The Lavochkin Aircraft 168, a.k.a. La-168 was a jet fighter developed for the USSR. It was designed in response to a 1946 request for a new swept-wing jet fighter capable of transonic speeds. As a single seat fighter with swept flight surfaces and an engine behind the pilot, it was similar in appearance to the Mikoyan MiG-15, which was designed to the same specifications. It also shared the cannon-armament and the Rolls-Royce Nene II engine. Unlike the MiG-15, the La-168 had shoulder mounted wings and a t-tail layout. Due to Lavochkin's decision to wait with La-168 development for the Nene II engine, the MiG-15, first flown with the less powerful Nene I, was available four months earlier, giving it a crucial advantage.
Aircraft 168's first flight was on April 22, 1948, with I. E. Fedorov at the controls. Trials continued until February 19, 1949, when testing of the cannons at high altitude caused the canopy to collapse, resulting in a nearly fatal crash. In the end, the Lavochkin fighter lost out to the competing MiG-15. Another La-168 derivative was the La-176, the first Soviet plane to achieve supersonic flight (in a shallow dive) on December 26, 1948.
A scaled down version of this aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce Derwent, was produced as Aircraft 174, prototype of the production La-15, which although well liked and having superior performance, was more expensive and harder to mass produce than the MiG-15.
Aircraft 168's first flight was on April 22, 1948, with I. E. Fedorov at the controls. Trials continued until February 19, 1949, when testing of the cannons at high altitude caused the canopy to collapse, resulting in a nearly fatal crash. In the end, the Lavochkin fighter lost out to the competing MiG-15. Another La-168 derivative was the La-176, the first Soviet plane to achieve supersonic flight (in a shallow dive) on December 26, 1948.
A scaled down version of this aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce Derwent, was produced as Aircraft 174, prototype of the production La-15, which although well liked and having superior performance, was more expensive and harder to mass produce than the MiG-15.
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Variants
- Aircraft 176 - One Aircraft 168 produced with 45o swept wings and tailplane. Believed to be first Soviet aircraft to exceed Mach 1.0 albeit in a dive. Crashed whilst supersonic when canopy collapsed.
- Aircraft 174 - A 0.9 scale version of aircraft 168 which was productionised as the La-15.
Specifications (Aircraft 168)
Data from {*Gordon,Yefim. Lavochkin's Last Jets. Midland Publishing. Hinkley. 2007. ISBN(10) 1 85780 253 3 }
General characteristics- Crew: one
- Length: 10.56 m (34 ft 7-3/4 in)
- Wingspan: 9.5m (31 ft 2-1/64 in)
- Height: ()
- Wing area: 18.08 m² (194.4 ft²)
- Empty weight: 3,111 kg (6,858 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 4,580 kg (10,100 lb)
- Powerplant: × Rolls-Royce Nene II / Klimov RD-45 centrifugal flow turbojet, 22.3 kN (4,994 lbf) each
- Maximum speed: 1,084 km/h (581 kts, 669 mph)
- Range: 1,500 km (809 nmi, 931 mi)
- Service ceiling: 14,570 m (47,790 ft)
- Rate of climb: 37.9 m/s (7,456 ft/min)
- Thrust/weight: 0.49
- 2 × 23 mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 cannon
- 1 × 37 mm Nudelman N-37 cannon
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