Yak-4

Yak-4

SB 2M-103

Ar-2

Yak-4

SB 2M-103

Ar-2

USSR

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.0	2.0	2.3

Class:

Bomber

Light bomber

Research:4 000

Purchase:2 100

Description

The Yak-4 is a rank I Soviet bomber with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB/RB) and 2.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.75 "La Résistance".

General info

Flight performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 4,800 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	513	496	10800	25.1	26.1	7.8	7.8	550
Upgraded	___	533		__._	24.0	__._	10.4

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
X	X	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	320	N/A	N/A	280	~12	~7

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 360	< 360	< 450	> 340

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
2,000 m	1,100 hp	1,186 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
4,000 m	1,050 hp	N/A

Survivability and armour

• 8mm Steel plate in the pilot's seat
• 8mm Steel plate under the pilot
• Self-sealing fuel tanks (2 in each wing)

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Yak-4 is armed with:

• 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, nose-mounted (500 rpg)

Suspended armament

The Yak-4 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 8 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (800 kg total)

Defensive armament

The Yak-4 is defended by:

• 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, dorsal turret (750 rpg)

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Separate	Controllable 2 gears	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		Offensive 7 mm
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 7 mm MGs
III	Wings repair	Engine		Turret 7 mm
IV		Engine injection	Cover	New 7 mm MGs (turret)

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent speed
• Good climb rate
• Decent maneuverability for a bomber
• Possesses offensive armament, one centrally mounted ShKAS (7.62 mm) gun, coupling great accuracy with a superb rate of fire

Cons:

• Very poor bomb load, will struggle at taking out armoured targets (medium tanks, pillboxes, etc.), ineffective at base bombing
• Bleeds speed in turns
• Vulnerable engines tend to overheat quickly at 100% throttle
• Rear gunner cannot aim below 0°, rendering you harmless to any enemies under the plane
• Similar to the Yak-2, pilot has no frontal protection and can be knocked out easily

History

The Yakovlev Yak-4 was a light bomber developed from the Yak-2 light bomber (not to be confused with the Yak-2 KABB attacker), the result of a series of improvements implemented to rectify the issues of its predecessor, which included inadequate speed, an unsatisfactory cooling system, and a weak/troublesome undercarriage. To increase speed, the drag of engine doors and cowlings was reduced, the fuselage upper decking was cut down, and the aircraft was refitted with Klimov M-105 engines. Such improvements increased the speed by 10-20km/h. To reduce overheating, the oil coolers were relocated to the chin of the engine compartments. To fix problems with the undercarriage, the single wheeled landing gear was replaced with a double wheeled one. The Yak-4 first flew on February 20, 1940, was put into service in 1941, and had its production terminated that same year. A majority of the aircraft were sent to the 316th Reconnaissance Regiment in the Kiev Military District. Although officially retired in 1945, it is not believed that their usage extended much past Operation Barbarossa as the German forces destroyed most of them in its opening days, in large part due to the inexperience of soviet aircrews. However, a few remaining Yak-4s may have found use later in the war as glider tugs or suppliers. A total of around 90 were produced.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.

A.S. Yakovlev Design Bureau (Яковлев Опытное конструкторское бюро)
Fighters
Yak-1	Yak-1 · Yak-1B
Yak-3	Yak-3 · Eremin's Yak-3(e) · Yak-3 (VK-107) · Yak-3P · Yak-3T · Yak-3U
Yak-7	Yak-7B
Yak-9	Yak-9 · Yak-9B · Yak-9K · Golovachev's Yak-9M · Yak-9P · Yak-9T · Yak-9U · Yak-9UT
Twin-engine fighters	I-29
Jet fighters
Yak-15	Yak-15P · Yak-15
Yak-17	Yak-17
Yak-23	Yak-23
Yak-30	Yak-30D
Yak-141	Yak-141
Strike aircraft
Yak-2	Yak-2 KABB
Yak-38	Yak-38 · Yak-38M
Bombers	Yak-4
Jet bombers	Yak-28B
Foreign use	▄Yak-3 · Challe's ▄Yak-9T · ◔Yak-9P
Captured	▀Yak-1B