found a very interesting photo. but I'm at a loss - what series?
I haven't seen this photo before either, thanks for sharing. It's a strange one. It's probably some experimental (pre. serial production) plane?
The tail (rudder) is that of the LaGG-3 and the exhaust flap looks strangely cut off at the top (or rather, the exhaust is further up). The heat protection panel is rectangular like that of the La-5, even though the experimental LaG-5 (or LaGG-3 with M-82 engine) that I've seen had this panel cut on a diagonal at the back, similar to the LaGG-3 lines. This plane doesn't look like a La-5/LaG-5 production series plane, nor does it look like the pre-production test plane that I've seen. Puzzling. I am curious to find out more about it also:)
The date on the photo is pretty late for it to be an 'experimental plane' (Unless they just took the photo quite late). By the end of August 1942 the first three series of La-5 were already built. I think they moved on to series-04 in September if I am not mistaking.