Lavochkin La-5

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The Lavochkin La-5 (???????? ??-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.

Related Topics:
Lavochkin - Soviet - Fighter aircraft - World War II - LaGG-3 - Soviet Air Force

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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.

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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.

Related Topics:
1942 - Semyon Lavochkin - Vladimir Gorbunov - Shvetsov ASh-82 - Radial engine - Inline engine - Sukhoi Su-2 - Stalin - Yakovlev Yak-1 - Yak-7 - 1941

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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.

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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.

Related Topics:
German - Eastern Front

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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.

Related Topics:
Fuel-injected - Slat - Trainer - La-7

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A number of La-5s continued in the service of Eastern Bloc nations after the end of the war, including Czechoslovakia.

Related Topics:
Eastern Bloc - Czechoslovakia

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