La-7s of the Pacific Fleet

La-7s of the Pacific Fleet
by Massimo Tessitori

Updated on August 25, 2023

back to La-7 units in 1944/45

This is a scan of the first page of an article published on 'Gazeta Novosti' n.112, 1997; at the moment, this scan is all we have on it.

Despite its uncompleteness and bad resolution, it is interesting anyway.

It is about the young pilot Lieutenant Nikolay Fedyushin of 6 IAP TOF (Fighter Air Regiment of the Pacific Fleet), an unit that escorted Soviet bombers during the brief war between Russia and Japan started on 8 August 1945. http://ava.org.ru/iap/6m.htm

The photo was taken at the Vtoroj Reckje airport in August 1945, Fedyushin is the second from right.

http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=1998.msg19103#msg19103

A first reason of interest is that 6 iap isn't listed between the identified units using La-7 nor in the book of Vestsik, nor in the one of Mellinger. So, a new unit was identified.

Image via Aleksandr Ruchkovsky, translation by Barneybolac

The second reason of interest is that the plane on the background shows an interesting white band as a fast recognition mark.

Examinating closely the photo, darkening some parts, one can reach some conclusions:

the marks seem to be the white band on the fuselage, the white spinner and a white tip of the prop blades, on the front face only;

the visible number, once darkened by photoshop, seems 58; as usual, its shade of white is darker of that utilized on other marks, and very likely with blue outline;

the planes have standard camo, without red noses;

the factory marks of La-7 are visible on the cowling and on the tail;

the planes are built in Zavod 21 due to the relatively small stars on the tail.

Of course, there is not reason to think that plane 58 is the personal mount of Lieutenant Fedyushin.

This representation of plane 58 is very standard, the only noticeable things being the white band, spinner and tips of the prop blades.

A line of La-7s of 6 IAP TOF, Sedanka, 08/09/1945 http://ava.org.ru/iap/6m.htm

This photo allows at least to attempt a reconstruction of their look.

They seem to have the usual AMT-11/12 camouflage; many of the planes, but not all, show propeller with white tips.

The spinner doesn't seem different from the front ring of the spinner, they seem both AMT-11.

The apparent white band on the tail of plane 28 could be the sailor hat of some ground crew.

An interpretation of the look of plane 28.

	This is a scan of the first page of an article published on 'Gazeta Novosti' n.112, 1997; at the moment, this scan is all we have on it. Despite its uncompleteness and bad resolution, it is interesting anyway. It is about the young pilot Lieutenant Nikolay Fedyushin of 6 IAP TOF (Fighter Air Regiment of the Pacific Fleet), an unit that escorted Soviet bombers during the brief war between Russia and Japan started on 8 August 1945. http://ava.org.ru/iap/6m.htm The photo was taken at the Vtoroj Reckje airport in August 1945, Fedyushin is the second from right. http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=1998.msg19103#msg19103 A first reason of interest is that 6 iap isn't listed between the identified units using La-7 nor in the book of Vestsik, nor in the one of Mellinger. So, a new unit was identified. Image via Aleksandr Ruchkovsky, translation by Barneybolac
	The second reason of interest is that the plane on the background shows an interesting white band as a fast recognition mark. Examinating closely the photo, darkening some parts, one can reach some conclusions: the marks seem to be the white band on the fuselage, the white spinner and a white tip of the prop blades, on the front face only; the visible number, once darkened by photoshop, seems 58; as usual, its shade of white is darker of that utilized on other marks, and very likely with blue outline; the planes have standard camo, without red noses; the factory marks of La-7 are visible on the cowling and on the tail; the planes are built in Zavod 21 due to the relatively small stars on the tail. Of course, there is not reason to think that plane 58 is the personal mount of Lieutenant Fedyushin.
	This representation of plane 58 is very standard, the only noticeable things being the white band, spinner and tips of the prop blades.
	A line of La-7s of 6 IAP TOF, Sedanka, 08/09/1945 http://ava.org.ru/iap/6m.htm This photo allows at least to attempt a reconstruction of their look. They seem to have the usual AMT-11/12 camouflage; many of the planes, but not all, show propeller with white tips. The spinner doesn't seem different from the front ring of the spinner, they seem both AMT-11. The apparent white band on the tail of plane 28 could be the sailor hat of some ground crew.
	An interpretation of the look of plane 28.