Yakovlev Yak-26


The Yakovlev Yak-26, OKB designation Yakovlev 123, was a family of tactical supersonic bomber variants of the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-27 developed in 1956. It consisted of the Yak-123-1 and the Yak-26-3.

Design and development

Both the Yak-123-1 and Yak-26-3 were developed from the Yak-25, along with the Yak-27 aircraft family, with the main goal being a supersonic maximum speed. Although the Yak-26 kept the Yak-25's layout, it had a more streamlined and longer fuselage with a glazed nose for a navigator or bombardier role, replacing the Yak-25's radome along with modified engines and wings. Both variants lacked a tail barbette, excluding the initial Yak-26-3 prototype. The Nudelman N-37 cannon was replaced with four NR-23 23 mm weapons, and an internal weapons bay was added for of bombs, including the RDS-4 Tatyana nuclear bomb. Additional bombs could be carried on underwing pylons.
Although these designs showed potential for a supersonic bomber in the form of the Yak-123-1, it did not feature a radar array, limiting its practicality, and it suffered from insufficient handling at high velocities, with wings unstable enough to induce aileron reversal. This led to a refinement of the design, resulting in the Yak-26-1.
Although flown at the Tushino air show on 24 June 1956, only ten were produced, and the type did not enter service.

Operators