Thanks!
Just trying to have some fun. I view the all metal La-9/11 as a natural progression of an aircraft in continual production, with a history dating back to the all wood LaGG-3. It seems reasonable to compare TA-152s & FW-190Ds to La-9/11s despite the two year gap... Should I be in the Korean war section? Like the Bearcat, the '51K, Tempest, or Sea Fury, the plane was not a 'front-line' fighter by then. The reduced cadence of the La-9/11 series development I believe was due to the delays & eventual discontinuance of a more powerful engine, & of course this is a Russian aircraft; a nation whose weaponry capability has always been 'colored' in the 'west'; making them far better or worse, according to temperament... Which was they were at least a half step behind; & they liked to continue build 'older' or 'export quality' fighters, so this aircraft, La9/11 became the equivalent of a used 'Pony' to the 'Ruskies'as they 'fanagled' their way into the jet age.
La9/11s sparred many times with '51s, F-4Us & Thunderbolts where they did well (?); they were called upon to intercept B-29s over Korea, where they faired poorly (?, I would think). I'm wondering if they served against the French Bearcats, Or British Hornets Tempests & Seafuries, & or former Axis types, such as the Merlin Me-109s (SM-?? I forget) flown by the Israelis, & or maybe even some Italian G-55/9s. The speed advantages mentioned are real, but small. I was not intending this thread to be a this vs that thread... I was trying to gather info, but I understand, & acknowledge my part in seeding & reseeding this with analogies such as those related to Ta-152s.
What I'm able to gather at the moment, from after the LaGG-3...
La-5/La-5FN - After designing the LaGG-3, the designers split. It soon became obvious
that the only cure for the shortcomings of the LaGG-3 was a new, more powerful engine.
The best alternative was the M-82 radial. Lavochkin managed to modify the LaGG-3 to
accept this engine, despite the lack of official support. The La-5 entered service in
1942. In its developed La-5FN version it was superior to the German fighters at low
and medium altitudes. Its disadvantages were primitive equipment, a bounce-inducing
undercarriage, and in the early stages very poor production quality. One 1850hp
Shvetsov ASh-82FN.
Modifications: La-7, La-9, La-11.
Lavochkin La-5FN
Powerplant 1215kW (1630hp) M-82FN radial engine
Max Speed 647km/h (402mph) at 5,000m (16,404ft)
Time To Climb 5 minutes to 5,000m (16,404ft)
Service Ceiling 11,000m (36,089ft)
Max Range 765km (475 miles)
Wing Span 9.8m (32ft 1in)
Length 8.67m (28ft 4in)
Height 2.54m (8ft 3in)
Empty Weight 2,605kg (5,743lb)
Max Weight 3,402kg (7,500lb)
Armament 2x 20mm nose cannons
4x 8.2cm (3.23in) RS-82 rockets, or
150kg of bombs.
La-7/La-120 Fin - Development of the La-5, incorporating changes recommended by the
TsAGI to reduce drag. The La-7 (bureau designation La-120) had excellent performance
and handling, but its standard of equipment remained extremely austere. The oil
radiator was moved to the lower center of the fuselage. The La-7 had an increase in
speed of about 10-15mph over the La-5;5753 built. One 1850hp Shvetsov M-82FN. 1943.
Experimental modification : La-126.
Prototype for La-9/ La-11.
Lavochkin La-7 (I believe the Only Russian Aircraft To Have Been Credited With Me-262 Victories)
Powerplant 1380kW (1850hp) M-82FN (Ash-82FN) 14-cylinder radial engine
Max Speed 665km/h (413mph) at 5,000m (16,404ft)
Ceiling 10,800m (35,435ft)
Max Range 635km (395 miles)
Wing Span 9.8m (32ft 1in)
Length 8.6m (28ft 2in)
Height 2.54m (8ft 4in)
Empty Weight 2,638kg (5,816lb)
Max Weight 3,400kg (7,496lb)
Armament 3x 20mm Beresin B-20 ShVak nose cannons* (with 200 rounds per gun)
6x 8.2cm (3.23in) RS-82 rockets, or
100kg of bombs.
*Only about 368 left the factory with this armament.
La-9/La-130 Fritz - The La-9, alias La-130, was a development of the La-126. It looked
similar to the La-7, but it had an entirely new all-metal construction. The big
problem of the La-9 series was the continuing unavailability of new, more powerful
engines, and therefore it never reached its full potential. Development of the
Lavochkin La-9 began in 1945. It was a follow-through of the La-7 which was a proven
fighter at the time. The La-9 was redesigned with all structure being metal (as
opposed to some of the wooden structure the La-7 carried). The removal of the wooden
structure helped to lighten up the aircraft enough so that the aircraft could be
fitted to carry substantially greater quantities of fuel and still be not much heavier
than the La-7. The fuel capacity was increased to 825 liters and had an increased
endurance of 4 hours 30 min. The wings were slightly more cut-off at the tips instead
of the more elliptical tips of the previous fighters. Production tests began in June
and finished in October, 1946. The three (or two) 20mm cannons of the La-7 were
replaced with four 23mm cannons, (reduced back to 3 23mm cannons in the La-11).Only
1600 produced, because improved La-11 was ready. One 1850hp/1350kW Shevtsov ASh-82FN.
Version with pulse jets: La-138.
Later production modification: La-11
La-11/La-140 Fang - Single-seat, piston-engined fighter. Was standard equipment for
Soviet Air Force fighter units during immediate postwar years. Similar to the La-9,
but with a longer range, due to tip tanks, reduced armament and improved aerodynamics.
One Shvetsov ASh-82FN 1850hp/1350kW. 1895 built. Used in the Korean war.
Lavochkin La-9
Powerplant 1380kW (1850hp) M-82FN (Ash-82FN) 14-cylinder radial engine
Max Speed 690km/h
Ceiling 11,130m
Max Range 1735km
Wing Span 9.8m (32ft 1in)
Length 8.6m (28ft 2in)
Empty Weight 2,660kg
Max Weight 3,676kg
Armament 4x 23mm NS-23 nose cannons
As well as provision for rockets and bombs
Lavochkin La-9M/11 'Fang' Info... 
Linear Mode
