One of the first successful new airplanes began Alexander Jakovlev's I-26 fighter. It has left on tests in January, 1940. The airplane represented a cantilever monoplane of the mixed design well adapted to conditions of mass production. A motor of liquid cooling M-105P. Armament: One 20-mm gun ShVAK, and two synchronous 7,62-mm machine guns ShKAS. Distinctive feature of this airplane as, however, and Alexander Jakovlev's other warplanes of the period of war, small weight, good stability and simplicity of a piloting was.
   After tests and necessary adaptations I-26 have mass-produced and have soon given to it mark Yak-1. In first half of WW2 this airplane began one of the basic new Soviet fighters, and all for 1940-1944 8720 airplanes of this type have been issued.
   In first one and a half years of war Yak-1 was the best Soviet fighter. In it high flight characteristics and arms were harmoniously combined. In comparison with the main fighter of hitlerite Germany Messerschmitt Bf-109E, Yak-1 had the superiority in speed and all kinds of manoeuvre. However, with occurrence more perfect Bf-109F flight performances Yak-1 became already insufficient. Then on to initiative Alexander Yakovlev modification of a motor has been lead, power of a motor has essentially increased. Fighter Yak-1 with the new boosted motor having designation M-105PF, was under construction serially since a summer of 1942. On speed at small and mean altitudes this airplane did not concede to the main to German fighters Bf-109F and G, on a manoeuvrability surpassed them, but conceded in a rate of climb a little.
    During series production Yak-1 it was repeatedly modified. Simultaneously with change of a motor have changed also arms: instead of two ShKAS have put much more effective large-caliber (12.7 mm) machine gun UB. Then have improved aerodynamics, have established radio and have improved the review upper to a floor of sphere from a cockpit. All spent actions allowed to support continuously high fighting qualities Yak-1, and this fighter has consisten on arms of the Soviet air forces up to the end of war.

^* Forcing of the engine during 10 minutes.
^** On speed making 90 % from maximal.

References

• "The history of designs of planes in USSR 1938-1950" /Vadim Shavrov/
• "Planes of Stalin falcons" /Konstantin Kosminkov and Dmitriy Grinyuk/
• "First "Yak" /C. Kuznetcov/
• "Stories of the aircraft designer" /Alexander Yakovlev/
• "The Soviet planes" /Alexander Yakovlev/