In 1952 Yakovlev embarked on the
design of a modern successor to the
Yak-6. Until recently it was imagined
in the West that the Yak-200 was
intended as a trainer for the pilots of
multi-engined aircraft, and that a second
prototype, the Yak-210, was a
trainer for navigators and bombaimers.
In fact both were intended for
tactical reconnaissance and artillery
spotting, though their low performance
would have made them very
vulnerable in modern warfare. The
Yak-210 did, in fact, have a secondarytraining
role.
The Yak-200 made its first flight in
March 1953, followed by the Yak-210
three months later. Both were submitted
for NII-VVS testing, but though
they were considered satisfactory aircraft,
regarded simply as flying
machines, the decision was taken not
to order either into production. They
could have served as front-line transport
and ambulance aircraft, but were
regarded as too costly and vulnerable,
and Soviet Army Aviation had no real
use for them. No ASCC name for
these aircraft is known.
