Yakovlev Ja-2

The Yakovlev Ja‑2 was a Soviet light utility and liaison aircraft developed shortly after World War II under the direction of designer Alexandr Yakovlev. First flight took place on 22 March 1946, and the type entered limited production the following year, with about 300 airframes built for military and civilian use. Designed as a modern successor to the pre‑war UT‑2 trainer, the Ja‑2 combined a low‑wing monoplane layout with an all‑metal stressed‑skin structure, a retractable tailwheel undercarriage and a 190 hp Shvetsov M‑11D radial engine. Its spacious cabin accommodated two crew members and up to four passengers, while large windows and a generous fuel capacity gave it a range of roughly 1,200 km and a cruising speed of 260 km/h. The aircraft’s simplicity, robust construction and ease of maintenance made it popular on Soviet airfields, where it performed liaison, training, medical evacuation and photographic‑reconnaissance missions. Though quickly superseded by more powerful transports, the Ja‑2 demonstrated Yakovlev’s ability to translate wartime experience into a versatile post‑war platform, influencing later designs such as the Yak‑18 and contributing to the development of Soviet civil aviation infrastructure. It remains a noteworthy example of early Cold‑War aircraft engineering.

Alexandr Yakovlev

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Design & Classification