In the final months of the war, work began in the USSR on a light aircraft of universal purpose. This airframe, as a successor to the popular Po-2, was to be simple to produce and maintain. Between 1944 and 1947, the Aleksandr Yakovlev Design Bureau developed prototypes of the Yak-10, Yak-13, and Yak-12.
The prototype of the serial Yak-12 was a four-seat, strut-braced high-wing monoplane of mixed construction, powered by an M-11 engine. After changing the engine to the M-11FR and making certain technical modifications, it was directed to serial production in 1947 as the Yak-12. Wing slats and flaps enabled short takeoff and landing, while also improving flight safety at low speeds. Due to these advantages, serial examples were used as ambulance, agricultural, passenger, and training aircraft, as well as for transporting paratroopers. In the military, they served as liaison aircraft.
Between 1948 and 1950, a total of 788 Yak-12 airframes were produced in the USSR, several of which also reached Poland. They were operated in Poland from 1951 to 1973. One of the military examples was presented at the Aviation Exhibition in Wroclaw in 1959. Subsequent variants of the Yak-12 were equipped with the AI-14 engine of significantly greater power. The Yak-12M and Yak-12A versions, as well as the related PZL-101 “Gawron,” were produced by WSK-Okecie from 1955. Nearly 1,500 units were built.
The exhibited specimen, factory number 5013, bearing registration SP-ASZ, was produced in 1951. From 1951 to 1952, it served in the military aviation, and in civil aviation until 1973. That same year, after being removed from the aircraft register, it was transferred by WSK Mielec to the Museum’s collection. It was the longest-flying aircraft of this type in Poland.
| Wingspan | 12,1 m |
| Length | 8,5 m |
| Takeoff weight | 1300 kg |
| Maximum speed | 170 km/h |
| Ceiling | 3000 m |
| Range | 810 km |
| Armament | – |
| Engine | radial Shvetsov M-11 FR rated at 118 kW (160 hp |
