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.
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Specifications
Lavochkin - Soviet Union Manufacturer(s)
Soviet Union; China; Romania; North Korea Operators
AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
28.3 ft (8.63 meters) Length
32.2 ft (9.80 meters) Width/Span
11.7 ft (3.56 meters) Height
12,822 lb (5,816 kilograms) Empty Weight
16,647 lb (7,551 kilograms) Maximum Take-Off Weight
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