The amazing Yak-9U

[BaldEagl]

Last camp I flew the Yak-9U for the first time and fell in love with it.  For most of the camp I was carrying a 4.5 K/D rate in it so it was hard not to love  Also, I had spent some time the few camps prior in a La-5 and I think that helped a lot when I jumped in the Yak.  No, I've still only ever flown a few missions in an La-7... can't stand the big red clown nose but I suppose I'll have to give it a try soon as it's one of the few planes remaining in the set that I haven't spent any time in.

Well, back to the topic; the amazing Yak-9U.

Last night I took one up for a spin.  I spotted a F4U near the deck and, remembering a post where Widewing said the F4U could out-anything the Yak (not his exact words and no direspect... one of the brightest guys on the BBs ) I decided to go give it a whirl...  test WW's theory.  

We got into a turn fight and evidently this guy precribed to the theory that having gear out makes you turn better (not one I adhere to).  He was able to turn tighter than me but holding a little speed I was able to get around the turn so much faster I was actually out-turning him.  As I came around onto his six he broke the opposite direction and got just what he wanted... I overshot.

So now I've got a gear down, slow C-Hog on my six.  No problem I think.  I'll just use the Yak's speed to get away and coming off a gear down turn fight the Hog won't have any E to start with.  The problem was I didn't have any E either and the Yak takes a little while to wind up (no WEP).

Now I'm in evasive mauovers.  Turning, rolling, barrelling, everything I can think of to shake this guy who's 400 steady on my six.  I evade, he keeps firing, I keep taking hits... repeatedly.  After a few rounds of hits my beloved Yak isn't responding to control inputs like I'd like anymore.  I try a defensive barrel role to the left and it felt like minutes before it completed the roll, all the while taking a peppering from the C-Hog.  I know I can't take much more of this.

About this time a friendly asks what I've got.  I tell him and he say's he's coming low on the deck.  Just as that happens the Hog breaks off and I turn in pursuit.  My countryman gets the kill.

Remebering my control issues I hit the damage report to find I've lost 1 aileron, 1 flap, 1 gun, 1 fuel tank and my rudder!  My wings are  tattered but I'm still flying.

After this I went on to help countrymen engage two more fighters before loss of fuel forced me to RTB.  

I think that C-Hog unloaded everything he had into me.

I never did reach a conclusion regarding WW's statements.

Amazing little plane and man can it can take a licking!

[NateWolf]

Damn. Last time I lost a rudder my plane went into a flat spin. That thing is tough, or you got lucky.

[OdinGrunherze]

Yep, all the reports that I have read, say that the Russian method of, (glue and skrew) plywood construction was very tough...

I like the russkie planes anyway...

OG

[Hazard69]

Hi BaldEagl! I think that WW post you refer to was comparing a F4U4 to a Yak9.

Yaks a sweet bird, no doubt about that.......but I think the C-Hog probably didnt aim very well or was just struggling to stay airborne (expected if he was turning with his gear down). I think you got lucky though, a C-Hog will pretty much chew a Yak up and spit it out with those 4X20mms. If he had landed even 1 hit on convergence, you certainly would have lost the wing. Yak mainly survives cause she's hard to hit because of her small size.

Gotta love the Yak's nose mounted guns, although low on ammo, and not very powerful at long ranges, at 200-400 they can do some incredible damage. Unless you are in a 9T with the 37mm. Thats a 1hit kill.

I mostly fly P38s now, but Yak's were my standard a while back in AH1. Funny thing though, I used to always get radiator hits......made me rtb many a times.

[PanzerIV]

Yak9T and Yak9U are practically different aircraft completely(paradoxical statement, i think not). I like the Yak 9U, it has decent armament , fast, and turns nicely, it suffers from compressibility though, thats how i usually die in it.

[DoLbY]

Good story and fight judging by the story. I flew the YAK and fought with many (hats off to Trikky and Chanz for their skills in one, let alone any plane) and i do admit, it is a tough little plane.

[1K3]

Yak-9U is a poorman's Yak-3.

Bring Yak-3 to aces high!:aok

[Ghosth]

Yak's a great plane, and it teaches you good habits. Get in there and mix it up. Get close, shoot and kill. Short ammo clip scares off a lot of pilots. But with some practise the Yak has no problem landing 2 - 3 kill sorties time after time.

BaldEagl, instead of the much despised La7, give its younger brother a try.
The La5fn has most of what is found in the La7, without the "dweeb" tag.

400 rounds of pretty good cannon ammo, good speed, acceleration, and fairly nimble. I feel like its actually more stable than the La7, and doesn't that nasty snap stall the la7 is prone to.

Plus I think a lot of people underestimate the la5.

Favorite kills for me in the La5 are :

Running down low & slow P51's.

Turning the tables on high P51, 109. Bait them till they attack, split S, zoom back up,repeat until you can  equalize E states then get behind them. Then its chase them down to the deck till you can get them to quit flopping long enough for a good shot.  Not easy, but a truly worthy challenge.

Get behind a spit 16 with a bit of E, and watch him spin, shake, twirl and flip trying to lose you. Most spit 16's if you stay a bit behind  and above in lag pursuit will quickly flop their way down to the deck, blow all their E and give you a sweet shot at 2-300 yards.

Bomber formations, esp Lancaster's are 3 easy kills in one nice package.
On a good day you can take off, find a set of bombers, kill all 3 and land in 5 minutes. Rinse and repeat.

[Sikboy]

Originally posted by 1K3
Yak-9U is a poorman's Yak-3.

Bring Yak-3 to aces high!:aok

Bah, give me a -UT and I'd defy the current prohibitions and come back to AH

-Sik

[stephen]

I mainly Dig the Yak because it has an extremly rapid snap stall, with almost none of the tendency to "hunt" in the rudder like a 109...

I have flown 190d9's alot, and its been my experience that Yaks seem to own that plane on a one on one basis.....so I fly the Yak much more than previously, most guys just dont seem to think this bird can turn, mabeuy not sustaind but it surprises em to be sure....

[Viking]

Yak-9 !


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4551458803096115496

[dedalos]

Originally posted by BaldEagl
Last camp I flew the Yak-9U for the first time and fell in love with it.  For most of the camp I was carrying a 4.5 K/D rate in it so it was hard not to love  Also, I had spent some time the few camps prior in a La-5 and I think that helped a lot when I jumped in the Yak.  No, I've still only ever flown a few missions in an La-7... can't stand the big red clown nose but I suppose I'll have to give it a try soon as it's one of the few planes remaining in the set that I haven't spent any time in.

Well, back to the topic; the amazing Yak-9U.

Last night I took one up for a spin.  I spotted a F4U near the deck and, remembering a post where Widewing said the F4U could out-anything the Yak (not his exact words and no direspect... one of the brightest guys on the BBs ) I decided to go give it a whirl...  test WW's theory.  

We got into a turn fight and evidently this guy precribed to the theory that having gear out makes you turn better (not one I adhere to).  He was able to turn tighter than me but holding a little speed I was able to get around the turn so much faster I was actually out-turning him.  As I came around onto his six he broke the opposite direction and got just what he wanted... I overshot.

So now I've got a gear down, slow C-Hog on my six.  No problem I think.  I'll just use the Yak's speed to get away and coming off a gear down turn fight the Hog won't have any E to start with.  The problem was I didn't have any E either and the Yak takes a little while to wind up (no WEP).

Now I'm in evasive mauovers.  Turning, rolling, barrelling, everything I can think of to shake this guy who's 400 steady on my six.  I evade, he keeps firing, I keep taking hits... repeatedly.  After a few rounds of hits my beloved Yak isn't responding to control inputs like I'd like anymore.  I try a defensive barrel role to the left and it felt like minutes before it completed the roll, all the while taking a peppering from the C-Hog.  I know I can't take much more of this.

About this time a friendly asks what I've got.  I tell him and he say's he's coming low on the deck.  Just as that happens the Hog breaks off and I turn in pursuit.  My countryman gets the kill.

Remebering my control issues I hit the damage report to find I've lost 1 aileron, 1 flap, 1 gun, 1 fuel tank and my rudder!  My wings are  tattered but I'm still flying.

After this I went on to help countrymen engage two more fighters before loss of fuel forced me to RTB.  

I think that C-Hog unloaded everything he had into me.

I never did reach a conclusion regarding WW's statements.

Amazing little plane and man can it can take a licking!

Have you red the book "Fooled by randomness?"

[PanzerIV]

I fly the Yak 9U often, i like everything about it except for it suffers from compressibility.

[wooley]

I've been flying the 9U a lot this tour. Lovely plane and does wonders for my K/D ratio.

Just a pity the designers forgot to leave any room for ammunition.