IL-2 Sturmovik: La-5 Series 8 Collector Plane

The La-5 (Series 8) was the fastest Soviet fighter plane during Battle of Stalingrad.

The La-5 was the next step in the Lavochkin fighters’ evolution, which later evolved into the La-7, one of the best Soviet fighters of WWII. Its foundation was the already obsolete Lagg-3 fighter. Lavochkin designers simply cut off the nose of the Lagg-3 which housed a liquid-cooled V-style engine and replaced it with a much bigger air-cooled radial engine. This allowed the Lavochkin factory to build new fighters using existing LaGG-3 airframes and even convert existing aircraft to the new model.

Soviet fighter ace Ivan Kozhedub, who holds the record for the highest number of confirmed air combat victories of any Soviet or Allied pilot (effectively the Allied Ace of Aces), began his career in a La-5. His first engagement ended with an emergency landing, but he made up for this unfortunate start afterwards with sixty-four (64) victories.