Difference between revisions of "Yak-9"
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The Yak-9 was a Soviet single-engine fighter of the WWII era. It was the first combat aircraft designed by Alexander Yakovlev's construction bureau. The most mass-produced Soviet fighter of the war, it remained in production from October 1942 to December 1948, with a total of 16,769 built. | The Yak-9 was a Soviet single-engine fighter of the WWII era. It was the first combat aircraft designed by Alexander Yakovlev's construction bureau. The most mass-produced Soviet fighter of the war, it remained in production from October 1942 to December 1948, with a total of 16,769 built. | ||
| + | |||
| + | It was one of the most successful and popular Soviet fighter planes. It was used by many Soviet and even French squadrons with the Normandie-Niemen (whose camouflage can be used in the game for 150 Yak-9 victories) which used it gloriously from 1942 to 1945. during their first campaign from March 1943 to November of the same year, the "Normandie-Niemen" was credited with 77 victories but at the cost of 21 French pilots out of the 37 who made the first campaign. | ||
The Yak-9 was a further modification of the Yak-1 and Yak-7. In its core design, it was a redesign of the Yak-7. With few external differences, Yak-9 was at the same time much more advanced internally. This is not unexpected, as almost two years of design and combat experience of the Yak series went into the Yak-9. Also, at the time aluminium was in much greater supply than it had been two years previously at the start of the war. Amongst other things, the use of metal allowed the plane's weight to be significantly reduced, meaning that more fuel could be stored and that the aircraft could be equipped with more powerful armament and more specialized equipment. | The Yak-9 was a further modification of the Yak-1 and Yak-7. In its core design, it was a redesign of the Yak-7. With few external differences, Yak-9 was at the same time much more advanced internally. This is not unexpected, as almost two years of design and combat experience of the Yak series went into the Yak-9. Also, at the time aluminium was in much greater supply than it had been two years previously at the start of the war. Amongst other things, the use of metal allowed the plane's weight to be significantly reduced, meaning that more fuel could be stored and that the aircraft could be equipped with more powerful armament and more specialized equipment. | ||
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| + | It was used until the Korean War but was withdrawn from service, surpassed by jets. | ||
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=yak-9 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=yak-9 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
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== See also == | == See also == | ||
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | ||
| + | |||
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;'' | * ''reference to the series of the aircraft;'' | ||
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' | ||
Revision as of 00:50, 4 September 2023
| This page is about the Soviet fighter Yak-9. For other versions, see Yak-9 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Yak-9 is a rank II Soviet fighter with a battle rating of 3.3 (AB) and 3.0 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.43.
Since the Yak-1B, the Yak-9 is the next notable "Upgrade". While retaining the same great 20 mm cannon, as well as the 12.7 mm MG, the Yak-9 gained a number of minor upgrades such as:
- Rebalanced wing and cockpit placement by a slight amount.
- Slightly improved rearward visibility compared to previous models.
- New metal alloy used to construct the fuselage, meaning a lighter plane = better flight characteristics.
- Reworked fuel tanks, engine parts, and other internals.
All of this translates in-game to an even better version of the excellent Yak-1 series. The Yak-9 is the first of a number of modifications (the B, K, M, P, T, and U variants are also in-game). While tactics and methods deviate little from the previous Yaks, this plane is like being used to flying a Bf 109 E and then suddenly being given a Bf 109 F... not much, but experienced Yak pilots can feel the difference!
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 3,900 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 560 | 545 | 10500 | 19.8 | 20.3 | 13.5 | 13.4 | 350 |
| Upgraded | 593 | 577 | 18.4 | 19.0 | 18.7 | 16.0 | ||
Details
| Features | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
| X | X | ✓ | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 683 | 320 | N/A | N/A | 280 | ~13 | ~10 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 380 | < 420 | < 490 | > 340 |
| Compressor (RB/SB) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Setting 1 | ||
| Optimal altitude | 100% Engine power | WEP Engine power |
| 700 m | 1,260 hp | N/A |
| Setting 2 | ||
| Optimal altitude | 100% Engine power | WEP Engine power |
| 2,900 m | 1,175 hp | N/A |
Engine performance
| Engine | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Name | Number present | ||||
| Klimov VK-105PF 12-cylinder | 1 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | Cooling | |||
| 600 kg | Inline | Water + Oil | |||
| Engine power (Stock) | |||||
| Mode | Take-off | ||||
| Arcade | 1,153 hp | ||||
| Realistic/Simulator | 1,142 hp | ||||
| Engine power (Upgraded) | |||||
| Mode | Take-off | ||||
| Arcade | 1,271 hp | ||||
| Realistic/Simulator | 1,210 hp | ||||
| WEP Duration | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcade | Realistic/Simulator | ||
| 25 seconds | N/A | ||
Survivability and armour
- 64 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front and rear.
- 8 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Focus on cooling and engine modifications first! Once the coolant systems and engine is upgraded, flying at 90% power will never overheat the engine! Then focusing on ammo belts can benefit greatly, since the default ammo belt is rather lacklustre. After that, the modifications for new guns should also be considered for firing the guns longer without jamming. Past that, it is pilot preference.
Armaments
Offensive armament
The Yak-9 is armed with:
- 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon, nose-mounted (120 rpg)
- 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, nose-mounted (200 rpg)
Usage in battles
Both "Universal" and "Stealth" ammo belts for the cannon are effective against all planes, and the "Ground Targets" belt gives the most HE rounds for most targets. The cannon's "Ground Targets" belt is also capable of penetrating light tanks if the player hits them in the rear. Low gun ammo along with no other ordnance of any kind (no rockets and bombs of any kind) make this plane weak against even soft unarmoured ground targets.
Arcade battles
In Arcade Battles, the basics of Yak fighting from the previous iterations continue. Unlike Realistic or Simulator battle modes, there is no need to worry about the wooden wings ripping off, engine overheating, or being in the air without ammunition for long, which gives the Yak more liberty in its mode of attack.
It is recommended to climb to 3,000 m as this will allow the Yak to have a altitude advantage over many opponents who will head towards the ground while playing into the Yak's preference for low-altitude fighting. Mind your engine temperature and use WEP sparingly while doing this.
Though a full liberty of targets can be chosen from anything below the Yak, try to pick opponents that are unaware of the Yak's presence. Dive down and gain speed while conducting a Boom-N-Zoom attack. The center-mounted 20 mm and 12.7 mm guns acting together when fired is good enough to sufficiently damage most aircraft with a single a pass. The Yak is free to climb again and regain the altitude advantage, or turn and re-engage the enemy with another pass as the Yak's turning ability is quite good in high energy, at the expense of the pilot's G-force resistance and stamina.
Use trigger discipline when firing the 20 mm and 12.7 mm guns as there is a relatively small ammunition load for the two. However, due to their center-alignment on the Yak's nose, there is no need to adjust for convergence, making fire adjustments much easier for the pilot. Once the crosshair is sighted right onto target, most shots on an fully upgraded gun will hit the mark. It is recommended to hit for the weaker structural parts of enemy aircraft such as the wings, as the ammunition can rip them apart in a good burst.
However, all these require the Yak to have an energy advantage over an opponent. Prolonged turning engagements or other manoeuvres will gradually drain the Yak of its energy and slow it to a crawl. In this state, the Yak is in its most vulnerable to enemy fighters. Once this lower speed is noticed, quickly withdraw from the combat and try to gain speed and altitude, the former especially if an enemy fighter suddenly starts to attack. Where previous Yaks were good multipurpose turn-fighters, the Yak-9 also makes excellent use of energy-fighting tactics, so keep this in mind.
Realistic/Simulator battles
Stay low, watch your ammo, and watch your engine temperature. Avoid excessive diving, since the wings are still made of wood!
Very accurate center-mounted guns are easy to master for the player compared to planes with wing mounted armament. Sadly this benefit is overshadowed by the low ammo load that most of the time enforces strict trigger discipline (especially for the cannon). Long range attempts can be carried out by the 12.7 mm HMG, but rather as a means of luring fleeing enemies into evasive manoeuvres rather than taking it out.
Specific enemies worth noting
The Yak-9 has some vehicles it needs to consider when engaging.
- Japanese turn fighters - Japanese fighters like their Zeroes and Ki-43 can possess a threat as these planes can turn faster than the Yak could ever dream, so don't get suckered into turning against a Zero. Not to mention, Japanese planes are typically slower than most of its contemporaries, so a Yak trying to get a bead on one after passing through will often try to turn constantly around for another pass at these slow aircraft. Continued turns and passes will cause the Yak to lose energy and sacrifice aerial performance. This can lead other enemy aircraft or the very same Japanese aircraft the Yak was trying to strafe to coming around the slow Yak and shoot it out of the air. It is best to simply pass by a Japanese aircraft with a Boom-&-Zoom and then just climbing away to altitude away from the fighter so it couldn't try to attack. Once in a sufficient altitude, dive back down again to regain the energy during the next pass.
- Biplanes - Sure, if able to destroy them in the first pass, the biplane is not really the biggest threat out there. However, it is the indicator of an easy, slow target that are biplanes like the Swordfish that can cost the Yak pilot the plane. If missed, there may be an urge to quickly turn back for another quick pass against the biplane for another chance, while the biplane continues evasive manoeuvres. If this continues on as the Yak keeps turning for an "easy" kill, it would sacrifice much of its energy against a rather nonthreatening target. As emphasized previously, a slow Yak is an easier target to enemies and even if the biplane won't be able to dent the Yak, another enemy may swoop down an annihilate the Yak with ease. Don't waste energy trying to manoeuvre against a biplane, simply attack in a Boom-&-Zoom fashion.
Manual Engine Control
| MEC elements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
| Oil | Water | Type | ||||
| Controllable | Controllable Not auto controlled |
Controllable Not auto controlled |
Controllable Not auto controlled |
Separate | Controllable 2 gears |
Not controllable |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Centre-mounted armament that is very accurate even at longer distances.
- 20 mm supplemented with a 12.7 mm can do decent damage against enemy planes.
- Relatively small aircraft profile makes it a small target.
- Fast and agile at altitudes up to 3 km.
- Great turning ability when in high energy.
- Experience with the Yak-1 and Yak-1B carry over to this plane.
- Slightly better engine than predecessors.
Cons:
- Armaments have limited ammunition, stresses on firing accuracy and discipline to make the most out of a belt.
- Low maximum dive speed.
- Very bad high alt performance.
- Once speed and energy is lost, the Yak-9 performance drops significantly.
- Engine overheats sometimes in RB/SB.
- No WEP in RB/SB.
History
| Archive of the in-game description | |
|---|---|
|
The Yak-9 was a Soviet single-engine fighter of the WWII era. It was the first combat aircraft designed by Alexander Yakovlev's construction bureau. The most mass-produced Soviet fighter of the war, it remained in production from October 1942 to December 1948, with a total of 16,769 built. It was one of the most successful and popular Soviet fighter planes. It was used by many Soviet and even French squadrons with the Normandie-Niemen (whose camouflage can be used in the game for 150 Yak-9 victories) which used it gloriously from 1942 to 1945. during their first campaign from March 1943 to November of the same year, the "Normandie-Niemen" was credited with 77 victories but at the cost of 21 French pilots out of the 37 who made the first campaign. The Yak-9 was a further modification of the Yak-1 and Yak-7. In its core design, it was a redesign of the Yak-7. With few external differences, Yak-9 was at the same time much more advanced internally. This is not unexpected, as almost two years of design and combat experience of the Yak series went into the Yak-9. Also, at the time aluminium was in much greater supply than it had been two years previously at the start of the war. Amongst other things, the use of metal allowed the plane's weight to be significantly reduced, meaning that more fuel could be stored and that the aircraft could be equipped with more powerful armament and more specialized equipment. It was used until the Korean War but was withdrawn from service, surpassed by jets. | |
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| A.S. Yakovlev Design Bureau (Яковлев Опытное конструкторское бюро) | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | |
| Yak-1 | Yak-1 · Yak-1B |
| Yak-3 | Yak-3 · Eremin's Yak-3(e) · Yak-3 (VK-107) · Yak-3P · Yak-3T · Yak-3U |
| Yak-7 | Yak-7B |
| Yak-9 | Yak-9 · Yak-9B · Yak-9K · Golovachev's Yak-9M · Yak-9P · Yak-9T · Yak-9U · Yak-9UT |
| Twin-engine fighters | I-29 |
| Jet fighters | |
| Yak-15 | Yak-15P · Yak-15 |
| Yak-17 | Yak-17 |
| Yak-23 | Yak-23 |
| Yak-30 | Yak-30D |
| Yak-141 | Yak-141 |
| Strike aircraft | |
| Yak-2 | Yak-2 KABB |
| Yak-38 | Yak-38 · Yak-38M |
| Bombers | Yak-4 |
| Jet bombers | Yak-28B |
| Foreign use | ▄Yak-3 · Challe's ▄Yak-9T · ◔Yak-9P |
| Captured | ▀Yak-1B |
| USSR fighters | |
|---|---|
| I-15 | I-15 WR · I-15 M-22 · I-15 M-25 · I-15bis · Krasnolutsky's I-15bis |
| I-153 M-62 · Zhukovsky's I-153-M62 · I-153P | |
| I-16 | I-16 type 5 · I-16 type 10 · I-16 type 18 · I-16 type 24 · I-16 type 27 · I-16 type 28 · I-180S |
| I-29 | I-29 |
| I-185 | I-185 (M-71) · I-185 (M-82) |
| I-225 | I-225 |
| ITP | ITP (M-1) |
| MiG-3 | MiG-3-15 · MiG-3-15 (BK) · MiG-3-34 |
| LaGG | I-301 · LaGG-3-4 · LaGG-3-8 · LaGG-3-11 · LaGG-3-23 · LaGG-3-34 · LaGG-3-35 · LaGG-3-66 |
| La | La-5 · La-5F · La-5FN · La-7 · Dolgushin's La-7 · La-7B-20 · La-9 · La-11 |
| Yak-1/7 | Yak-1 · Yak-1B · Yak-7B |
| Yak-3 | Yak-3 · Eremin's Yak-3(e) · Yak-3P · Yak-3T · Yak-3U · Yak-3 (VK-107) |
| Yak-9 | Yak-9 · Yak-9B · Golovachev's Yak-9M · Yak-9T · Yak-9K · Yak-9U · Yak-9UT · Yak-9P |
| Other countries | ▂P-40E-1 · ▂P-47D-27 · ▂Hurricane Mk IIB · ▂Fw 190 D-9 · ▂Spitfire Mk IXc |
| P-39 | ▂P-39K-1 · ▂Pokryshkin's P-39N-0 · ▂P-39Q-15 |
| P-63 | ▂P-63A-5 · ▂P-63A-10 · ▂P-63C-5 |
