| The Yak-9 and its variants were the final | | | | slow rate of climb and performed badly at high |
| development of a line of propeller driven Russian | | | | altitude. It was basically a short-range low-altitude |
| fighters that started with the Yak-1. It was the | | | | fighter and not particularly well armed. |
| mainstay of the Soviet Air Force in the middle and | | | | The Yak-9 first made its presence felt during the |
| late years of WWII and was produced in greater | | | | Battle of Stalingrad in early 1942. The first production |
| numbers than any other Soviet fighters. By the | | | | Yak-9s had wooden wings with metal spars and a |
| middle of 1944 there were more Yak-9s in service | | | | mixed construction fuselage with a molded plywood |
| than all other Soviet fighters combined. Production of | | | | skin. Power came from a liquid cooled "Vee" engine, |
| the Yak-9 continued into 1947 and a staggering total | | | | the M-105PF, rated at approximately 1,100 hp. |
| of 16,769 were built. | | | | Armament consisted of one 20mm cannon firing |
| Like other Russian fighters, it was designed for mass | | | | through the center of the propeller boss and one |
| production and durability. It had little in new | | | | 12.7mm (.50 caliber) machine gun firing through the |
| technology and due to chronic Soviet shortages of | | | | engine cowling. The Yak-9 could also carry six |
| strategic materials, it used the absolute minimum of | | | | rockets or two 220-pound bombs. |
| them, instead using wood and plywood. The idea of | | | | The Yak-9D, introduced in the summer of 1943, was |
| the Soviet High Command was - knowing they could | | | | a longer-range escort fighter version carrying |
| not build superior fighters in any number due to | | | | additional fuel in two outer wing panel tanks and an |
| shortages - they would rely instead on numerical | | | | optional tank under the cockpit. (Soviet pilots must |
| superiority rather than technical superiority. | | | | have viewed the latter as a mixed blessing.) The |
| Nevertheless, it could be a formidable fighter, | | | | Yak-9D was powered by a 1,360 hp. M-105PF-3 |
| particularly at low altitude and when the Soviet pilots | | | | engine. Specifications for the Yak-9D are as follows |
| had numerical superiority over the Luftwaffe fighters | | | | (from The Complete Book of Fighters by Roy Cross): |
| opposing them. Fortunately for the Soviets, this was | | | | Max speed 374 mph at 10,170 ft., 332 mph at sea |
| a common scenario on the Eastern Front. | | | | level; Climb to 16,405 ft. in 6 minutes; Max range 870 |
| The Yak-9 was not a great fighter one-on-one in the | | | | miles; Empty weight 6,107 lbs.; Max loaded weight |
| air superiority role, but it did have one saving grace in | | | | 6,790 lbs.; Span 31 ft. 11.5 in.; Length 28 ft. .75 in.; |
| its favor. It had an excellent tight turning diameter at | | | | Height 9 ft. 10 in.; Wing area 184.6 sq. ft. |
| low speeds, which allowed it to turn inside of the | | | | The Yak-9DD was an even longer-range version (up |
| German fighters it faced. This meant that the Yak-9 | | | | to 1,367 miles). It was used to escort U.S. heavy |
| could usually get inside of an opponent in a sustained | | | | bombers on shuttle missions against the Romanian oil |
| turn. Which in turn meant it could avoid getting shot | | | | fields and also over Italy and Yugoslavia. |
| down by going into a tight turn, but did not | | | | Later in 1943 came the limited production Yak-9K, |
| necessarily mean improving its chances of shooting | | | | which featured a 45mm cannon. |
| down its opponent. The Luftwaffe pilots - seeing | | | | The 9M variant began production in late 1943. This |
| they were being outmaneuvered in the turn, would | | | | standard version was armed with one 20mm cannon |
| simply break off and try again from another angle. | | | | and two .50 cal. machine guns, all concentrated in the |
| By all reports the Yak-9 was a durable fighter, | | | | nose of the airplane. The wingspan was reduced and |
| capable of absorbing a lot of battle damage and still | | | | the ribs were made of lightweight duralumin. The |
| making it home. It was also a successful ground | | | | engine was upgraded to the 1,240 hp. M-105PF-3. The |
| attack fighter and some variants were specialized for | | | | Yak-9MPVO was a night fighter variant equipped with |
| that role. On the debit side, compared to most of its | | | | a searchlight and a radio. |
| contemporaries, the Yak-9 was relatively slow, had a | | | | |