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Yak-7B "White 09"
pilot u/k
8 IAP ChF-VMF
ca. 1943
Camouflage Colors: AMT-4/-6/-7
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Yak-7B "White 09" is one of a number of very
interesting Yaks photographed in service with the 8 IAP ChF (Black Sea Fleet)
during 1943. Various versions of this photograph have been published, and good
copies appear in Red Stars, and In Action no.78, to name a few.
A much larger series showing this line-up is held in the collection of the Frunze
Military Archive, Monino, including an aerial shot taken from a Po-2 passing
over-head. There apparently exists some 16mm film showing these same aircraft,
but I have yet to locate it.
"09" is finished in an AMT lacquer scheme from
early 1943, one that was also common on early Yak-9 fighters from Novosibirsk.
This machine is a pretty typical example of this application, which could vary
quite dramatically over several examples, especially along the starboard fuselage.
There are also related schemes with nearly symmetrical applications, and others
with broad 'line' type patterns ("Yellow 09", the aircraft just behind and second
in view, is one of these). This scheme can be identified on the Yak-7 quite
usually by the absence of an upper/lower color demarcation 'ramp' feature; the
Yak-9 with this pattern often has one.
The small white characters on the rudder of
this aircraft are invariably interpreted as a numeral "76", but in fact it simply
says "7b" in cyrillic; the aircraft's type (this marking was probably left there
from the Factory). The small tactical numerals are quite unusual, and very square
in shape, while the fuselage star is positioned uncommonly far to the rear.
"White 09" wears plain red star insignia in
four positions, as shown. The wing undersurface stars cannot be determined,
and have been drawn as plain red types. The tip of the spinner is painted white.