1945 Yakovlev YAK-3 Is a Red Army Fighter That Made It to California 16 Jan 2021, 8:45 UTC · by There was terrible turmoil in the skies of the planet during the Second World War. For the first time in history, humans had the capability to fight against each other in the sky, in never-before-seen numbers, thanks to the massive advancements made in the aviation industry in the preceding years. 6 photos For what it’s worth, today we mostly remember the incredible machines and pilots the Axis and Western Allies forces threw at each other. Ask anyone, and they’ll know a thing or two about Spitfires, Mustangs, Zeroes or Messerschmitts. But how many of us remember Yakovlev?