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