Hello everybody,

 

As promised earlier, this week we'll show you another Allied fighter that participated in the Battle of Kuban - Yak-7b series 36. This aircraft had an unusual story: being a one-seat fighter, it was actually converted from two-seat training plane Yak-7 by removing the rear cockpit. However, this wasn't a field modification of existing planes, Yak-7b was mass produced. The war started badly for the USSR, so it was decided to use the existing Yak-7 assembly lines to produce Yak-7b model with minimal production changes needed. Later, the upgraded Yak-7b became Yak-9, the most produced Soviet fighter of WWII era.

 

 

 

 

Speaking of its weaponry, it is an up-gunned version of Yak-1: 20mm ShVAK engine cannon and two synchronized 12.7mm UBS machine guns installed on the engine cowling could be complemented by two 50kg or 100kg bombs to engage ground targets. The increased firepower is the main advantage of Yak-7b compared to Yak-1.