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General Specifications
Wingspan: 9.8 m (32 ft. 2 in.) Length: 8.67 m (27 ft. 11 in.) Height: 2.54 m (9 ft. 3 in.) Weight: 2,600 kg. (5,732 lb.) Engine: ASh-82 radial Horsepower: 1,823 hp. Guns: Three 20 mm cannons ___________________________________________________________
In 1941, attempting to forestall the onslaught of the Germans, the Soviets sought an improvement to the outclassed LaGG-3. The plane was effective, but German technology was improving quickly. The LaGG-3 was converted to carry an M-82 radial engine in its excellent airframe. Other changes were made to increase overall performance, and the result was initially nothing more than LaGG-3 airframes with new engines.
The La-7 was the next logical step after the La-5, and rolled off production lines in 1944. The wings' main spars were replaced with metal to decrease weight, and the La-5's supercharger intake and oil cooler were moved to improve the plane's aerodynamics. With a third cannon and increased performance, the La-7 was an excellent dogfighter that became the favorite of its pilots and helped the Soviets successfully meet the German threat in the air.
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