Late Production Yakovlev WWII Fighters

Oh right, it looks like you’re correct Zak.

Dave, I may be wrong but I believe that’s “N17ZA – Formerly VH-YZK – Exported to South Africa 2017”.

What about former ZK-YAK which was built for and flew with the Alpine Fighter Collection for years, and then went to Aussie to be impounded, is that on your list? I think it recently was released from its impounding.

D-FENK is under restoration at Brasschaat, Belgium with FAST bvba for a Dutch owner, Jeroen Boonzaaijer. Wings and engine have recently been installed

Thanks! I’ve made the couple of changes (a little brain failure of mine including “Steadfast” in the Allison-engined list).

Yak-3
VH-YOV is not one of the Allison new ones, it has a P&W
the 12th Allison one is D-FLUG
VH-YZK is now N17ZA

There should be a few more Allison Yak-11 conversions, not sure what became off
170406 N33UA, it’s listed as exported to France in 2008
172809 N3UA listed on the FAA register as a Yak-3UA to J-M.Garric

Yak-3 (Allison-Engined) New-Builds That Have Flown:

D-FLUG – (Current Owner?) Bremgarten, Germany
D-FYAC – Antique Aeroflyers, Mengen, Germany
D-FYGJ – Achim Meier & Glen James, Bremgarten, Germany
F-AZZV – Michael Wikstrom, Dijon-Darois, France (damaged in accident in 2013 – undergoing repairs(?))
G-CDBJ – Christopher Bellhouse, Maidstone, England (damaged in 2008 – undergoing repairs(?))
G-CGXG – Chameleon Technologies, Woodbridge, England
G-OLEG – Will Greenwood/Classic Warbird Displays, Pulborough, England
N17ZA – Formerly VH-YZK – Exported to South Africa 2017
N42YK – Jerry Yagen/Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
N529SB – Stephen Barber, Camarillo, California, USA
N854DP – Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison, Texas, USA
ZK-VVS – Graeme Frew, Omaka, New Zealand

Yak-9 (Allison-Engined) New-Builds That Have Flown:

D-FAFA – Volker Schulke/Air Fighter Academy, Heringsdorf, Germany
D-FENK – Jeroen Boonzaaijer, Netherlands (undergoing repairs to fly again)
D-FIST – Paolo & Egidio Gavazzi, Parma, Italy
HB-RYA – Flying Fighter Association, Sion, Switzerland
N1157H – Yakkin 2 Inc, Georgetown, Delaware, USA
N219Y – Southern Airmotive Inc, Texico, New Mexico, USA (formerly N900EA)
N4425S – Linda Andreini, Half Moon Bay, California, USA
N6373Y – Kimbles Aviation, Clinton, Maryland, USA
N6388U – George Hickman, Gordo, Alabama, USA
VH-YIX – Jim Wickham/Ganot Pty Ltd, Moorooduc, Victoria, Australia

LET C-11 to Allison-Engined Yak-3 Conversions That Have Flown:

F-AZLY – Amicale des Avions de Collection et de Sport, Yvetot, France
F-AZXZ – Georges Chauveau, Coulommiers, France
N130AM – Planes of Fame Air Musem, Chino, California, USA (perhaps the most convincing new-build Yak-3?)
ZK-YYY – Arthur Dovey, Wanaka, New Zealand

Allison-Engined “Yak-7” Made From a LET C-11:

N7YK – CNA Air LLC, Purcellville, Virginia, USA

Besides these, there are some new-build radial-engined Yak-3 & Yak-9 types flying – all in addition to of course numerous Yak-11’s and Let C-11’s.

There are 2 of these Yak-3’s in the UK, both built at the Russian factory. One is a single seater G-CGXG, the other is a two seat dual controls version G-OLEG.

The magazine Classic Wings has done a few articles on the new-build Yaks and where they are now, as well as the original examples remaining. I’d love to see a documentary on the Flight Magic or Museum Of Flight programmes but I think it’s doubtful one exists.

Re the talk of Yak-7s, there’s one representative Yak-7 flying in the US but from memory it was converted from a Yak-11/C.11. It’s all white and has a somewhat pugnacious appearance.

It has been hard to find coverage of any restorations and new build warbirds until the new series came along and shows on Netflix.That is Plane Resurrection. A lot of technical achievements in the former USSR have no film coverage . I think that is because there is still a sensitive attitude to security with a careful regard for what people really need to see when production processes are filmed. Oddly this has become more common in the West with security gaurds in the UK dashing out of commercial locations objecting to a person with an SLR camera filming the outside of the property from a public road.

At least some of the Yak 3s on the market are conversions from Yak 11 trainers (reversing the original design process). I gather all the Yak 9Ms are the Russian new builds. I don’t recall ever seeing comments about new Yak 7s.

Even a good article would be appreciated, listing current operators and bases.

A friend of mine is presently trying to obtain the Yak 3 recently advertised. At £ 400K it is not exactly cheap, but at a quarter of the price of a Mustang, with similar performance, it is a lot of bang for your buck.

By the complete lack of any response, I am guessing no-one made a film about the remarkable rejuvenation of the production line of the Yaks then…