Yakovlev Yak-9

The Yakovlev Yak-9 (Russian: Яковлев Як-9) is a single-engine, single-seat multipurpose fighter aircraft. It was used by the Soviet Union and its allies during World War II and the early Cold War. The Yak-9 played a major role in taking back air superiority from the Luftwaffe's new Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and Messerschmitt Bf 109G fighters during the Battle of Kursk in summer 1943. It was one of the most produced Soviet fighters of World War II. The Yak-9 stayed in production from 1942 to 1948, with 16,769 built (14,579 during the war).^[2] After World War II, the Yak-9 would also be used by the North Korean Air Force during the Korean War.^[3]

Yak-9
Yak-9U fighter in the Central Air Force Museum, Monino, Russia
Role	Fighter
National origin	Soviet Union
Design group	A.S. Yakovlev Design Bureau
Built by	Plant No.153 (Novosibirsk), Plant No.166 (Omsk), Plant No.82 (Moscow)
First flight	6 July 1942 (Yak-7DI)
Introduction	October 1942
Retired	1950 (Soviet Air Forces), 1951 (Korean People's Army Air and Anti-Air Force), 1955 (Bulgarian Air Force)
Primary users	Soviet Air Forces French Air Force (Normandie-Niemen) Polish Air Force Yugoslav Air Force
Produced	October 1942 – December 1948
Number built	16,769[1]
Developed from	Yakovlev Yak-7

Users

 Albania

• Albanian Air Force was given 72 aircraft in 1947, including 12 Yak-9V trainers.

 Bulgaria

• Bulgarian Air Force

 People's Republic of China

• People's Liberation Army Air Force

 France

• French Air Force (Armée de l'Air)
  • Normandie-Niemen squadron

 Hungary

• Hungarian Air Force was given aircraft in 1949. The type's Hungarian name was "Vércse" (Kestrel).

 Mongolia was given 34 aircraft in late June 1945.

 North Korea

• North Korean Air Force

 Poland

• Air Force of the Polish Army
• Polish Air Force used several aircraft from 1947 to 1953.
• Polish Navy

 Soviet Union

• Soviet Air Force
• Soviet Air Defence Forces

 Yugoslavia

• SFR Yugoslav Air Force – 16 Yak-9T, 40 Yak-9P, 47 Yak-9D/M and 68 Yak-9V aircraft in 1944–1950/1960^[4]
  • 111th Fighter Aviation Regiment (1947–1948)
  • 112th Fighter Aviation Regiment (1947–1948)
  • 94th Fighter Aviation Regiment (1948–1952)
  • 116th Fighter Aviation Regiment (1948–1950)
  • 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment (1948–1950)
  • 141st Training Aviation Regiment (1952–1953)
  • 2nd Training Aviation Regiment (1946–1948)
  • 101st Fighter-Training Aviation Regiment (1948–1950)
  • 103rd Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (1950–1951)
  • 104th Training Aviation Regiment (1948–1950)
  • Training Squadron of 32nd Aviation Division (1953–1959)
  • Training Squadron of 39th Aviation Division (1953–1959)
  • Training Squadron of 44th Aviation Division (1953–1954)

Surviving aircraft

Yak-9 on display at the Museum of Flight

A Yakovlev YAK-9U in Seattle, Washington's Museum of Flight; three-quarter view from above.

Bulgaria

• Yak-9P on display at the Aviation Museum in Krumovo, Plovdiv.^[5]

North Korea

• Yak-9P on display at Victorious War Museum in Pyongyang.^[6]

Poland

• Yak-9P on static display at the Museum of the Polish Navy in Gdynia, Pomerania.^[7] It is tactical number 2 and was used by the Navy Aviation Escadrille until 1956. On 12 December 1956, it was transferred to the museum on behalf of the Navy Command.^[source?]
• Yak-9P on static display at the Museum of the Polish Army in Warsaw, Mazovia.^[8][9] It is tactical number 23 and was used by the 1st Fighter Aviation Regiment from 1947 until 1950. It was transferred to the museum on 10 August 1950 on behalf of the Air Force Command.^[source?]

Russia

• Yak-9U on static display at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino, Moscow Oblast.^[10]
• Yak-9 on static display at the Vadim Zadorozhny Museum of Technology in Krasnogorsky District, Moscow Oblast.^[11]
• Yak-9 on static display at the Museum of the Air Forces of the Northern Fleet in Safonovo, Murmansk Oblast.^[12]

Serbia

• Yak-9P in storage at the Aeronautical Museum Belgrade in Surčin, Belgrade.^[12]

Ukraine

• Yak-9 on static display at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War in Kyiv.^[source?]

United States

• Yak-9U on static display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.^[13]

Specifications (Yak-9U)

Yak 9P 3-view drawing

Data from ^[14][15]

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 8.55 m (28 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 9.74 m (31 ft 11 in)
• Height: 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 17.15 m² (184.6 sq ft)
• Airfoil: root: Clark YH (14%); tip: Clark YH (10%)^[16]
• Empty weight: 2,512 kg (5,538 lb)
• Gross weight: 3,204 kg (7,064 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 355 kg (782.6 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Klimov VK-107A V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,118.55 kW (1,500.00 hp)
• Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propeller, 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 676 km/h (420 mph; 365 kn) at 5,900 m (19,400 ft)
• Range: 675 km (419 mi; 364 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 10,850 m (35,600 ft)
• Rate of climb: 18.9 m/s (3,720 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 186.82 kg/m² (38.26 lb/sq ft)
• Power/mass: 0.35 kW/kg (0.21 hp/lb)

Armament

• Guns:
  

• 1 × 20 mm (0.79 in) ShVAK cannon, 120 rounds
• 2 × 12.7 mm (0.50 in) UBS machine guns, 340 rounds