Yak-25 Flashlight
Yak-25RV Mandrake

The Yak-25 Flashlight was the first Soviet twin-engined two-seat night and all weather interceptor. It featured a PD6 intercept radar in the bulbous nose. Variants include the Mandrake recconnaissance version, and a tactical bomber which did not enter production.

Yak-25RV Mandrake is a single-seat high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft generally comparable to the American RB-57D. This derivative of the basic Yak-25 design replaces the swept wing with a high aspect ratio straight wing. A total of 165 were built, including two unmanned versions.

The production of these interceptors under the designation Yak-25M, began in January 1955. The series received a new modification of the code "12/15 product." In these aircraft engines AM-5A 1-series was replaced by RD-5A (AM-5A) 2nd series of the same thrust, but with design improvements. Guns have supplied a muzzle brake, undergone refinements and some other units. The amount of fuel in four soft fuselage tanks was 3445 liters, overhead tank - 670 l. Aircraft with the new system targeting "Horizon-1", sometimes referred to as the Yak-25mg.

The first Yak-25 were shown to the public in July 1955 at the air show in Tushino. Foreign military attaches noted that the new Soviet fighter very similar to the French Vautour. NATO aircraft received the designation Flashlight. May 1 next year, the Yak-25 flew over Red Square and then took part in the parade Tushino. NATO began to designate them Flashlight-A. Participation of "twenty-fifth" in the parade in 1961 was not supposed to happen, but the preparation for it are used. The group, headed by test pilot NII VVS F.M.Sobolevskim, ready to show the Yak-28 - nine of these machines had to spend in a very tight formation, which required training flights for practicing formation flying.

As already mentioned, working on the modernization of the Yak-25M in Yakovlev and create a better interceptor. The aircraft received a preliminary indication of the Yak-121. Work on it conducted in parallel with the bomber and reconnaissance. OKB-115 were ordered to build two experienced fighter. The first required to be equipped with two engines RD-9AK radar "Falcon-M", armed with two 37-mm guns with ammunition, 50 rounds and 24 unguided missiles ARS-57 into overdrive and produce for joint state tests in December 1955 on the second Interceptor should establish a high-revving engine AM-9F, station "Sokol-2" weapons system K-8, and to submit joint state tests in II quarter 1956.

The first prototype of the new loitering interceptor was built at the plant OKB-115. From Yak-25M machines are primarily of improved aerodynamics. The nose radome was made in the form of a cone ogive. The total length of the aircraft increased to 17.335 m. Double crew cabin remained virtually the same, but the contours changed, the slope of the windscreen increased. The wing and nacelle applied conform to the Yak-26-1. The chassis remained on the Yak-25M. Factory tests interceptor completed in the spring of 1956 (the report was approved May 14). The fighter managed to reach a top speed of 1235 km / h at an altitude of 10,000 meters and technical flight duration 3 hours from the normal supply of fuel at a height of 12,000 meters.