Lavochkin La-190

The La-190 was conceived to meet the October 1948 demand of Yosif Stalin for the "fastest fighter in the world''. Other contenders were the I-350, progenitor of the MiG-19, and the Yak-1000, which, in the event, was to be abandoned before flight testing. The requirement called for use of the new Lyulka AL-5 turbojet which had an initial rating of 4600kg.

The La-190 featured wings swept at 55 degrees and a delta tailplane located about three-fifths of the way up the broad-chord vertical tail. Equipped with a bicycle-type main undercarriage members with wingtip outrigger stabilising wheels, and an armament of two 37mm N-37 cannon. Integral fuel tankage occupying virtually the entire interspar box of the 6.1% thickness wing which featured machined upper and lower skins. All control surfaces were powered by irreversible actuators.

Although planned originally as a day fighter, the prototype was completed in limited all-weather form with a radar radome in the upper portion of the nose inlet.

The sole prototype La-190 was completed in February 1951. The AL-5 engine offered less thrust than predicted and its unreliability led to cancellation of the development programme after only eight flights.

A speed of 1190km/h at 5000m, or Mach1.03, was attained in level flight during one test in March 1951.

Engine: Lyulka AL-5 turbojet, 4600kg
Max take-off weight: 9257 kg / 20408 lb
Empty weight: 7315 kg / 16127 lb
Wingspan: 9.90 m / 32 ft 6 in
Length: 16.35 m / 53 ft 8 in
Wing area: 38.93 sq.m / 419.04 sq ft
Max. speed: 1190 km/h / 739 mph
Range: 1150 km / 715 miles