Although the LaGG-3 was a disappointment, Lavochkin went back to the drawing board and got it right with the LA-5FN. The LA-7 was even better. Both are considered to be among the best fighters of World War II. And yes, a LA-7 DID shoot down a Me-262!
anti-redneck, e-mail, 26.04.2012 18:36
Just wanted to say - laughing out loud at that Will Gant guy. Go get you' gun redneck and teach these POS's how to make a site. Oh these people... P.S. Real communism is dead for 25 years already.
anti-redneck, e-mail, 26.04.2012 18:36
Just wanted to say - laughing out loud at that Will Gant guy. Go get you' gun redneck and teach these POS's how to make a site. Oh these people... P.S. Real communism is dead for 25 years already.
Sven, 21.01.2012 21:14
Hey Will. Spelling. 2/10 Grammar. 1/10 Knowledge. 1/10 W think that's 4 out of a possible 30. Some research into Barbarosa would serve you well.
Will Gant, e-mail, 21.01.2012 18:37
The La7 is most games is optomized per the propoganda here. Russian fuel quality alone insured that their cruddy air force would only start 70% of the time. The Russian's had interesting armor, but nothing for an air force that ever worried a German pilot. They simply had so many bad planes, the Messershmidt's were outnumbered everytime. Owen can't even get the model type right when quoting his joy of flying this commie POS online.
Aaron, e-mail, 26.06.2011 18:48
In November 1944 all production irregularities had been worked out and production resumed of the La-7. This later production models performance was: Same Engine. 382mph/SL. 421-423mph/20,200ft. Climb: 4,300fpm/SL. 16,400ft/4.2min. Ceiling: 34,450ft. Test weight 7,105 lbs. 2xShVAK (20mm). 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) at the same time unquestionably accounting for more than 3,100 aerial victories. That's about 27:1 win/loss ratio for all military losses. Handling and control harmony were superlative. Roll rate was considered equal to any Fw-190A. Entire formations of German aircraft were routinely decimated by flights of La7s. 10,009 La-5 and 5,753 La-7 had been produced by the end of the Great Patriotic War.
Aaron, e-mail, 26.06.2011 18:25
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 were thrilled to receive the La-7 and 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. Typical performance: Engine: ASh-82FN/1,850hp. 362mph/SL. 413mph/20,200ft. Climb: 4,000fpm/SL. 16,400ft/4.6min. Ceiling: 31,000ft. Armament: 2xShVAK. Test weight: 7,179 lbs.
Peredtz, e-mail, 23.03.2010 13:19
Ron, the source page for the shot Mustang photos describers the incident in Russian as having happened on April 17, 1945 over Berlin. It is also mentioned that it was one of the two Mustangs shot by Kozhedub that day. This really was friendly fire since American mistakingly fighters attacked Kozhedub after he had tried to cover B-17s by engaging German Messerschmitts. The Americans misinterpreted his intentions and tried to shoot him down. He says he realised these were allies only after one of them had gone down for an emergency landing and another one had exploded midair. The fact was later on proven by the processed guncam film. The incident was not widely covered at the time, cause the survivor Mustang pilot believed he was downed by a red-nosed FW. The info here is coming from the preface to the book of memoirs by Kozhedub. Quoted from there at http://www.airpages.ru/ru/la7_2.shtml, at least.
Ron, e-mail, 12.02.2010 07:21
Eliko, When and where was that shot? Europe or Korea? Probably Europe if the camera is on an La-7, but exactly where? Interesting photo! Is there anything about the circumstances of this 'friendly fire' combat? I've read in the past about such a clash with Yaks and Mustangs. Please tell me more about this La-7 vs P-51 incident.
eliko, e-mail, 08.10.2009 21:48
guncam Kozhedub shut down Mustang ... http://www.airpages.ru/img/ru/la7-must.jpg
Ronald, e-mail, 18.06.2009 04:21
Ivan Kozhedub was the top scoring Allied ace in history and he flew Lavochkin fighters. He even shot down a German Me 262 jet with the stock La-7 (not the one with rocket assist). The Spitfire XIV was first to do so in the West. The La-7 units would get the call when low flying bandits were too fast for the Yak-9U to catch. The version with 3 light-weight B-20 nose-cannon was particularly effective. It was a beautiful aerobatic dogfighter. So was it's rival, the Yak, but the Lavochkin could take more punishment. It was right at home in a rugged ground war since it excelled at low to medium altitudes.
Ronald, e-mail, 02.09.2008 05:43
Salvo of fire = 3.4kg / sec. 3 cowl B-20 synchronized CN. Climb to 5km = 5.3 min. 360 turn = around 20 sec.
306TigrCharlie, e-mail, 04.04.2008 19:04
The best and more balanced speed/rate-of-climb/rate-of-turn/manouverability aircraft of the WW2
A real joy and thrill to fly!
yattra1, e-mail, 06.08.2007 08:54
The la-7 was the first plane to shoot down a me-262.
Don, e-mail, 14.07.2007 18:26
More about armament?
Owen D.T Thompson, e-mail, 28.11.2006 20:12
I fly online and cant tell u how much i enjoy shooting down guys flying ww2 german/british/japanese/american aircraft!! the il-7 just puts a smile on my face! happy hunting aka LONEWOLF5.
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