Yakovlev “Yak-2” – the USSR short range bomber

In February 1939, a beautiful twin-engine monoplane with a two-keeled tail landed at the Central Frundze airfield in Moscow. An experienced eye could immediately determine, that the flight characteristics of the plane are very high. Even without knowing the brand of the plane, almost no one doubted, that it was designed in the Design Office of A. Yakovlev - a young, but already widely known aircraft designer at that time. Perfectly machined, meticulously painted and polished to a brilliant shine, all of his machines had white-red stripes, painted on the vertical steering surfaces. The factory tests of the machine, which received the company's internal marking "airplane 22", were conducted by the pilot - tester Julian Janovich. The plane received a high rating from the management of AF ISE, and the opinion of the commission, that evaluated the technology of the machine was no worse. The “22” could be used for a variety of functions without any modifications. By placing 4-6 100 kg fugitive bombs in the bomb bay between the wing spars, it turned into a BB-22 close-range bomber. After hanging two 20 mm cannons “SzVAK” under the fuselage with a combat kit in the bomb compartment, the machine turned into an I-29 fighter. And the flight characteristics of all variants practically did not differ. And rearmament from one version to another could have been done perfectly even in the conditions of an outdoor airfield. But the machine also had its own defects. According to the 1941 state plan, it was planned to produce 1300 Yakovlev twin-engine bombers. After the designation change, BB-22 with M-103 engines was called "Yak-2", and its later modification, BB-22bis with M-105 engines, was called "Yak-4". Most of these bombers were used on the South-Western Front - about 100 of the 201 produced "Yak-2" and "Yak-4" planes, about 80 more planes of this type fought on the Western Front.

Complex and well-detailed, well-designed model for intermediate and advanced modelers only. Although, by simplifying the model (no cockpit interior, opaque cabin cover, no bomb bay detailing, with landing gear intake) to the flight phase, working under the supervision of a more experienced colleague, this model can be assembled by both the advanced beginner and the less experienced modeler. But it won't be easy.