La-190, S.A.Lavochkin


T
he La-190 was designed as a supersonic all weather fighter-interceptor. With layout similar to the La-176, it was twice heavier. Engine power and wing area were also doubled.
It differed also by a highly swept (550), tapering wing, and a sleaker fuselage. First thin-wing aircraft with in-wing fuel tanks. Control surfaces were also very thin but rigid, driven by irreversible hydraulic boosters. Break parachute and other systems were tried on specially rebuilt La-15.
Landing gear was of bicycle type, almost single-wheel, with nosewheel almost as rudimentary as wingtip outriggers. A small radome was installed in the upper lip of the intake.
32k b/w drawing by I.G.Soultanov, from "History of aircraft construction in the USSR" by V.B.Shavrov, Vol.2 p.354

Project development started in early 1949. Careful wind tunnel trials at TsAGI were performed to optimize size and layout.
Flight tests started in February 1951. High speed handling was far from perfect, but those trials provided valuable data used later in the MiG-19 (and others) development. Real problems were created by unreliable engine, and only eight flights were performed.
One built.
Technical data
Type La-190
FunctionExperimental Fighter
Year 1951
Crew 1
Engines 1*5000kg Lyulka AL-5
Length 16.35m
Wingspan 9.9m
Wing area 38.93m2
Empty weight 7315kg
Loaded weight 9257kg
Wing load 238kg/m2
Trust-to-Weight 0.54
Speed at 5000m 1190km/h
Range 1150km
Ceiling 15600m
Climb
5000m 1.5min
Armament
Guns 2*37mm cannon N-37
Created January 25, 1996
Modified February 25, 1998
by Alexandre Savine		 Back to
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