LaGG-3 series 1-4 Fighter 1/48 ICM 48091

LaGG-3 series 1-4 Fighter 

1/48 military aircraft fighter scale plastic model kit
ICM 48091  

High-quality details.

Manufacturer: ICM Models (Ukraine)
Scale: 1/48
Material: Plastic
Paint: Unpainted, Unassembled, Kit do not contain paints and glue.
Condition: New in Box

WWII Soviet Fighter
LaGG-3 belonged to the new generation of Soviet fighters that were created just before WWII. The first prototype named I-301 was completed in March 1940. The trio of constructors - S. Lavochkin, V. Gorbunov and M. Gudkov, designed it. The main difference of this project became the all-wooden construction.

Serial production of the new fighter named LaGG-3 began in January 1941 on 5 plants. The main producer became the Plant 21 in Gorky. First three series were completed with armament including 3 BS heavy machine guns and 2 ShKAS machine guns. Since autumn 1942 LaGG-3 was produced only the Plant 31 in Tbilysi. Aircraft series 35 had more powerful VK- 105 PF engine, armament included one ShVAK cannon, one BS machine gun and rocket projectiles.

It was equipped with slots, aerodynamic compensators of rudder and retractable tail wheel. LaGG-3 became one of three new types of Soviet fighters. In air battles of the war in the Soviet- German front LaGG-3 showed its solid construction, power armament, but it was too heavy and had difficult control. But in skilful hands it became menacing weapon of air war. Many Soviet aces such as Heroes of the USSR L. Galtchenko and I. Evteev flew on LaGG-3.

Three of the captured LaGG-3 served in Finnish Air Force.

The LaGG-3 proved immensely unpopular with pilots. Some aircraft supplied to the front line were up to 40 km/h (25 mph) slower than they should have been and some were not airworthy. In combat, the LaGG-3's main advantage was its strong airframe. Although the laminated wood did not burn it shattered when hit by high explosive rounds.

The LaGG-3 was improved during production, resulting in 66 minor variants in the 6,528 that were built. Experiments with fitting a Shvetsov M-82 radial engine to the LaGG-3 airframe finally solved the power problem, and led to the Lavochkin La-5 The major LaGG-3 construction plant in Gorky switched over to the La-5 in 1942 after having completed 3,583 LaGG-3. All further LaGG-3 development and production was done by factory 31 in Taganrog as the sole LaGG-3 manufacturer.

Soviet pilots generally disliked this aircraft. Pilot Viktor M. Sinaisky recalled: "It was an unpleasant client! Preparing the LaGG-3 for flight demanded more time in comparison with other planes. All cylinders were supposed to be synchronized: God forbid you from shifting the gas distribution! We were strictly forbidden to touch the engine! But there were constant problems with water-cooled engines in winter: especially as there was no antifreeze liquid. You couldn't keep the engine running all night long, so you had to pour hot water into the cooling system in the morning. Furthermore, pilots didn't like flying the LaGG-3 - a heavy beast with a weak M-105 engine - but they got used to it. Even so, we had higher losses on LaGG-3 than on I-16s."

LaGG-3
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	21 (Gorky), 31 (Taganrog/Tbilisi), 23/153 (Leningrad/Novosibirsk)
Designer	V. P. Gorbunov
First flight	30 March 1940
Introduction	early 1941
Primary user	Soviet Union
Produced	1941-1944
Number built	6,528
Variants	Lavochkin La-5 Lavochkin La-7