Yakovlev Yak-18
 Yakovlev Yak-18. Photo: Dmitry A. Mottl, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Yakovlev |
|---|---|
| Model | Yakovlev Yak-18 |
| Type | Training aircraft |
| Country |  Soviet Union
|
| First flight | 1946 |
| Status | in limited service |
| Registered in the US | 16 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | 2 |
| Engine | Ivchenko AI-14RF, 224 kW
|
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The Yakovlev Yak-18 is a Soviet two-seat primary trainer that entered service in 1946, used by the Soviet air force and the DOSAAF aero clubs.[1] China built it as the Nanchang CJ-5. In the U.S. there are 16 with a valid registration, counting the CJ-5.[2]
History
Alexander Yakovlev, best known for fighters, always kept a light-airplane design section. In May 1945 he began the Yak-18 to replace the UT-2 and Yak-5 trainers in the Soviet air force and the DOSAAF aero clubs.[1] It flew a year later, with a 160 hp Shvetsov M-11 five-cylinder radial and main wheels that retracted by air pressure.[1] Yakovlev built it until 1956. China received kits from 1950 and began building its own as the CJ-5 in 1954.[1] NATO called it "Max".[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 16 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| YAK-18A | 12 |
| CJ-5 | 4 |
Specifications (Yak-18A)
| Item | Yak-18A |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
| Length | 8.35 m |
| Wingspan | 10.6 m |
| Height | 3.35 m |
| Engine | Ivchenko AI-14RF, 224 kW (9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine) |
| Propeller | variable-pitch propeller |
| Maximum speed | 300 km/h |
| Range | 700 km |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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YAK-18 formation flight. Photo: FlugKerl2, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Ykovlev Yak-18PM aerobatic aircraft '07' of the Soviet Air Force in 1970. Photo: RuthAS, CC BY 3.0 -
Yakovlev Yak-18. Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
Yakovlev Yak-18. Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Yakovlev Yak-18
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Wikipedia, "Yakovlev Yak-18", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.