Aleksandr Yakimov was born in 1914.

Yakimov took part in Khalkhin Gol where he flew Polikarpov biplanes (I-15bis and I-153) in 22 IAP.

The 22 IAP was in combat on 25 August and leitenant Mikhail Abzianidze (I-16) claimed a shared Ki-27 together with three other pilots north-east of the source to Orshun Gol River. Starshiy leitenant Yakimov (I-153) claimed two shared Ki-27s with four other pilots south of Lake Kuhun-Hu. Leitenant Ivan Krasnoyurchenko (I-16) claimed one shared Ki-27 north of Lake Usur-Nur together with seven other pilots. South of Lake Kuhun-Nu, he claimed another shared Ki-27 and a shared bomber (reported as a ”LB”) together with twelve other pilots (including major Vasily Naydenko). Major Naydenko claimed a second Ki-27 together with four other pilots south of Lake Kuhun-Hu. Kapitan Konstantin Kuzmenko (I-16) claimed one destroyed over Dzhinzhin, one shared with another pilot north-east of Lake Uzur-Nur and a third shared with four other pilots south of Lake Kuhun-Hu (shared with Naydenko?). Major Grigoriy Kravchenko (I-16) claimed a Ki-27 north of Lake Yanhu. Mladshiy leitenant Aleksandr Smirnov claimed one shared Ki-27 north of Lake Usur-Nur together with another pilot, a second shared Ki-27 south of Lake Kuhun-Hu together with ten other pilots. Finally he claimed a shared bomber (reported as a ”LB”) south of Lake Kuhun-Hu together with ten other pilots. Leitenant Pavel Solntsev (I-16) claimed a shared Ki-27 with seven other pilots north of Lake Usur-Nur. Starshiy leitenant Aleksandr Kostygov claimed two shared Ki-27s during the day. Starshiy leitenant Vasiliy Trubachenko (I-16) claimed one Ki-27 and one enemy bomber south of Kuhun-Hu River together with twelve other pilots. These claims are included among the claims above. Leitenant Aleksandr Piskunov (I-153) claimed one Ki-27 and two shared ”in group” during the day. Batalyonnyy komissar Ivan Golyshev claimed a shared bomber (reported as a ”LB”) and a shared Ki-27, both together with another pilot while starshiy leitenant Nikolay Tochkov did the same but claimed as shared ”in group”. Leitenant Aleksandr Suchkov (I-16) claimed a shared Ki-27 ”in group”. Georgiy Marchenko claimed a shared Ki-27 (reported as a I-97”) together with another pilot. Leitenant Aleksandr P’yankov claimed one Ki-27 destroyed as did Aleksandr Tsygankov (who also claimed two more Ki-27s as shared ”in group” at unknown dates between August-September). Kapitan Ivan Solyannikov claimed one Ki-27 together with two other pilots south of Lake Kuhun-Hu. Leitenant Vladimir Garanin (Polikarpov biplane) claimed two shared Ki-27s ”in group”. Starshiy politruk Leonid Kolesnikov (I-16) claimed one shared Ki-27 and one shared enemy bomber during the day; both ”in group”. Leitenant Ivan Rybkin (I-16) claimed three bombers (reported as ”LBs”) and one Ki-27 during the day; all these claims were made ”in group”. Leitenant Pavel Solov’yev (I-16) claimed three shared bombers (reported as ”LBs”) while starshiy leitenant Grigoriy Shabashov claimed one shared bomber together with another pilot.
A pair of I-16s from 22 IAP forced three bombers (reported as a ”LBs”) to land and two of them was destroyed; one during landing, which was shot down by starshiy leitenant Vasiliy Vuss and a second which was destroyed by strafing on the ground after landing.

When the Great Patriotic War started June 1941, he served in 520 IAP, which was equipped with LaGG-3s.

On 17 October 1941, he claimed a Ju 88.

With two other pilots, he claimed a shared Hs 126 on 9 March 1942.

On 28 March, he claimed a Bf 109 east of Sheveleva.

In April 1942, Yakimov was posted to 434 IAP, which initially flew Yak-1s but quickly re-equipped with Yak-7Bs in time for the fighting over Stalingrad.

On 13 June, 14 Yak-1s from 434 IAP claimed a shared Bf 109 during a mission between Shipovatoye and Sredniy Burluk. Known pilots taking part in this claim are kapitan Vasiliy Babkov, Ivan Izbinskiy, Nikolay Karnachonok, Aleksey Khol'zunov, major Ivan Kleshchov (CO 434 IAP), kapitan Aleksandr Kotov, Vladimir Orekhov, Nikolay Parfenov, Vasiliy Savel'yev, Yakimov and Nikolay Zakhvatayev.
All pilots claimed the Bf 109 over Shipovatoye with the exception of captain Babkov and Vladimir Orekhov, which claimed it between Shipovatoye and Sredniy Burluk.
Major Kleshchov claimed one additional Bf 109 over Shipovatoye.

He claimed a single Bf 109 over Kupyansk on 23 June.

On 2 July, Yakimov and leitenant Fedor Kayuk claimed one Bf 109 each over Volokonovka.

Over Kalach, he claimed a Ju 88 on 28 July.

On 16 September, he claimed a Ju 88 over Stalingrad.

434 IAP took part in hard combats in the Stalingrad area and on 21 September, twelve Yak-7Bs under command of kapitan Yakimov met 15 Junkers bombers covered by six Bf 109s. After the attack, they claimed seven victories. Known claiming pilots are kapitan Yakimov (one Bf 109 over Kotluban Station), Andrey Baklan (one Bf 109 over Konnaya) while Aleksandr Aniskin and starshiy leitenant Fedor Kayuk claimed one shared Bf 109 south of Kotluban Station.

The 434 IAP became the 32 GIAP on 21 November 1942.

In June 1943, he was temporarily posted to 265 IAP but moved on to 291 IAP already in July where he served until the end of the war.

Yakimov ended the war with two shared biplane victory and a total of 7.
He had flown 175 sorties.
During his career he was decorated with the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner (two times), the Order of Aleksandr Nevskiy and the Order of Patriotic War.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1939
	25/08/39		1/5	Ki-27	Shared destroyed	I-153		S Lake Kuhun-Hu	22 IAP
	25/08/39		1/5	Ki-27	Shared destroyed	I-153		S Lake Kuhun-Hu	22 IAP
	1941
1	17/10/41		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	LaGG-3		S Tal'tsy Station	520 IAP
	1942
	09/03/42		1/3	Hs 126 (a)	Shared destroyed	LaGG-3		Golubochki	520 IAP
2	28/03/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	LaGG-3		E Shevelevo	520 IAP
	13/06/42		1/14	Bf 109	Shared destroyed	Yak-1		Shipovatoye	434 IAP
3	23/06/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Kupyansk	434 IAP
4	02/07/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Volokonovka	434 IAP
5	28/07/42		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	Yak-1		Kalach	434 IAP
6	16/09/42		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	Yak-7B		Stalingrad	434 IAP
7	21/09/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-7B		Kotluban Station	434 IAP

Biplane victories: 2 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 7 and 4 shared destroyed.
(a) Not verified with Luftwaffe records.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936–1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov
Stalin's Falcons - Tomas Polak and Christhoper Shores, 1999 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-902304-01-2