Luftwaffe reports on downed Lavochkins

[Kjetil Aakra]

Franek, you are way off in your suggestions that difference in performance between the La-5FN and La-7 was masked by inadequate pilot capabilities.

The difference between sea level speed is about 30 km/t (approx. 574 vs 615 km/h), at altitude some 40 km/h (635 vs 677). Climb is also very much better, 1215 m/min for the -5FN vs 1310 m/min for the -7. This is something you would notice and there is no way the La-7 would be delivered to novice pilots who did not know how to handle it to get the best out of their new aircraft.

That is performance, there are also considerable differences in external appearance. Most importantly the oil cooler was moved from a ventral nose position to a ventral mid-fuselage position and the the engine cowling was virtually circular without the dorsal scoop of the La-5F/FN. Not always easy to distinguish in combat of course, but it is certainly not corect to say that "the main difference between La-5FN and La-7 was in internal structure". As a matter of fact, there are virtually no internal differences between the two, only external.

I suspect your derogatory characteristics of this remarkable Soviet fighter is yet another attack on Soviet hardware, and of course, not based on facts.

Regards,

Kjetil