Yak-9 is a fighter-bomber produced by the Soviet Union from 1942 to 1948. It was developed by employees of the Tupolev Design Bureau and became the most massive fighter of the USSR on the battlefield of World War II. Over the six years of production, almost 17 thousand copies were built. Today we will find out what characteristics made this model so successful.
History of the creation of the Yak-9 fighter
This aircraft was the result of the modernization of the Yak-7 model and the more outdated Yak-1. In terms of design, it is an improved version of the Yak-7 fighter. Externally, the Yak-9 practically does not differ from its predecessor, but in all other respects it is more perfect. When creating the aircraft, the designers used almost two years of experience in the production and combat operation of the Yak-1 model. In addition, at the time of the creation of a new aircraft, the designers had the opportunity to use duralumin more widely than at the beginning of the war, whenthe industry of the USSR experienced a shortage of this material. The use of duralumin made it possible to significantly reduce the weight of the structure. The engineers could use the kilograms they won to increase the fuel supply, install more powerful weapons or more diverse special equipment.
The Yak-9 fighter aircraft was a faithful assistant to the USSR Air Force during World War II. In 1944, this machine was used in several modifications and was ahead of all the fighters that were in service with the Soviet Union at that time in terms of the number of copies. Just imagine: at the Novosibirsk plant number 153, 20 such aircraft were produced per day! In addition to the specified enterprise, the fighter was produced at the Moscow plant No. 82 and the Omsk plant No. 166.
The aircraft took part in all operations of the Soviet Air Force, starting from the Battle of Stalingrad. All versions of the fighter (and there were a lot of them) had excellent flight and technical characteristics and were devoid of any operational defects that cause accidents. At the same time, the design of the aircraft was extremely simple and adapted to rapid production in wartime conditions. Almost all materials for manufacturing were produced directly at the assembly site.
Design
The first Yak-9 fighter received the M-105PF engine and VISH-61P propeller. The prototype for this model was the Yak-7DI aircraft. The main differences between the new model and its predecessor are: fuel capacity, reduced from 500 to 320 kg; the number of gas tanks, reduced from 4 to 2; stockbutter, reduced from 50 to 30 kg; lack of bomb racks for external suspension of bombs.
In terms of armament, the Yak-9 did not differ from its predecessor: one ShVAK cannon and one UBS machine gun. Due to the low culture of production and less strict control of the serial production of aircraft, compared with the pilot production, the flight weight of the model increased to 2870-2875 kg.
The Soviet Yak-9 fighter aircraft maneuvered well and was easy to fly. In the battle on the verticals, he could go into the tail of the enemy Mu-109F literally after the first turn. In a horizontal battle, 3-4 turns were enough for a similar maneuver.
In the summer of 1943, due to the lack of mastery of production technology, several aircraft broke off the wooden wing lining during the flight. Such defects were eliminated as they appeared by special teams of engineers. In the production of later modifications of the Yak-9 fighter, which will be reviewed below, the problem was completely eliminated.
Combat operation
The first Yak-9 fighters were delivered to the front at the end of 1942 and took part in the Battle of Stalingrad. In 1943, during the first mass deliveries, a number of shortcomings were discovered, which were eliminated by repair teams before the Battle of Kursk, the first in which fighters of this model were used in significant numbers. At the beginning of the battle, the Yak-9, along with the Yak-1 and Yak-7, used 5 fighter aviation divisions, one of which was the guards. At the end of July 1943, the 11th Air Corps arrived at the Kursk Bulge,which included three regiments of Yak-9.
Already in the first air battles, it became clear that the Yak-9 was well controlled and maneuverable, however, in terms of speed and armament, it was inferior to the Bf 109G and Fw 190A.
The Yak-9T version received a qualitative superiority over the base one in terms of armament. According to statistics, the Yak-9 spent an average of 147 20-mm shells to destroy one enemy aircraft, and the Yak-9T only 31 37-mm shells. One of the first regiments to receive the Yak-9T was the 133rd GIAP. Aircraft armed with 37 mm cannons were successfully used even against enemy armored vehicles and ships.
Operation of the Yak-9 fighter aircraft in real combat has shown that in most cases it is not advisable to increase the fuel supply. Excess fuel is ballast, which adversely affects the survivability of the machine. Therefore, console tanks were often closed with plugs. Nevertheless, in some episodes of the war there was a need to increase the flight range. So, in August 1944, a group of 12 Yak-9DD aircraft escorted cargo planes from Italy to Yugoslavia. In addition, the Yak-9DD was used to escort bombers during Operation Frantic in 1944.
Since December 1944, the Yak-9B fighters fought as part of the 130th Fighter Aviation Division, operating as part of the Third Belorussian Front. And the Yak-9PD high- altitude aircraft were transferred to the armament of the Moscow air defense units. In October 1944, the Yak-9U fighter debuted on the battlefield - he enteredinto service with the 163rd Fighter Aviation Regiment operating in the B altics. The aircraft illustrated the sharp increase in the combat potential of the Yak-9 model. During two months of testing, he took part in 18 battles, shooting down 28 Fw 190A fighters and one Bf 109G. At the same time, only two Soviet cars were lost.
When the Great Patriotic War entered its final phase, the Yak-9 fighter aircraft, whose performance was regularly improved, became one of the main Soviet fighters. He retained this status in the first post-war years. In September 1946, the Yak-9 aircraft accounted for 31% of the USSR fighter aviation. After the war, various modifications of the aircraft were operated until the early 1960s. In addition to the Air Force and naval aviation of the USSR, they were used by the Allied forces. In the summer of 1943, the Yak-9 and Yak-9D fighters entered service with the French Normandie regiment. In September of the following year, a batch of fighters was transferred to Bulgaria, which went over to the side of the anti-Hitler coalition. In the autumn of 1945, the Yak-9M and Yak-9T models were used by the Polish aviation in Poland and Northern Germany. In addition, aircraft of this model were in service with China, Hungary, Yugoslavia, North Korea and Albania.
Yak-9 fighter: specifications
The basic version of the 1942 aircraft had the following characteristics:
- Length - 8.5 m.
- Wingspan - 9.74 m.
- Wing area - 17.15 m2.
- Specific wing load - 167 kg/m2.
- The mass of the empty aircraft is 2277 kg.
- Takeoffweight - 2873 kg.
- Motor power - 1180 HP. s.
- Specific load on power – 2.43 kg/l. s.
- Maximum ground speed is 520 km/h
- Maximum speed at altitude is 599 km/h
- Climb time 5 km - 5.1 min.
- Turn time - 15-17 s.
- Practical ceiling - 11,100 m.
- Practical range - 875 km.
- Armament - 1x20mm ShVAK, 1x12, 7mm UBS.
Modifications
During its history, the Yak-9 fighter has received a large number of modifications. The ability to be modified into vehicles of various types and combat purposes has become its main feature. The aircraft had 22 major modifications, 15 of which went into production. During the operation, the fighter was equipped with five types of power plant, six options for the layout of gas tanks, seven options for weapons and two types of special equipment. The fighter had two fundamentally different types of wings: mixed and all-metal. All versions, with the exception of the basic Yak-9 fighter, the description of which we have already reviewed, had their own special index. Let's get acquainted with the main modifications of the legendary fighter.
Yak-9D
Modification differs increased to 480 kilograms of fuel. Instead of two fuel tanks, the aircraft was equipped with four: two root and two cantilever. Thanks to this decision, its flight range increased to 1400 km. The modification has been produced since March 1943.to May 1944. During this time, 3068 copies rolled off the assembly line.
Yak-9T
In this modification, the 20mm gun was replaced with a 37mm cannon with 30 rounds of ammunition. Due to the fact that the new gun is long, the cockpit had to be moved back 40 cm. The model was produced from spring 1943 to summer 1945. During this time, 2748 copies were produced.
Yak-9K
This version received the 45mm NS-45 gun. In order to reduce the recoil force of 7 tf, a muzzle brake was installed on the barrel. Nevertheless, when firing at high speeds, the aircraft turned around, and the pilot experienced strong jolts. The designers recommended firing in short bursts of up to three shots. A second salvo of the Yak-9K fighter had a mass of 5.53 kg. Between April and June 1944, 53 aircraft of this version were built. As part of military tests, they conducted 51 battles, hitting 8 FW-190A-8 aircraft and 4 BF-109G aircraft. In this case, the losses amounted to only one fighter. On average, one shot down aircraft accounted for 10 rounds of a 45-mm cannon. Due to the insufficient reliability of weapons, mass production was not established.
Yak-9TK
The aircraft of this version received a reinforced design of some components, as well as a unified system for mounting the central gun, which allows the replacement of guns in the field. The fighter was manufactured in the second half of 1943.
Yak-9M
The aircraft is a development of the Yak-9D model with a fuselage from the Yak-9T model. ExceptIn addition, this version received a number of improvements. In terms of aerobatic and flight characteristics, it practically did not differ from the Yak-9D. But at the end of 1944, a more powerful VK-105PF-2 engine was installed on the aircraft, thanks to which it became much faster and climb faster. The Yak-9M has become one of the most popular aircraft in the Yak-9 fighter lineup. Anyone who went through the Great Patriotic War could recognize the photo of this aircraft. A total of 4,239 pieces were made.
Yak-9S
The plane was built on the basis of the Yak-9M and received the same engine. The difference from the basic version was the armament, including a 23 mm NS-23 cannon and a pair of synchronous 20 mm BS-20S cannons. Due to the unsatisfactory results of state tests in 1945, the model was never put into mass production.
Yak-9DD
In 1944, the Tu-2 bomber was built, to accompany which even the Yak-9D fighter did not have enough resources. In addition, the Soviet Union needed an aircraft whose flight range would allow it to conduct combat operations together with the aviation of the states of the anti-Hitler coalition. A suitable model was the Yak-9DD fighter. The installation of 8 wing tanks made it possible to increase the fuel capacity of this model to 630 kg. In addition, to ensure the safety of flights over long distances and in adverse weather conditions, instrumentation and radio communication equipment have been improved.
The maximum flight range of the Yak-9DD was 1800 km. At the same time, its mass was a recordfor this class of aircraft - 3390 kilograms. The armament of the fighter was standard for the Yak family - a cannon with a caliber of 20 mm and a machine gun with a caliber of 12.7 mm. Yak-9DD was used quite widely.
At the end of the summer of 1944, a group of 20 aircraft headed for the Allied base, located near the Italian city of Bari, in order to escort Su-47 transport aircraft that delivered cargo to Yugoslavia. As part of the redeployment, a flight of 1,300 km was completed, with the main part of the distance passing through enemy territory. The group made 150 sorties, which, despite the absence of encounters with enemy aircraft, were very tense. It is noteworthy that while the Su-47 aircraft were landing and unloading, escort fighters were waiting for them in the air to be sent back. For the entire period of operation of the aircraft, not a single breakdown was recorded.
Yak-9R
It is a short-range reconnaissance aircraft, which differs from the basic version of the Yak-9 fighter, the characteristics of which we already know well, by the presence of an aerial camera in the free compartment. This device allowed shooting from a height of 300 to 3000 meters. The second version of this modification was built on the basis of the Yak-9D. It not only had reconnaissance equipment, but was more highly technically equipped in general. The Yak-9R aircraft were produced in small quantities and were used where reconnaissance with other aircraft was difficult or associated with a serious risk.
I-9B
The Yak-9B fighter-bomber was built on the basis of the 9D model. In space beyondthe cockpit was equipped with a bomb bay, consisting of four tubes, which can accommodate four 100-kilogram bombs or four cassettes containing 32 cumulative anti-tank bombs. Bomber tests began in March 1944. According to the results of sorties, the Yak-9B destroyed 29 tanks, 22 armored personnel carriers, 1014 vehicles, 161 railway cars, 20 railway station buildings, 7 guns, 18 locomotives and 4 fuel depots. In total, Soviet enterprises produced 109 of these bombers.
Yak-9PD
This is a fighter-interceptor with an M-105PD engine, a supercharger and a wingspan increased by half a meter. The practical ceiling of this version reached 13,100 km. In 1943, on the basis of the Yak-9, 5 such machines were manufactured, and in 1944, on the basis of the Yak-9U - 30.
Yak-9U
At the end of 1943, two fighters were created, which received the designation Yak-9U: one was equipped with an M-107A engine, and the other - M-105PF-2. In addition, the design and aerodynamics of the basic version have been improved. The armament of both models was represented by a central cannon (23 mm caliber for a fighter with an M-105PF-2 engine and 20 mm caliber for a version with an M-107A engine) and a pair of 12.7 mm machine guns. According to the results of tests at the Air Force Research Institute, the version with the M-107A engine was recognized as the best of the fighters that have ever been tested there. In April 1944, serial production of the aircraft was launched. In the autumn of 1944, during two months of testing, in 18 battles, the pilots shot down 27 FW-190A and 1 Bf-109G. Whereinonly two fighters were lost. The only significant drawback of the machine was the small resource of the power plant.
Yak-9UT
It is a Yak-9U with reinforced weapons. The aircraft was equipped with three guns: a central 37 mm and two 20 mm. The mass of a second salvo of this fighter was at that time a record for the USSR - 6 kg. The place for the central cannon was unified. By installing a 45-mm gun on it, it was possible to increase the weight of a second salvo to 9.3 kg. Otherwise, the aircraft differed little from the Yak-9U. For 3 months of serial production, 282 copies rolled off the assembly line. A small number of fighters managed to take part in the last battles of the war.
Yak-9 Courier
It is a transport aircraft that can carry one passenger in front-line conditions. The model has become a kind of synthesis between the long-range fighter and the Yak-9DD and the Yak-9V training aircraft. In the rear cockpit, instead of the dashboard and controls, the floor and trim were installed. The aircraft was produced in one copy in the summer of 1944. He never entered the series.
Yak-9P
Upgraded version of the Yak-9U, featuring more modern communication devices and auxiliary equipment. The production of the model began in 1946 and ended in 1948. A total of 801 aircraft were manufactured. Yak-9P fighters were in service with the USSR, Poland, Hungary, China and Yugoslavia.
Conclusion
Today we examined the legendary Yak-9 fighter aircraft, the photo of which is well known to many fansaviation technology. Despite the fact that the model was produced for only six years, it managed to become famous all over the world, having protected more than a dozen Soviet cities from enemy invaders. This technologically advanced and attractive aircraft will be used by many aviation fans as desktop wallpaper for many years to come. The Yak-9 fighter, which in capable hands could turn into an ideal air weapon, made a huge contribution to the outcome of the Great Patriotic War.
