April 2013
Eddie Andreini was a popular figure on the West Coast airshow circuit, among the aircraft he performed with was this pristine Yak-9, seen here at the Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show. Incorporating the combat experience of the successful Yak-7 fighter drove the development of this new fighter. The Yak-9 was the most mass-produced Soviet fighter of all time, being in production from 1942 to 1948, with 16,769 built. Following World War II, it was used by the North Korean Air Force during the Korean War. In the early 1990s, Yakovlev started limited production for the warbird market of Yak-9 replica aircraft using original wartime tooling and Allison V-1710 engines, this example was built in 1996. With its American V-12 Allison engine power, it can actually outperform the famous P-51 Mustang at lower levels. Nikon D300 w/18-200mm.