Lavochkin La-5
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| Lavochkin La-5FN | ||
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| Description | ||
| Role | Fighter | |
| Crew | one, pilot | |
| First Flight | March 1942 (LaG-5) | |
| Entered Service | September 1942 | |
| Manufacturer | Lavochkin | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 8.60 m | 28 ft 2 in |
| Wingspan | 9.80 m | 32 ft 1 in |
| Height | 2.540 m | 8 ft 4 in |
| Wing area | 17.5 m² | 188 ft² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 2,605 kg | 5,731 lb |
| Loaded | 3,265 kg | 7,183 lb |
| Maximum takeoff | 3,400 kg | 7,480 lb |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engine | Shvetsov ASh-82FN | |
| Power | 1,380 kW | 1,850 hp |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 648 km/h | 405 mph |
| Range | 765 km | 478 miles |
| Service ceiling | 11,000 m | 36,080 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1,000 m/min | 3,280 ft/min |
| Wing loading | 186 kg/m² | 38lb/ft² |
| Power/Mass | 0.42 kW/kg | 0.26 hp/lb |
| Avionics | ||
| Avionics | ||
| Armament | ||
| Guns | 2x 20 mm ShVAK cannon | |
| Stores | 500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs or up to 8 RS-82 rockets | |
The Lavochkin La-5 (Лавочкин Ла-5) was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. It was a development and refinement of the LaGG-3 and was one of the Soviet Air Force's most capable types of the war.
The La-5's heritage began even before the outbreak of war, with the LaGG-1, a promising yet badly underpowered aircraft. The LaGG-3 was a modification of that design that attempted to correct this by both lightening the airframe and fitting a more powerful engine. Nevertheless, this was not enough, and the lack of power remained a significant problem.
In early 1942, two of the LaGG-1 and -3's designers, Semyon Lavochkin and Vladimir Gorbunov, attempted to correct this deficiency by experimentally fitting a LaGG-3 with the more powerful Shvetsov ASh-82 radial engine. Since the LaGG-3 was powered by an inline engine, they accomplished this by grafting on the nose section of a Sukhoi Su-2 (which used this engine). By now, the shortcomings of the LaGG-3 had caused Lavochkin to fall out of Stalin's favour, and factories previously assigned to LaGG-3 construction had been turned over to building the rival Yakovlev Yak-1 and Yak-7. The design work required to adapt the LaGG-3 to the new engine and still maintain the aircraft's balance was undertaken by Lavochkin in a small hut beside an airfield over the winter of 1941-1942, all completely unofficially.
When the prototype took flight in March, the result was extremely pleasing - the fighter finally had a powerplant that allowed it to perform as well in the air as it had been supposed to on paper. After flying, the LaG-5 (the change in name reflecting that one of the original LaGG designers was no longer with the programme), Air Force test pilots declared it superior to the Yak-7, and intensive flight tests began in April. After only a few weeks, the design was modified further, cutting down the rear fuselage to give the pilot better visibility.
By July, Stalin ordered maximum-rate production of the aircraft, now simply known as the La-5 and the conversion of any incomplete LaGG-3 airframes to the new configuration. While still inferior to the best German fighters at high altitudes, the La-5 proved to be every bit their match closer to the ground. With most of the air combat over the Eastern Front taking place at altitudes of under 5,000 m (16,400 ft), the La-5 was very much in its element.
Further refinement of the aircraft involved a fuel-injected engine, further lightening of the aircraft, and flixed slats to improve all-round performance. This was designated the La-5FN and would become the definitive version of the aircraft. Altogether, 9,920 La-5s of all variants were built, including a number of dedicated trainer versions, designated La-5UTI. Further refinements of the aircraft would lead to the La-7.
A number of La-5s continued in the service of Eastern Bloc nations after the end of the war, including Czechoslovakia.
| Related content | |
|---|---|
| Related Development | LaGG-1 - LaGG-3 - La-7 |
| Similar Aircraft | Focke-Wulf Fw 190 - Supermarine Spitfire - P-51 Mustang - Kawasaki Ki-100 |
| Designation Series | LaGG-1 - LaGG-3 - La-5 - La-7 - La-9 - La-11 |
| Related Lists | List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS - List of fighter aircraft |
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