Lavochkin Fighters 1/72 Scale

Soviet LaGG-3, 5th Series - This is a model of a fighter that resisted the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. The LaGG-3 was one of three modern fighters, including the MiG-3 and the Yak-1, that the Soviets secretly developed after their 1939 invasions of Poland and Finland. The LaGG-3 was unique because it was built mostly from plasticized wood, in the form of spars for much of the plane's inner air frame, and formed panels for most of the outer surface areas. But it was the poorest design of the three new fighters, and it was unpopular with Soviet pilots. Its wooden construction, however, required little of use of strategic natural resources so the Soviets kept trying to improve it, resulting in 66 different production series and more than 6,500 planes before its production was stopped in September, 1943. The Lavochkin La-5 started replacing the LaGG-3 in late 1942.	More Photos: Right, Top, Front Angle Left, Front Angle Right, Rear Angle Left, Rear Angle Right, Above Left, Above Right
Soviet La-5 - This is a model of a fighter that flew against the Luftwaffe on the Eastern Front during the Battle of Stalingrad in December, 1942. The La-5 was developed from the LaGG-3. (By this time, the two Gs in LaGG -Vladimir Gorbunov and Mikhail Gudkov - had left Semyon Lavochkin's airplane design bureau.) The La-5 was basically the LaGG-3's wooden fuselage fitted with a radial engine. It was the result of an order to Soviet fighter manufacturers in 1941 to try and use Shvetsov M-82 radial engines in their planes, because the factory where they were built was beyond the range of German bombers. Although it still had some of the LaGG-3's poor flight characteristics, the La-5 was the most successful of these adaptations, as the M-82 was more powerful than the LaGG-3's Klimov M-105P inline engine. Unlike the LaGG-3, it gave Soviet pilots a decent chance against German Bf 109 fighters.	More Photos: Left, Right, Top, Front Angle Left, Front Angle Right, Rear Angle Left, Rear Angle Right, Above Left, Above Right
Soviet La-5FN - This is a model of a fighter that flew against the Luftwaffe on the Eastern front during the winter of 1943-44. The La-5F and La-5FN were developed simultaneously from the La-5, and were introduced in the summer of 1943. They still had the wooden fuselage of the La-5 but were fitted with the more powerful Shvetsov ASh-82F radial engine. The La-5FN had a direct fuel injection system which necessitated a long supercharger intake on the top of its cowling. Both planes also had a redesigned upper fuselage that allowed for the installation of a canopy offering better rear vision for their pilots. The La-5FN gave Soviet pilots another fighter, in addition to the Yak-3, that could hold its own against the Luftwaffe's Bf 109G. But it was still a bit slower than the Fw 190A. Total La-5 production reached about 10,000 before production switched to the more advanced La-7 in 1944.	More Photos: Left, Right, Top, Front Angle Left, Front Angle Right, Rear Angle Left, Rear Angle Right, Above Left, Above Right, Front, Rear
Soviet La-7 - This is a model of a fighter that flew against the Luftwaffe on the Eastern Front in early 1945. The La-7 was derived from the La-5FN. It was lighter, due to the use of more lightweight metals, although it still had many wooden parts. Also, its airframe was redesigned to improve its aerodynamics. These changes improved the plane's performance and its top speed exceeded that of the Luftwaffe's Fw 190A fighter. The La-7 entered service in the summer of 1944 and about 5,900 were built before its production ceased in late 1945. Along with Soviet-built Yak fighters, Lavochkin fighters were the mainstays of the Soviet Fighter Aviation Regiments in WWII.	More Photos: Left, Right, Top, Front Angle Left, Front Angle Right, Rear Angle Left, Rear Angle Right, Above Left, Above Right, Rear