The Yak-1 entered Soviet service in 1941, one of three modern types of aircraft accepted for production just prior to the German invasion of the USSR Even with teething troubles, it proved an immediate thoroughbred, and was so popular that some aces even preferred it to later family members: it remained in production until 1944 - long after the Yak-7 and Yak-9 had become standard. This book examines the aircraft and the men who made ace in it; full colour artwork and first hand accounts bring the text to life.