Yak 3 against western opposition

[helmitsmit]

The Yak 3 was the best russian fighter. The late versions were great 460+mph. What would be it's closest western rival?

 

[Jabberwocky]

If you look at the raw statistics of wartime Yak-3st, the closes thing to it would probably be a Spitfire LF. IX with a +25lbs boosted Merlin 66. Similar speeds at altitude (405-410 mph), both climb at over 4000 feet/second (the Spitfire reaches 5,200 fps), both are excellent close in dogfighters having a general superiority of turn against their opponents. The Spitfire is still going to be the better bird above 5000 meters, purely because of its larger wing and the two stage Merlin retaining output better.

The V-107K engined Yaks are a different bird altogether, like comparing a Griffon engined Spitfire to a Merlin engined Spitfire. The post-war Yak-3P could do about 445 mph at altitude and was very fast down low.

The Yak is a low level, short range interceptor. Its a classic point defence fighter; its very light. it climbs well, it turns well and its reasonably fast. It has a light armament and limited internal tankage. the closest approximations would be the Spitfire and Bearcat.

 

[hartmann]

Hello, It was fastly corrected the problem with the breaking of the wings at high speed dives in the Yak 3, or tihs was fixed later in 1945?

 

[Chocks away!]

The Yak-3 is too flimsy for my tastes. I'd say the Spitfire must be the closest rival though.

 

[delcyros]

While I like the design, I have to remind that the 460 mp/h
speed figure of the Yak-3 is (partly) wrong.
It is true that a special Yak-3 made a recorded 744 Km/h at 6.000 m
altitude, but this plane was optimized for this flight. All weaponry and armor was removed, the holes tightened and the fuel load was greatly reduced (1/3).
If you factor the surplus in weight and equippment, the top speed would go down at least by 15 mp/h.

 

[helmitsmit]

I should have said with the MK107 engine

 

[hartmann]

The exact value of 466 mph was made with a VK108 A 16 W engine (not put in serial production), Isn´t It?.
Maybe I am wrong, so If someone has idea of this.... I would be very intersting in know more of this very nice plane.

 

[lesofprimus]

The Yak 3 was the best russian fighter.

Some people, myself included, could place great argument against that statement...

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Chocks, you need to make that siggy smaller........

 

[alejandro_]

In my opinion the best soviet fighter was the La-7FNV. The standard Yak-3 had a VК-105PF2 engine, supplying 1290HP. The Yak-9U is also superior, since it had the VK-107 (1650HP).

Regards.