War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Fw 190 A-4

2020-04-02T15:12:51Z

U26147191: /* Usage in the battles */ Grammar fixes and edits for flow.

{{Specs-Card|code=fw-190a-4}}
{{About
| about = German fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Fw 190 (Family)
}}

== Description ==


[[File:GarageImage_Fw190A4.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in Update 1.43.

''"Würger"'' is the German nickname of this beast of a plane, or in English, Shrike. It can also be translated as ''slayer'', ''choker'', or ''strangler''. In that regard fits the English designation well too: ''"Butcher-bird"''

Fw 190s are fighters, while this one can load additional payload, it will reduce the planes combat ability. Using it as a fighter-bomber is generally not advised, this would be the duty of the [[Fw 190 F-8|Fw 190 F-8]].

The best ammo to use for both cannons is the Air Target belts. They will destroy fighters and bombers faster than tracers. They are different for both cannons, however. For the MG 151's they have a high explosive incendiary shell, armour-piercing shell, and incendiary tracer shell costing 110 silver lions per "per reload". The Mg FF/M's have high explosive incendiary shell, Fragmentation incendiary tracer shell (self-destroying) and armour piercing high explosive shell which cost 40 Sliver Lions "per reload."

The best ammunition available for use with machine guns is Universal. Universal utilizes armor-piercing tracer rounds, armor-piercing rounds, adjustment incendiary rounds, and armor-piercing incendiary rounds. Reloading only costs 9 silver lions "per reload".
== General info ==
=== Flight Performance ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,800 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 619 || 602 || 12,000 || 23.4 || 23.9 || 8.6 || 10.6 || 420
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,800 m)
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| ? || ? || 12,000 || ??.? || ??.? || ?.? || ?.? || 420
|-
|}

====Details====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flap
! Take-off flap
! Landing flap
! Air brakes
! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| 860 || 450 ||N/A|| ~20 || ~20
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 420 || < 510 || < 510 || > 280
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 1,500 m || 1,520 hp || 1,727 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 5,300 m || 1,420 hp || 1,613 hp
|-

|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


* 3 mm Steel - Fore engine cowling
* 5 mm Steel - Secondary engine cowling
* 6 mm Steel - Lower engine plate
* 8 mm Steel - Lower cockpit/fuel tank plate
* 5 mm Steel - Rear fuel tank plate
* 6 mm Steel - Pilot seat back (first plate)
* 8 mm Steel - Pilot seat back (second plate)
* 12 mm Steel - Headrest
* 57 mm Bulletproof glass

== Armaments ==
=== Offensive armament ===

{{main|MG 151/20 (20 mm)|MG FF (20 mm)|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

The Fw 190 A-4 is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon, wing-mounted (250 rpg = 500 total)
* 2 x 20 mm MG FF/M cannon, wing-mounted (90 rpg = 180 total)
* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine gun, nose-mounted (900 rpg = 1,800 total)

====Ammo Belts====
Pilots who are really experienced with the aiming and hitting of the MG151/20 might want to use stealth belts on the MGs and cannons, to avoid being spotted by tracers. Using stealth belts on the machine guns only is also useful for aiming the cannon more easily without the distraction provided by the light machine gun tracers. 

:'''7.92mm MG 17'''

*Air Targets: Universal (AP-T/AP/AI/AP-I)
*Ground Targets: Tracer (AP-T)

:'''20mm MG151/20'''

*Air Targets: Air Targets (AP-I/HEI/HEI/HEI/HEI/IT) // Consisting of 2/3 Minengeschoße, this belt is very effective against any aircraft.
*Ground Targets: Armored Targets (APHE/APHE/APHE/IT)

:'''20 mm MGFF/M'''

*Air target


== Usage in the battles ==

The A-4 is a punishing Boom & Zoom fighter. The armament is fantastic, climb rate top par (rivaled by the [[Bf 109 F-4|Bf 109 F-4]]), and dive speed/top-speed is very good. Use this to your advantage. As should be familiar now with the previous Focke-Wulf (and future models), the turning capabilities of this plane are very poor. Dogfighting is not recommended with the '''Fw 190'''.

This should not discourage you from seizing opportunities, however. A Fw 190 A-4 in a balanced furball can be devastating when acting as a wingman, keeping other fighters from attacking your teammates. These opponents are less focused on evading you, as they are busy trying to attack your allies, giving you the time to line up the shot. As soon as the fight begins to tip in the enemies' favor, it's time for you to make a quick disappearance, as enemies actively trying to get on your tail will almost always succeed.

The 190-A4's weapon set is fantastic, too. Four 20 mm cannons are more than enough to rip any plane to shreds and the backup MGs, while not particularly damaging against other fighters at this tier, are great for strafing light ground targets like AA guns. You're firepower is only rivaled by the Aircobras and the twin-engine heavy fighters.

The '''Fw 190A-4''', as all the planes in this line, are some of the best Boom & Zoomers in the game and should be flown exclusively in this style. But like the [[Fw 190 A-1|Fw 190 A-1]], it is one of the more maneuverable Focke-Wulfs. The performance at high speeds is excellent, as is it's dive and climb characteristics. '''Do not ever engage this aircraft in a turn fight''' as this will usually end badly. Instead, fight primarily in the vertical. Always try to have an altitude or speed advantage over your opponents (climb off to the side at the start of the battle and then enter the highest battle you come across).

In the defensive, as in the previous plane, you can often just dive away from most planes at high speed. In a dive, the 190 can, due to its short wings, pull quite some stunts to lose your attacker or even cause him to lose his wings! Again, be sure to regain your energy and altitude after a fight.

The best tactic for this plane is Boom and Zoom tactics, although careful energy-fighting works well too at higher speeds. There are generally two types of Boom & Zoom strategies: '''Tailing Boom & Zoom''' or '''Burst Boom & Zoom''':

A '''Tailing Boom & Zoom''' is when the pilot sweeps in behind a target and follows (or "tails") him for a few seconds before breaking away. The benefit of doing this is that the attacker has a longer time to aim and take down the target. This comes at the cost of having less energy to climb back up afterwards, and you are a fairly easy target for other nearby enemies.

If you remain behind your target for too long, you will lose too much energy and won't be able to climb back up to safety. Any turning involved makes your situation worse... remember that smart foes in more agile planes will often try to counter this tactic by baiting you into a turn, keeping their plane just out of your sights to entice you to keep following them for just another second more... Once they've drained your speed you will be a slow, easy target.

'''Burst Boom & Zoom''' is when a pilot dives down directly onto an enemy, fires a 1-2 second burst at close range, and immediately zooms back up to a safe altitude. The benefits of this tactic, as opposed to the former, is you have far more speed to climb back up and you will be safer from return fire, as you will have spent less time in the enemy's "zone". The problem with this is that you have far less time to shoot, and may not even damage the enemy if your aim is off even by a little.

====Specific enemies worth noting====

Some planes, you might see which are very deadly opponents are the: [[Spitfire_F_Mk_IX|Spitfires]], [[Typhoon_Mk_Ib/L|Typhoons]], [[Beaufighter_Mk_21|Beaufighter's]] [[P-51D-5|Mustang's]], [[Yak-9U|Yakovlev's]], [[B-17E/L|B-17's]] and the [[Wellington_Mk_Ic/L|Wellington's]] These planes should not be underestimated, they can all fight this aircraft extremely well.
===Manual Engine Control===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" |Mixer
! rowspan="2" |Pitch
! colspan="3" |Radiator
! rowspan="2" |Supercharger
! rowspan="2" |Turbocharger
|-
! Oil
! Water
! Type
|-
| Controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not ontrollable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
|-
|}

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! Flight performance
! Survivability
! Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage Repair, Radiator
|
| Offensive 7 mm
|-
| II
| Compressor
| Airframe
| New 7 mm MGs
|-
| III
| Wing Repair, Engine
|
| Offensive 20 mm, Offensive 20 mm
|-
| IV
| Engine Injection
| Cover
| New 20 mm Cannons, New 20 mm Cannons
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent firepower
* Excellent roll rate
* Great energy retention
* Great dive performance
* Good climb rate
* Good top speed
* Good supply of cannon ammo
* Good bomber hunter
* Engine almost never overheats even on WEP
* Simulator battle: Good ''instantaneous'' turn

'''Cons:'''

* Looses power above 5,000 m (16,400 ft) steadily
* Stalls quickly in simulator battle
* Very bad turn rate, as a trade-off for the high dive speed

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''


== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''page on aircraft encyclopedia;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Focke-Wulf}}
{{Germany fighters}}

Yak-3

2020-03-31T14:08:28Z

U26147191: /* Pros and cons */ Grammar fixes. Added note on WEP usage.

{{Specs-Card|code=yak-3}}
{{About
| about = Russian fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Yak-3 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian fighter {{Battle-rating}}. This aircraft has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

By the time you get this plane, you should be well versed in the rules of Yakovlev warfare: Engine throttle at about 90%, stay below 2,000 m and watch your ammo. However, the Yak-3 is a true gift to Soviet pilots: while peak performance is still at or below 2,000 m, going above up to 4,000 m is now possible! Energy fighting, while not the Yak's speciality, can also be done effectively with the Yak-3, and moderate BnZ can be allowed due to metal wing construction (wings take more to rip now). While engine throttle should still be at 90% for max engine cooling, once upgraded, you should never have to throttle lower than this on this plane. In addition, WEP is moderately effective now and does not overheat the engine as fast as previous Yaks!

The guns on this plane are worth noting as well. Along with the effective and feared 20 mm cannon in the nose, the Yak-3 gains two additional 12.7 mm MGs. This means that the cannon is no longer your only real weapon. Dual .50s can wreak impressive havoc at close range, and compliment the cannon well. The cannon also gets an improved belt: Air Targets. While not having as much HE as the Ground Targets belt (some pilots will, justifiably, prefer the GT belt), it contains more incendiary rounds. The Stealth belt is still a solid choice for those who are used to the trajectory of the cannon. Find the belt that suits you.

The Yak-3 sports 2 x Berezin UB 12.7 mm MGs, which are arguably the best 12.7 mm weapons in the game besides the M3 Browning. These run dry at approximately the same time as the 20 mm ShVAK cannon. The ShVAK sports inferior ballistics to those of the [[MG 151/20 (20 mm)|MG 151]] and especially [[Hispano Mk.II (20 mm)|Hispano]] cannons, closing to short range before firing is recommended. Being hub mounted, the ShVAK can utilize its hefty firing rate advantage that it holds overall 20 mm cannons in the game (with the exception of the [[F-86F-2]]'s T-160s).

The Yak-3 carries 150 RPG for the Berezin UBs and 120 rounds for the ShVAK, which is a below average load. It is imperative that you fire short bursts and save your ammo until within 400 meters for maximum effectiveness and longevity. This weapon set is more than adequate for fighter vs. fighter engagements, but you will notice how lacking the weapons are vs. dual and quad engine aircraft.

The lightened airframe of the Yak-3, being propelled by the more powerful Klimov VK-105 engine, gives the aircraft very good acceleration properties and a good rate of climb. It is also very agile, especially at low altitudes. However, while the Yak-3 is one of the best low-altitude dogfighters, its high-altitude performance still leaves much to be desired. The aircraft should always be kept below 4 km altitude to maximize its strengths. The Yak can also be used as a Boom & Zoom aircraft, however, due to low wing endurance, it is advised to always control the speed of the dive and not use excessive force to pull out of it.

== General info ==
=== Flight Performance ===
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,100 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 633 || 616 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 18.3 || 18.9 || 17.9 || 17.9 || 348
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,100 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 671 || 654 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 17.2 || 17.4 || 24.2 || 21.3 || 348
|-
|}

====Details====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps
! Take-off flaps
! Landing flaps
! Air brakes
! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|constructions}} || {{Specs|destruction|chassis}} || N/A || ~12 || ~9
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 380 || < 420 || < 490 || > 340
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 300 m || 1,310 hp || N/A
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,600 m || 1,240 hp || N/A
|-
|}

====Engine performance====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine Name
! colspan="3" | Number present
|-
| colspan="3" | Klimov VK-105PF 12-cylinder || colspan="1" | 1
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine characteristics
|-
! colspan="2" | Weight (each)
! colspan="1" | Type
! colspan="1" | Cooling
|-
| colspan="2" | 600 kg || Inline || Water
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Stock)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 1,229 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 1,217 hp
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Upgraded)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | ____ hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 1,320 hp
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | WEP Duration
|-
! colspan="2" | Arcade
! colspan="2" | Realistic/Simulator
|-
| colspan="2" | 25 seconds || colspan="2" | N/A
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

== Armaments ==
=== Offensive armament ===

{{main|ShVAK (20 mm)|Berezin UB (12.7 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon, nose-mounted (120 rpg)
* 2 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine guns, nose-mounted (150 rpg = 300 total)

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:Cockpits Yak-3.jpg|thumbnail|right|The Yak-3's instrument panel.]]
The Yak-3 is the pinnacle of the piston engine Yakovlev design, with a much more powerful engine, the addition of a second MG (meaning the MGs are viable now!), and ''metal wings''! The coolant system, now actually somewhat effective, has been moved to the wing roots (no "smiley face" below the nose), making the plane more streamlined. The cannon - the same old 20 mm ShVAK - receives a pleasant upgrade: an effective Air Targets belt.

Overall, the Yak-3 can be considered as a "jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none" aircraft. It will readily fulfil any fighter role a pilot will put it in, however, it won't excel in any – the American and German aircraft will still be better at energy fighting and executing Boom & Zoom tactics, while the British and the Japanese planes will still have an edge in manoeuvrability. Yet, the Yak-3 is a very potent machine which, with a skilled pilot behind the controls, is an opponent that you don't want to underestimate.

Baiting higher enemies into lower altitudes and engaging them in a dogfight is a worthwhile tactic. The only exception to this is Japanese opponents and certain Spitfire variants, where strict ''energy fighting'' or ''Boom & Zoom'' is recommended.

The Yak series also works oddly well at medium altitude "Boom & Zoom", thanks to a clean low drag airframe (good horizontal energy retention) and good vertical manoeuvrability. You can also use this to escape from the very light and maneruvable A6M's (which you will most often be fighting).

===Manual Engine Control===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil
! Water
! Type
|-
| Controllable || rowspan="2" | Controllable Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Controllable Auto control available || rowspan="2" | Controllable Auto control available || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Controllable 2 gears || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
|-
|}

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="1" | Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! colspan="1" | Survivability
! colspan="1" | Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage repair
| Radiator
|
| Offensive 12 mm
|-
| II
|
| Compressor
| Airframe
| New 12 mm MGs
|-
| III
| Wings repair
| Engine
|
| Offensive 20 mm
|-
| IV
| 100 octane fuel usage
|
| Cover
| New 20 mm cannons
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very maneuverable.
* Excellent roll rate.
* High acceleration and good top speed, especially at low altitudes.
* Excellent energy retention... an effective energy fighter.
* Dual Berezin UB HMG's with upgraded belts are capable of doing good damage.
* While still overheating the engine quickly, using WEP is viable now, as the improved engine and aerodynamics allows the WEP to provide more power than previous Yaks.

'''Cons:'''

* Still confers to the standard Yak weapon setup which, while solid on previous Yak fighters, is now underwhelming at this rank.
* Poor high-altitude performance.
* Evgen upgraded, the Yak-3 can ''still'' have engine overheating problems (techniques for previous Yaks apply).
* Low wing rip speed (better than previous Yaks, but unreliable).
* Catches fire easily. Add to the fact that the Yak-3 is, like previous models, no good in a dive with the weak wings and poor dive controls.
* Suffers extreme compression above 600 kph (372 mph). Combined with the low wing rip speed as mentioned above, diving from high altitude is usually a death sentence.

== History ==


The idea to produce a new fighter for the Red Army Air Force went as far back as 1941. It was then that the Yakovlev Design Bureau presented the I-30 prototype, intended an alternative to the earlier Yak-1 design. However, the German invasion of the USSR, as well as aluminium shortages, meant that the project had to be put on hold. Yakovlev resumed the development in 1943 while working on an upgraded version of the Yak-1 fighter. This time, it was decided that a new aircraft should be produced to completely replace the Yak-1 and Yak-7 models. The new machine was dubbed as the Yak-3 and entered service with the Red Army Air Force in 1944.

The new fighter quickly became very popular with Soviet pilots. They highly praised its solid armament of two Berezin UBS 12.7 mm machine guns and one ShVAK 20 mm cannon as well as ease of piloting and superb low-altitude performance. Marcel Albert, the top scoring French ace of World War II, cited the Yak-3 as one of the best fighters of the war, along with the P-51 Mustang and the Supermarine Spitfire. After the war, the Yak-3 was also used by the Air Forces of Socialist Yugoslavia and Poland.<ref name="forum">[https://warthunder.com/en/news/2693--en <nowiki>[Aircraft Profile] Yak-3</nowiki>]</ref>

The Yak-3P was produced from April 1945 until mid-1946, armed with 3 × 20 mm Berezin B-20 cannon with 120 rounds for the middle cannon and 130 rpg for the side weapons. The three-cannon armament with full ammunition load was actually 11 kg (24 lb) lighter than that of a standard Yak-3, and the one-second burst mass of 3.52 kg (7.74 lb) was greater than that of most contemporary fighters. Starting in August 1945, all Yak-3 were produced in the Yak-3P configuration with a total of 596 built.

=== In-game description ===

"The Yak-3 was a Soviet single-engine fighter of the WWII era. It was the first combat aircraft designed by Alexander Yakovlev's construction bureau. The Yak-3 was a further modification of the Yak-1, produced in 1944 and 1945, with a total of 4,848 built, and considered one of the best fighters of the war. In February 1943, a new Yak-1M variant was completed. It was a further development of the Yak-1, differing from it mainly in lower weight and smaller wing span.

By September 1943, yet another improved variant was ready, designated Yak-1M Dubler, on which the canvas skin on the tail section was replaced with 2mm plywood, and oil and water radiators were improved. The Dubler also had a new mastless antenna, a ring sight instead of a reflector sight, improved armor and a new propeller. Test pilots were impressed by the new prototype. Their report stated in part: ""Yak-1M possessed excellent horizontal, and especially vertical, maneuverability. Top speed greatly improved compared to earlier serial-production Yaks. Despite improved performance, the aircraft remains easy to fly and does not require extensive pilot training."" Therefore, the new modification went into production, receiving a new designation, Yak-3.

One of the most memorable air battles for the Yak-3 took place on 16th July 1944, when the plane showed it could confidently engage superior enemy forces. On that day, 10 Yak-3s met 8 Bf-109s and 4 FW-190s, with the battle eventually growing to 18 Soviet and 24 German planes. In the end, 15 German planes were shot down, for the loss of a single Yak-3."

== Media ==

[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23yak3 '''Skins''' and camouflages for the Yak-3 from http://live.warthunder.com]

==References==
<references />

== See also ==


* [[Yak-3 (Family)]] - The rest of the Yak-3 family.

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/2693--en [Aircraft Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> Yak-3]
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/141/current [News<nowiki>]</nowiki> Wings of Victory: Yak-3]

{{AirManufacturer Yakovlev}}
{{USSR fighters}}

Yak-9

2020-03-31T13:57:34Z

U26147191: /* Arcade battles */ Grammar fixes. Removed recommendation to make liberal use of WEP... even in AB, no Yak should ever do this.

{{Specs-Card|code=yak-9}}
{{About
| about = Russian fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Yak-9 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.43]].

Since the Yak-1B, the Yak-9 is the next notable "Upgrade". While retaining the same great 20 mm cannon, as well as the 12.7 mm MG, the Yak-9 gained a number of minor upgrades such as:

* Rebalanced wing and cockpit placement by a slight amount.
* Slightly improved rearward visibility compared to previous models.
* New metal alloy used to construct the fuselage, meaning a lighter plane = better flight characteristics.
* Reworked fuel tanks, engine parts, and other internals.

All of this translates in-game to an even better version of the excellent Yak-1 series. The Yak-9 is the first of a number of modifications (the B, K, M, P, T, and U variants are also in-game). While tactics and methods deviate little from the previous Yaks, this plane is like being used to flying a Bf 109 E and then suddenly being given a Bf 109 F... not much, but experienced Yak pilots can feel the difference!

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,900 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
| 560 || 545 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 19.8 || 20.3 || 13.5 || 13.4 || 350
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,900 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
| 593 || 577 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 18.4 || 19.0 || 18.7 || 16 || 350
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|constructions}} || {{Specs|destruction|chassis}} || 410 || ~12 || ~9
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 380 || < 420 || < 490 || > 340
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 700 m || 1,260 hp || N/A
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,900 m || 1,175 hp || N/A
|-
|}

====Engine performance====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine Name
! colspan="3" | Number present
|-
| colspan="3" | Klimov VK-105PF 12-cylinder || colspan="1" | 1
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine characteristics
|-
! colspan="2" | Weight (each)
! colspan="1" | Type
! colspan="1" | Cooling
|-
| colspan="2" | 600 kg || Inline || Water + Oil
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Stock)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 1,153 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 1,142 hp
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Upgraded)
|-
! Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 1,271 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 1,210 hp
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | WEP Duration
|-
! colspan="2" | Arcade
! colspan="2" | Realistic/Simulator
|-
| colspan="2" | 25 seconds || colspan="2" | N/A
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


* 64 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front and rear.
* 8 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.

== Armaments ==
=== Offensive armament ===

{{main|ShVAK (20 mm)|Berezin UB (12.7 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon, nose-mounted (120 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, nose-mounted (200 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

Both ''Universal'' and ''Stealth'' ammo belts for the cannon are effective against all planes, and the ''Ground Attack'' belt gives the most HE rounds for most targets. The cannon's ''Ground Attack'' belt is also capable of penetrating light tanks if the player hits them in the rear. Low gun ammo along with no other ordnance of any kind (no rockets and bombs of any kind) make this plane weak against even soft unarmored ground targets.

===Arcade battles===
In '''Arcade Battles''', the basics of Yak fighting from the previous iterations continue. Unlike Realistic or Simulator battle modes, there is no need to worry about the wooden wings ripping off, engine overheating, or being in the air without ammunition for long, which gives the Yak more liberty in its mode of attack.

It is recommended to climb to 3,000 m as this will allow the Yak to have a altitude advantage over many opponents who will head towards the ground while playing into the Yak's preference for low-altitude fighting. Mind your engine temperature and use WEP sparingly while doing this.

Though a full liberty of targets can be chosen from anything below the Yak, try to pick opponents that are unaware of the Yak's presence. Dive down and gain speed while conducting a Boom-N-Zoom attack. The center-mounted 20 mm and 12.7 mm guns acting together when fired is good enough to sufficiently damage most aircraft with a single a pass. The Yak is free to climb again and regain the altitude advantage, or turn and re-engage the enemy with another pass as the Yak's turning ability is quite good in high energy, at the expense of the pilot's G-force resistance and stamina.

Use trigger discipline when firing the 20 mm and 12.7 mm guns as there is a relatively small ammunition load for the two. However, due to their center-alignment on the Yak's nose, there is no need to adjust for convergence, making fire adjustments much easier for the pilot. Once the crosshair is sighted right onto target, most shots on an fully upgraded gun will hit the mark. It is recommended to hit for the weaker structural parts of enemy aircraft such as the wings, as the ammunition can rip them apart in a good burst.

However, all these require the Yak to have an energy advantage over an opponent. Prolonged turning engagements or other maneuvers will gradually drain the Yak of its energy and slow it to a crawl. In this state, the Yak is in its most vulnerable to enemy fighters. Once this lower speed is noticed, quickly withdraw from the combat and try to gain speed and altitude, the former especially if an enemy fighter suddenly starts to attack. Where previous Yaks were good multipurpose turn-fighters, the Yak-9 also makes excellent use of energy-fighting tactics, so keep this in mind.

===Realistic/Simulator battles===
Stay low, watch your ammo, and watch your engine temperature. Avoid excessive diving, since the wings are ''still'' made of wood!

Very accurate center-mounted guns are easy to master for the player compared to planes with wing mounted armament. Sadly this benefit is overshadowed by the low ammo load that most of the time enforces strict trigger discipline (especially for the cannon). Long range attempts can be carry out by 12.7 HMG, but rather as a means of luring fleeing enemies into evasive maneuvers rather than taking it out.

===Specific enemies worth noting===
The Yak-9 has some vehicles it needs to consider when engaging.

* Japanese turn fighters - Japanese fighters like their Zeroes and Ki-43 can possess a threat as these planes can turn faster than the Yak could ever dream, so don't get suckered into turning against a Zero. Not to mention, Japanese planes are typically slower than most of its contemporaries, so a Yak trying to get a bead on one after passing through will often try to turn constantly around for another pass at these slow aircraft. Continued turns and passes will cause the Yak to lose energy and sacrifice aerial performance. This can lead other enemy aircraft or the very same Japanese aircraft the Yak was trying to strafe to coming around the slow Yak and shoot it out of the air. It is best to simply pass by a Japanese aircraft with a Boom-&-Zoom and then just climbing away to altitude away from the fighter so it couldn't try to attack. Once in a sufficient altitude, dive back down again to regain the energy during the next pass.
* Biplanes - Sure, if able to destroy them in the first pass, the biplane is not really the biggest threat out there. However, it is the indicator of an easy, slow target that are biplanes like the Swordfish that can cost the Yak pilot the plane. If missed, there may be an urge to quickly turn back for another quick pass against the biplane for another chance, while the biplane continues evasive manoeuvres. If this continues on as the Yak keeps turning for an "easy" kill, it would sacrifice much of its energy against a rather nonthreatening target. As emphasized previously, a slow Yak is an easier target to enemies and even if the biplane won't be able to dent the Yak, another enemy may swoop down an annihilate the Yak with ease. Don't waste energy trying to manoeuvre against a biplane, simply attack in a Boom-&-Zoom fashion.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! Survivability
! Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage repair
| Radiator
|
| Offensive 12 mm
|-
| II
|
| Compressor
| Airframe
| New 12 mm MGs
|-
| III
| Wings repair
| Engine
|
| Offensive 20 mm
|-
| IV
|
|
| Cover
| New 20 mm cannons
|-
|}

==== Recommendations ====
Focus on cooling and engine modifications first! Once the coolant systems and engine is upgraded, flying at 90% power will never overheat the engine! Then focusing on ammo belts can benefit greatly, since the default ammo belt is rather lacklustre. After that, the ''New'' modifications for the gun should also be considered for longer firing of the guns without jamming. Past that, it is pilot preference.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Centre-mounted armament that is very accurate even at longer distances.
* 20 mm supplemented with a 12.7 mm can do decent damage against enemy planes.
* Relatively small aircraft profile makes it a small target.
* Fast and agile at altitudes up to 3 km.
* Great turning ability when in high energy.
* Experience with the Yak-1 and Yak-1B carry over to this plane.
* Slightly better engine than predecessors.

'''Cons:'''

* Armaments have limited ammunition, stresses on firing accuracy and discipline to make the most out of a belt.
* Low maximum dive speed.
* Very bad high alt performance.
* Once speed and energy is lost, the Yak-9 performance drops significantly.
* Engine overheats sometimes in RB/SB.
* No WEP in RB/SB.

== History ==


=== In-game description ===
The Yak-9 was a Soviet single-engine fighter of the WWII era. It was the first combat aircraft designed by Alexander Yakovlev's construction bureau. The most mass-produced Soviet fighter of the war, it remained in production from October 1942 to December 1948, with a total of 16,769 built.

The Yak-9 was a further modification of the Yak-1 and Yak-7. In its core design, it was a redesign of the Yak-7. With few external differences, Yak-9 was at the same time much more advanced internally. This is not unexpected, as almost two years of design and combat experience of the Yak series went into the Yak-9. Also, at the time aluminium was in much greater supply than it had been two years previously at the start of the war. Amongst other things, the use of metal allowed the plane's weight to be significantly reduced, meaning that more fuel could be stored and that the aircraft could be equipped with more powerful armament and more specialized equipment.

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Yakovlev}}
{{USSR fighters}}