Clear Prop 1/72 La-5 (Early); Late version Released 11/2020

[Psy06]

Hi,

Massimo, in fact, there is a transverse frame in the area of the nose, where cowlings are closed and there are locking locks. Many high-quality photos show a large dent in this area. Simply put, the nose contours of the la-5 were in reality distorted due to poor-quality production and inaccurate handling during operation.

So, was the curvature  due to the bending between the central dent and the fasteners?

Andrey thinks so, but I disagree with him.

[Massimo Tessitori]

Maybe for La-5FN with an hinge amid the panel.

[righidan]

Dear friends,
   I have to thank Mr. Linevitch for sharing all his information on this topic, as I realized that we older western modellers got an inprint from the material we received from England half a century ago and yes, I am so old!
   For us the Lavochkins were as represented in a Scale models drawing of 1971:


   Now I think that we should admit that this drawing was as good as the Russian colour description that accompanied the drawing:


   I fear that this material was used in some Russian publications too.
   Now it is good to know that the factory drawings survived, and we hope to see them in some modelling magazine, and have them used to produce some model in Gentlemen's scale...
Regards
Daniele

[learstang]

One big problem we have with the LaGG-3 and the La-5 variants is that not a single example still exists, just pieces. At least with the La-7 there are two examples still existing (that I know of), the one at the Prague-Kbely museum, and the aircraft of Ivan Kozhedub, at the Russian museum at Monino. All we have to go on are drawings and photographs for the earlier aircraft. I do hope someday, that someone will find at least a semi-intact LaGG-3 or La-5(F/FN) in a lake somewhere in Russia. It probably won't happen, but we can hope.

Regards,

Jason

[John Thompson]

I remember buying those 1971 drawings by G.R. Duval and thinking they were quite impressive! Obviously there's a difference between drawings that look pretty because of good draftsmanship, and drawings that are accurate. There was another set of La-7 drawings published in Aero Album magazine, some time later. These I believed to be most accurate because they were based on measurements taken from one of the surviving La-7 airframes, but now I'm not so sure about thir accuracy. Here's a sample:



As can be seen, there's no sign of a bulged cowling there! I hope more accurate drawings based on the factory prints will some day be available.

John

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi,
there is written 'All metal construction, aluminum covered', but practically no panel lines.
For its age, the shape looks fairly good.

[Psy06]

Despite the statement that the drawings were based on the measurements of the machine, it is obvious that the author did not personally see the plane, otherwise how could he have missed the completely asymmetrical fairings of the guns

[Massimo Tessitori]

There is something suspicious on the line of the ailerons over the wing. The inner end appears rightly reduced in comparison to its extension on the lower face, but the outer one isn't. The shape of the spinner is not perfect. But let's see the kits of Soviet planes that were available at that time, this drawing looks a progress anyway.  I suppose that the colors were those of the plane in the museum at that time.
Probably the error on the metallic structure was due to a photo of his previous aluminum livery.

[John Thompson]

Despite the statement that the drawings were based on the measurements of the machine, it is obvious that the author did not personally see the plane, otherwise how could he have missed the completely asymmetrical fairings of the guns

Yes, I noticed that too.

John

[John Thompson]

But let's see the kits of Soviet planes that were available at that time, this drawing looks a progress anyway.

It's not a Soviet plane, but I remember when I was a kid buying the latest issue of some aviation magazine because it included drawings of the Czech Avia B-534. Among the references used to make the drawings was listed the old KP 1/72 kit! I don't remember comparing them, but I assume the kit matched the drawings perfectly! So drawings can't always be trusted, as I'm sure everyone knows.

John

[Massimo Tessitori]

In absence of better sources.... He was honest to admit it. Anyway I suppose that it was accurate and made on the base of some drawing of Letectvi Kosmonautika.