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1:72 Yakovlev Yak-23 Flora " Warsaw Pact"

Soviet designers started to work hard on the jet aircraft projects right after the end of World War 2. Invaluable help were the trophies from Germany and also the almost unrealizable communist party's and Stalin's directives. Thanks to the latter four jet aircraft prototypes designed by A. S. Jakovlev design office were test-flown during 1947. These were three fighters; Jak-19, Jan-23, and Jak-25, and training jet aircraft Jak-21. From the fighter prototypes, only Jak-23 was commissioned for series production. Like the previous fighters Jak-15 and 17, Jak-23 featured a jet engine located in the nose in front of the canopy and the jet exhaust below the fuselage. Unlike its predecessors that were converted from propeller-driven fighters, this type featured a new all-metal structure of both fuselage and wings. Both wings and tailplanes were of straight design. The armament located in the nose consisted of two 23 mm NS-23 or NR-23 cannons. According to the specifications, the type was to be a bomber interceptor. The prototype was test flown in July 1947 and in August it was sent to Scientific and Research Institute within VVS (Military Air Force) for comparative trials with other jet fighters. For the standard bomber interceptor was chosen Mig-15 but Jak-23 was chosen for production, too. Except of its maneuverability and high climbing power thanks to its straight wing it eased pilots to switch between piston and jet aircraft training. The big handicap was its nonpressurized canopy that didn't allow reaching maximum climbing altitude of 14,800 m. Several regiments of North Caucasus and Volga Military Districts were equipped with Jak-23s. Also, it was delivered to former communist states in the east and middle Europe that were under influence of the Soviet Union. License production was prepared in Czechoslovakia (12 machines delivered) and Poland that received around 100 Jaks from 310 produced in the Soviet Union. The preparation of the production was halted in favor of more perspective Mig-15s. Among other users were Romania and Bulgaria. One civil Jak-23 with registration SP-GLK flew in Poland within Aviation Institute and was used for various tests. In 1957 pilot Ing. A. Ablamovicz set two FAI world records in climbing. On June 24, 1953, Romanian pilot M. Dijakonu flew over one Jak-23 to Yugoslavia. With respect to that time cooperation, the USA asked for a loan of this Jak-23 for evaluations. Jak-23 was in secret ferried to the USA and trialed in Wright Patterson AFB. Past the trial, it was returned.

Wingspan: 8.73 (w/o external fuel tanks),  Length: 8.12 m, Max. Speed: 923 km/h (at sea level), Practical Service Ceiling: 10,000 m, Rate of Climb: 34 ms, Range 1200 km