Updates to the La-5 family page

[Johann]

found a very interesting photo.  but I'm at a loss - what series?

[Anton Petrov]

found a very interesting photo.  but I'm at a loss - what series?

I haven't seen this photo before either,  thanks for sharing.  It's a strange one. It's probably  some experimental (pre. serial production)  plane?  
The tail (rudder) is that of the LaGG-3 and the exhaust flap looks strangely cut off at the top (or rather, the exhaust is further up). The heat protection panel is rectangular like that of the La-5, even though the  experimental LaG-5 (or LaGG-3 with M-82 engine) that I've seen had this panel cut on a diagonal at the back,  similar to the LaGG-3 lines.   This plane doesn't look like a La-5/LaG-5 production series plane,  nor does it look like the pre-production test plane that I've seen.  Puzzling. I am curious to find out more about it also:)

The date on the photo is pretty late  for it to be an 'experimental plane' (Unless they just took the photo quite late).  By the end of August 1942 the first three series of La-5 were already built. I think they moved on to series-04 in September if I am not mistaking.

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi,
the serial on the fin is readable, it seems 5003. Does this help?

There is a description of La5F coloring, including internal surfaces.  Taken from the aircraft dehdocumentation.  why other fantasies?

The inner surfaces could be painted in several ways: two layers of AN Al dope varnish on gray nitro-soil DD-113, two layers of gray oil A-14 (or glyphthalic A-14f of the same color) or one layer of resin varnish No. 1. When repairing aircraft, the inner surfaces  could be covered with a layer of VIAM B-3 glue or two layers of A II Al., AMT-7 or A II aerosol varnishes of light blue color.

interesting, thank you. This confirms that aluminum was one of the options. it would be interesting to know if there is a chronological succession of these ways of painting, or if was all related to what they had on hand.

[Johann]

I met silver glue only on LaGG-3, and then this machine was flight tests at the Air Force Flight Research Institute or TsAGI.  But we can assume that with both LaGG and Da there could be some deviations from the standard, because at different plants the fields and forms of camouflage were slightly different, both in the early (green-black) and in the later ones (gray-dark gray).  

and I also found the serial number in the photo, but the search has not given any result yet.  A very interesting model, as a colleague noted, in addition to the keel, there are deviations in the location of the exhaust manifold.

Once again, I apologize for my terrible English (

[Massimo Tessitori]

A photo of the cockpit of a LaGG-3 captured by Finns seem to show silver walls too, so I think that it was common.

[Johann]

Hi,
the serial on the fin is readable, it seems 5003. Does this help?

4-digit serial numbers are characteristic of the plant No. 31. found information on the aircraft of the 31st plant with serial number 5003
Completed - 09/22/42
Transferred - 131 IAP
Downed - 10/26/42
But the photo shows 08/25/42
Either I am going the wrong way, or it will remain a mystery to me ...

[Anton Petrov]

But the photo shows 08/25/42
Either I am going the wrong way, or it will remain a mystery to me

Thanks for that info Johann. Yes,  the mystery continues, since the photo was taken almost a month before the airplane with a serial number 5003 was completed, according to the dates you've provided.   Interesting.