Description

Great Book by Osprey Publishing. 96 pages
The Yak-1 entered Soviet service in 1941, one of three modern types of aircraft accepted for production just prior to the German invasion of the USSR. Even with teething troubles, it proved an immediate thoroughbred. With the MiG-3 quickly discontinued and the LaGG-3 subjected to fundamental redesign, only the Yak remained in production to the end of the war, modernised but fundamentally recognisable. By the end of the war about 33,100 Yak-1, Yak-7, Yak-9 and Yak-3 fighters had been produced, and post-war production raised the total to 36,500 aircraft, to edge out the Il-2 Shturmovik for the title of most-produced combat aircraft in history. The Yak-1 was so popular that some aces even preferred it to later family members, and it remained in production until 1944 long after the Yak-7 and Yak-9 had become standard. The Yak-3 gained the reputation as the best Soviet fighter of the war. The great majority of Soviet fighter regiments, flew at least one variety of Yak for a spell, including those units which gained their fame identified with other aircraft, and consequently many pilots known as Airacobra or Lavochkin aces also scored victories with the Yak. Many other famous aces were exclusively Yak patriots, including the French Normandie pilots. This book will concentrate on the Soviet Aces who scored all, or most of their victories in the Yak. The main sources of information for the title will be the official unit histories and memoirs of the Soviet pilots themselves, and it will include descriptions in the aces own translated words.