Lavochkin La-176
| Lavochkin La-176 | |
|---|---|
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| Type: | Experimental fighter plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
September 1948 |
| Commissioning: |
- |
| Production time: |
1948 |
| Number of pieces: |
2 |
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The Lavochkin La-176 ( Russian Лавочкин Ла-176 ) was a Soviet experimental aircraft from the second half of the 1940s. On December 26, 1948, it was used for the first time in Soviet aviation history to fly the speed of sound .
history
The designer Semyon Lavochkin derived the La-176 from the La-15 fighter , the series production of which had started shortly before in August 1948. He kept the plane larger overall, however; the hull was lengthened by 2.20 meters and the structure was enlarged by 1.30 meters. The sweep of the wings was increased to 45 ° and an additional third boundary layer fence was installed on each side. The La-176 received an RD-45F as its engine . The flight tests began around September 1948 and was carried out by Ivan Evgrafowitsch Fyodorov . He completed more than 40 flights with wings fluttering at speeds close to the sound limitand torso vibrations occurred. During a test flight, the phenomena finally became so severe that the tail unit tore off and the machine crashed. Fyodorov was able to save himself with the parachute. However, the causes could be determined and eliminated and a second La-176 was created. With this aircraft Fyodorov reached the speed of sound for the first time on December 26, 1948 in a slight descent and then level flight. After the successful flight, the La-176 received a more powerful WK-1 engine. With this it was possible for Fyodorov to reach Mach 1.02 in normal level flight at an altitude of 7,000 meters in early January 1949.
The La-176 was tested throughout January 1949 and provided some new aerodynamic findings. During a flight on February 3, 1949 under test pilot Oleg Sokolowski, the prototype crashed after the cockpit lock failed. Sokolowski was killed. The program was discontinued, and Lavochkin turned to the successor model La-190 .
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| length | 11.2 m |
| span | 10.10 m |
| Wing area | 18.25 m² |
| Top speed | 1105 km / h (Mach 1.02) at an altitude of 7000 m |
| Service ceiling | 15,000 m |
| Max. Flight duration | 1:30 h |
| Engine | a Klimow WK-1 |
| power | 2700 kp static thrust |
