Lavochkin La-11

The Lavochkin La-11 (NATO reporting name Fang) was an early post-World War II long-range piston-engined Soviet fighter aircraft.

Development

One of the recommendations from the government testing of Lavochkin La-130 (Lavochkin La-9 prototype) was to further develop it into a long-range escort fighter. The resultant La-134 prototype (also sometimes referred to as La-9M) featured increased fuel and oil capacity. Armament was reduced to three cannons. The prototype flew in May 1947. The second prototype, La-134D had fuel capacity increased by an additional 275 liters (73 US gallons) with wing and external fuel tanks. The aircraft was fitted with larger tires to accommodate the increased weight and amenities for long flights such as increased padding in the seat, armrests, and a urinal. In addition, a full radio navigation suite was installed. Not surprisingly, combat performance with a full fuel load suffered. However, as the fuel load approached that of La-9, so did the performance. The aircraft was found to be poorly suited for combat above 7,000 m (23,000 ft). The new fighter, designated La-11 entered production in 1947. By the end of production in 1951, a total of 1,182 aircraft were built.

Operational history

First documented combat use of La-11 took place on April 8, 1950, when these fighters shot down an American Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer over the Baltic Sea with all 10 crew lost. Later the same year, La-11 shot down a Lockheed P2V Neptune. By July 1950, La-11 were flying combat air patrol missions over North Korea. The aircraft's main target during the Korean War was the Douglas A-26 Invader night bomber, although numerous skirmishes with North American P-51 Mustangs also took place. Attempts to intercept Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers proved fruitless. La-11 required 26 minutes to reach B-29's cruise altitude and once there had a speed advantage of only 20 km/h (12 mph) making it easy for the B-29 to evade the attacker in a shallow dive.

Users

; USSR
* Soviet Air Force; PRC; PRK

pecifications (La-11)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=One
length main=8.62 m
length alt=28 ft 3 in
span main=9.80 m
span alt=32 ft 2 in
height main=3.47 m
height alt=11 ft 5 in
area main=17.6 m²
area alt=189 ft²
empty weight main=2,770 kg
empty weight alt=6,107 lb
loaded weight main=3,730 kg
loaded weight alt=8,223 lb
max takeoff weight main=3,996 kg
max takeoff weight alt=8,810 lb
engine (prop)=Shvetsov ASh-82FN
type of prop=air-cooled radial engine with a two-stage supercharger and fuel injection
number of props=1
power main=1,380 kW
power alt=1,850 hp
max speed main=674 km/h
max speed alt=420 mph
max speed more=at altitude
range main=2,235 km
range alt=1,393 mi
ceiling main=10,250 m
ceiling alt=33,620 ft
climb rate main=758 m/min
climb rate alt=2,486 ft/min
loading main=212 kg/m²
loading alt=44 lb/ft²
power/mass main=0.37 kW/kg
power/mass alt=0.23 hp/lb
armament=
* 3x 23 mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 cannons, 75 rounds/gun

References

;Notes;Biblliography
* Gordon, Yefim. "Lavochkin's Piston-Engined Fighters (Red Star Volume 10)". Earl Shilton, Leicester, UK: Midland Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-85780-151-2.
* Kopenhagen, W (ed.), "Das große Flugzeug-Typenbuch" (in German). Transpress, 1987, ISBN 3-344-00162-0

External links

*http://www.aviation.ru/La/#11

ee also

aircontent

sequence=
* "VVS sequence:" La-5 - La-7 - La-9 - La-11 - La-15
* "Lavochkin prototypes sequence:" La-126 - La-130 - La-132 - La-134 - La-138 - La-140 - La-150

related=
* La-126
* La-138
* La-9

similar aircraft=
P-51 Mustang

lists=
* List of fighter aircraft

see also=