Yak-34 Fir-tree

[RAFF-35]

The Yak-34, NATO code name "Fir-tree". Developed in response to reports from Soviet spies which detailed that the US were working on vertical take off aircraft for the navy. Yakolev was tasked with creating a competing design to rival those of the American's.
Work on the Fir-Tree began in 1955 with the first flight taking place a year later.

During flight trials, several issues were identified and ironed out such as how to exit the aircraft after emergency landings away from support structures. The solution for this was particularly Soviet. A length of rope was stored to the side of the seat and could be attached to an anchor point on the left side of the cockpit. The pilot then simply abseils to safety. Another issue was that there wasn't adequate fine control necessary for precise deck landings so reactive control systems were fitted to the wing pods and fed by bled air from the turboprop. In order to improve landings, the seat was offset slightly to the left to give the pilot a better view over his shoulder.

The Yak-34 was fitted with a scaled down derivative of the Kuznetsov Nk-12 which produced 10,000 shaft horsepower. This gave the Firtree a top speed of 786mph, making it the fastest prop driven aircraft of all time (and the loudest). The climb rate was unmatched.

When the Yak-34 came into service in 1962, it's main role was initially fleet defence but also proved to be a capable ground attack aircraft. It's weapons consisted of x2 NR-30 autocannon in the tip of each wing pod. There were 4 underwing hard points that could carry a variety of ordinance including air to air/air to ground missiles, rocket pods, bombs or drop tanks.

[sandiego89]

Ohh, we need more than that!

MiG-21 wings?  POGO? Scale? Tip tanks? do go on

Nice paint! 

[PR19_Kit]

A cracking job there. And those swept fins work REALLY well on it.   

Which XFV-1 kit did you start with?

[zenrat]

MiG 21 DNA makes anything look better.

Good job.
 

[Flyer]

Nice

[Pellson]

Wow! 

[NARSES2]

Wow! 

Couldn't of put it better 

[su27rules]

  

[RAFF-35]

A cracking job there. And those swept fins work REALLY well on it.   

Which XFV-1 kit did you start with?

Why thank you!    The base kit is the offering from Valom.

[PR19_Kit]

I have one of them, and the Pegasus one as well. Never had enough nerve to build either so far.

[RAFF-35]

I have one of them, and the Pegasus one as well. Never had enough nerve to build either so far.

It wasn't horrendously horrendous to be fair. The most difficult part for me was trying to guess how to throw the cockpit tub assembly together as the instructions went a little vague there in my opinion

[loupgarou]

Beautiful build!

[zenrat]

I've built the Valom kit.
I agree, cockpit tub is a pain to fit.  I would also recommend against trying to make the props rotate as it could bring on anger.

[PR19_Kit]

Unashamedly, and somewhat outrageously, blowing my own trumpet, the Pegasus kit of the XFV-1 Salman has MY name quoted on the box. 

When he was developing the kit Chris Gannon asked for more information on the XFV-1 via the Airfix Mag letters section (it had one in those days....) and i sent him copies of my files on the aircraft.

It goes without saying that I have YET to build one of them.     

[RAFF-35]

Unashamedly, and somewhat outrageously, blowing my own trumpet, the Pegasus kit of the XFV-1 Salman has MY name quoted on the box. 

When he was developing the kit Chris Gannon asked for more information on the XFV-1 via the Airfix Mag letters section (it had one in those days....) and i sent him copies of my files on the aircraft.

It goes without saying that I have YET to build one of them.     

Wow! That's a cool claim to fame    You've definitely got to build one if you've contributed so much to it