In the late 1940s the Soviet forces had a need for a light liaison aircraft that was smaller than the Antonov An-2.[2] The company derived two four-seat aircraft with wooden wings and metal fuselages, from the earlier AIR-6.[1] The Yak-10, a high-wing strut-braced monoplane with fixed landing gear and the Yak-13 a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a manually retractable landing gear.[2] Both aircraft were powered by a 145 hp M-11MF radial engine.[2] After tests in 1945, the Yak-10 was awarded a production contract for 40 aircraft, despite unimpressive performance.[2] The company built a number of different variants but soon produced an improved design, the Yak-12, which, although of similar layout, was not a derivative of the Yak-10.[2]
The Yak-10 only entered limited production before it was replaced by the superior Yakovlev Yak-12, and although the Yak-13 proved to be superior to the original Yak-10, production was not carried out.[1][2]
Variants
Yak-10
Strut-braced high-wing monoplane powered by a Shvetsov M-11MF radial engine.[2]
Low-wing monoplane derivative, using an almost identical fuselage and Shvetsov M-11MF engine installation, with a cantilevered wooden low wing for direct comparison with the Yak-10. One built.[2][3]
Specifications (Yak-10)
Data from[1]The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875 – 1995