"Ivan Kozhedub La-5 & La-7"

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos, it looks idealized. It can resemble to how it was painted at the Frunze academy. The most inaccurate parts are the stars above the wings, that were not used in immediate postwar.
Regards
Massimo

[Sekunde]

This is the La-7 from Ivan Kozhedub in the first months of the year 1945, how I would say it.

I think there will be no kill markings at all, these were added later, possible after the war.

I made this model with parts from the 1:72 Eduard kit and my own Steelwork resin parts: fuselage, spinner, oilcooler and cabine parts (SA7214), wheels (SW7208) and etch inner landing gear cover (SA7215).

For a very good La-7 these kits parts from Eduard should be altered. The big faults are at the cowling, spinner and the wings. But the wings need only some sanding at the tips.

I used selfmixed colours from Vallejo for the paintjob.

Sekunde

[learstang]

Excellent job on the La-7! It's actually nice to see it without all the markings you normally see on Kozhedub's La-7.

Regards,

Jason

[Massimo Tessitori]

Very good model on all the respects. Shape, details and painting are very convincing.
I would know more on your self produced pieces.
Regards
Massimo

[Sekunde]

Thank you for your comments Jason and Massimo!

There were many small alternations but at the end there were a visible difference. I made the work at the resin parts for some years. Built first the 3 gun La-7 and La-7 R-2 in 2010.

In my little webshop were some pics ot the parts for both versions, the La-7 R-2 and other.

http://shop.strato.de/epages/61299018.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/61299018/Categories

I have also a gallery with more 1:72 models not only VVS from me.

www.steelwork-models.de

Sekunde

[learstang]

Looks like you have some nice items on your site! I might have to pick up that La-7 3x B-20 correction set. I also like the Spanish Civil War items (I've always been interested in the SCW).

Regards,

Jason

[66misos]

Hi Sekunde,
really very nice build! I like this wartime painting without all those decorations. I reminds me my one I build years ago in 1/48 from HobbyBoss, but unfortunately not such nice like this your one ;-)
Regards,
    66misos

[FPSOlkor]

Dare you to make this!

[learstang]

Looks like the engine overheated (which they tended to do on the Lavochkins) and blistered the paint.

Regards,

Jason

[Massimo Tessitori]

Interesting, but what type is this? The side plate has an unusual look. The canopy seems the old non-jettisonable type of early La-5F.
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi,
I just browsed photos about Kozhedub and here is several thoughts.

Kozhedub was awarded with his first HSU on February 4, 1044 in 240 iap.
On may 1944 Kozhedub having already 38 victories received La-5F from kolochoznik V.V. Konev.


This photo of La-5FN is probably from winter 1943/44:

red spinner and red triangle without white outline. Sides of the triangle seems to be curved to the same direction (upwards), so IMHO it caused by shape of the cowling. Note "La-5FN" logo in the red triangle.

At the end of June 1944 Kozhedub was transfered from 240 iap to 176 giap. 176 giap received new La-7s on August 1944.
Kozhedub was awarded with the second HSU on August 19, 1944. On this photo he has still one HSU Gold Star, so it shoud be around or before August 19, 1944.

(His) La-7 in the background has red spinner and red triangle on the engine cowling without white outline.

Kozhedub with already 2 HSU gold medals in front of older La-5FN probably already in 176 giap - note 3 vent openings on the metal plate and wide exhaust stains:


http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=2021.msg16621#msg16621:
In 1997 a series of interviews with S.M. Kramarenko were published in Czech magazine Aero Plastic Kit Review, starting it seems with issue no.64. The interviewer, S. Makarovich, asked Kramarenko specifically about service in the 176 GAIP, and Kozhedub's aircraft, which the latter claims to have piloted after Kozhedub left the Regiment. The following excerpts are from Kramarenko's answers:
"Sometime during preparation of the 'Carpathian-Visla' Operation (Nov-Dec 1944) the 176 GIAP received new La-7 fighter planes...."
If this is so, then it is indeed very strong evidence in favour of the single-colour interpretation of "White 27". This testimony may explain just why so many 176 GIAP La-7s are finished in this way.
"(Following a mission on 11 Feb/45) ...Kozedub?s plane was slightly damaged ? two hits to the fuselage and one hit to the tail."
If this damage were notable, could it explain some kind of repainting? Could it explain the repainting below the cockpit that might appear on the port fuselage? Could it explain a reason for adding AMT-12 in a two-tone application?

Hard to date this photo, but La-7 behind Kozhedub has again red spinner and red triangle on the engine cowling without white outline.


However, here is red spinner and red triangle already with white outline. White line seems to be curved only by shape of the cowling from this view:


Kramarenko received Kozhedub's "White 27" after the Deputy Commander was ordered to return to Moscow for the May Day celebrations. He states that he piloted this aircraft until the end of the War, and that it carried no "...small 'kill' stars nor three Hero of the Soviet Union 'Gold Medals' on the side....", which he asserts were painted later at the Frunze Academy.

So these photos were taken when Kozhedub returned to the 176 giap (after WWII ended). He had two HSU Gold medals and closed number of victories, therefore layout of the victory stars is in regullar symetrical pattern. So technically this is already after-the-War decoration made in the field conditions.



And finally, this photo of exhibited La-7 was taken shortly after the was (in Moscov). Aircraft has a full set of decoration, red triangle with straight white outline and white spinner.

Kozhedub (in the middle) has still "only" two HSU Gold medals.

Kozhedub was awarded with his 3rd HSU Gold Medals after the WWII, on August 18, 1945. Only then was his final score oficially closed.

Regards,
  66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
your chronology is extremely interesting. You made an huge work in reordering images and known facts.
I would understand better some points:

On may 1944 Kozhedub having already 38 victories received La-5F from kolochoznik V.V. Konev.

This photo of La-5FN is probably from winter 1943/44:

If he already had a La-5FN, a La-5F as a gift hadn't to be very welcome. At this point, I wonder if it was still in 240 iap (in this case, the triangle was an individual mark) or to 176 giap (those unit's mark was the triangle). I wonder when the triangle started to be the mark of the unit.

Sides of the triangle seems to be curved to the same direction (upwards), so IMHO it caused by shape of the cowling.

The lower side is concave; should it be straight, it should appear convex, as the trasversal fasteners. The upper side is not well visible, it looks chipped.

Kozhedub with already 2 HSU gold medals in front of older La-5FN probably already in 176 giap - note 3 vent openings on the metal plate and wide exhaust stains:

This looks a La-7, look at the flap over the exhaust pipes. Some La-7 had 3 slots as La-5FN. It's not the same plane of following images, anyway.

176 giap received new La-7s on August 1944.

"Sometime during preparation of the 'Carpathian-Visla' Operation (Nov-Dec 1944) the 176 GIAP received new La-7 fighter planes...."

Seems discordant.

However, here is red spinner and red triangle already with white outline. White line seems to be curved only by shape of the cowling from this view:

The  concavity seems real, at least in the brief part that we see. Should it be an effect of the curvature of the cowling, it should be on the other side as the fasteners.
It's unclear if the direction of the white outline continue to change outside the view, if it was intentional or a banal error in masking.

So these photos were taken when Kozhedub returned to the 176 giap (after WWII ended). He had two HSU Gold medals and closed number of victories, therefore layout of the victory stars is in regullar symetrical pattern. So technically this is already after-the-War decoration made in the field conditions.

Very likely . I suppose it still had a red spinner. I wonder about the guards emblem reported by Stankov.

And finally, this photo of exhibited La-7 was taken shortly after the was (in Moscov). Aircraft has a full set of decoration, red triangle with straight white outline and white spinner.

Comparing the triangle with a ruler, the first part follows the curvature of the cowling so it was probably straight, but the last part seems to have a slight curvature downwards.
What are the awards? Guards, Red banner, Kutuzov and Nevskiy I think.

Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo,
here is foto of Aleluchin's La-7 and it has 3 vent openings on the metal plate:

and another one I found in MBI book Lavochkin La-7.

So yes, this also can be La-7:


The date of "176 giap received new La-7s on August 1944." is before date "Sometime during preparation of the 'Carpathian-Visla' Operation (Nov-Dec 1944) the 176 GIAP received new La-7 fighter planes....", although a bit earlier. IMHO, it could be.

When compared this red triangle with white outline:


with this red triangle without white outline:

then, yes, this second one really looks concave.
Interestingly, La-5FN (probably from the same unit) in the background does not have either red front part of cowling or red triangle. Only dark (red?) spinner.

Note two metal stripes around the cowling are always unpainted, only NMF.
Regards,
   66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
the photo of the plane of Alehuhin is new to me, thank you for having posted it.
I wonder if the number of slots was reduced with the serie progression, or was typical of each factory.
Thinking again to the photos of Kozhedub's La-7, all the noses are shown from the right side, apart the last one.  If there was something interesting on the right side only, i think that the photographer would have tried to take the pilot with the plane seen from the left. If it's not so, it's likely that there was not any guards emblem on the left of the nose. So I'll remove it from my profile.
Regards
Massimo

[Flavio]

Hi all,

I want to add my little contribution to this very interesting topic.

Here two photos from the book "Lavockin La-7" by M.Vestsik:




1- in the first photo Kozhedub is wearing only one Star for Hero of Soviet Union, so the photo was taken some times before 18 August '44. It seems that all red triangle on the nose, during war time, had curved lines. The only example with straight lines was Kozhedub's La-7 post war.

2- if caption on photo 2 is confirmed, some time before the end of the war 176.GIAP changed the nose tactical markings from red triangle to a whole red cowling. But more noteworthy is the absence of white rudder.
As far as I have seen in wartime photos about 176GIAP no one shows La-7 with partly white rudder; the only example is again Kozhedub's La-7 post war.

In my opinion soon after the end of the war Kozhedub's famous La-7 "27" was heavily retouched:

1- added kill marks and Golden stars under the cockpit;
2- repainted red triangles (with straight lines) on the cowling;
3- added insignia(s) on the port side of cowling;
4- added border (azure?) to number "27";
5- repainted spinner and rudder in White.

Just my opinion of course, hoping to be disproved by photographic evidences  

Flavio