The La-152 wing, although similar in planform to that of the earlier La-150, employed a new profile of only 9.1% – the thinnest section adopted up to that time in the Soviet Union – and was lowered to mid position. The RD-10 turbojet was retained, but to avoid the duct losses suffered by the La-150, the power plant was installed in the extreme nose, exhausting beneath a sturdier rear fuselage. The CG position was restored by moving the cockpit aft, and armament was three 23mm NS-23 cannon.
Work on the La-152 was initiated by the Lavochkin bureau within two months of a start being made on the La-150, and factory flight testing began in October 1946, only a few weeks after the La-150 had entered flight test. Three prototypes were built in parallel, all similarly armed and differing primarily in power plant, the second and third aircraft being designated La-154 and La-156 respectively.
The La-154 was to have been fitted with a Lyulka TR-1 turbojet of 1350kg, but was never flown owing to difficulties with this engine.
After initial trials with a standard RD-10, the La-156, which had increased tankage and had initially flown in February 1947, was fitted with an RD-10F engine equipped with an afterburner extension boosting thrust by 30% (to 2425 lb / 1100 kg).
La-156
The RD-10F-equipped La-156 was flown for the first time in September 1947 – the first Soviet aircraft to fly with an afterburning engine – and attained a max speed of 905km/h at 2000m. The flight test programme continued until the end of January 1948.
La-152 Max take-off weight: 3239 kg / 7141 lb Empty weight: 2310 kg / 5093 lb Wingspan: 8.20 m / 26 ft 11 in Length: 9.12 m / 29 ft 11 in Wing area: 12.15 sq.m / 130.78 sq ft Max. speed: 778 km/h / 483 mph Range: 492 km / 306 miles
The Lavochkin bureau’s response to Yosif Stalin’s order of February 1945 to design and build a single-seat jet fighter around a Junkers Jumo 004B turbojet, was the La-150 of pod-and-boom layout with a shoulder-mounted wing. Like the competitive designs from the Mikoyan-Gurevich and Yakovlev bureaux, the La-150 was awarded a prototype/pre-series aircraft order, the first of the prototypes flying in September 1946 powered by the Soviet derivative of the Junkers Jumo 004B axial-flow turbojet engine, the RD-10 rated at 900kg.
The February 1945 Soviet requirement for a jet-powered fighter specified a single 1984-lb (900-kg) thrust RD-10, and the limited power of this engine dictated that the designers had to exercise considerable ingenuity in keeping down weight and optimizing the engine installation. The Lavochkin team’s response was a small machine and a pod-and-boom fuselage allowing the use of an efficient straight-through design from the circular nose inlet to the nozzle under the boom. Five prototypes were built for trials from late 1946, but the type was beset by problems including a high structure weight and sluggish performance. Excessive dihedral effect resulting from the wing positioning was rectified on the second prototype by drooping the wingtips, but excessive oscillation of the tail surfaces at high speeds resulting from inadequate stiffness of the tailboom could not be overcome.
The Yak 17 Feather was slightly faster and lighter than its competitor, the La 150, and was substantially superior in range; rough field performance of the Yak 17 was very much better than that of the Lavochkin design, which had a heavy narrow track undercarriage. The La 150 was abandoned in April 1947 and the Yak 17 was ordered into production.
Max take-off weight: 2961 kg / 6528 lb Empty weight: 2059 kg / 4539 lb Wingspan: 8.20 m / 26 ft 11 in Length: 9.42 m / 30 ft 11 in Wing area: 12.15 sq.m / 130.78 sq ft Max. speed: 805 km/h / 500 mph Range: 500 km / 311 miles Armament: 2 x 23mm NS-23 cannon.
The final development of this straight-winged series was the La-174TK, which first flew January 1948 as a research type for the investigation of very thin, straight wings as an alternative to swept wings in overcoming compressibility problems. The wing possessed a thickness ratio of only 6% (the “TK” suffix indicating Tonkoye Krylo, or Thin Wing) which the Lavochkin bureau believed might offer most of the advantages of a thicker sweptback wing while avoiding some of its disadvantages. The 6 per cent thickness/chord ratio was the smallest in the world at that time, and yielded performance benefits over the La-56. The basic configuration of the La-174TK reverted to that of the earlier La-152 series fighters, although the relationship was confined to a common design origin, with the single 1590kg NII-1 (RD-500) turbojet exhausting under the rear fuselage. Armament comprised three 23mm NS-23 cannon and flight testing commenced early 1948. Although lighter than the La-172, the La-174TK demonstrated inferior handling and performance characteristics, further development being discontinued. The La-174TK was intended only for research and no production was ever planned.
La-174TK Engine: 1590kg NII-1 (RD-500) turbojet Wingspan: 8.64 m / 28 ft 4 in Length: 9.41 m / 30 ft 10 in Wing area: 13.52 sq.m / 145.53 sq ft Max take-off weight: 3315 kg / 7308 lb Empty weight: 2310 kg / 5093 lb Max. speed: 970 km/h / 603 mph Range: 960 km / 597 miles
A replacement prototype for the La-172 was designated La-174D (the suffix signifying dubler, literally “replacement”), and entered flight test in August 1948. Lavochkin scaled down the basic La-174TK design to produce the La-174D tailored round the smaller Rolls-Royce Derwent turbojet. This differed in only minor respects from the preceding prototype, and series production was ordered during the same month as the La-15, armament being reduced from three to two 23mm NS-23 cannon, and 6 degrees of wing anhedral being added.
Type 21
The La-15 was powered by the RD-500 turbojet, the Soviet series version of the Derwent, deliveries to the VVS commencing in the late autumn of 1949.
Production plans for the La-15 were, in the event, scaled down because of difficulties experienced in manufacturing in sufficient quantity the numerous milled parts employed in the structure, but about 400 were produced, these remaining in VVS service until 1954.
A tandem two-seat conversion trainer version was evolved as the La-180, but only two examples of this variant were built.
La-15 Engine: RD-500 turbojet, 3527-lb (1600-kg) thrust Max take-off weight: 3850 kg / 8488 lb Empty weight: 2575 kg / 5677 lb Wingspan: 8.8 m / 28 ft 10 in Length: 9.0 m / 29 ft 6 in Wing area: 16.2 sq.m / 174.38 sq ft Max. speed: 1025 km/h / 637 mph Ceiling: 13000 m / 42650 ft Range: 1170 km / 727 miles
Evolved from the La-9 to meet a requirement for a fighter with sufficient range to fulfil the escort role, the La-11 was destined to be the last piston-engine fighter from the Lavochkin bureau. It had a wing fundamentally similar to that of the La-9 and retained the ASh-82FN engine, but provision was made to attach auxiliary fuel tanks at the wingtips, the ventral oil cooler was incorporated in the engine cowling and armament was reduced to three 23mm NS-23 cannon. The first prototype was flown in June 1947 under the design bureau designation La-134, and production (1947-51) at Gor’kiy was to total 1,182 aircraft. The La-11 was supplied in some numbers to both the Chinese and the North Korean air forces, and saw operational use during the Korean conflict. It was finally phased out of first line VVS service in the early 1950s.
Engine: Shvetsov Ash-82FNV, 1850 hp Max take-off weight: 3990 kg / 8796 lb Empty weight: 2770 kg / 6107 lb Wingspan: 9.8 m / 32 ft 2 in Length: 8.7 m / 28 ft 7 in Max. speed: 674 km/h / 419 mph Ceiling: 10250 m / 33650 ft Range w/max.fuel: 2550 km / 1585 miles
Closely related to the La-126, the La-130 – first flown on 16 June 1946 – encluded a number of refinements, both aerodynamic and structural, and featured a revised fuel system of increased capacity and a laminar flow symmetrical wing section. It retained the ASh-82FN radial of the preceding fighters, but provision was made for four 23mm NS-23 cannon.
The similarity to the famous Lavochkin La-7 was only superficial; the new fighter was all-metal and had laminar flow wings.
The aircraft’s strength decreased due to the removal of wood from the airframe largely allowing for the fuel and armament capacity of four guns. In combat it showed that the La-130 was equal to the La-7 but was inferior to the Yakovlev Yak-3 in horizontal and vertical maneuvers.
Series production was authorised in November 1946 as the La-9 (Russian: Лавочкин Ла-9), deliveries to the VVS commencing February 1947 from GAZ 21 at Gor’kiy.
A tandem two-seat training version, the La-9UTI, was flown in July 1947, and series production continued for three years, 1,630 single-seaters and 265 two-seaters being built.
One example, designated La-138, was fitted with two PVRD-430 ramjets of 300kg underwing, factory testing performed during March and April 1947, and increases in level speed of 107 to 112km/h were recorded in level flight. A small batch of aircraft was completed with underwing provision for RD-13 pulsating athodyds, or pulse-jets, as La-9RDs. These boosters were found to have a bad effects on the handling characteristics.
In 1950 China imported 129 La-9 aircraft. The last 5 La-9 fighters were retired in 1959. The Romanian Air Force imported 10 in 1950 (5 La-9 and 5 La-9 UTI), and the type was also operated by North Korea.
By the end of 1944, the Lavochkin bureau had abandoned further development of the mixed-construction La-7 in favour of an entirely new all-metal design bearing only a configurational similarity to its predecessor, and, early in 1945, work began on this as the La-126. The La-126 possessed no commonality with the Lavochkin bureau’s previous La-7 fighter, apart from an M-82FN (ASh-82FN) engine. It featured an all-metal monocoque fuselage and a TsAGI laminar-section wing. Armament was restricted to two 20mm ShVAK cannon and prototype flight testing was completed at the factory on 10 January 1945, but no production was undertaken, the La-126 serving as a basis for the La-130. The prototype was subsequently fitted with two Bondaryuk VRD-430 ramjets as the La-126PVRD, and these, it was claimed, increased maximum speed in level flight by 100km/h. The La-126PVRD was tested between June and September 1946, attaining a max speed of 800km/h at 8000m.
The La-7 was developed from the autumn of 1943 under the bureau designation of La-120. This embodied the results of a TsAGI wind tunnel programme aimed at defining areas in which the basic La-5FN could be aerodynamically improved. Incorporating the modified wing structure (metal spars replacing the wooden box spars) intended for application to the definitive La-5FN (but not to be introduced on that fighter until the late spring of 1944), a revised inboard wing leading edge and an entirely new cowling for the Shvetsov M-82FN engine, the La-120 was first flown in November 1943. In the following spring it entered production as the La-7.
The intended armament comprised three 20mm Berezina B-20 cannon, but while this armament was installed in aircraft built at Yaroslavl, those built at Moscow reverted to the twin ShVAK cannon of the La-5FN.
The first series production La-7 were produced in March-April of 1944. That Summer they were handed over to the pilots of 63 GIAP for operational trials. Though they had inferior performance to what was expected the pilots enjoyed great success with this aircraft until engine problems and wing spar failures forced Marshal Novikov to step in an ground all La-7s until the problems could be rectified. The causes were dirt getting into the supercharger air intake at the wingroots and improper execution of lightening holes in the structure. In November 1944 all production irregularities had been worked out and production resumed of the La-7.
La-7
The last war time production model was unchanged except the armament. In February 1945 3xB-20s became the standard armament. Weight was increased to 7,325 but performance was unchanged.
115 La-7 were lost to all military causes (less than half of these to aerial combat) and at the same time accounting for more than 3,100 aerial victories.
Roll rate was considered equal to any Fw-190A.
Variants included the tandem two-seat La-7UTI trainer, the La-7TK with a pair of TK-3 turbo-superchargers, and the rocket-boosted La-7R. The La-7TK was test flown in July- August 1944, but was destroyed when a turbo-supercharger exploded. Another example was fitted with the 2000hp ASh-71TK, trials soon being discontinued owing to the erratic behaviour of this engine’s turbosuperchargers.
The La-7R, of which two prototypes were tested, was fitted in the rear fuselage with an RD-lKhZ liquid rocket motor of 300kg thrust, the first prototype being destroyed during the initial take-off run in October 1944. Flight testing of the second prototype continued until February 1945, and a further example – a conversion of one of the original prototype airframes and then referred to as the La-120R – entered test in January 1945, this having an improved rocket motor and local airframe structural changes. Testing of the La-120R continued until late 1946.
A total of 5,753 La-7s had been manufactured when production ended in 1946.
Engine: Shvetsov M-82FN, 1850hp Max take-off weight: 3400 kg / 7496 lb Empty weight: 2620 kg / 5776 lb Wingspan: 9.8 m / 32 ft 2 in Length: 8.6 m / 28 ft 3 in Height: 2.60 m / 8 ft 6 in Wing area: 17.59 sq.m / 189.34 sq ft Max. speed: 680 km/h / 423 mph Cruise speed: 450 km/h / 280 mph Ceiling: 11800 m / 38700 ft Range: 990 km / 615 miles Crew: 1
La-7 Engine: ASh-82FN, 1,850hp. Max speed: 362mph/SL Max speed: 413mph/20,200ft. Climb: 4,000fpm/SL. Climb to 16,400ft: 4.6min. Ceiling: 31,000ft. Armament: 2xShVAK. Test weight: 7,179 lbs.
La-7 Engine: Shvetsov M-82FN, 1850hp Max speed: 382mph/SL. Max speed: 421-423mph/20,200ft. Climb SL: 4,300fpm Climb to 16,400ft: 4.2min. Ceiling: 34,450ft. Test weight 7,105 lbs. Armament: 2xShVAK (20mm).
La-7 Engine: Shvetsov M-82FN, 1850hp Max speed: 382mph/SL. Max speed: 421-423mph/20,200ft. Weight: 7,325 Armament: 3x20mm Berezina B-20 cannon
In late 1941 it was decided to improve the performance of the LaGG-3 by installing the more powerful 1600 hp Ash-82A radial engine. The basic LaGG-3 airframe was adapted for a 14- cylinder two-row radial Shvetsov M-82 engine without major redesign (examples converted from existing LaGG-3 airframes on the production line sometimes being referred to as LaG-5s). Despite its fractionally greater installed drag, 1%, it offered speed increase from 353 to 373 mph and improved all-round performance at height. The liquid-cooled fighter was cancelled in May 1942, all production switching to the new machine, designated LaGG-5. With in a few weeks this in turn was replaced om the assembly line by a further improvement, tested as a prototype early in 1942, with a new fuselage containing two 20mm guns and having a lower rear profile behind a canopy giving all-round vision. This was the La-5 which proved to be 28 mph faster than the Bf 109G-2 below 20,000 ft. But the German fighter could outclimb it and efforts were made to reduce weight.
The prototype conversion was first flown in March 1942 with an M-82 rated at 1700hp for take-off, and the La-5 was cleared for service testing in the following September with an armament of two 20mm cannon. Early machines retained the cockpit and rear fuselage construction of the earlier fighter.
With completion of the conversion of existing LaGG-3 airframes, minor changes were introduced in new production aircraft, the principal of these being the cutting down of the aft fuselage decking and the introduction of a 360 degree vision canopy.
The designed earned Lavochkin the title of Hero of Socialist Labour, and the La-5 made its operational debut at the Battle of Stalingrad in October 1942.
A further development of the La-5AV became the La-7.
Late in 1942, the improved M-82F engine became available, producing 1650hp at 1650m, aircraft fitted with this engine being designated La-5F, and, from early 1943, fuel tankage was revised.
From late March 1943, the fuel injection M-82FN engine offering 1850hp for take-off replaced the carburettor-equipped M-82F, and with this power plant the fighter became the La-5FN. This version fought in the Battle of Kursk, and was produced in fairly substantial numbers.
La-5FN
When the La-5 was withdrawn from production late in 1944, a total of 9,920 aircraft of this type (including La-5UTI two-seat trainers) had been built.
La-5FN Engine: Shvetsov M-82FN, 1850hp Max take-off weight: 3360 kg / 7408 lb Empty weight: 2800 kg / 6173 lb Wingspan: 9.8 m / 32 ft 2 in Length: 8.60 m / 28 ft 3 in Height: 2.54 m / 8 ft 4 in Wing area: 17.50 sq.m / 188.37 sq ft Max. speed: 648 km/h / 403 mph Ceiling: 11000 m / 36100 ft Range: 765 km / 475 miles
La-5FN Engine: Shvetsov ASh-82FN, 1640hp Wingspan: 9.8 m / 32 ft 2 in Length: 27 ft 10 in Height: 9 ft 3 in Empty weight: 6085 lb Loaded weight: 7406 lb Max. speed: 402 mph at SL Service ceiling: 11000 m / 36, 000 ft Max range: 528 miles Seats: 1 Armament: 2 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon Bombload: 330 lb
