generally resembled the original aircraft, but the wings were entirely redesigned with laminar flow airfoils, the tail structure was enlarged and an ejection seat was fitted. The back of the seat was armoured and the pilot was also protected by a bulletproof windscreen. The entire canopy was also redesigned to accommodate the new windscreen. The landing gear could not be housed in the thin wings so it was redesigned to retract into the fuselage. Low and high wing loading wing versions were considered, but the low wing loading wings were chosen for the prototype. At an altitude of 5000 meters, the Yak-17-RD10, as the new fighter was designated, was expected to have a top speed of ; a significant improvement over that of the production Yak-15. The aircraft was completed on 3 September and ground tests lasted until 26 September, but it never flew as the Yak-15 had already been ordered into production and its conventional landing gear was already deemed obsolete. Survivors Only one Yak-15 survives, 'Yellow 37' at the Vadim Zadorozhny Technical Museum outside Moscow. It was purchased by the technical museum when the Yakovlev OKB's museum was liquidated in 2006. Variants Data from: OKB Yakovlev Yak-Jumo (Yak-3-Jumo): The first prototypes of the Yak-15 series, powered by captured Jumo 004 engines. Yak-15-RD10: (also referred to as Yak-RD) Initial designation of prototypes and early production aircraft powered by Soviet-built RD-10 engines (copies of the Jumo 004), with no or reduced armament. Yak-15: Production aircraft with full armament Yak-21: Two-seat training version of Yak-15. One built, but not proceeded with because of the success of the trainer version of the Yak-17. Yak-15V: (V - Vyvozny - familiarisation trainer) Alternative designation for the Yak-21. Yak-15U: (U - Uchebnotrenirovochnyy - training) Alternative designation for the Yak-21. Yak-15U (Yakovlev Yak-15U-RD10): (U - uloochshenny - improved) Improved Yak-15 with tricycle undercarriage and drop tanks, became the prototype of the Yak-17 proper. Similar but unrelated aircraft Yak-17-RD10: An experimental aircraft, similar in appearance to the Yak-Jumo aircraft, but actually largely new, incorporating improved aerodynamics, an ejection seat and protection for the pilot. The sole prototype remained unflown after further development was cancelled on 26 September 1946, as taxi tests were being carried out. Users . Soviet Air Forces Specifications (Yak-15) See also Citations Bibliography Gordon, Yefim. Early Soviet Jet Fighters. Hinkley, UK: Midland, 2002. Gordon, Yefim and Dmitriy Kommissarov. Early Soviet Jet Fighters. Manchester, UK: