Yakovlev Yak-3

From The Air Combat Wiki

Contents 1 Fighter Ace Screenshots 2 Fighter Ace Ratings 3 Fighter Ace Performance 4 Historical Statistics 5 Strengths 6 Weaknesses 7 History 8 Sources 9 See Also

Fighter Ace Screenshots

Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ
Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ

Fighter Ace Ratings

Durability: 2

Speed: 7

Maneuverability: 6

Firepower: 5

Climb Rate: 8

Ground Attack: 2

Fighter Ace Performance

Top Speeds						Climb Rates
	Sea Level	4921' 1500m	9843' 3000m	19685' 6000m	Best Speed	Best IAS	to 1000m	to 3000m	to 6000m
mph	367	385	403	396	407@ 10827'	177 mph	0:58	2:37	5:34
kph	590	619	649	637	655@ 3300m	285 kph

Historical Statistics

Service Date: October 1943

Primary Guns: 2x Beresin (UBS) 12.7mm machine guns with 250 rpg in cowl

Secondary Guns: 1x ShVAK 20mm cannon with 120 rpg in propeller hub

Ordnance: 6x 33 lb (15 kg) RS-82 rockets

Engine(s): 1x Klimov M-105PF-2 in-line rated for 1,222 hp at sea level

Int Fuel Capacity: 626 lbs (284 kg)

Ext Fuel Capacity: none

Maximum Speeds: 407 mph (655 kph) at 12,130 ft (3,700 m)

Ceiling: 35,475 ft (10,813 m)

Loaded Weight: 5,864 lbs (2,660 kg)

Wing Area: 160.4 sq ft (14.9 sq m)

Wing Loading: 36.6 lbs/sq ft (178.5 kg/sq m)

Strengths

Low Altitude Performance: The Yak is one of the most versatile fighters in the game, being capable of outrunning anything that can outturn it and able to outturn anything that can outrun it.

Weaknesses

Durability: A small, light plane made largely of wood, the Yak is more fragile than its contemporaries.

Firepower: With only a single 20mm cannon and two 12.7mm machine guns, the Yak-3 requires too much time on target to down the heavier mid- to late-war planes it faced.

High Altitude Performance: As with most Soviet planes using the M-105, the plane performed best below 15,000 feet.

Range: A thirsty engine and small fuel capacity limits the Yak's range.

History

With the problems inherent in the Yak-1 design and the coming war with Nazi Germany looming ahead, the Yakovlev team started work on a new prototype. Originally designed to use the Klimov M-105PD with two-stage Dollezhal Ye-100 supercharger, problems with the supercharger meant that the first prototype had to use the less powerful M-105P.

Potential top speed was increased by improving the airflow over the oil cooler and radiator inlets as well as a reduction in wingspan of about two and a half feet. But without the more powerful supercharger, performance was marginal at best. However, despite these problems the plane was ordered into production as the Yak-3.

Due to a variety of issues, Yak-3 production didn't actually begin for almost a year after the production order was issued. However, the delay had a positive side in that by the time production started, an even better engine, the M-105PF was available for installation. Further tests were conducted into boosting the engine power to wring every last ounce of horsepower out of the engine. When all was said and done, the Yak-3 would be able to top 420 mph at altitude.

Armament was initially the same as the Yak-1, but was later improved by adding a second 12.7mm machine gun to the cowl. The Yak still exhibited some handling quirks at low speeds, but overall the Yak-3 was an easy plane to fly with outstanding performance that outpaced the Bf-109G-2 at all altitudes up to 18,000 feet and the FW-190A-4 at all altitudes up to 27,000 feet.

Sources

Stapfer, Hans-Heiri; Yak Fighters In Action; Squadron/Signal Publications, Carrollton, TX; 1986.

Gordon; Yefim and Khazanov, Dmitri; Soviet Combat Aircraft of the Second World War Volume One: Single-Engined Fighters; Midland Publishing Limited, Leicester, England; 1998.

See Also

Fighter Ace Planes Inventory

Aircraft Manufacturers During World War II