General info for La-5F

• Country USSR
• Vehicle role Fighter
• Rank 3

• Battle rating in
  • arcade battles 3.3
  • realistic battles 3.3
  • simulator battles 3.3

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Wiki info about La-5F

Official War Thunder wiki

The M-82 initially had two operational modes: the so-called takeoff overdrive which allowed it to reach 1,700 hp, and its rated power mode which amounted to 1,330-1,350 hp. However, it could operate in overdrive mode for only 5-10 minutes. By the autumn of 1942, the A.D. Shvetsov design bureau had managed to upgrade the engine, giving it the ability to operate constantly in overdrive mode. In practice, this meant a significant addition to the aircraft's power output. From December 1942, the La-5 began to be equipped with the M-82F engine. At the same time, the aircraft's notation received the letter “F” (forsirovannyj, or supercharged). Apart from its powertrain, the La-5N received a number of other upgrades aimed at increasing its flight and combat characteristics. In particular, the aircraft's overall weight was reduced. The aircraft's armament remained the same as that of the La-5 Type 37. All the aircraft's radio equipment underwent changes; apart from the RSI-4 receiver, now every second airplane in the series had to be equipped with a transmitter, and every third with an RPK-10 fixed-loop radio compass. Air vents were installed in front of the cockpit windshield on both sides, to provide cockpit ventilation. From the spring of 1943, the La-5F began to be produced with a lowered fuselage spine fairing and a convex drop-shaped cockpit. The armored headrest on the pilot's seat was swapped with bullet-proof glass. This and the improved quality of the plexiglass gave the pilot an excellent all-round view. An emergency release system was fitted to the cockpit canopy in order to ensure that if the plane was shot down, the stiff canopy would not prevent the pilot from jumping out of the plane and parachuting to safety. The La-5F was superior in all respects to its predecessor, the La-5, particularly at low altitudes, where it had a speed advantage of up to 40 km/h. Its climbing rate and operating conditions for the pilot had also been improved. Production of La-5F Type 39 continued until the end of 1943. The La-5F appeared in large quantities in the Kuban region, at Leningrad and at Velikiye Luki. In total, 4,150 were built, including the La-5F Type 37 with a fuselage fairing.