The Soviet State Industries began producing the Yakovelev Yak-1 for the Red Army Air Force in 1941. Designed by Aleksandr Yakovlev it had a maximum speed of 360 mph (580 km) and had a range of 528 miles (850 km). It was 27 ft 9 in (8.48 m) long with a wingspan of 32 ft 10 in (10 m). The aircraft was armed with one 20 mm cannon and two machine-guns.

Yakovlev's Yak-9 first went into service in 1942. Tt had a maximum speed of 374 mph (600 km) and had a range of 808 miles (1,300 km). It was 28 ft 1 in (8.55 m) long with a wingspan of 32 ft 11 in (10.03 m). The aircraft was armed with one 20 mm cannon and one machine-gun.

Along with the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 and the Lavochkin LaGG-3 the Yakovelev Yak-9 helped the Soviet Union gain air supremacy on the Eastern Front. The Soviet State Industries produced 30,000 Yakovelev fighters during the Second World War.