Yak

The Yakovlev Yak-9K was a modified subvariant of the Yak-9T, which was the second variant of the Yakovlev-9 fighter aircraft family. The Yak-9K was an attempt to increase firepower over the standard Yak-9T by arming it with a 45 mm NS-45 cannon with 29 rounds and a characteristic muzzle brake to deal with the severe recoil. However, firing the gun at speeds less than 350 km/h still resulted in a significant recoil that led to loss of control of the aircraft and flung the pilot back and forth in the cockpit. Accurate firing was only possible at faster speeds and in bursts of two to three rounds. The cannon's high recoil produced several oil and coolant leaks. Overall, the large gun significantly reduced flight performance, particularly at high altitudes, to the point where Yak-9Ks were only assigned to heavy fighter duties and were required to be escorted by Yak-3s in case of failure. The Yak-9K saw limited use due to the unreliability of the 45 mm cannon and airframe structural instability issues caused by the recoil; it also saw limited production as German bombers gradually decreased in number later in World War II.

The Yak-9K was introduced in Update 1.33. Despite the noticeable increase in firepower as a result of the increased cannon calibre, this also results in massive recoil when firing, making the airframe structurally and aerodynamically unstable. Players can get a taste of this unusual plane's heightened firepower, with a single hit from the cannon enough to cripple any opponents in the sky. During ground realistic warfare mode, it can also take on an anti-tank duty. However, since the ammunition available is incredibly limited (29 rounds), it is critical to make every shot count.

The configuration of the Yak-9K's engine is for excellent low altitude performance and manoeuvrability, though, without necessary turbo or superchargers, the aircraft's performance at high altitude suffers. The Immelmann speed of the Yak-9K is superior to the majority of comparable fighters at the same battle rating making it a capable dogfighter.

A Yak-9K offers good pilot protection, it is unlikely that a pilot snipe should occur. Due to strengthened structure and centralising of the critical components, it is a real possibility for a skilled pilot to clip an enemies plane with a wingtip and remain unscathed, either slicing the enemy's wing or disabling a propeller. Though the Yak-9K does have self sealing fuel tanks located in the wing, that does not preclude them from catching on fire.

The Yak-9K is armed with:

Most enemy fighters will be between 3,000 and 3,800 m, with bombers being around 4,000 to 5,000 m. It's important to use your height advantage, drop down from your height and and get behind the enemy. Once behind the fighter or bomber, do not engage until you are close enough to see their tails in your crosshair. Aim forward and fire only a single shot or a short burst which is no longer than two seconds. If you miss and they turn, pending how sharp the turn is follow them. If it's a very sharp turn do not turn with them, instead open the throttle and climb back up to gain a height advantage. Then either try it again or find a new bandit to knock out.

In ground and naval battles, the Yak-9K is able to destroy armoured targets with ease. It does not have any secondary armaments such as bombs or rockets. However, its 45 mm cannon is able to destroy heavy tanks. To do this, aim for the roof and dive straight down upon them like an angel that is fighting a demon. In ship combat, the 45 mm cannon is able to penetrate the decks of many heavily armoured ships, but you must aim for roof or sides of the ships. When handling smaller ships such as Patrol boats, do not fly in a straight line. Instead, zip up and down, left to right, then suddenly turn and shoot them. A single well placed shot will destroy their ammo racks and set the ship to visit Davy Jones' locker!

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The Yak-9 was a Soviet single-engine fighter of the WWII era. It was the first combat aircraft designed by Alexander Yakovlev's construction bureau. The most mass-produced Soviet fighter of the war, it remained in production from October 1942 to December 1948, with a total of 16,769 built.

The Yak-9 was a further modification of the Yak-1 and Yak-7. In its core design, it was a redesign of the Yak-7. With few external differences, Yak-9 was at the same time much more advanced internally. This is not unexpected, as almost two years of design and combat experience of the Yak series went into the Yak-9. Also, at the time aluminium was in much greater supply than it had been two years previously at the start of the war. Amongst other things, the use of metal allowed the plane's weight to be significantly reduced, meaning that more fuel could be stored and that the aircraft could be equipped with more powerful armament and more specialized equipment.

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