Lavochkin produced two notable fighters during the defense of the Soviet Union in World War 2 (1939-1945), these being the La-5 and La-7 series. The La-9 was in development by war's end and became a direct development of the La-7 by way of the La-126, a late-war prototype. The Lavochkin La-9 was eventually adopted by the Soviet Air Force and codenamed "Fritz" by NATO. When compared to the La-7 before it, the La-9 represented the same aircraft through with all-metal construction and of slightly larger dimension. The aircraft began operational service during 1946 - to late to see action in World War 2 - and went on to serve in the inventories of a few Soviet-supported countries including China, Romania, and North Korea. Its production run covered two years and totaled 1,500 examples. The La-9 also marked one of Lavochkin's last piston-engined fighters before the shift to jet-powered types in the ensuing years.
The La-9 featured a conventional arrangement with a low-wing monoplane and single-seat cockpit. The fuselage was well-streamlined and its tail-dragger undercarriage retractable (including tailwheel). Armament consisted of 4 x 23mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 cannons with 50 projectiles afforded each gun. The all-metal construction of the aircraft allowed engineers to save structural weight which produced increased fuel capacity and greater operational ranges. The weight-saving also allowed for the inclusion of the large-caliber 23mm cannons in the nose.
Power came from a Shvetsov ASh-82FN air-cooled radial piston engine (driving a three-blade propeller) complete with two-stage supercharged and fuel-injection for increased power. Output was 1,850 horsepower, propelling the La-9 to speeds of 430 miles per hour and ranges of 435 miles. Its service ceiling measured 35,400 feet with a rate-of-climb of 3,510 feet per minute.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Air-to-Air Combat, Fighter
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
Length
28.3 ft (8.63 m)
Width/Span
32.2 ft (9.80 m)
Height
11.7 ft (3.56 m)
Empty Wgt
12,822 lb (5,816 kg)
MTOW
16,647 lb (7,551 kg)
Wgt Diff
+3,825 lb (+1,735 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Lavochkin La-9 (Fritz) production variant)
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 0
La-130 - Prototype
La-9 - Base Fighter Model Designation
La-9UTI - Two-Seat Conversion Trainer
La-132 - Proposed Prototype Variant fitted with Shvetsov M-93 engine; never produced.
La-9M - Prototyped Long Range Variant
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
Images Gallery
1 / 1
Left side profile illustration view of the Lavochkin La-9 Fritz fighter; color
Similar Aircraft
Aviation developments of similar form and function, or related to, the Lavochkin La-9 (Fritz)...
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.
Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), and SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane.