IL-2 Sturmovik: La-5F series 38 Collector Plane

In terms of tactical characteristics, the La-5F was an evolutionary improvement of the La-5 on the way to the La-5FN. There weren't enough FN engines to power all the fighters produced until 1944, so the mass production of the La-5F was inevitable through 1943 with continued improvements here and there.

Gradually, the initial shock of the industry's evacuation to the East was overcome - while in 1942 many of the factories still had shortcomings, workers had to work in hastily built hangars that for a time didn't even have a roof, supply chains had to be rebuilt from scratch, and most resources were in short supply, the quality of production naturally took a back seat to quantity. As working conditions and resources improved, production standards gradually rose, resulting in, among other things, better aircraft: La-5s produced in summer-autumn 1943 became about 150 kg lighter.

The small design changes added up. For example, the elevator became slightly larger at the expense of the horizontal stabilizer surface. 3 fuel tanks were installed instead of 5 as on the FN - carrying less fuel (465 instead of 539 liters) was considered a good trade-off for saving the weight of the tanks and the fuel, as many pilots preferred to take less fuel anyway. While there weren't enough FN engines to go around, the M-82F engine became the norm. All this meant that the 1943 La-5F was a more dynamic aircraft than an early La-5.

The biggest improvement from the pilot's point of view was the new bubble top canopy with emergency jettison (even our La-5FN series didn't yet have emergency jettison). This eliminated one of their biggest fears, not being able to bail out of a burning aircraft, which caused many to fly with open cockpits, which severely limited the speed of their aircraft. Now they could put that fear to rest and enjoy the improved field of vision - the main reason why bubble top variants became the norm in all air forces later in the war, despite the increased drag they had compared to older canopy designs.

To sum up, the La-5F in the sim is a bit more agile than the older La-5, turns a bit better than even the FN, offers a better field of view, and is slower than the FN in level flight and climb because of the more powerful engine of the latter. With a cockpit modeled for today's standards, it is a nice addition for the second half of the 1943 timeframe.

In addition to Quick Mission Builder, Advanced Quick Mission Generator and Multiplayer modes, you can fly it in Career mode during Battle of Kuban (32nd GIAP received them on July 5th, 1943).

• Default armament: two 20mm guns "ShVAK", 170 rounds, 800 rounds per minute, nose mounted
  
• Length: 8.67 m
  
• Wingspan: 9.8 m
  
• Wing surface: 17.5 m²

Loadouts

• Custom ammo loadout (AP or HE ammo only instead of mixed).
  
• Two 50kg General Purpose Bombs FAB-50sv (120 kg weight increase with racks, 20 km/h speed loss before drop, 12 km/h after drop).
  
• Two 104 kg General Purpose Bombs FAB-100M (228 kg weight increase with racks, 27 km/h speed loss before drop, 12 km/h after drop).
  
• Rear view mirror (1 kg weight increase).
  
• Landing light for night flights (2 kg weight increase).
  
• RPK-10 fixed loop radio compass for navigation with radio beacons (10 kg weight increase).

Paint Schemes

• Early bicolor camo pattern used until August 1943 (green-black up and light blue bottom, tactical numbers are customizable).
  
• Alexey Maresyev, Hero of the Soviet Union, 63rd GIAP, Kursk Salient, 1943. After being shot down in an Yak-1 and badly injured in April 1942, he managed to return to the Soviet-controlled territory after 18-day-long journey, suffering from gangrene and blood poisoning. By that time his injuries deteriorated so badly that he was lying on a stretcher with a sheet over his face, considered to be a hopeless case, but a surgeon tried to save his life anyway and had to amputate both of his legs above the knee. Desperate to return to fighter pilot service no matter the cost, Maresyev mastered the control of his prosthetic devices, returned to flying in June 1943 and has been awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union in August after shooting down three Fw 190. He died just an hour before the celebration of his 85th birthday in 2001.
  
• Ivan Sytov, Hero of the Soviet Union, 5th GIAP, South-Western Front, Autumn 1943. 25 stars indicate the total number of victories. He was shot down and killed in a dogfight on September 8th, 1943."
  
• Moisey Tokarev, 40th GIAP Commander, Summer 1943. He was shot down and killed on July 8th, 1943."
  
• Petr Belyasnik, Hero of the Soviet Union, 126th IAP, Autumn 1943. He sponsored the construction of this aircraft from his personal savings."
  
• Grigory Onufrienko, Hero of the Soviet Union, 31st IAP Commander, 3rd Ukrainian Front, Spring 1944. This aircraft was built using the money raised by the liberated Kolkhoz workers of the Ukrainian SSR."
  
• Leonid Galchenko, Hero of the Soviet Union, 609th IAP, 1943-1945. This aircraft participated in the Victory Parade in Moscow in June 1945.
  
• "Jolly Fellows". One of the two La-5Fs sponsored by the state jazz orchestra with the same name in 1944.
  
• Vitaly Popkov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, 5th GIAP, 1944. The second of the two La-5Fs sponsored by the state jazz orchestra "Jolly Fellows".
  
• Ivan Haustov, 21st IAP, Baltic Front, 1944. He did not return from a combat sortie on March 6th, 1945.
  
• Ivan Kozhedub, thrice Hero of the Soviet Union, 240th IAP, 1944. The inscription on the right side of the fuselage says that this aircraft was built using the money donated by Kolkhoz worker Vasily Konev.
  
• Nikolay Kuznetsov, Hero of the Soviet Union, 760th IAP, Karelian Front, 1944.

Technical details

Indicated stall speed in flight configuration: 165..183 km/h

Indicated stall speed in takeoff/landing configuration: 147..162 km/h
Dive speed limit: 720 km/h
Maximum load factor: 10 G
Stall angle of attack in flight configuration: 22.7 °
Stall angle of attack in landing configuration: 15.1 °

Maximum true air speed at sea level, engine mode - Nominal: 552 km/h
Maximum true air speed at 3000 m, engine mode - Nominal: 580 km/h
Maximum true air speed at 6000 m, engine mode - Nominal: 597 km/h

Service ceiling: 10000 m
Climb rate at sea level: 19.5 m/s
Climb rate at 3000 m: 14.4 m/s
Climb rate at 6000 m: 9.5 m/s

Maximum performance turn at sea level: 20.8 s, at 290 km/h IAS.
Maximum performance turn at 3000 m: 29.0 s, at 320 km/h IAS.

Flight endurance at 3000 m: 1.7 h, at 350 km/h IAS.

Takeoff speed: 170..200 km/h
Glideslope speed: 200..210 km/h
Landing speed: 150..160 km/h
Landing angle: 13 °

Note 1: the data provided is for international standard atmosphere (ISA).
Note 2: flight performance ranges are given for possible aircraft mass ranges.
Note 3: maximum speeds, climb rates and turn times are given for standard aircraft mass.
Note 4: climb rates and turn times are given for nominal power.

Engine:
Model: M-82
Maximum power in Boosted mode at sea level: 1700 HP
Maximum power in Nominal mode at sea level: 1400 HP
Maximum power in Nominal mode at 2100 m: 1550 HP
Maximum power in Nominal mode at 5400 m: 1335 HP

Engine modes:
Nominal (unlimited time): 2400 RPM, 1140 mm Hg

Oil rated temperature in engine output: 55..90 °C
Oil maximum temperature in engine output: 125 °C
Cylinder head rated temperature: 140..210 °C
Cylinder head maximum temperature: 250 °C

Supercharger gear shift altitude: 3500 m

Empty weight: 2584 kg
Minimum weight (no ammo, 10% fuel): 2844 kg
Standard weight: 3220 kg
Maximum takeoff weight: 3460 kg
Fuel load: 334 kg / 464 l
Useful load: 876 kg

Forward-firing armament:
2 x 20mm gun "ShVAK", 170 rounds, 800 rounds per minute, synchronized

Bombs:
2 x 50 kg general purpose bombs "FAB-50sv"
2 x 104 kg general purpose bombs "FAB-100M"

Length: 8.672 m
Wingspan: 9.8 m
Wing surface: 17.51 m²

Combat debut: Summer 1943

Operation features

• The boost control is effectively a limiter. It limits the pressure to 950 mm Hg in normal mode and to 1140 mm Hg in the boost mode.
  
• The engine has a two-stage mechanical supercharger which must be manually switched at 3500m altitude.
  
• Engine mixture control is automatic when the mixture lever is set to maximum. It is possible to manually lean the mixture by moving the mixture control to less than maximum. This also reduces fuel consumption during flight.
  
• Engine RPM has an automatic governor and it is maintained at the required RPM corresponding to the governor control lever position. The governor automatically controls the propeller pitch to maintain the required RPM.
  
• Oil radiator, air cooling intake and outlet shutters are manually controlled.
  
• Air cooling intake shutters should always be open. They should only be closed when there is a possibility of engine overcooling, for example in a dive with idle throttle.
  
• The aircraft has trimmers for pitch and yaw controls.
  
• The aircraft has automatic wing slats. They deploy when the high angle of attack increases which makes pre-stall softer.
  
• Landing flaps have a hydraulic actuator and they can be extended to any angle up to 60°.
  
• The aircraft tail wheel rotates freely and does not have a lock. For this reason, it is necessary to confidently and accurately operate the rudder pedals during the takeoff and landing.
  
• The aircraft has differential pneumatic wheel brakes with shared control lever. This means that if the brake lever is held and the rudder pedal the opposite wheel brake is gradually released causing the plane to swing to one side or the other.
  
• The aircraft has a fuel gauge which shows total remaining fuel.
  
• The canopy has an emergency jettison for bailing out at a high speed.
  
• The control system for the bomb rack only allows to drop both bombs at once.