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 This article
with plans and a 4-view of the YAK-3 fighter appeared in the Sept/Oct 1965 edition of
American Modeler.
"The Yakovlev YAK-3 (Russian language: Як-3) was a World
War II Soviet fighter aircraft. Robust and easy to maintain, it was much liked by pilots
and ground crew alike. It was one of the smallest and lightest major combat fighters
fielded by any combatant during the war, and its high power-to-weight ratio gave it excellent
performance. It proved a formidable dogfighter." -
Wikipedia
French-Flown YAK-3 World War Two Fighter
By Walter A. Musciano
Produced in greater quantity than any other YAK design during World War II this YAK-3
was one of the most successful Russian fighter planes. It was developed from the earlier
YAK-1 of 1939 for which Alexander Sergeivich Yakovlev won a prize of 100,000 rubles (and
an elegant automobile) in a Soviet design competition. The craft was a simple, lightweight,
fast-climbing fighter with high performance at low altitudes where it was intended to
maintain aerial superiority directly over the battlefield.
These photos show the YAK-3 which was flown by World War Two Ace Roger Sauvage
on the Russian Front. Note tricolor spinner and lightning arrow.
The YAK-3 had a loaded weight of only 5864-lbs which is less than half of some of
the American and British fighters of that period. It could climb to 16,000-ft in four
minutes and had a range of 560 miles at 193-mph. The Klimov M-105 PA twelve cylinder,
liquid cooled, 1210-hp engine was fitted with a 20-mm cannon which fired through the
propeller shaft. Two 12.7-mm machine guns were installed in the cowling with cocking
levers extending into the cockpit. Top speed was 404 miles per hour and the craft is
said to have compared favorably with the British Spitfire.
Among the famous fighter units on the Eastern Front which flew the YAK-3 was the Normandie-Niemen
Regiment. This group of Free French volunteers composed of four Escadrilles which arrived
in Russia late in 1942 from North Africa proved very successful and destroyed 273 German
aircraft in two years of action. Yet the Normandie-Niemen Regiment never consisted of
more than about forty pilots. One of the leading Aces of this group was Capitaine Roger
Sauvage who scored sixteen official victories on two fronts and received some of the
highest French and Soviet awards for bravery and valor. The markings on this control
line model duplicate those used by Sauvage on his YAK-3 fighter plane. The story of Roger
Sauvage and the Normandie-Niemen Regiment will be featured in the October 1965 Air Progress.
Our model of Sauvage's YAK-3, scaled one inch to one foot size, can accommodate any
engine from .19 to .35 cubic inch displacement. Construction has been kept as simple
as possible and is quite strong without excessive weight. When you have the full size
plans begin construction with the wing. Trace the spar halves and joiners onto the prescribed
wood and cut to shape. Cement the spars between the joiners, using plenty of the adhesive,
and hold together with small "C" clamps until dry. Meanwhile, trace and cut all ribs
to shape plus the landing gear supports.
Construction instructions appear on Hobby Helpers Plan #965.
 Yak-3 Fighter Plans
<click for larger version>
 Yak-3 Fighter 4-View Drawing
<click for larger version>
Notice:
The AMA Plans Service offers a
full-size version of many of the plans show here at a very reasonable cost. They
will scale the plans any size for you. It is always best to buy printed plans because
my scanner versions often have distortions that can cause parts to fit poorly. Purchasing
plans also help to support the operation of the
Academy of Model Aeronautics - the #1
advocate for model aviation throughout the world. If the AMA no longer has this
plan on file, I will be glad to send you my higher resolution version.
Try my Scale Calculator for
Model Airplane Plans.
Posted January 29, 2012
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