Difference between revisions of "Yak-23"

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{{Specs-Card|code=yak-23}}
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{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=yak-23
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 +
The Yak-23 was developed as a further upgrade to the Yak-15 and Yak-17 designs. It was one of the first Soviet single-seat jet engine fighters. Like its predecessors, it used the existing fuselage and airframe of the Yak-3 piston fighter and adapted an engine to it, specifically the Klimov RD500 turbojet engine. The Yak-23 saw limited success compared to more famous MiG-9, but it was still produced in decent numbers. With a total of 319 units built (prototypes included), it also served in the air forces of different nations allied with the USSR like Poland, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, North Korea, and Czechoslovakia.
 +
 
 +
It was introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]]. The Yak-23 is a weird jet at its BR. Compared to other common jets like the MiG-15bis or the A-4E Skyhawk, the Yak-23 has the airframe of a prop and that comes with some advantages. Like most props, the Yak-23 has a good turn radius when not at high energy states. When it has a lot of speed, the Yak-23 compresses a lot and it does not have an airbrake to lose that speed nor the airframe to allow it to do so. Also, thanks to its powerful engine with excellent acceleration, it is ideal staying at around 700-800 km/h in a fight to retain energy in turns and also use the maximum agility of the Yak-23. The guns in this jet are ok, with a decent speed and belts with HE you can consistently destroy other players with a few bursts and good aim once you learn the ballistics of the gun.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
−
=== Flight Performance ===
+
=== Flight performance ===
−
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Maximum speed, maneuverability, speed and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
 +
 
 +
The Yak-23 has a very good flight performance for its BR. Compared to the MiG-15bis or the Yak-30D, the Yak-23 excels at low speed handling. It has a good roll rate and a very good acceleration and climb rate specially above 800 km/h. However, it compresses over 900 km/h and thus is better to keep it at speeds below 800 km/h to use its agility to its maximum.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
 +
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 0 m - sea level)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
 +
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 +
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
 +
|-
 +
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
 +
|-
 +
! Stock
 +
| 915 || 904 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 19.2 || 19.9 || 37.7 || 36.5 || rowspan="2" | 650
 +
|-
 +
! Upgraded
 +
| 939 || 929 || 18.8 || 19.0 || 52.8 || 45.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Details ====
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | Features
 +
|-
 +
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
 +
|-
 +
| X || X || ✓ || X || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | Limits
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
 +
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 +
|-
 +
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 +
|-
 +
| 1,000 <!-- {{Specs|destruction|body}} --> || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || 320 || ~11 || ~8
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
 +
|-
 +
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
 +
|-
 +
| < 450 || < 420 || < 500 || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Engine performance ====
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | Engine
 +
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
 +
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="2" | Klimov RD-500 || 1
 +
| colspan="2" | 2,213 kg || colspan="3" | 215 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
 +
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross<br>Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
 +
|-
 +
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
 +
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel
 +
|-
 +
| 570 kg || colspan="2" | Centrifugal-flow turbojet
 +
| 2,431 kg || 2,643 kg || 2,857 kg || 2,941 kg || 2,974 kg
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
 +
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (112%)
 +
|-
 +
! Condition || 100% || 112%
 +
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel || MGW
 +
|-
 +
| ''Stationary'' || 1,367 kgf || 1,519 kgf
 +
| 0.62 || 0.57 || 0.53 || 0.52 || 0.51
 +
|-
 +
| ''Optimal'' || 1,367 kgf<br>(0 km/h) || 1,519 kgf<br>(0 km/h)
 +
| 0.62 || 0.57 || 0.53 || 0.52 || 0.51
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
  
−
== Weaponry ==
+
* 57 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
−
=== Offensive weaponry ===
+
* 8 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.
−
''Describe the offensive weaponry of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.''
 
  
−
=== Suspended weaponry ===
+
=== Modifications and economy ===
−
''Describe the aircraft's suspended weapons: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''
+
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
−
=== Defensive weaponry ===
+
== Armaments ==
−
''Defensive weaponry with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available remove this subsection.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
 +
=== Offensive armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
 +
{{main|NR-23 (23 mm)}}
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but 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).''
+
 
 +
* 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, nose-mounted (90 rpg = 180 total)
 +
 
 +
== 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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
The Yak-23 has an extremely light airframe and relatively powerful jet which gives it an enormous thrust-to-weight ratio, making it one of the best accelerating (and climbing) jets in War Thunder. The Yak-23 is not only a good bomber hunter but also an excellent fighter. Almost no jet can accelerate better than the Yak-23 below 800 km/h and no jet in the Yak-23's BR bracket can compete with its climb rate unless it has a massive energy advantage. This gives the Yak-23 a huge advantage over the vast majority of opponents it meets. The Yak-23 cannot carry any ordnance and is thus purely subjugated to fighter duties and should be used accordingly.
 +
 
 +
;'''Combat tactics'''
 +
 
 +
The Yak-23 should fight in the vertical and utilize its excellent maneuverability to take careful shots and stay out of the line of fire of enemy guns. Energy-conserving chandelles and stalls are by far the most effective tactics to utilize as they best use the Yak-23's insane acceleration and climb rate while depleting your enemy's energy.
 +
 
 +
The low ammo count means you'll likely have to land and rearm at least once per match, so fuel loads of 15 minutes or less are recommended.
 +
 
 +
The [[G.91 (Family)|G.91]] is one of the most common threats to the Yak-23 as it is a small target, faster, and has an excellent roll rate, making it exceedingly difficult to hit with the low-velocity 23 mm cannons mounted on the Yak-23. The [[Vampire (Family)|Vampire]]  is another noteworthy opponent as it is a close match for they Yak-23's low-speed flight characteristics.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Climb rate and low-medium speed acceleration superior to most of its peers
 +
* Great maneuverability
 +
* Excellent energy retention, will win prolonged dogfights against most opponents
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
−
== Historical part ==
+
* Low top speed, poor acceleration at high speeds
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
* Low gun velocity, limited ammunition pool
 +
* Lacks airbrakes and combat flaps
 +
* No secondary weapons
 +
 
 +
== History ==
 +
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''-->
 +
[[File:Yak-23 takeoff.jpg|thumb|409x409px|Yak-23s at the Lanca airfield]]
 +
During early 1947, the Soviet Union wanted a single-seat jet aircraft equipped with an engine produced by Rolls-Royce. The job was given to Soviet aircraft manufacturer Yakovlev and in July 1947, the aircraft was unveiled and flown for the first time. Just as the [[Yak-15]] and the [[Yak-17]], the main fuselage was based on that of the [[Yak-3]], and the Yak-jets along with the [[J21RA|SAAB J21R]] were the only aircraft to be successfully converted to jet fighters from piston-powered props.
 +
 
 +
Compared to the Yak-17, the Yak-23 was very different and had many changes to its design and overall performance. The jet used a much more powerful Klimov RD-500 centrifugal-flow turbojet engine, with 15.6 kN (3,500 lbf) thrust. This new engine gave the aircraft a power to weight ratio of 0.46, higher than the Yak-17 but worst than the 0.56 of the MiG-15. The aircraft also received better armament in the form of 2 × 23 mm Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 with 90 rpg. Its armament was more adequate for a dogfighter, but since the Soviet Union required an aircraft that was also capable of intercepting incoming bombers, the lack of a higher calibre cannon like the 37 mm found in the MiG-15 was evident. Other bad design choices sealed its fate, like the lack of self-sealing fuel tanks in the early variants and the lack of an airbrake, very necessary for aircraft that were already capable of reaching very high speeds.
 +
 
 +
However, the Yak-23 still had big design improvements over the Yak-17, and it found success in service with many Warsaw Pact nations. The landing gear of the Yak-23 was fully retractable, something that was lacking in the Yak-17 and caused performance issues when flying. The aircraft retained the airframe of the Yak-3, and that allowed many pilots to be introduced into more modern jet fighters with similar performance to modern MiG-15s instead of the already obsolete Yak-15s and Yak-17s.
 +
 
 +
In 1949, the Yak-23 entered service but was not produced in large scale due to it being inferior of the [[MiG-15 (Family)|MiG-15]] that had just been mass produced and entered into service. Between 10,000-15,000 MiG-15s of different variants were built, but only around 300 Yak-23s. A few Eastern European countries bought the rights to build their own Yak-23s and some imported them directly from the Soviet Union, but many of them later opted for the MiG-15 due to it simply being better and more effective. The Yak-23 was never used in combat since the MiG-15 entered service as the Korean War broke out. The Soviet Union operated the Yak-23 between 1949 and 1951, when it was retired, and the country that used the aircraft the longest was Romania, who operated their 62 Yak-23s until 1960, followed by Bulgaria, with 100 fighters until 1958 and then Poland with 100 fighters in service between 1950 and 1956.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=yak-23 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|l98SHmBYwjQ|'''"Energy Fighting" Examples In The Russian Me 163 - Yak-23''' - ''DEFYN''|apWITYjgS3w|'''For Those Days You Just Want to Turn Fight Everything - Yak23 Gameplay''' - ''WhooptieDo'' (Review starts at 1:00)|3xsR07isG48|'''Realistic: Yak-23 [Still king at 7.7!]''' - ''Jengar''}}
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
  
−
== Read 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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
== External links ==
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
−
* ''page on aircraft encyclopedia;''
+
 
−
* ''other literature.''
+
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/392613-yakovlev-yak-23/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
 +
 
 +
{{AirManufacturer Yakovlev}}
 +
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

Latest revision as of 18:30, 23 November 2024

Rank 7 USA
F-5C Pack
Yak-23
yak-23.png
GarageImage Yak-23.jpg
Yak-23
USSR flag.png USSR
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
8.7 8.7 7.7
Class:
Research:120 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:340 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Yak-23 was developed as a further upgrade to the Yak-15 and Yak-17 designs. It was one of the first Soviet single-seat jet engine fighters. Like its predecessors, it used the existing fuselage and airframe of the Yak-3 piston fighter and adapted an engine to it, specifically the Klimov RD500 turbojet engine. The Yak-23 saw limited success compared to more famous MiG-9, but it was still produced in decent numbers. With a total of 319 units built (prototypes included), it also served in the air forces of different nations allied with the USSR like Poland, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, North Korea, and Czechoslovakia.

It was introduced in Update 1.75 "La Résistance". The Yak-23 is a weird jet at its BR. Compared to other common jets like the MiG-15bis or the A-4E Skyhawk, the Yak-23 has the airframe of a prop and that comes with some advantages. Like most props, the Yak-23 has a good turn radius when not at high energy states. When it has a lot of speed, the Yak-23 compresses a lot and it does not have an airbrake to lose that speed nor the airframe to allow it to do so. Also, thanks to its powerful engine with excellent acceleration, it is ideal staying at around 700-800 km/h in a fight to retain energy in turns and also use the maximum agility of the Yak-23. The guns in this jet are ok, with a decent speed and belts with HE you can consistently destroy other players with a few bursts and good aim once you learn the ballistics of the gun.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 0 m929 km/h
Turn time19 s
Max altitude14 500 m
EngineKlimov RD-500
TypeJet
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight4 t

The Yak-23 has a very good flight performance for its BR. Compared to the MiG-15bis or the Yak-30D, the Yak-23 excels at low speed handling. It has a good roll rate and a very good acceleration and climb rate specially above 800 km/h. However, it compresses over 900 km/h and thus is better to keep it at speeds below 800 km/h to use its agility to its maximum.

Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 0 m - sea level) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 915 904 14500 19.2 19.9 37.7 36.5 650
Upgraded 939 929 18.8 19.0 52.8 45.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear Drogue chute
X X ✓ X X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
1,000 350 N/A N/A 320 ~11 ~8
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 450 < 420 < 500 N/A

Engine performance

Engine Aircraft mass
Engine name Number Basic mass Wing loading (full fuel)
Klimov RD-500 1 2,213 kg 215 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Gross
Weight
Weight (each) Type 10m fuel 20m fuel 30m fuel 33m fuel
570 kg Centrifugal-flow turbojet 2,431 kg 2,643 kg 2,857 kg 2,941 kg 2,974 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (112%)
Condition 100% 112% 10m fuel 20m fuel 30m fuel 33m fuel MGW
Stationary 1,367 kgf 1,519 kgf 0.62 0.57 0.53 0.52 0.51
Optimal 1,367 kgf
(0 km/h) 		1,519 kgf
(0 km/h) 		0.62 0.57 0.53 0.52 0.51

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear350 km/h
  • 57 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
  • 8 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 385 → 4 268 Sl icon.png
RB9 671 → 12 195 Sl icon.png
SB14 038 → 17 701 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications102 000 Rp icon.png
164 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 200 Ge icon.png
Crew training98 000 Sl icon.png
Experts340 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 800 Ge icon.png
Research Aces780 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
120 / 380 / 600 % Sl icon.png
202 / 202 / 202 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
10 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods jet compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
300 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
21 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Research:
17 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
27 000 Sl icon.png
460 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
300 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
17 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
27 000 Sl icon.png
460 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
ns23_belt_pack
Research:
10 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods weapon.png
ns23_new_gun
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
21 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 23 mm NR-23 cannon
Ammunition180 rounds
Fire rate900 shots/min
Main article: NR-23 (23 mm)

The Yak-23 is armed with:

  • 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, nose-mounted (90 rpg = 180 total)

Usage in battles

The Yak-23 has an extremely light airframe and relatively powerful jet which gives it an enormous thrust-to-weight ratio, making it one of the best accelerating (and climbing) jets in War Thunder. The Yak-23 is not only a good bomber hunter but also an excellent fighter. Almost no jet can accelerate better than the Yak-23 below 800 km/h and no jet in the Yak-23's BR bracket can compete with its climb rate unless it has a massive energy advantage. This gives the Yak-23 a huge advantage over the vast majority of opponents it meets. The Yak-23 cannot carry any ordnance and is thus purely subjugated to fighter duties and should be used accordingly.

Combat tactics

The Yak-23 should fight in the vertical and utilize its excellent maneuverability to take careful shots and stay out of the line of fire of enemy guns. Energy-conserving chandelles and stalls are by far the most effective tactics to utilize as they best use the Yak-23's insane acceleration and climb rate while depleting your enemy's energy.

The low ammo count means you'll likely have to land and rearm at least once per match, so fuel loads of 15 minutes or less are recommended.

The G.91 is one of the most common threats to the Yak-23 as it is a small target, faster, and has an excellent roll rate, making it exceedingly difficult to hit with the low-velocity 23 mm cannons mounted on the Yak-23. The Vampire is another noteworthy opponent as it is a close match for they Yak-23's low-speed flight characteristics.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Climb rate and low-medium speed acceleration superior to most of its peers
  • Great maneuverability
  • Excellent energy retention, will win prolonged dogfights against most opponents

Cons:

  • Low top speed, poor acceleration at high speeds
  • Low gun velocity, limited ammunition pool
  • Lacks airbrakes and combat flaps
  • No secondary weapons

History

Yak-23s at the Lanca airfield

During early 1947, the Soviet Union wanted a single-seat jet aircraft equipped with an engine produced by Rolls-Royce. The job was given to Soviet aircraft manufacturer Yakovlev and in July 1947, the aircraft was unveiled and flown for the first time. Just as the Yak-15 and the Yak-17, the main fuselage was based on that of the Yak-3, and the Yak-jets along with the SAAB J21R were the only aircraft to be successfully converted to jet fighters from piston-powered props.

Compared to the Yak-17, the Yak-23 was very different and had many changes to its design and overall performance. The jet used a much more powerful Klimov RD-500 centrifugal-flow turbojet engine, with 15.6 kN (3,500 lbf) thrust. This new engine gave the aircraft a power to weight ratio of 0.46, higher than the Yak-17 but worst than the 0.56 of the MiG-15. The aircraft also received better armament in the form of 2 × 23 mm Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 with 90 rpg. Its armament was more adequate for a dogfighter, but since the Soviet Union required an aircraft that was also capable of intercepting incoming bombers, the lack of a higher calibre cannon like the 37 mm found in the MiG-15 was evident. Other bad design choices sealed its fate, like the lack of self-sealing fuel tanks in the early variants and the lack of an airbrake, very necessary for aircraft that were already capable of reaching very high speeds.

However, the Yak-23 still had big design improvements over the Yak-17, and it found success in service with many Warsaw Pact nations. The landing gear of the Yak-23 was fully retractable, something that was lacking in the Yak-17 and caused performance issues when flying. The aircraft retained the airframe of the Yak-3, and that allowed many pilots to be introduced into more modern jet fighters with similar performance to modern MiG-15s instead of the already obsolete Yak-15s and Yak-17s.

In 1949, the Yak-23 entered service but was not produced in large scale due to it being inferior of the MiG-15 that had just been mass produced and entered into service. Between 10,000-15,000 MiG-15s of different variants were built, but only around 300 Yak-23s. A few Eastern European countries bought the rights to build their own Yak-23s and some imported them directly from the Soviet Union, but many of them later opted for the MiG-15 due to it simply being better and more effective. The Yak-23 was never used in combat since the MiG-15 entered service as the Korean War broke out. The Soviet Union operated the Yak-23 between 1949 and 1951, when it was retired, and the country that used the aircraft the longest was Romania, who operated their 62 Yak-23s until 1960, followed by Bulgaria, with 100 fighters until 1958 and then Poland with 100 fighters in service between 1950 and 1956.

Media

Skins
Videos
"Energy Fighting" Examples In The Russian Me 163 - Yak-23 - DEFYN
For Those Days You Just Want to Turn Fight Everything - Yak23 Gameplay - WhooptieDo (Review starts at 1:00)
Realistic: Yak-23 [Still king at 7.7!] - Jengar

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


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

USSR jet aircraft
Bereznyak-Isayev  BI
Yakovlev  Yak-15 · Yak-15P · Yak-17 · Yak-23 · Yak-28B · Yak-30D · Yak-38 · Yak-38M · Yak-141
Mikoyan-Gurevich  MiG-9 · MiG-9 (l) · MiG-15 · MiG-15bis · MiG-15bis ISh · MiG-17 · MiG-17AS · MiG-19PT
  MiG-21F-13 · MiG-21PFM · MiG-21S (R-13-300) · MiG-21SMT · MiG-21bis
  MiG-23M · MiG-23ML · MiG-23MLD · MiG-27M · MiG-27K
  MiG-29 · MiG-29SMT
Lavochkin  La-174 · La-15 · La-200
Sukhoi  Su-9 · Su-11
  Su-7B · Su-7BKL · Su-7BMK · Su-17M2 · Su-17M4 · Su-22M3
  Su-24M
  Su-25 · Su-25BM · Su-25K · Su-25T · Su-25SM3 · Su-39
  Su-27 · Su-27SM
  Su-34
Ilyushin  IL-28 · IL-28Sh
Tupolev  Tu-14T

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