| The Yak-3 represented the culmination of Alexandr Sergeevich Yakovlev's development of lightweight fighter types during the Second World War. As such, it was designed as a short range, agile interceptor to gain control of local airspace during the great Soviet offensive operations of the last two years of the war. The Yak-3 entered service in 1944 and had such an impressive rate of roll, turn and climb that German pilots were instructed not to engage these fighters below 5000 m. Overall, 4848 Yak-3s were produced. The paint scheme of "White-100" is based on a Yak-3 that was part of 402 IAP (regiment). The 402 IAP was formed in 1941 and was staffed largely with very experienced test pilots drawn from the Scientific Testing Institute of the Air Force (VVS). During the summer of 1944 the 402 IAP received brand new Yak-3 aircraft and went into action in the Vistula-Oder and East Pommerania regions in the autumn. The 402 was at the VVS spearhead of operations in the battle over Berlin, and fought very hard and with distinction in this campaign. The 402 IAP finished the War as one of the most successful regiments in the VVS. In all, they completed 13511 sorties in four years. The officially recognized score for the regiment was 810 enemy aircraft in aerial battles, and countless aircraft, vehicles and equipment on the ground. The total loss to the 402 was 81 pilots and six ground crew. Seventeen Heroes of the Soviet Union were decorated within the 402, including some of the ... |
