Lavochkin La-7
Lavochkin · Soviet Union · first flew 1944 · fighter
The refined successor to the La-5FN, the La-7 is the aircraft in which Ivan Kozhedub scored his final victories to finish the war as the Allied ace of aces with 64 kills.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Cleaner, more streamlined cowl profile than the La-5; the transition from cowl to fuselage is smoother |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Three cowl air intakes on the upper cowl (versus the La-5's two) — an additional central intake was added to improve engine cooling, visible from directly above or at a slight angle
- Cleaner, more streamlined cowl profile than the La-5; the transition from cowl to fuselage is smoother
- Cut-down rear fuselage and improved canopy framing on most production aircraft give marginally better rearward view than the La-5
Against the La-5: the three cowl air intakes versus two, and the cleaner cowl-to-fuselage transition. Against the Yak family: the wide radial cowl remains the primary separator for both La marks.
Specifications
- The Lavochkin La-7 has a length of 8.6 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.8 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 661 km/h (411 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Entering service in 1944, the La-7 benefited from aerodynamic refinements including reduced drag coolings and a lighter structure. It was arguably the best Soviet piston fighter of the war, competitive with the Bf 109K and Fw 190D at low-to-medium altitudes.
Variants
La-7 (two ShVAK cannon standard), La-7 three-cannon variant (an additional ShVAK centreline), La-7TK (experimental turbosupercharger).
Where you'll see it
Museum examples exist in Russia; no La-7 is believed airworthy in the West. The type is represented at Russian aviation events. Kozhedub's aircraft is preserved at the Central Museum of the Russian Air Force.
Related aircraft
- Lavochkin La-152
- Lavochkin La-5
- Lavochkin La-9
- Lavochkin La-11
- Arado E.580
- Bell XP-77
- Blohm & Voss BV 155
- Curtiss SC Seahawk
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