Left: the photo probably shows the first La-5UTI. Its main characteristics are the Sh-82F engine (probably), the raised back, the windshield and first sliding hood as La-5F/FN, then a trasparent part, then the second cockpit, opened. On the photo, one can see the lack of armored seat, armorglass, headrest, and the top of the second instrument panel, reduced in size. The front cockpit has standard instrument panel and gunsight. The rare combination of grey/grey camouflage and red stars without white-red outlines suggests that the plane was completed in late July/early August 1943.
	"??????? ?????? ? ????? 25-????? ?????" It means "Present to the front in the honour of the 25th anniversary of the V.L.K.S.M." V.L.K.S.M. is another name for Komsomol, see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komsomol
	This collage of screenshots from a wartime report shows a La-5UTI different from all other known ones; it is unclear if it was unique or more similar planes were produced. We see that the plane is based on a 'bubbletop' La-5F, with the addition of a second open canopy and of an apparently opaque 'hump' behind it. The plane is painted with grey/grey camouflage and red stars with white-red outlines introduced in August 1943. The bort number 07, the white spinner and rudder are noteworthy.
La-5UTI n.100 was transformed into a photo recce plane on the Leningrad front. The camera is well visible on front of the rear cockpit, and there was an opening on the undersurface of the fuselage. http://waralbum.ru/198903/

 

Sources:

The State authority of audio/video material archive of Nizhniy Novgorod region (ex Gorky)
Red Stars by Geust, Keskinen, Stenman;
Lavockin's Piston-engined fighters by Yefim Gordon
La5/7 fighters in action, by Hans-Heiri Stapfer, Squadron/Signal
Soviet Combat Aircraft of the Second World War, of Yefim Gordon and Dmitri Khazanov
Soviet Air Force Fighter Colors 1941-1945 by Erik Pilawskii
Scale Aircraft Modelling January 2004
Soviet Fighters of Great Patriotic War: MiG-3, LaGG-3, La-5  by V. Voronin and P. Kolesnikov
http://vvs.hobbyvista.com/Markings/Chkalov/index.php, a research on "Eskadrilya Valeriy Chkalov" aircrafts;
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/ great site including model galleries, reviews and, in particular, a large walkaround gallery with something on La-5 relic;
http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/portland/971/reference/russian.htm about the colors found on pieces conserved in Finland.
 
 

Credits:

Audrius Nairanauskas for many information, help and scans;
Aleksey Zaicev-Valiayev for some pictures never published before;
Alexander Ruchkovsky for many information and scans;
Jouni Ronkko for his help;
Fabrizio Di Santo for his collection of scans;
Giovanni Carlassare for having sent to me some photostats;
Paul Flint for some suggestions;
Robert N. Abbott Jr for his photos of La-5 wreck;
Aleksej Ilic for his help
Matthias Erben for his help
Milos Vestsik for his help
Michael Neradkov (Michael XIII) for a review.

Special thanks to the State authority of audio/video material archive of Nizhniy Novgorod region where many original pictures are stored.
 

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