Details:

The LaGG-3 plane was created in response to the urgent need to modernize the Soviet aviation. Its model was the LaGG-1 (a prototype from 1940, Lavochkin, Gorbunov, Gudkov), initially bearing the designation I-22. Unlike other Soviet designs of that period, it was to be constructed of indefinite domestic materials, i.e. wood. After the first flights, the design turned out to be very promising. However, a perfectly developed prototype, covered with sensational plywood (impregnated with imported resins and with aluminum sheet equal in weight and strength) was very different from serial airplanes, produced in a hurry, of inferior materials and covered with poor quality ordinary plywood. All these factors dramatically increased the weight of the aircraft, leading to a significant deterioration in performance compared to the prototype. However, the main disadvantage was the short range. So it was decided to enlarge the fuel tanks. With this further increase in weight, the situation was not improved by the use of the most powerful engine available, which was the WK-105PF (M-105PF). The plane with enlarged fuel tanks and a more powerful engine was called LaGG-3, the production of which began in the spring of 1941. Technical data: length: 8.81m, wingspan: 9.8m, height: 2.54m, maximum speed: 575km / h, rate of climb: 14.9m / s, maximum range: 1000km, maximum ceiling 9700m, armament: permanent - 2 12.7mm Berezin BS machine guns, 1 20mm SzWAK cannon. suspended - up to 200 kg of cargo.