Yak-7b

[CrazyDuck]

So, what to expect?

 

Performance wise we can expect something close to a Yak-1 (which already has the PF version of the Klimov 105). 

 

In firepower department we're finally getting a twin UBS armed Yak. Additional UBS in the centerline and we're up for a hefty punch! UBS hits like a hammer and is extremely accurate in my experience. Will make a nice 1943 bomber destroyer or ground attacker.

 

1943 190 and 109 should however outmatch it tete-a-tete.

 

Anyone else excited to see the first representative of Yak-7/9 line in the sim?

[Eicio]

I'm not so sure about the ground attack...

 

But yes I think it'll be nice to fly but we won't see much ones on MP since the yak1b is better on all aspects.

[Finkeren]

Supposedly the -7’s new wings significantly improved handling, when it was first tested. Not sure how much can be improved on the Yak-1 handling-wise.

 

Maybe we can pull slightly sharper turns without stalling out, but with worse sustained turn rate?

But yes I think it'll be nice to fly but we won't see much ones on MP since the yak1b is better on all aspects.

Not so sure about that. I still see plenty of people flying the s.69 online when Yak-1b is available.

 

A lot of people have bought the Yak-1b but clearly not everyone.

[rolikiraly]

I think it will be on a par with the 1b, there might be a minimal performance difference but the +1 UBS easily compensates for that. It's supposed to be even more forgiving in maneuvers than the 1.

From the Luftwaffe standpoint i'm more worried about this plane than the P-39.

[Trooper117]

I'll fly it because it's new, not because it's better or worse than anything else... simply because it's another addition to the game

[Diggun]

I love it's hunchbacked look. Like a Russian Hurricane...

[CrazyDuck]

Yes it was a VVS workhorse from about Stalingrad through 1943, that's why it should be a common Luftwaffe opponent in this time period.

 

I also hope for the Yak-7-37, essentially aircraft with with 37 mm Sh-37 between the cylinder banks - since this weapon is already modeled in the similar manner on a Lagg-3. With additional 6 underwing RS-82s it should strike fear into any opposing tank or bomber crew.

[JaffaCake]

I don't think UBS will matter as much, considering how incredibly fragile majority of the LW aircraft are. Will make for a nice bomber killer though.

 

I believe yak1b is still a better choice due to better visibility though.

[Eicio]

Yes it was a VVS workhorse from about Stalingrad through 1943, that's why it should be a common Luftwaffe opponent in this time period.

 

I also hope for the Yak-7-37, essentially aircraft with with 37 mm Sh-37 between the cylinder banks - since this weapon is already modeled in the similar manner on a Lagg-3. With additional 6 underwing RS-82s it should strike fear into any opposing tank or bomber crew.

 

Not sure that the rs 82 could do anything to a tank, they are more an anti soft targets.

[CrazyDuck]

Not sure that the rs 82 could do anything to a tank, they are more an anti soft targets.

 

RBS-82 are antiarmor, RS-82 are fragmentation. Not sure Yak-7 could carry the RBS.

[Pail]

I'm pretty sure this will be me.

 

[rolikiraly]

I don't think UBS will matter as much, considering how incredibly fragile majority of the LW aircraft are. Will make for a nice bomber killer though.

 

I believe yak1b is still a better choice due to better visibility though.

 

Good point about the visibility (however, i don't think the 7b will be that bad, probably better than the 1).

 

Another question about the 7b: 

Knowing that it's an early 1943 production version, should it be there in Stalingrad (single player career, mp 1942 plane sets)? If it will be allowed to stand in for the earlier -7 versions (not 100% historically accurate), then it could be actually more widely available then the -1b.

[LLv34_Wmaker]

Supposedly the -7’s new wings significantly improved handling, when it was first tested. Not sure how much can be improved on the Yak-1 handling-wise.

 

Gordon's & Khazanov's development history of the Yak-7 doesn't mention anything about "significantly improved handling due to new wings" over Yak-1. Considering Yak-1 and Yak-7 had wings that had the same area, same airfoil profiles and thicknesses and very closely the same plan form it is hard to think what this "significant improvement" would be?

 

What was the source you got this information from?

[Trooper117]

I'm pretty sure the dev's will not put an aircraft version that was not available at the time into a Stalingrad career...

Edited February 9, 2018 by Trooper117

[Luger1969]

I am also looking forward to the 7b. It is going to be a great addition, just like the 1b was.

[-TBC-AeroAce]

I really have no excitement for this aircraft. It is such a bodge only soviets were capable of lol. I'm suprised it does not have reverse engineered Hurricane wings or something.

Edited February 9, 2018 by AeroAce

[rolikiraly]

I'm pretty sure the dev's will not put an aircraft version that was not available at the time into a Stalingrad career...

 

Maybe you are right. But in that case we probably won't see any LaGGs or Yaks at all in the Moscow career, either.

 

And the question still stands for multiplayer. Right now we have Yak-1s and Macchis in Moscow if i'm not mistaken.

[56RAF_Roblex]

I have to admit to being a little confused as to what it will bring.   The Yak-1b differs very little from the Yak-1 apart from the extra speed and rear view. In climb, roll & turn it is almost identical.  Now we have the Yak-7 which by all accounts seems to be a Yak-1b with an extra gun but the same performance (slightly heavier so slightly worse climb) again it performs like a Yak-1 but faster, no nice canopy and with an extra UB.    

 

It is almost like we just have a Yak-1 with a couple of mods eg you can fit a better engine, a 50 cal & bubble canopy or you can fit a better engine and two 50 cals.    It does seem a little pointless except as a stepping stone to a Yak-9.

[Livai]

The Yak-7b has the same engine the same horse power as the Yak-1. Good replacement for the Yak-1. Yak-7b over Stalingrad in 1942 why not. From the plane performance there is no difference just better firepower.

I already reserved the Yak-7b a place in my 1942 Campaign for Kuban I want planes that have the nice bubble cancopy how the Yak-1b or Yak-9.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Livai

[BlitzPig_EL]

The 7B is the precursor of Yak 9 line, the first of the "heavy Yaks".  This alone makes it an important plane to have on a historical basis, whether or not it offers a performance difference from the 1b.

 

As it is directly derived from a trainer, it should have a more stout build, and may be a more resilient plane from a damage point of view.

 

All that clamor for the Yak 9 should be pleased this aircraft will be in the sim.  I know I am.

Edited February 9, 2018 by BlitzPig_EL

[ShamrockOneFive]

I've been looking into the Yak-7B a fair bit and I think some of you are going to be surprised. The most telling is what Han updated us on this aircraft many months ago:

 

 

 

Yak-7Bs early series were one of the main Russian fighters in the battle of Stalingrad but we made the late series of Yak-7B for BOK, which were produced in February-March 1943.

The air regiments of the 3rd Air corps received a modification without the dropped rear fuselage and bubble canopy in March 1943. It was these aircraft that fought in the Kuban in the spring of 1943.

 

This is a late series Yak-7B S.36 with a M-105PF like Yak-1 S.69 and Yak-1B S.127. I'm expecting it's performance to be very similar to that of the Yak-1B but with slightly different handling ... I'm guessing a bit slower in some maneuvers because of extra weight but allegedly the Yak-7B had very good handling attributes and some pilots rated it as flying better than the Yak-1. We're going to find out I guess.

 

Twin heavy machine guns and one cannon are also pretty potent.

 

I think many are going to look at the Yak-7B, see a bit of a hunchback ugly duckling of a fighter and write it off, but this is going to be a solid opponent to not be underestimated.

 

I'm a big fan of the Yak series and have been since the early days of IL-2: Forgotten Battles. Definitely going to spend some time with this fighter.

 

More discussion on performance and references here: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/33866-yak-7b-performance/

Edited February 9, 2018 by ShamrockOneFive

[Brano]

I'm pretty sure this will be me.

 

Thats podpolkovnik A.E.Golubev,commander of 18.GIAP,Western front. Its 4th eskadrila was formed from french pilots under the name "Normandia" and became a base of famous french 1.OIAP (independant fighter regiment) "Normandia" established in july 1943.Later known as ""Normandia-Neman". Edited February 9, 2018 by Brano

[Pail]

 

 

Thats podpolkovnik A.E.Golubev,commander of 18.GIAP,Western front. Its 4th eskadrila was formed from french pilots under the name "Normandia" and became a base of famous french 1.OIAP (independant fighter regiment) "Normandia" established in july 1943.Later known as ""Normandia-Neman".

 

Thanks Brano !!

 

I knew someone would be able to add to the very short description on the site where it was from....and i thought the spinner roundel looked familiar....

 

It was from here http://www.world-war-2-planes.com/soviet-aircraft.html

 

He looks like he is very happy with it. :D

[Brano]

Your welcome. One can say that Yak-7 family was a "total war" fighter. Not ment to be fighter per se from the beginning,soviet engineers managed to rebuild advanced trainer into perfect machine to master for new pilots with mass production from non-deficit materials and relativly simple technology. Real workhorse of VVS.

Btw it never carried BRS rockets of any kind. In fact RSs were cancelled as optional loadout for most of the fighters in mid 1942 by consecutive official orders of NKO (National Comitee for Defense)

[GridiroN]

There is already a thread about the Yak 7b...

 

Anyways, it'll be better than the Yak 1 s69 but not as good as the Yak-1b. The plus side being it was available early so map makers should in theory allow it's use in earlier maps than 1943, which will give the Russians some more interesting options than the Yak s69 which is exactly non competitive enough vs the BF109 to be annoying. 

Edited February 10, 2018 by GridiroN

[Dakpilot]

It would be very nice if a "mod' was included for the Yak-7b to represent the earlier production version(s) to allow inclusion in Stalingrad Campaign, as they were certainly there

 

although sharing the Yak-1 DNA there are a lot of (if subtle) differences 

 

Cheers, Dakpilot

[Brano]

I see no problem in introducing Yak-7b also in Stalingrad campaign. Even there were ofcourse earlier series flying there,the differences were marginal. Engine was the same M-105PF introduced also in Yak-1 at the same time of summer 1942 (production in fact from may 1942) Only differences were in minor aerodynamical improvements from series to series and as productiin of Zavod No.153 in Novosibirsk still struggled with quality (as did Klimov) as shown by tests performed on series 22, max speed varied cca +/-10km/h,same as climb rate and even individual engines had different rated altitudes with variety of up to +/-350m.

[Ehret]

I don't think UBS will matter as much, considering how incredibly fragile majority of the LW aircraft are. Will make for a nice bomber killer though.

 

The extra MG not only will increase firepower, but also a rate of fire by a nice amount. Thus landing a hit on an agile target like a LW fighter, will be easier.

[216th_Jordan]

The extra MG not only will increase firepower, but also a rate of fire by a nice amount. Thus landing a hit on an agile target like a LW fighter, will be easier.

Plus LW fighters aren't as easy to down as they seem sometimes. Especially the G-series 109 and the 190s often need more than a second (more than 2 for 190) of constant fire in a yak-1b to be considered shot down. So the extra UB gun will be very welcome.

[Willy__]

The extra UB wont make a diference against 109s, just shoot their tail and it will fall off entirely, stabs, elevators, rudder and vertical stab all fall in one go, very realistic. 

The 190 can withstanding a bit of damage though, it wont fall off from the sky if you fart inside the cockpit like the 109.

Edited February 10, 2018 by 3./JG15_Staiger

[Max_Damage]

The firepower will be very fun to unfold on the german planes. Armor piercing rounds with three guns. instant PK and engine damage.

 

The weapons of yak1 ser 69 are obviously obsolete in 1942.

Edited February 10, 2018 by Max_Damage

[Te_Pille]

Yak-1b is a nightmare to get a badly damage good hit. Can't wait for the 7b 

[Notclear]

He sound to be a good mount to return safely home.