The last LaGGs I-105 and I-105-2 By Massimo Tessitori |
File updated on July 2, 2018
In 1943, the Design Bureau led by Vladimir P. Gorbunov created a further update of the original LaGG-3, still in production in its lightened form at Zavod 31 in Tbilisi.
I-105
The first prototype of I-105 (I for Istrebitel, fighter) was built in May 1943. Compared to late production LaGG-2 (series 70) the new plane featured:
The test flight were satisfying, showing an increase of speed of 25 km/h compared to productio LaGG-3s of May 1943, a good turning time of 16 seconds, a climb time to 5000 m of 4.7 minutes and no troubles in handling.
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Aside: image of the first prototype I-105 taken on January 1944, much after its maiden flight in May 1943. . Note that the windshield, the engine and the 4-tubes exhaust stakes were the same of production LaGG-3s. The black-white painting of the prop blades and of the wheel hubs is noteworthy.
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Profile of I-105. The plane featured a standard grey-grey camouflage of AMT-11 and 12, with AMT-7 blue undersurfaces. |
I 105-2 The second prototype I-105-2, had some improvements:
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The image from behind shows |
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This image shows clearly the new profile of the fuselage, |
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This image shows the small size of the stars under the wings and the distance between the new air intakes for the oil coolers. |
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Profile of I-105-2. It featured the standard grey-grey camouflage |
The prototype was ready to fly only in February 1944 because of delays, and the state tests were made only in May-June 1944.
The state tests weren't very satisfying: the gross weight was 2875 kg, the max speed was 554 km/h at sea level and 618 km/h at 3400 m; it reached 5000 m of altitude in 4.8 minutes.
The maximum speed could be sustained only for 3 or 4 minutes because of water and oil overheating. These performances were inferior to those of the Yak-1M, the prototype of Yak-3, already tested in October 1943.
The program of modernization of the LaGG-3 was deleted, and Zavod 31 in Tbilisi
was converted to the production of Yak-3s.
Disclaimer:
this work collects a lot of photos from many sources, not always identified
and mentioned.
If someone has rights on the images reproduced on this site, please don't feel
hurted, email to me and I shall provide to remove or to credit them.
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