First introduced into service as a military pilot trainer in the mid-1970s, the two-seat, single-engine Yak-52 gained a reputation for its robustness and agility, making it popular among aerobatics enthusiasts and airshow performers.
Modified by hobbyists and private plane owners from Ukraine’s civil air patrol, which has recently formed a Tactical Aviation Group to ‘neutralize’ enemy drones, the aircraft have now been thrust back into the limelight after photos appeared online showing one with its number of ‘kills’.
The now-deleted pictures show the camouflage-painted aircraft in a hanger with a series of yellow marks below its cockpit, representing two Russian ZALA 421-16E drones and six from Russia’s Orlan-10/30 series shot down by the plane.
Other markings show an Iranian Mohajer-6 drone and another Orlan crossed out with a red line.
Although it is not known how the aircraft destroy the drones, it is thought that the planes could either be fitted with electronic jamming systems or that one of the pilots merely shoots them out of the sky with a gun or rocket launcher.
The photos come shortly after two videos posted online show the planes with distinctive blue and yellow stripes on their wings.
In one showing engagements reminiscent of WWII dogfights, the aircraft is seen maneuvering around a drone just before it deployed its orange landing parachute.
A second video posted earlier this month shows the aircraft being filmed by a drone.
The footage shows the backseat pilot looking up at the drone before bending down as if to pull something out from below his seat, leading some to suspect it was a gun.
Since appearing online, the videos have been flooded with comments from viewers.
One calling himself NAFO Dark Squad posted: “Who knew an old Yak would prove this useful.”
Another named Ken Florida commented: “Excellent concept, drones are slow and easy targets for a variety of countermeasures (sic). Trainers offer great potential use.”
Meanwhile, Rcdgs said simply: “They should upgrade it with a rear-mounted Maxim gun.”
