LaGG-3-8

LaGG-3-8

I-153 M-62

LaGG-3-11

LaGG-3-8

I-153 M-62

LaGG-3-11

USSR

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.3	2.0	2.0

Class:

Fighter

Research:7 900

Purchase:10 000

This page is about the Russian fighter LaGG-3-8. For other versions, see LaGG-3 (Family).

Description

The LaGG-3-8 is a rank II Russian fighter with a battle rating of 2.3 (AB) and 2.0 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.33.

The LaGG-3-8 is one of the first aircraft in the game to be armed with a cannon. It is also one of three Soviet fighters in rank I to be armed with a cannon, the others being the LaGG-3-11 and Yak-1. As the first monoplane fighter for many rank I Soviet pilots, a big change from the reserve biplanes, it is an introduction to a whole new range of tactics and armaments.

General info

Flight performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
532	514	9000	25.3	26.3	7.6	7.6	400
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
578	554	9000	22.8	24.0	14	10.5	400

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flaps (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
		460	~11	~8

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 380	< 380	< 380	> 323

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
2,000 m	1,100 hp	1,232 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
4,000 m	1,050 hp	N/A

Survivability and armour

• 8 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The LaGG-3-8 is armed with:

• 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon, nose-mounted (150 rpg)
• 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, nose-mounted (200 rpg)

Usage in battles

The LaGG-3-8 should be flown mainly as a fighter. It can be used as a bomber hunter, but it is not well suited to this role due to its average rate of climb and fragile engine.

As a fighter, the LaGG-3-8 packs quite a punch at its low rank. The powerful cannon in the nose of the plane allows it to potentially dish out large amounts of damage to unsuspecting aircraft, biplanes, monoplanes and bombers alike. Its heavy armament makes it the perfect aircraft to pounce on carefully selected enemies that are on their own or engaged in a furball at low altitudes. Due to the average rate of climb, this aircraft is best used in diving attacks, booming and zooming in and out of the fray.

Another feasible tactic in the LaGG-3-8 is to take advantage of the nose centred armament in head-on attacks. Due to the aircraft's fairly robust airframe, it can take some hits in most areas, even from 20 mm cannons. When performing a head-on attack in the LaGG-3-8, take advantage of the central armament to take some shots from more than 750 m out, then pitching down and pulling to the side slightly. If you see that your opponent has committed to the head-on, pull the aircraft back on target and fire in long bursts.

If up against a fighter or single engine aircraft, aim for the main mass of the plane, the fuselage. If up against a heavy fighter or bomber, aim for a single engine or wing. Usually a burst of cannon fire into these areas will do them in. If you happen to come up against an aircraft with similar armament (central cannons), take a few pot shots, roll and dive out of the fight to a safe distance. However, against most other planes, the nose mounted armament of the LaGG-3-8 excels. Another thing to watch out for is the plane's fragile engine, as it can be easily knocked out by aircraft with heavier armament in head-on attacks.

At this low rank, there are many planes that can out-turn the LaGG-3-8. Although this aircraft can pull a very fast initial turn, in a sustained turn-fight it will start to show its faults. Its weak engine combined with a heavy airframe means that this aircraft bleeds energy very quickly in tight turns, nosing down during long, low speed turns. Once at this state of low energy, its average climb rate and acceleration worsens, posing it as an easy target for even the slowest of fighters.

In summary, the main points to take note of when flying this aircraft are:

• Keep your speed and energy up
• Use your dive speed and nose mounted cannon to your advantage
• Go for unsuspecting targets when alone or in furballs
• Perform head-on attacks against weaker targets
• Don't engage in a sustained turn fight
• Try not to get the engine damaged

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Auto control available	Separate	Controllable 2 gears	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		Offensive 12 mm
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 12 mm MGs
III	Wings repair	Engine		Offensive 20 mm
IV		Engine injection	Cover	New 20 mm cannons

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Relatively fast for its battle rating
• Good diving speeds
• Average turn time
• Fairly good roll rate
• Strong armament for its battle rating
• Reasonably high cannon ammunition capacity (150 rounds)
• Armament centred in nose
• Easy to fly

Cons:

• Rate of climb is average at best due to weight and weak engine
• Can be out-turned easily by biplanes
• to nose down in sustained low speed turns
• Low machine gun ammunition capacity (200 rounds)
• Cannon and machine gun rounds follow different trajectories
• Engine overheats and can be knocked out quite easily (liquid-cooled)

History

The LaGG-3 was designed by Soviet engineers Lavochkin, Gorbunov, and Gudkov to replace the LaGG-1. The original LaGG-3 prototype was made almost entirely out of wood. The airframe was made out of special multi-ply wood bonded with resin. The wings were similar to that of the Yak-1, the difference being the LaGG wing was made in two sections. The fuselage was similar to another Russian fighter, the MiG-3. Armament includes a 20 mm ShVAK rapid-fire cannon with 150 RPG mounted in a hollow shaft. A 12.7 mm Berezin machine gun was synchronized and mounted on the engine cowling with 170 RPG. The LaGG-3 had many problems during production, the Klimov M-106 engine was powerful but unreliable. The Klimov M105, however, was more reliable but weaker. This led to the LaGG-3 being severely underpowered and disliked by many pilots. This led to Lavochkin's decision to install a more powerful Shvetsov M-82 radial. Which gave birth to one of the most feared fighters in the game: the La-5.

In-game description

The breakneck rush to produce fighters in 1941, in tandem with an influx of unqualified personnel to aircraft plants, led to an unavoidable drop in quality in the assembly and machining of planes. The situation was worsened by an emerging shortage of Bakelite plywood, which had to be replaced with standard pine and birch. As a result, the LaGG-3's weight increased again, and its aerodynamic properties and flight characteristics decreased.

Designers attempted to counteract the increased weight by weakening its weaponry yet again. The LaGG-3 Series 8 had its synchronized 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns removed.

The plane's armament now consisted of a 20 mm Shpitalny-Vladimirov ShVAK cannon in the cavity between the engine cylinders with 150 shells, and a 12.7 mm synchronized Berezina BS installed in the nose section of the fuselage above the engine and to the right with 200 rounds each.

This airborne armament configuration became standard, and remained unchanged (except for series 34 planes) until LaGG-3 series production ceased.

Externally, the LaGG-3 Series 8 planes differed in the absence of the now unnecessary ShVAK cannon fairings on the engine hood.

The LaGG-3 Series 8 went into production at the end of 1941. LaGG-3 fighters of this model were produced right up until series 11 was launched.

Consequently, in less than a year, the LaGG-3 went from being a plane with excellent firepower to a fighter with a relatively average armament. Unfortunately, its "disarmament" only slightly improved its flight characteristics. The LaGG-3 still weighed nearly 300 kg more than the Yak-1, which was superior in speed, maneuverability and ascension rate. But worse still, it was not only inferior to its fellow Soviet Yak, but also to the German Messerschmitt, particularly its new Bf.109F model.

Nonetheless, in spite of its drawbacks, the LaGG-3 was actively used on the front starting in August 1941. In the autumn of 1941, it was used on the Bryansk, Kalinin and Western fronts and in the Moscow Air Defense Force.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

• [News] Wings of Victory: LaGG-3

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.

Lavochkin Design Bureau (Лавочкинa Опытное конструкторское бюро)
LaGG-3*	I-301 · LaGG-3-4 · LaGG-3-8 · LaGG-3-11 · LaGG-3-23 · LaGG-3-34 · LaGG-3-35 · LaGG-3-66
La-5/7	La-5 · La-5F · La-5FN · La-7 · Dolgushin's La-7 · La-7B-20
La-9/11	La-9 · La-11
Jet Fighters	La-15 · La-174 · La-200
Export	␗La-9 · ␗La-11
Captured	▀La-5FN
	*Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov (Лавочкин-Горбунов-Гудков), head designer V. P. Gorbunov