Sovietwarplanes

Hi

with the Mikro-Mir kit making an La-9 and La-11 an afforable project in 1/48th, and having just snagged an La-11 off ebay,  I was pondering on colour schemes.

A look through the Red Star book on the Lavochkin pistone engine fighters shows up a few photos of La-9 and La-11 in Chinese and N.Korean markings, but I have found profiles of La-9/11 in field applied disruptive schemes,  but no photos.

there are several profiles of a red/yellow 71, listed both as a La-9 and La-11
http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww3/f/700/82/0

(http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/700/pics/82_2_b1.jpg)

eg(http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/700/pics/82_4.jpg)

I note the 2nd profile is by Yuriy Tepsurkayev of the Osprey Mig-15 book.

anyone know more?

Doing image searches turn up profiles, but no photos.  

Hi Troy,
such discordances let me think that the profile is based on a verbal description rather than on a photo.
Regards
Massimo

Thanks Massimo

the 2nd profile is attributed to Yury Tepsurkaev, who did the Osprey Mig-15 book.
he's a member at Britmodeller, where I also posted this, and I sent him a message.
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234977655-la-9-la-11-in-korea-field-applied-disruptive-camouflage-any-photos/

EDIT

Yury replied




cheers
T

In the britmodeller thread linked above


Picked up the Korean War book today for 50p today, flicking through, spotted the photo mentioned, having forgotten it was even mentioned, and then re-found this thread thinking, oh that be something to add....
 
Though the book is on the Korean war, on the same page is a photo of US Sabres..... which are F-86Ds.....    so, the La-11 photo may well not be from the time,  and as no markings are visible, perhaps not even Koreans?
 
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1980/30646716607_2f584dda20_o.png)

obviously a propaganda shot, and looks very neat and tidy.

What can be seen of the camo is very interesting, with dark undersides,  or a colour under the nose?  The plane in the background has light gear legs, but dark under nose?
 as well as dark mottle on the uppers, as the  factory scheme was a pale blue grey,
see
http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/colors/1945-1950-newtypes/1945-1950-newtypes.html

Hi Troy,
this is a most interesting photo, thank you for posting it.
The impression is of a winter camouflage with green black and white. Perhaps there is a further light shade on the left.
I agree about the surprisingly dark look of undersurfaces. The ground doesn't look snowy though, I see the division line between concrete panels.
The wheel has a white ring painted on, it seems a common thing on parade tanks. The inner face of wheel doors look white too while the outside looks dark.
The dark look of the undersurfaces doesn't seem compatible with Pf-36g or similar shades. I can only remember a discussion on experimental camouflages of Soviet MiG-15s in Korean war, where it was written that the most camouflaging color for undersurfaces was found to be dark blue.
When compared to profiles of n.71, we can see from the shadow on the ground that the photographed plane hadn't the gun camera on the windshield.
Now I see the right part of the photo. Strangely, the plane on the background look to have a small dots camouflage instead of a striped one. About the gear door of the far plane, it's too strange that it was in two colors. I wonder if this can be the result of reflections on a dark glossy surface.

Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo

One additional bit of information, I checked the book again, and in the illustration list, the photos credit is Chinese National Army Museum.

So I suspect the pic is mid 50's and in China?

T

Hi Troy,
they could be Chinese volunteers in Korea. I onder how to contact the museum, if it has any web site.
Eventually it could be posted on a Chinese forum in English.
Maybe here:
https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/chinas-cctv4-documentary-series-on-pla-in-korean-air-war.t8166/ (https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/chinas-cctv4-documentary-series-on-pla-in-korean-air-war.t8166/)
there are links to four Chinese documentaries, but seems that I have't Flashplayer and I don't want to download it from them.
Regards
Massimo

Just hypothetically, it can not be the color of night defenders - dark and light gray from the top and black from the bottom?

Hi Massimo

I wonder if this is the same place?
http://eng.jb.mil.cn/

NO photo collections online though.

Cheers
T

Hi troy,
that site was very slow to load. Is this my problem only?
Regads
Massimo

Fury from the North - The North Korean Air Force in the Korean War 1950-1953 by Douglas C. Dildy, Asia@War Series, Helion & Co., casts some new light on this subject

At page iv of the color profiles (all by Tom Cooper), there is the La-11, Red 71, with a victory-star.

The relevant caption states By the spring of 1952, the 56th GFAR was re-formed as a night-fighter unit equipped with La-11s. When the 'Guards Tejon' converted to the MiG-15bis later that year, 12-14 of these were passed to the night-bombing regiment, forming a third squadron. One Russian history records that 'several La-11 were painted with dark green bands wrapped all the way around the aircraft's surfaces and bands of light grey in between them'. The dark green 'wrap around' bands were probably painted over the type's usual light grey 'air superiority' finish using the same olive green applied to KPA vehicles

If the above is accurate, then we have an unusual 1947/4BO over AGT-16 scheme...

Regards.

Hi Pete,
I saw such a profile somewhere. From the description, it is not clear if the green bands passed on the lower surfaces too.
Regards
Massimo