This LaGG-3 no. 29 was captured during the Continuation War.  It made a forced landing near Aunus in February 1942.

 

The aircraft appears: overall white upper and side surfaces and spinner, with hand brushed demarcation; light blue lower surfaces; red stars in 6 positions;  the fuselage star (at least) has a black outline; black 29 on the tail, overposed to the tail star; black prop blades; some summer color visible near the rear windows and UBS.

The aircraft was probably of 5th/7th series, and its characteristics were:

• sharp prop spinner;
• tubular exhaust stacks;
• 1 ShVAK 20 mm firing through the propeller shaft;
• 1 12,7 UB machine gun guns on the left side of the engine cowling, and relative holes on the left side of the cowling;
• 2  7,62 mm ShKAS machine guns on the engine cowling;
• engine cowling with fast locks on lower panel only;
• rounded side plates behind the exhaust stacks;
• reptangular supercharger intakes;
• long  radio mast;
• straight rudder with upper balance mass only;
• water cooler outlet on the fuselage with small step;
• fixed tail wheel;
• no slats, pitot on the right leading edge;
• probably without main wheels covers.

The aircraft was recovered by Finns on 20 May 1942 and  moved to a repair depot, still with retracted main gear. The number on the tail is well visible, while the red star under it can't be seen here; this seems to demonstrate that the number was black, in spite of being described as red by some sources. A black outline is well visible on the fuselage star.

Here the aircraft was lifted to allow the extraction of the landing gear. Note the uncovered engine, the bent propeller blades and the absence of wheel covers.

After restored, black 29 became LG-1 in Finnish service, and was assigned to LeLv 32 on 23 September 1942; this unit was based based at Nurmoila, on the Olonets isthmus. According to the Finnish book  "Punatähtestä hakaristiin" (from red star to swastika), this plane  restored as LG-1, was silver 71, while black.29 was utilized only for spare parts; this looks strange, because black 29 appears in better conditions on photos, and is in contrast with other sources.   Go to LG-1 page