Yak-38M - Revision history

U38088265: /* Details */ Updated

2023-11-03T21:51:19Z

‎Details: Updated

U38088265: /* Suspended armament */ Updated

2023-11-03T21:50:05Z

‎Suspended armament: Updated

U38088265: /* History */

2023-10-15T08:53:42Z

‎History

U126556775: Expanded on history.

2023-10-14T13:16:31Z

Expanded on history.

U38088265: /* Armaments */ Reformatted

2023-09-29T08:45:09Z

‎Armaments: Reformatted

U38088265: /* Description */

2023-09-29T08:43:59Z

‎Description

U81436767: /* Description */ fixed spelling

2023-09-28T22:47:15Z

‎Description: fixed spelling

U81436767: /* Description */

2023-09-26T23:55:18Z

‎Description

U81436767: /* Description */

2023-09-26T23:52:05Z

‎Description

U44629479: /* Media */ Added video

2023-03-03T07:54:46Z

‎Media: Added video

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 ! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
 |-
-| X || ✓ || ✓ || X || X || ✓     <!-- ✓ -->
+| X || X || ✓ || X || X || ✓     <!-- ✓ -->
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 ! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 |-
-| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 650 || 500 || ~11 || ~5
+| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || - || 500 || ~11 || ~5
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 70: / Line 70: @@
 ! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
 |-
-| < 650 || < 850 || < 920 || N/A
+| < 650 || < 850 || < 920 || -
 |-
 |}

@@ Line 162: / Line 162: @@
 |-
 ! [[OFAB-100 (100 kg)|100 kg OFAB-100]] bombs
-| 4 || 1 || 1 || 4
+| 3 || 1 || 1 || 3
 |-
 ! [[OFAB-250sv (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250sv]] bombs
@@ Line 207: / Line 207: @@
 * 4 x S-24B rockets
 * 2 x Kh-23M missiles
-* 10 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (1,000 kg total)
+* 8 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (800 kg total)
 * 4 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (1,000 kg total)
 * 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs (1,000 kg total)

@@ Line 269: / Line 269: @@
 == History ==
 <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 === [[wt:en/news/6942-development-yak-38-yak-38m-hover-jet-en|Devblog]] ===
 Although Soviet engineers were experimenting with VTOL fixed wing aircraft design since the early 1960's, it wasn't until December 1967 before a formal order to develop a light VTOL strike aircraft as well as a corresponding trainer version was issued. As a result, engineers at the Yakovlev design bureau began work on the new aircraft in the late 1960's, basing their design on experience gained from developing the preceding Yak-36 - an early VTOL demonstration design.
@@ Line 277: / Line 284: @@
 After some further testing and crew training, the aircraft officially entered service with the Soviet Navy in August 1977, receiving the designation Yak-38. By 1982, over 140 Yak-38's were built, all of which served aboard the then new Kiev-class aircraft carriers. In the mid 1980's, the modernized Yak-38M version came into service, most prominently featuring more powerful engines as well as other improvements. About 50 Yak-38M's were built before the type was ultimately decommissioned in 1991.
 == Media ==

@@ Line 278: / Line 278: @@
 After some further testing and crew training, the aircraft officially entered service with the Soviet Navy in August 1977, receiving the designation Yak-38. By 1982, over 140 Yak-38's were built, all of which served aboard the then new Kiev-class aircraft carriers. In the mid 1980's, the modernized Yak-38M version came into service, most prominently featuring more powerful engines as well as other improvements. About 50 Yak-38M's were built before the type was ultimately decommissioned in 1991.
 === Further development ===
 The Yak-38M was seen as a stepping stone to a better VTOL aircraft by the Yakovlev Design Bureau. A large part of the Yak-38M design would end up in the Yak-41M which instead of having 2 nozzles, would instead pivot a much larger single engine exhaust while still retaining the 2 lift engines at the front, and unlike the Yak-38M it was supersonic capable. In the Western world it was known as the Yak-141 while inside the Soviet military it was the Yak-41M. When the Cold War ended and funding for the project was cut Yakovlev looked for other companies that would like to enter a partnership. In 1991 Yakovlev would enter a partnership with Lockheed-Martin and due to this relationship officially change the designation of the 2 flying prototypes to Yak-141. Lockheed-Martin would end up using the experience they gained from this on their X-35 plane which would end up being the F-35 family of planes, the F-35B is the one that has the general engine layout of the Yak-141.

@@ Line 145: / Line 145: @@
 The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
-* A choice between two presets:
+* 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (160 rpg)
 === Suspended armament ===
 {{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 <!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
-The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:
+The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 |-
@@ Line 177: / Line 158: @@
 | rowspan="13" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
 |-
-! 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)
+! [[GSh-23L (23 mm)|23 mm GSh-23L]] cannons (250 rpg)
 | 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 |-
-! 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs
+! [[OFAB-100 (100 kg)|100 kg OFAB-100]] bombs
 | 4 || 1 || 1 || 4
 |-
-! 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs
+! [[OFAB-250sv (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250sv]] bombs
 | 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 |-
-! 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs
+! [[FAB-500M-54 (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500M-54]] bombs
 | 1 || || || 1
 |-
-! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
+! [[ZB-500 incendiary]] bombs
 | 1 || || || 1
 |-
-! S-5KP rockets
+! [[S-5KP]] rockets
 | 16, 32 || 16 || 16 || 16, 32
 |-
-! S-8KO rockets
+! [[S-8KO]] rockets
 | 20 || || || 20
 |-
-! S-24B rockets
+! [[S-24B]] rockets
 | 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 |-
-! Kh-23M missiles
+! [[Kh-23M]] missiles
 | 1* || || || 1*
 |-
-! R-60 missiles
+! [[R-60]] missiles
 | 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
 |-
-! Delta-NG
+! Delta-NG targeting pod
 | || || 1* ||
 |-
@@ Line 215: / Line 196: @@
 |-
 |}
 == Usage in battles ==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-Following the developments of the Hawker Project 1154 VTOL testbed by Great Britain in the 60s, Yakovlev Design Bureau set out to build the Soviet Union's first VTOL fighter as not to be outmatched. Initially lacking funding for reasearch and development of proper technology, Yakovlev presented the Yak-36 created with what little they had. The Yak-36 was a faliure, with only four built and only one performing VTOL flight, which later crashed in testing. However, the ball was now rolling, and this design convinced the Soviet government to fund the development of a proper soviet VTOL aircraft. Yakovlev presented a supersonic design with swiveling nozzles similar to those found on the Harrier family, but as this was deemed too complex and expensive, the Soviet govoernment ordered a simpler, cheaper VTOL aircraft primarily for naval operation, and limited in speed to Mach 0.95. Yakovlev OKB got to work, and by the beginning of the 70s, had created the first flying prototype of the new [[Yak-38]]. However, with new technology came many hurdles, and the Yak-38 would be plagued by an unacceptable amount of issues, which took many years to iron out, before the Yak-38 officially entered service five years later in 1976.
+The [[Yak-38]] had many problems, especially with the powerplant, which was complex, heavy, and underpowered, and suffered from inexcusable overheating issues, with some reports even stating that the Yak-38 was grounded during the hot summers of the Mediterranean sea due to the engine overheating dangerously during VTOL take-offs. By comparison to its adversaries such as the Harrier family, the initial Yak-38 was abysmally underperforming. These issues quickly led to a urgent request from the Soviet navy to upgrade the Yak-38 in the late '70s and early '80s to address these issues. This directly resulted in the upgraded Yak-38M, which entered service in 1985. The main upgrade in the Yak-38M variant, was the installation of a new set of engines, the Tumansky R-28V-300 and Rybinsk RD-38 engines respectively, to correct the issues with overheating and low power of the previous model, while also upgrading the aircraft's avionics and armament suite to include new all-aspect variants of the [[R-60]], and better guidance and autopilot systems.
-The Yak-38 had many problems, especially with the powerplant, which was complex, heavy, and underpowered, and suffered from unexcusable overheating issues, with some reports even stating that the Yak-38 was grounded during the hot summers of the mediterranean seas due to the engine overheating dangerously during VTOL take-offs. By standard comparison to its adversaries such as the Harrier family, the intial Yak-38 was abysmally underperforming. These issues quickly led to a urgent request from the Soviet navy to upgrade the Yak-38 in the late 70s and early 80s to address these issues. This directly resulted in the upgraded Yak-38M, which entered service in 1985. The main upgrade in the Yak-38M variant, was the installation of a new set of engines, the Tumansky R-28V-300 and Rybinsk RD-38 engines respectively, to correct the issues with overheating and low power of the previous model, while also upgrading the aircraft's avionics and armament suite to include new all-aspect variants of the [[R-60]], and better guidance and autopilot systems.
+The Yak-38M was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]]. Like the Harrier, it is an aircraft with a VTOL capability. The {{PAGENAME}} is externally almost identical to the Yak-38 and the few differences are difficult to identify in combat, aside from the plane's default livery. These features are the tail boom (long and coloured in red for the 38M while short for the 38) and the forward Pitot tube (striped for the 38M and unicolour for the 38). The Yak-38 is very underwhelming in flight performance, but makes up for it in great armament options and ordnance, and acts as a stepping stone to the far more powerful successor in Soviet VTOL aircraft, the formidable [[Yak-141]].
 == General info ==

@@ Line 297: / Line 297: @@
 ;Videos
-{{Youtube-gallery|1yFd8lx7vQI|'''Yakovlev Yak-38 Soviet Naval Aviation''' - ''yolkhere''}}
+{{Youtube-gallery|Mc4zh0r8g64|'''Yak-38M: A Detailed Review''' - ''Tims Variety''|1yFd8lx7vQI|'''Yakovlev Yak-38 Soviet Naval Aviation''' - ''yolkhere''}}
 == See also ==