Yak-23

Yak-23

Yak-17

Yak-30D

Yak-23

Yak-17

Yak-30D

USSR

V Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
8.7	8.7	7.7

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:120 000

Purchase:340 000

Show in game

Description

The Yak-23 is a rank V Soviet jet fighter with a battle rating of 8.7 (AB/RB) and 7.7 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.75 "La Résistance".

The Yak-23 is a Soviet single-engined jet fighter initially designed to intercept high altitude, long range bombers such as the B-29. As such, it has an extremely light airframe and relatively powerful jet which gives it an enormous thrust-to-weight ratio, making it one of the best climbing/accelerating jets in War Thunder.

Conversely however, the Yak-23 is not only a good bomber hunter but also an excellent fighter. No jet can accelerate with the Yak-23 below 800 kph and no jet in the Yak-23's BR bracket can climb with it unless it has a massive energy advantage; thus, the Yak-23 has full reign over the vast majority of opponents it meets.

The Yak-23 cannot carry any ordinance and is thus subjugated to purely fighter duties. However, it is by far the strongest fighter/bomber interceptor at its BR, and should be used accordingly.

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

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	916	905	14500	19.2	19.9	37.8	36.6	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	+	-
0	350	N/A	N/A	320	~11.5	~8.5

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 450	< 420	< 500	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Empty mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Klimov RD-500		1	2,110 kg		208 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)			Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		9m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel
567 kg	Centrifugal-flow turbojet		2,341 kg	2,608 kg	2,851 kg	3,590 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (112%)
Condition	100%	112%	9m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	1,367 kgf	1,519 kgf	0.65	0.58	0.53	0.42
Optimal	1,367 kgf (0 km/h)	1,519 kgf (0 km/h)	0.65	0.58	0.53	0.42

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

RB9 671 → 12 195

SB14 038 → 17 701

Total cost of modifications102 000

164 000

Talisman cost2 200

Crew training98 000

Experts340 000

Aces1 800

Research Aces780 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

120 / 380 / 600 %

202 / 202 / 202 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 270 Compressor Research: 11 000 Cost: 18 000 300 Wings repair Research: 13 000 Cost: 21 000 350 Engine Research: 17 000 Cost: 27 000 460	Airframe Research: 11 000 Cost: 18 000 300 Cover Research: 17 000 Cost: 27 000 460	ns23_belt_pack Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 270 ns23_new_gun Research: 13 000 Cost: 21 000 350

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 23 mm NR-23 cannon

Ammunition180 rounds

Fire rate900 shots/min

The Yak-23 is armed with:

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

Usage in battles

Light airframe + powerful engine = Yak-23. The Yak-23 is similar to a jet Yak-3 in that it has a ridiculous >.5 thrust-to-weight ratio.

On that note, always take minimum fuel (9 min). Fuel forms a significant part of the Yak-23's mass and high fuel loads and fuel loads greater than min. fuel will severely dampen the Yak-23's performance. Ammo is limited enough as it is so extra fuel should not be necessary anyway.

Tactics

One should fight purely in the vertical and utilize the Yak-23's excellent maneuverability to take careful shots and stay out of the line 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.

The G.91 is by far the greatest threat to the Yak-23, as it is a small target, faster, and has high-velocity quick-firing Browning M3 machine guns that will make quick work of the Yak-23. That, combined with its excellent roll rate makes it exceedingly difficult to hit with the low-velocity 23 mm mounted on the Yak-23.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Climb rate unrivaled by anything except rocket-powered aircraft
• Acceleration at <800 kph unrivaled by anything except rocket-powered aircraft
• Guns are excellent when they work
• Excellent maneuverability

Cons:

• Plane wobbles badly while maneuvering above 700 kph
• Sparkle-guns with low velocity and fire rate
• Small ammunition pool
• Stealth belt is entirely composed of AP rounds

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 big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === Encyclopedia Info ===, also if applicable).

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

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

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

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