The Yak-23 was developed as a simple lightweight jet fighter, as a development of the earlier Yak-15 and Yak-17 fighters, retaining their non-conventional layout with a jet engine in the fuselage nose and exhaust under the cockpit, but the construction was all new. Its wings were derived from the Yak-19.

The Yak-23 used a Soviet copy of the British Rolls-Royce Derwent V turbojet engine, produced as the Klimov RD-500. It first flew on July 8, 1947. After successful flights, it underwent state trials in 1948 and was accepted for series production. It was evaluated as highly maneuverable, with a good acceleration and take-off and climb capabilities thanks to high thrust-to-weight ratio.

This album of detailed photographs is invaluable for the modeller or enthusiast alike. All photo captions are in English with a Polish summary provided.

About the Series
This is a classic series of highly illustrated books on the best machines of war, with several hundred photographs of each aircraft or vehicle. With close-up views of the key features of each machine, including its variations, markings and modifications, customising and creating a model has never been easier. Includes extra features such as decals and masking foil.