Artist's commentary:

ソ連の主力戦闘機。D型は前期型改と呼べる仕様ですが、大戦中の本機はまだ木材と布で作られた機体でした。
原型機であるYak-1の発展型で、外見上はラジエーターのインテーク回りが違う程度でしかありませんが性能は大幅に異なっており、ソ連の機体としては最高のものであるといわれています。
零戦よりもさらに小型の機体に大出力のエンジンと強力な武装を搭載し、中高高度での戦闘を得意としていました。
低中高度仕様のYak-5と並行して配備されドイツ軍に奪われていた制空権の回復に大きく貢献し、朝鮮戦争などでも東側陣営の主力機として全金属の後期型が大量に投入されました。

Artist's commentary:

The Yakovlev Yak-9D was the main fighter aircraft for the Soviet Union. The D-type incorporated improvements on early models, but the structure of the actual craft used in the war was made out of plywood and fabric.
As a successor to the prototype Yak-1, the plane's only externally visible difference was the radiator intakes, but its performance showed vast improvement, earning it a reputation as the Soviets' greatest fighter craft.
With an even smaller frame than the A6M Zero and a powerful engine and formidable weapons, the Yak-9D dominated at middle to high altitudes.
The Yak-9D was deployed along with the Yak-5 (NOTE: actually the Yak-3 ), a low to mid-altitude version. They contributed to winning back the air superiority that had been lost to the Germans, and large numbers of an all-metal later model went into service as the main aircraft for the Eastern Bloc in the Korean War and elsewhere.

I would've picked the La-7, but only because they're as OP as Suika. <_<

OOZ662 said:
I would've picked the La-7, but only because they're as OP as Suika. <_<

Gotta disagree with you there, and I'm not the only one. From a official Luftwaffe message to Eastern Font pilots regarding the Yak-3: "Avoid combat with any Yak fighter lacking an oil cooler under the nose."

Doesn't get much clearer than that.

6point72 said:
[snip]

Play Aces High. You'll understand. :) In a gaming environment where people are too lazy to gain altitude, the La-7 is the greatest nemesis in the hands of a skilled pilot, especially since the variant with three cannons is so prevalent.

As to that snippet, I've never seen it myself. Does it mention the La-7? I'm curious if it predates it. I'll look it up when my head isn't pounding if I don't hear back.

OOZ662 said:
stuff

The Yak-3 entered service several months after the La-7 (summer vs. spring 1944), so there would've been plenty of time for German pilots to encounter the Lavochkin. More telling, in August '44 the Free French Normandie-Niemen Regiment was offered the choice of any Allied fighter to re-equip with, and the Yak-3 was their unanimous decision.

And I'll just gloss over the whole 'games != real life' thing.

Ah, no, I wasn't trying to say that was realistic, I was making the comment from the point of view of the gamer. Aces High only sports the Yak-9U and T at the moment, which I would rate as inferior to the La-7. I don't know much about Yaks outside the game, thus why I asked. :)

Both the Yak-9 and -3 were derived from similar earlier models, but where the -9 was more of a multipurpose fighter-bomber, the -3 was designed as a pure low/medium altitude dogfighter. As such, it had reduced weight, smaller wings, and a more streamlined fuselage. Once in service, it quickly earned the reputation of best dogfighter in the theatre.

After the war, the Yak-3 served as the basis for the first Soviet jet fighter, the Yak-15, with minimal changes.

*facepalm*
Vodka is a feminin in Russian. Don't вкусный, but вкусная...
It's proper to say Какая вкусная водка, without очень...
Google isn't a good friend for translator!