Lavochkin La-168
Lavochkin · Soviet Union · first flew 1948 · fighter
The Lavochkin La-168 was a Soviet single-seat swept-wing jet fighter prototype of 1948 that competed directly against the MiG-15 in comparative trials. Although it demonstrated excellent performance, the MiG design was selected for mass production.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Clean, smooth fuselage with a conventional tail — lost the competition to the MiG-15 |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Early Soviet swept-wing jet fighter competing with the MiG-15 in evaluation trials
- Single turbojet with a nose intake and swept wing — contemporary MiG-15 layout
- Clean, smooth fuselage with a conventional tail — lost the competition to the MiG-15
A compact single-engine swept-wing jet fighter with a nose intake strongly reminiscent of the MiG-15 — the two types are visually very similar, though the La-168's fuselage is slightly more tapered and the tail configuration differs subtly.
Specifications
- The Lavochkin La-168 has a length of 10.56 m (35 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.5 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1080 km/h (671 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed by the Lavochkin OKB using the British Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet obtained through the landmark Anglo-Soviet engine deal of 1947, the La-168 first flew in April 1948. In comparative trials it showed performance close to the MiG-15 but the MiG design won the production contract; the La-168 programme was subsequently cancelled.
Variants
The La-174TK (La-15) was a related Lavochkin design that did enter limited production, but the La-168 itself had no production variants.
Where you'll see it
Never entered production or operational service; flown only by Lavochkin test pilots during the 1948 competitive evaluation.
Related aircraft
- Lavochkin La-15
- Lavochkin La-11
- Lavochkin La-160
- Lavochkin La-152
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- Gloster Meteor F.8
- Gloster Meteor T.7
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