Kitty Hawk Aircraft 1/48 Russian Yak130 Trainer Aircraft Kit

The Yakovlev OKB embarked upon a new trainer design designated the Yak-130 (NATO Codename: Mitten) about the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Designed to replace L-29 and L-39 trainers, the Yak-130 was one of several concepts competing for a 1,000 aircraft purchase from the Russian Air Force. With the new Russian Federation suffering from money problems, Yakovlev could not secure the resources for the development of the Yak-130. Instead, they partnered with Italy's Alenia Aermachhi to co-develop the design in 1993 and the first prototype, the Yak-130D, first flew in 1996. The joint Russian/Italian partnership ended in 2000 leaving Yakovlev OKB to continue their development of the Yak-130 alone.

While Alenia Aermacchi secured the rights to develop their own version of the aircraft designated M-346, the Yak-130 continued its own development using Russian-sourced materials including the Ivchenko Progress AI-222 engines, K-36D ejection seats, the latest 'glass cockpit' avionics, and the ability to operate a range of Russian and NATO armaments. Externally, the current Yak-130 and M-346 look very similar, but each of the M-346's F124 engines produces 750lbs more thrust than the Yak's AI-222 engines giving the M-346 the ability to fly supersonic (neither aircraft have afterburners). The leading edges of the Yak-130's horizontal stabilators have a dogtooth similar to the wings' leading edges while the M-346 has straight leading edges on its stabilators. The standard M-346 does not have wingtip weapons stations (that is a recent development) while the Yak-130 has wingtip stations that can carry chaff/flare dispensers or lighter weapons.

Features and Options:

• Nicely detailed K-36D ejection seats with photo-etched crew restraints
• Nicely detailed cockpits
• Positionable canopy
• Positionable boarding ladder
• Canopy has optional det-chord traces provided as decals
• Intake ducts down to compressor faces (see notes)
• Turbine faces at ends of exhaust ducts
• Nicely detailed wheel wells
• Positionable speed brake
• Positionable leading edge and trailing edge flaps
• Positionable ailerons
• Positionable stabilators
• Positionable rudder
• 2 x external fuel tanks
• Optional centerline GSh-23 gun pod
• Optional wingtip countermeasures dispensers

Weapons set includes:

• KAB-500KR
• KAB-500KL
• KAB-1500KR
• KAB-1500KL
• KAB-1400SE
• Kh-29L
• Kh-29T
• Kh-31
• Kh-58
• Kh-25
• K-27ER
• K-27ET
• K-27R
• K-27T
• R-60
• R-73
• R-77

Markings are provided for a variety of subjects:

• Yak-130, Bort 01/130, company demo aircraft
• Yak-130, Bort 02/131, company demo aircraft
• Yak-130, Bort 04/133, company demo aircraft
• Yak-130, Bort 134, company demo aircraft
• Yak-130, Bort 53, Russian AF
• Yak-130, Bort 63/RF-44578, Russian AF
• Yak-130, Bort 63/15112, Bangladesh AF