RED STAR No 5 YAKOVELEV'S PISTON-ENGINED FIGHTERS

This authoritative monograph describes the entire family from the simple but rugged and agile Yak-1through to the Yak-7 (born as a trainer but eventually developed into a fighter) and the prolific and versatile Yak-9 to the most capable of the line, the Yak-3 with which even the aces of the Luftwaffe were reluctant to tangle. In comparison with the sophisticated all-metal Mustangs with their excellent aerodynamics and monobloc wings, the multi-role Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs, the Yaks were less resistant to combat damage. But they proved to be very amenable for the type of war that came to be waged at the Soviet front when the main efforts of aviation were devoted to support of ground troops and aerial combat usually took place at low and medium altitudes. Series production of Yakovlev fighters undertaken by six factories totalled 35,737 machines of different models. Yak piston fighters also served outside Russia and several examples can now be seen in flying condition in the West. With 313 black and white photographs, seven pages of colour artworks and eight pages of drawings.