Design of the Yakolev Yak-1 medium-altitude interceptor/fighter began in November 1938, known initially as the I-26.

The type had a wooden wing combined with a fuselage of mixed construction and main landing gear units retracting inwards into the underside of the wing. Flown initially on 13 January 1940, the first prototype was soon lost in a fatal accident, but the development programme was continued without any break by the second prototype which incorporated some improvements.

 

A pre-production batch of Yak-1s was flying by the end of 1940 and 64 initial series machines had also been completed by then.

 

In June 1941 the designation was changed to Yak-1 and the type was cleared for production. In the same month Germany invaded and the entire production line was moved 1000 miles eastward to Kamensk-Uralsk. Despite this delay of about six weeks, about 500 Yak-1 were in action by the end of 1941.

 

Changes were introduced during the course of production and many aircraft of the main variants were completed from early 1942 with all increased span more pointed wing. A new pilot's canopy and cut-down rear fuselage were introduced on the Yak-1B and reduction of overall weight was achieved with the Yak-1M. The mount of many leading Soviet fighter pilots, Yak-1s equipped a high proportion of fighter squadrons from 1942 onwards, when the type was phased out of production in mid-1943, a total of 8,721 series aircraft of all versions had been completed.

Yakolev Yak-1