Yakovlev Yak-1

The Yakovlev Yak-1 was a Soviet single-seat fighter of the Second World War, built with a composite structure and wooden wings and put into production in early 1940. It grew out of the I-26 prototype, which first flew on 13 January 1940 and suffered from oil overheating that was never completely cured, and the type was ordered into production only a month after that maiden flight, a gamble meant to shorten the road from prototype to service aircraft. Simultaneous building and testing caused thousands of blueprint changes and shortages of engines, propellers and radiators slowed output. The Yak-1 was a manoeuvrable, easily maintained fighter powered by a Klimov M-105PF V-12 engine, and it founded the family of Yakovlev piston fighters that continued with the Yak-7, Yak-9 and Yak-3.