Sovietwarplanes

These profiles are well know as well as the photo it was based off of.

(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/LA%205%207%20Russian/boykov_1_zpsrj5wyxow.jpg) (http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/barneybolac/media/LA%205%207%20Russian/boykov_1_zpsrj5wyxow.jpg.html)

(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/LA%205%207%20Russian/pic_149_zps6hzzy7n6.jpg) (http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/barneybolac/media/LA%205%207%20Russian/pic_149_zps6hzzy7n6.jpg.html)


(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/LA%205%207%20Russian/boykov_2_zpsjxvuhwzh.jpg) (http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/barneybolac/media/LA%205%207%20Russian/boykov_2_zpsjxvuhwzh.jpg.html)

While looking at Russian sites I found a very clean & crisp version of this photo & it looks very different to the one above it.

(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/LA%205%207%20Russian/15-2_zpsfgfqe2fr.jpg) (http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/barneybolac/media/LA%205%207%20Russian/15-2_zpsfgfqe2fr.jpg.html)

There seems to be no linkage of the head to the exhaust stain at all in the lower photo where the one above it clearly has been joined to the stain. Some photo doctoring maybe to make the Dragon to appear to have a neck & body when in fact it has none based off the second photo?

If it has been fiddled with you almost have to question most of the other facts with the accepted profiles,number,colours all in doubt I think unless there is other information to the contrary.

Hi,
interesting profiles, I didn't know them. Probably I've seen the photo without regognizing the icon.
For me, there is no link between the head and the stain in both photos. It would have been a beautiful idea, but it's not so.
The red nose is very questionable too. I don't see anything in the photo indicating a discontinuity in color between grey and red, nor a glossy finish expectable with red paint.  In one of the photos, the demarcation line between the color of uppersurfaces and undersurfaces is visible.  Even the color of the spinner is questionable: in my idea, it looks roughly repainted with a matt color, slightly lighter than the usual grey, but it looks matt, could be a grey retouch or the same light blue of undersurfaces.
Regards
Massimo

Hi,
here is the sketch of the interpretation by Aleksandr Ruchkovsky:

(http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/la-7/eagle.jpg)

It is a dark eagle with mountains or clouds on the background. The light round is the logo of La-7.

Regards
Massimo

Yes I can see that being the case a eagle in a dive through the clouds & makes more sense for the time frame of nose art from that era.

My friend Greebo the AHII skinner pointed this out to me & its a book by Erik Pilawskii.
I have it & I forgotten about the entry in it.

(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/LA%205%207%20Russian/68934fd2-2807-4832-976d-48fbf1c3fc87_zpsront2zma.jpg) (http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/barneybolac/media/LA%205%207%20Russian/68934fd2-2807-4832-976d-48fbf1c3fc87_zpsront2zma.jpg.html)

I will see if there is a photo about showing the other side of this aircraft.

Hi,
Vitaliy says that a veteran (the pilot, I think) said that it's really an eagle, and there are slogans on both sides (he has to ask if it's known what it was written).
Regards
Massimo

I am in total agreement it is an Eagle just didn't remember the entry about the writing on the other side. Would be a nice find to get all that is wrong about this aircraft fixed.

Hi,
I've asked. Let's see...
Regards
Massimo