The Yak-1b, also know as the Yak-1 Series 127, is the pinnacle of the Yak-1 fighter design that includes all of the incremental improvements introduced in 1942. In addition to increasing armor protection and its enhancing aerodynamic capabilities, its weapons were also upgraded. Designers replaced the two small 7.62 mm ShKAS guns with a single, yet more powerful 12.7 mm UBS machine-gun. To allow for a better rear view, its dorsal spine was lowered and a new teardrop-style canopy was installed. This version of the Yak-1 was still in production as late as mid-1944 when it was finally replaced by more advanced Yak-3. Many Soviet aces flew this plane: Arseniy Vorozheikin, Alexander Koldunov, Aleksey Alelyukhin, Sergey Lugansky and others. The famous French volunteer squadron Normandie Niemen, which served on the Eastern front, also employed these planes to great effect.
In addition to Quick Mission Builder and Multiplayer modes, you can fly it in Career mode during Battle of Kuban timeframe.
- Armament: 20mm gun "SsVAK", 140 rounds, 800 rounds per minute and 12.7mm machine gun "UB", 220 rounds, 1000 rounds per minute.
- Length: 8.5 m
- Wingspan: 10 m
- Wing surface: 17.15 m^2
Modifications
- Two 50 kg general purpose bombs "FAB-50sv" (120 kg weight increase with bomb racks, 23 kph speed loss, 13 kph speed loss after drop).
- Two 104 kg general purpose bombs "FAB-100M" (228 kg weight increase with bomb racks, 31 kph speed loss, 13 kph speed loss after drop).
- Landing light for night flights (2 kg weight increase, minor speed loss).
- Fixed loop radio compass RPK-10 (10 kg weight increase, minor speed loss).
- Rearview mirror (1 kg weight increase, 1 kph speed loss).
Skins
- Standard paint scheme.
- Default winter camo (white).
- The standard two-color Red Army Air Force camo used since July 1943.
- Marcel Lefevre, Normandie squadron, Summer 1943 (standard scheme, tri-color spinner, white arrow and pilot insignia).
- Fotiy Morozov, Guards Senior Lieutenant, 1944 (standard grey camo, red spinner and tail stripes, snake symbol).
- 291th IAP aircraft with the dedicatory inscription (winter camo with red spinner and arrow).
- Aircraft shared between Soviet 117th IAP and Yugoslavian 111th IAP, January - May 1945 (upper grey, azurine bottom, red spinner).
- 270th IAP (part of 203rd IAD) aircraft, 2nd Ukrainian Front, November 1943 (standard grey camo, red spinner and tail stripes).
- Sergey Danilovich Lugansky aircraft with dedicatory inscription, 152nd IAP, 1944 (standard grey camo, star on spinner, white tail stripe.
- V.I. Pokrovsky aircraft, 2nd GvIAP, 1945 (upper grey, azurine bottom, red tail with victory stars, lightning on broadsides, pilot insignia on the right broadside).
- Albert Durant aircraft, Normandie squadron, Khatenki, Summer 1943 (standard scheme, white spinner, scales imitation on nose, French badges on broadsides).
- Hero of the Soviet Union Fyodor Vasilyevich Khimich aircraft, 127th IAP, Stalingrad area, November 1942 (standard scheme, red and white spinner, victory stars on the left broadside).
- Experimental tricolor camo tested by VVS research institute in 1943.
Technical details
Indicated stall speed in flight configuration: 153..169 km/hIndicated stall speed in takeoff/landing configuration: 132..145 km/h
Dive speed limit: 720 km/h
Maximum load factor: 10.3 G
Stall angle of attack in flight configuration: 18 °
Stall angle of attack in landing configuration: 15.6 °
Maximum true air speed at sea level, engine mode - Nominal, 2550 RPM: 530 km/h
Maximum true air speed at 2000 m, engine mode - Nominal, 2700 RPM: 567 km/h
Maximum true air speed at 4500 m, engine mode - Nominal, 2700 RPM: 600 km/h
Service ceiling: 10600 m
Climb rate at sea level: 17.0 m/s
Climb rate at 3000 m: 15.0 m/s
Climb rate at 6000 m: 9.5 m/s
Maximum performance turn at sea level: 19.0 s, at 270 km/h IAS.
Maximum performance turn at 3000 m: 24.1 s, at 270 km/h IAS.
Flight endurance at 3000 m: 2.0 h, at 350 km/h IAS.
Takeoff speed: 160..190 km/h
Glideslope speed: 195..205 km/h
Landing speed: 135..145 km/h
Landing angle: 12 °
Note 1: the data provided is for international standard atmosphere (ISA).
Note 2: flight performance ranges are given for possible aircraft mass ranges.
Note 3: maximum speeds, climb rates and turn times are given for standard aircraft mass.
Note 4: climb rates and turn times are given for Nominal (2700 RPM) power.
Engine:
Model: M-105PF
Maximum power in Nominal mode (2550 RPM) at sea level: 1240 HP
Maximum power in Nominal mode (2700 RPM) at sea level: 1210 HP
Maximum power in Nominal mode (2700 RPM) at 800 m: 1260 HP
Maximum power in Nominal mode (2700 RPM) at 2700 m: 1200 HP
Engine modes:
Nominal (unlimited time): 2550/2700 RPM, 1050 mm Hg
Water rated temperature in engine output: 70..85 °C
Water maximum temperature in engine output: 100 °C
Oil rated temperature in engine output: 90..100 °C
Oil maximum temperature in engine output: 115 °C
Supercharger gear shift altitude: 2300 m
Empty weight: 2322 kg
Minimum weight (no ammo, 10% fuel): 2543 kg
Standard weight: 2887 kg
Maximum takeoff weight: 3117 kg
Fuel load: 304 kg / 408 l
Useful load: 795 kg
Combat debut: April 1943
Operation features
- Engine has a two-stage mechanical supercharger which must be manually switched at 2300m altitude.
- Engine mixture control is manual; it is necessary to lean the mixture if altitude is more than 3-4 km for optimal engine operation. Also, leaning the mixture allows a reduction in fuel consumption during flight.
- Engine RPM has an automatic governor and it is maintained at the required RPM corresponding to the governor control lever position. The governor automatically controls the propeller pitch to maintain the required RPM.
- Water and oil radiator shutters are controlled manually.
- The airplane can only be trimmed in the pitch axis.
- Landing flaps have a pneumatic actuator. Flaps can only be fully extended; gradual extending is impossible. Due to the weak force of the actuator the extended landing flaps may be pressed upwards by the airflow if the airspeed is more than 220 km/h. Remember that the flaps will not extend fully in case of high speed. In case of a high-speed landing approach the flaps may extend a few steps further right before landing.
- Airplane has a tailwheel control system which is unlocked by the rudder if the rudder pedal is pressed more than 75%25 of its range. The tailwheel remains locked if pedals are deflected less than 75%25. Because of this, it is necessary to avoid large rudder pedal inputs when moving at high speed.
- Airplane has differential pneumatic wheel brakes with the shared control lever. This means that if the brake lever is held and the rudder pedal the opposite wheel brake is gradually released causing the plane to swing to one side or the other.
- Fuel gauges are installed on left and right wing fuel tanks, outside of the cockpit. They show remaining fuel level only when there is less than 80 liters of fuel left in the tank.
- The canopy has no emergency release. In order to bail out, you must slow below 550 kph to open the canopy.
- The control system for the wing-mounted bomb racks only allows releasing of both bombs together.
