Lavochkin La-15 "Fantail"

Lavochkin · Soviet Union · first flew 1948 · fighter

The Lavochkin La-15 was a Soviet single-seat swept-wing jet fighter developed in parallel with the MiG-15. Although technically comparable, it lost out to the MiG-15 for mass production and served only briefly in limited numbers.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	9.56 m fuselage
T — Tail	T-tail

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Swept-wing Soviet jet fighter with nose intake and T-tail
Very compact lightweight airframe
Competes with MiG-15 in same generation

The La-15 is distinguished from the contemporary MiG-15 by its T-tail configuration, a noticeably compact and lighter airframe, and a slightly different nose intake shape. Both share the 35-degree swept wing but the La-15 has a visibly higher tailplane.

Specifications

The Lavochkin La-15 has a length of 9.56 m (31 ft).
It has a wingspan of 8.83 m (29 ft).
Its maximum speed is 1026 km/h (638 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in January 1948, the La-15 used a Soviet derivative of the Rolls-Royce Derwent turbojet. It was selected for limited production alongside the MiG-15, but the superior performance and simpler construction of the MiG led to La-15 production being cut short after about 235 aircraft.

Variants

The La-15UTI was a two-seat trainer version with a tandem cockpit. No major combat variants entered service.

Where you'll see it

Served with the Soviet Air Force in small numbers during the late 1940s and early 1950s, rapidly supplanted by the MiG-15. The La-15 saw no combat and was withdrawn from front-line service by the mid-1950s.

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