The pursuit of better performance continued until all the possibilities
for improvement were literally squeezed out of the Yak-1's mixed design
characterized by an all-wooden wing. In the process, alterations to the
basic design gave birth to new, more advanced types - the Yak-9 in 1942
and Yak-3 in 1944. Still, given the high degree of manufacturing
optimization achieved at Saratov factory, it was decided to keep the
fighter that was rapidly becoming obsolete in production. Its latest
version - the Yak-1b - contributed significantly to the wartime effort
of the Soviet Union. These developments as well as some interesting
facts from the Yak-1/1b history are covered in the current volume.