 07/02/1945; 11/15/1950; 03/31/1956; 03/31/1966; 06/23/1981; 17. 08.1984), Order of the October Revolution ( 04/26/1971), 2 Orders of the Red Banner (11/03/1944; 10/26/1955), Orders of Suvorov 1st (09/16/1945) and 2nd (08/19/1944) degrees, Patriotic War 1st degree (06/10/1945 ), the Red Banner of Labor (09/17/1975), the Red Star (08/17/1933), medals, the Order of the Legion of Honor, officer grade (France). In addition, he was awarded the FAI Gold Aviation Medal.
A bronze bust of the Hero was installed in Moscow. In Moscow, a memorial plaque was unveiled on the house where he lived. In 2006, a street in the Northern Autonomous District of Moscow was named after him. In 1990, the name of aircraft designer A.S. Yakovlev was assigned to the design bureau, which he led for many years. Aircraft bearing the Yak brand remain a worthy monument to the designer.
