Yakovlev Yak-25RV

Existence of the Lockheed U-2 was a factor in triggering development of a special Yak-25 version to fly reconnaissance missions at extreme altitudes. The designation derived from Razvedchik vysotnyi, reconnaissance high-altitude. The OKB received a development order in late 1957, and assigned V A Zabora as chief engineer and V P Smirnov as chief test pilot.

The obvious new feature was a totally different wing, without sweepback and with a dramatic increase in span.

The prototype, with callsign Red 75, was assembled at LII and Factory-tested by Smirnov from 1 March to 29 May 1959.

The VVS were not wholly satisfied with the achieved performance, and with the occasional problem caused by the high-altitude environment, but NII-VVS testing was uneventful and eventually 155 series aircraft were delivered in 1961-65 from Factory No. 99 at Ulan-Ude.

Bill Gunston & Yefim Gordon "Yakovlev Aircraft since 1924", 1997

3-View

A three-view drawing (800 x 641)