The Yakovlev Yak-36 (NATO reporting name: Freehand) was a Soviet technology demonstrator for a VTOL multi-role combat aircraft.

The plane had vectored thrust engines, similar to the Harrier. Two engines was mounted forward of and below the cockpit. The exhaust exited through vectoring nozzles in the center of gravity which were vectorable through about 90º.

The Yak-36 made its first hover on 9 January 1963, the first transition from vertical take-off to forward flight and back to vertical landing on 16 September 1963.

The next development step was the Yak-38 which flew for the first time in 1971 as the Yak-36MP.

Specifications (Yakovlev Yak-36)

General Characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 16.75 m (54 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 7.4 m (24 ft 3 in)
• Height: 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 17 m² (183 ft²)
• Empty: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb)
• Loaded: kg ( lb)
• Maximum takeoff: 9,400 kg (20,700 lb)
• Powerplant: 2x Tumanski R-27 -300, 62 kN (14,000 lbf) thrust each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 1,000 km/h (625 mph)
• Range: 370 km (231 miles)
• Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,400 ft)
• Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
• Thrust/Weight:

Related content

Related development: Yak-38

Comparable aircraft: Hawker Siddeley Kestrel

Designation sequence: Yak-30 - Yak-32 - Yak-33 - Yak-36 - Yak-38 - Yak-39 - Yak-40