As we have all seen lately there has been a hue and cry for more Russian and Japanese fighters (except for luftwabbles who won't be happy until we have 37 Fw190 variants, and 42 Bf109 variants
).
Its obvious that the La7 should be the next Russian plane since it is the easiest to produce as a variant of the La5fn.
Now reportedly, Pyro and several players were discussing the other day the number of possible and useful variants of the Yak-9. This based on the fact that Pyro has said that planes with large numbers of variants are higher on the priority list since it allows rapid expansion of the planeset.
This is from the excellent book "Soviet Combat Aircraft of the Second World War", by Gordon and Khazanov.
The Yak-9 was the most commonly used fighter of the Soviet Air Force. By the summer of 1944 the total number of Yak-9's and variants in service was greater than the sum total of all other fighers in the Air Force inventory... <snip> The Yak-9 underwent 22 basic modifications, and 15 of these went into series production. It could be equipped with five new powerplants, six number and volume of fuel tanks, seven armament variations, and two of special equipment. During six years of production from October 1942 to December 1948, 16,769 series produced Yak-9 fighters were delivered, 14,579 before the end of the war.:
Obviously we don't need 22 variants of the Yak-9, but it is also obvious that it was a very significant fighter. Here is the list of useful different variants that I can find in my research. They are in reverse Chronological order since this is the way they would fit best into our late war arena.
[list=1]
- Yak-9U "Improved" variant(plus -UT with armament option). This is the late war '44 &'45 version comparable to the P-51D & 109G10. Over 4,000 -U & -UT's were built
- Yak-9D "Long Range" variant. The most common Yak-9 variant deployed in '42-'44, and effectively fill the role of the basic -9 as well.
- Yak-9K (also fills -9T, -9TK role)"Heavily Armed" variant with 23mm, 37mm, and 45mm cannon options. Optimum for bombers and ground attack.
- Yak-7B (cut down canopy). Predecessor to the Yak-9, but is virtually identical externally. Fills the early-midwar niche for the Yakolev inline engine Fighter line.
- Yak-1B (cut down canopy) This is the predecessor to the Yak-7, and again is externally almost identical the Yak-9. It fills the early war niche.
[/list=a]
So basically with a single 3D model, and a single Flight Model, it would be very simple to produce a total of 5 aircraft variants very quickly, similar to what was done with the Bf109 in Aces High.
With the aforementioned La5fn & La7, once the Yak-9's are added, Aces High would effectively have a fairly complete Soviet Planeset covering the length of the war. The only major type that would be lacking would be the Yak-3, or the very early Lagg, Migg, and Polikarpov types.
In short the Graphic says it all.
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Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure
Carpe Jugulum
"Real Men fly Radials, Nancy Boys fly Spitfires"
