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General Specifications
Wingspan: 9.74 m (31.95 ft.) Length: 8.55 m (28.05 ft.) Height: 3.0 m (9,84 ft.) Weight: 2,770 kg. (6,106.8 lb.) Engine: Klimov VK-105PF-3 Horsepower: 1,360 hp. Guns: One 12.7 mm machine gun and one 20 mm cannon ___________________________________________________________
The Yak series of fighters were refined over the entire course of World War II, and were known for their dogfighting ability. Rugged and easily manufactured, they displayed excellent flying characteristics and were easy to maintain on the Soviet front.
The Yak-9 series appeared in 1942, and although developed for tactical use, the planes replaced the Yak-1 and Yak-7 series as the Soviets' primary aerial combat platforms. The Yak-7 rolled much slower than the Germans' Fw 190, so the Yak-9 featured a new wing and revised ailerons to improve roll response -- critical in low-level dogfighting. The plane also featured increased pilot visibility. The Yak-9 was not known for its power, but when dogfighting at low altitudes, it was quite a formidable opponent.
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