In spite of a long and hard development before going into mass production, this model was a success for the Lavochkin design bureau and an important step on the road to the best Soviet fighter designs of WWII. The La-5FN began its front-line service during Summer 1943 in the central part of the Eastern front. The La-5FN made a sizable contribution in the fight for air superiority. The main improvements compared to the previous design were: boosted M-82FN engine with direct fuel injection, 180 HP more powerful than the previous engine (1850 HP in boosted mode) and many changes to improve the aerodynamics including a bubble canopy and lowered rear fuselage. Front and rear armored glass sheets protecting the pilot’s head were also installed. The La-5FN was used by many famous Soviet air regiments and many famous pilots, including the most successful Allied ace, triple Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Kozhedub.
In addition to Quick Mission Builder and Multiplayer modes, you can fly it in Career mode during
Battle of Kuban timeframe.
- Default armament: two 20mm guns "SsVAK", 170 rounds per gun, rate of fire 800 rounds per minute.
- Length: 8.672 m
- Wingspan: 9.8 m
- Wing surface: 17.51 m^2
Modifications
- Loadout variants: armor piercing (AP) or high-explosive (HE) rounds only.
- Two 50 kg general purpose bombs "FAB-50sv" (120 kg weight increase with bomb racks, 20 kph speed loss, 12 kph speed loss after drop).
- Two 104 kg general purpose bombs "FAB-100M" (228 kg weight increase with bomb racks, 27 kph speed loss, 12 kph speed loss after drop).
- Landing light for night flights (2 kg weight increase, minor speed loss).
- Fixed loop radio compass RPK-10 (10 kg weight increase, minor speed loss).
- Rearview mirror (1 kg weight increase, minor speed loss).
Skins
- Standard paint scheme (early).
- La-5FN produced from the end of Summer 1943 onwards, painted standard camouflage according to NKAP-43.
- La-5FN (board number 57) of the 1st squadron of 32 GIAP, one of the very first 12-aircraft series of La-5FN, during the front-line Summer 1943 test at the northern part of the Kursk Bulge.
- On this La-5FN (number 25) 2 GIAP Guards Captain Mayorov fought on the 1st Baltic front during Autumn and Winter 1943-44. On September 25, 1943, 12 new La-5FN fighters were sent to 2 GIAP that were built using the money donated by Mongolian workers. The inscription 'Mongolian Arat' and the front part of the engine hood is red-orange color.
- La-5FN (number 76), the personal aircraft of Ivan Vishnyakov in 171 IAP during Summer 1944. The number of white stars corresponds to the personal combat score of the pilot from June 6 to July 19, 1944. Aircraft camo is standard NKAP-43. The inscription 'For Oleg Koshevoy' was, according to memoirs, applied to all planes of the Vishnyakov’s squadron.
- La-5FN (number 15), the personal plane of Anatoly Ruzin during Summer 1944 on the Leningrad front. The inscription 'For Vasjok and Zhora' is put on board in memory of two combat friends of Anatoly - the commander of the 2nd Squadron 159 IAP Lieutenant Vasily 'Vasjok' Grechka and Lieutenant Andrey 'Zhora' Vasilyev, who both were killed on June 28, 1944, in the fight against Fw190As of II./JG54 over Vyborg/Viipuri (Karelian isthmus).
- La-5FN (number 71) of 254 IAP, the personal plane of Constantine Nazimov during Autumn 1944 on the 2nd and 3rd Baltic fronts. The number of stars (21) reflects the overall combat score. There is a picture of an eagle that carries a bloodied Hitler.
- Yuri Lyubenyuk La-5FN (board number 07) in 813 IAP during Spring 1945 on the 2nd Belorussian Front.
- La-5FN (board number 13), the personal aircraft of Lieutenant Pavel Kocfelda during the Slovak National Uprising in September-October 1944 on the Tri Duby airfield. The aircraft was written off after an emergency landing on October 11, 1944. Two victories were scored aboard this very aircraft: 1/2 Ju-87 ppor. P. Kocfelda on 07.10.1944, 1/2 FW-189 by ppor. L. Šrom on 08.10.1944.
- La-5FN (board number 93), the personal aircraft of Vladimir Orekhov during Autumn 1943 on the Bryansk front.
- La-5FN (board No. 101) of 5 GIAP, the personal plane of Vitaly Popkov on the 1st Ukrainian Front during Summer and Autumn 1944. The number of stars of air victories (33) corresponds to the personal combat account of the pilot since August 13, 1944, until February 9, 1945.
- La-5FN (number 30) of 41 GIAP, the personal aircraft of Alexander Lobanov during Summer 1944 on the 1st Ukrainian Front. The picture 'Eagle on top of Elbrus' reminds of the fighting in the Caucasus in 1942. The red heart on the hood of the engine is the designation of the regimental commander.
- La-5FN (board number 14) of 178 GIAP, the second such aircraft in the regiment, was built with funds donated by worker V. Konev. During Summer 1944, it was the personal plane of Ivan Kozhedub, the most scoring Allied ace. When Kozhedub was transferred to 176 GIAP, the aircraft was assigned to his friend Kirill Evstigneev. Besides these two famous aces, Lieutenant P. A. Bryzgalov also flew a number of combat sorties on it.
- La-5FN (number 69) of 3 GIAP VVS KBF, the personal plane of Ivan Kravtsov during Summer 1944. The number of victory stars with a white stroke (23) corresponds to the personal combat score of the pilot in the middle of August 1944.
- La-5FN (No.25) of 34th IAP air defense flown by Captain Urvachev during Winter 1944-45. It is interesting to note that the number of asterisks denoting personal victories (6) does not coincide with the official score of personal victories (4). Probably, several victories, marked in the pilot's flight book as personal, were indicated in the regimental documents as group ones.
- Lieutenant Beketov La-5FN built with donations from Kazakh millers during Autumn 1944. At the end of the year, once the battle of Visla ended, 721 IAP handed over this and the rest of their La-5FN aircraft to 165 IAP and went to the rear to receive the new La-7.
- Captain Trefilov flew this La-5FN (number 44) during Autumn 1944 on the 3rd Belorussian Front. The arrow on the side of the fuselage is a rapid identification element of the fighter aircraft in 303 IAD.
Technical details
Indicated stall speed in flight configuration: 168..185 km/h
Indicated stall speed in takeoff/landing configuration: 147..159 km/h
Dive speed limit: 720 km/h
Maximum load factor: 10 G
Stall angle of attack in flight configuration: 22.2 °
Stall angle of attack in landing configuration: 15.0 °
Maximum true air speed at sea level, engine mode - Nominal: 552 km/h
Maximum true air speed at sea level, engine mode - Boosted: 583 km/h
Maximum true air speed at 2500 m, engine mode - Nominal: 605 km/h
Maximum true air speed at 6000 m, engine mode - Nominal: 646 km/h
Service ceiling: 10500 m
Climb rate at sea level: 20 m/s
Climb rate at 3000 m: 16.7 m/s
Climb rate at 6000 m: 12.5 m/s
Maximum performance turn at sea level: 21.0 s, at 320 km/h IAS.
Maximum performance turn at 3000 m: 28.0 s, at 340 km/h IAS.
Flight endurance at 3000 m: 2.0 h, at 350 km/h IAS.
Takeoff speed: 175..195 km/h
Glideslope speed: 200..210 km/h
Landing speed: 150..160 km/h
Landing angle: 13 °
Note 1: the data provided is for international standard atmosphere (ISA).
Note 2: flight performance ranges are given for possible aircraft mass ranges.
Note 3: maximum speeds, climb rates and turn times are given for standard aircraft mass.
Note 4: climb rates and turn times are given for Boosted power.
Engine:
Model: M-82FN
Maximum power in Boosted mode at sea level: 1850 HP
Maximum power in Nominal mode at sea level: 1560 HP
Maximum power in Nominal mode at 1550 m: 1630 HP
Maximum power in Nominal mode at 4800 m: 1460 HP
Engine modes:
Nominal (unlimited time): 2400 RPM, 1000 mm Hg
Boosted power (up to 10 minutes): 2500 RPM, 1180 mm Hg
Oil rated temperature in engine intake: 65..75 °C
Oil maximum temperature in engine intake: 85 °C
Cylinder head rated temperature: 180..215 °C
Cylinder head maximum temperature: 250 °C
Supercharger gear shift altitude: 3500 m
Empty weight: 2655 kg
Minimum weight (no ammo, 10% fuel): 2929 kg
Standard weight: 3305 kg
Maximum takeoff weight: 3544 kg
Fuel load: 334 kg / 464 l
Useful load: 896 kg
Combat debut: June 1943
Operation features
- The engine has a boost mode. To engage it, increase the manifold pressure to 1180 mm Hg. Boost only works on 1st supercharger gear.
- Engine has a two-stage mechanical supercharger which must be manually switched at 3500m altitude.
- Engine RPM has an automatic governor and it is maintained at the required RPM corresponding to the governor control lever position. The governor automatically controls the propeller pitch to maintain the required RPM.
- Oil radiator, air cooling intake and outlet shutters are manually controlled.
- Air cooling intake shutters should always be open. They should only be closed when there is a possibility of engine overcooling, for example in a dive with throttle set to idle.
- Aircraft is equipped with elevator and rudder trimmers.
- Airplane has automatic wing slats. They deploy when the high angle of attack increases which makes pre-stall softer.
- Landing flaps have a hydraulic actuator and they can be extended to any angle up to 60°.
- Airplane tail wheel rotates freely and does not have a lock. For this reason, it is necessary to confidently and accurately operate the rudder pedals during the takeoff and landing.
- Airplane has differential pneumatic wheel brakes with the shared control lever. This means that if the brake lever is held and the rudder pedal the opposite wheel brake is gradually released causing the plane to swing to one side or the other.
- Airplane has a fuel gauge which shows total remaining fuel.
- Also, it is impossible to open or close canopy at high speed due to strong airflow. The canopy has no emergency release, so bail out requires the speed drop before it.
- The control system for the bomb rack only allows to drop bombs one by one.
