Lavochkin La-7
.jpg) Lavochkin La-7. Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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| Make | Lavochkin |
|---|---|
| Model | Lavochkin La-7 |
| Type | Fighter |
| Country |  Soviet Union
|
| First flight | 1 February 1944 (La-5 mod. 1944) |
| Built | May 1944 - August 1946 |
| Status | Retired |
| Number built | 5,753 (+ 582 trainers) |
| Seats | 1 |
| Engine | Shvetsov ASh-82FN, 1380 kW
|
| Developed from | Lavochkin La-5 |
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The Lavochkin La-7 is a Soviet piston-engined fighter of World War II, a refined La-5 and the last of a family that began with the LaGG-1 in 1938.[1] With two or three 20 mm cannon and a top speed of 661 km/h (411 mph), its pilots felt it was at least the equal of any German piston-engined fighter.[1] In all, 5,753 were built, plus 582 trainers.[1] None are on the U.S. civil register.[2]
History
By 1943 the La-5 was a mainstay of the Soviet air force, but Semyon Lavochkin and the TsAGI research institute believed it could be better.[1] TsAGI's changes included a fully sealed engine cowling and moving the engine air intake from the top of the cowling to the bottom, which improved the pilot's view. The improved airplane first flew in early 1944 and entered service in June 1944.[1] A small batch went to Czechoslovakia in 1945, but otherwise it was not exported.[1] NATO called it "Fin".[1]
Specifications (1945 production model)
| Item | 1945 production model |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
| Length | 8.6 m |
| Wingspan | 9.8 m |
| Height | 2.54 m |
| Empty weight | 5,816 lb |
| Engine | Shvetsov ASh-82FN, 1380 kW (14-cylinder, two-row, air-cooled radial) |
| Propeller | VISh-105V-4 |
| Maximum speed | 661 km/h |
| Range | 665 km |
| Rate of climb | 3,095 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Lavochkin La-7. Photo: Alan Wilson, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
Replica of a La-7. Photo: Latitude, Public domain -
Lavochkin LA-7 at Central Russian Air Force museum, Monino. Photo: Alf van Beem, Public domain -
Lavochkin La-7 fighter on display at the Kbely Aviation Museum (Prague, Czechia). Photo: VargaA, CC BY-SA 4.0 -
Lavochkin LA-7 at Central Russian Air Force museum, Monino. Photo: Alf van Beem, Public domain
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Lavochkin La-7
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Wikipedia, "Lavochkin La-7", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.