The LaGG-3 piston-engine pursuit fighter (the LaGG in the designation coming from "Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Goudkov") was one of the earlier successes of modern aircraft design for the Soviet Union in World War 2. Basically an improved version of the LaGG-1 (that system itself sharing a variety of performance and handling problems) the LaGG-3 went on to secure success at a time when the Soviet Union needed a versatile and robust performer out of the gates. The aircraft would appear in the thousands by the end of the war but was ultimately superceded by more capable designs in line with the changing battlefield requirements and of lessons learned.
Development of the LaGG-3 series culminated with the arrival of the I-301 prototype. Complaints with the original LaGG-1 model centered around sub-par climbing power and the fact that the controls felt somewhat detached from the instincts of a pilot. The new improved design attempted to address these issues and became the production LaGG-3. Once at the front lines, the LaGG-3 performed admirably well, charged with the primary task of providing escort defense for their Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik close-support aircraft. The LaGG-3 proved itself a player with good performance, improved controls and the ability to withstand a good deal of structural damage before failing. All of these assets proved friendly to her pilots who, in turn, regarded the aircraft in a favorable light.
Visual features of the LaGG-3 design were consistent with what would be termed "modern" aircraft of the time. In fact, the LaGG-3 shared some outward similarities to the French-made Dewoitine D.520 series of pursuit fighter with the major similarity being in the placement of the cockpit and the long-area frontal fuselage. Wings were low-mounted monoplane with the cockpit seating area located just above and behind the installation. A generally pleasing design, the LaGG-3 system was built for speed. Armament consisted of a 20mm propeller-hub firing cannon of ShVAK type and 2 x machine guns in the forward upper front of the fuselage, just forward of the cockpit and behind the propeller. This armament consisted of either a set of 12.7mm heavy machine guns or a pair of 7.62mm machine guns. Landing gear were fully retractable (including the tail wheel).
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Finland; Nazi Germany; Japan (single example); Soviet Union
(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.
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓Close-Air Support (CAS)
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.
Length
28.9 ft (8.81 m)
Width/Span
32.2 ft (9.80 m)
Height
8.9 ft (2.70 m)
Empty Wgt
5,776 lb (2,620 kg)
MTOW
7,275 lb (3,300 kg)
Wgt Diff
+1,499 lb (+680 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Lavochkin LaGG-3 production variant)
Installed:
1 x Klimov M-105PF V12 piston liquid-cooled inline engine developing 1,260 horsepower driving a three-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Lavochkin LaGG-3 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
STANDARD:
1 x 20mm ShVAK cannon in propeller hub.
2 x 12.7mm UBS OR 2 x 7.62mm ShKAS machine guns.
OPTIONAL:
Up to 440lb of external stores including 4 x 110lb light conventional drop bombs OR 6 x 3.23-in aerial rockets under the wings / fuselage.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 4
LaGG-3 - Base Series Designation
Gudkov 82
Gudkov 37 (K-37)
Gorbunov 105 - Reduced-weight LaGG-3 model; cut-down rear fuselage spine for improved viewing; improved performance specifications.
LaGG-3IT - Fitted with 37mm NS-37 automatic cannon.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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Finland; Nazi Germany; Japan (single example); Soviet Union
