YAKOVLEV YAK-9

The Yak-9 was arguably the best fighter put into mass production by the Soviet Union during the Second World War. Evolved from the successful Yak-1 and Yak-7, it first appeared at the end of 1942. Like the Germans, the Soviets tailored their air force for tactical use, and the Yak-9 was optimised for low or medium altitude flight over the battlefield. Although its high altitude characteristics were poor, at below 4,500-4,800m (15-16,000ft) it compared