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No problem, I hope you'll find more info
Here is what I found out. Its a modification of the Yak-9D series. The modification consisted of replacing the rear cockpit with a bay that could house 4 bomb bays, placed in pairs. One behind the other. In each could be suspended four FAB-100 (220lb) bombs. Alternatively four clusters of PTAB 2kg anti tank bombs could be carried. The gun armament was the same as the Yak 9D.
A series of production batches of around 109 aircraft where built and delivered to the 130th Fighter Division command by F Shinkarenko. Operational trials where to prove unsatisfactory due to the lack of a special bomb site and bad handling qualities when loaded with bombs.
So far I havent found a better picture and I have no clue on how many bombs are in a cluster for the PTAB 2 but will keep looking.
Thanks Graeme, this was a very unusual conversion for a fighter bomber.
Thanks Graeme, this was a very unusual conversion for a fighter bomber.
This all begs the Question..
Just how much room is there behind A Yak-9's cockpit area?!
It was not uncommon for Soviet mechanics to climb into the space behind the pilot on single-seat Yak-9s to fly to a new aerodrome when regiments were moved from airfield to the next, and the French Normandie-Niemen pilot Lieut Maurice de Seynes was killed trying to land his blazing Yak-9 rather than jump and leave his mechanic who had no parachute.
Russian Aircraft since 1940 - Jean Alexander (1975)
That was also true with some Luftwaffe fighters like the FW 190 wasn;t it??
Here's article in russian
ñËÏ×ÌÅ× ñË-9â
and another one
http://www.airwar.ru/image/idop/fww2/yak9b/yak9b-5.jpg