LaGG-3 series 66, is that really a useful designation?

[Finkeren]

Recently I have devoted some time to get to know the LaGG-3 a bit better, considering the importance it will have in BoS. The LaGG was never a favourite ride of mine in the old IL2, which is a bit strange since its development lead to my favourite WW2 aircraft - the La-5FN - so I never had much interest in learning its history. The story of the development of the design turned out to be an interesting tale of frustrations and setbacks but also of tenacity, which was ultimately rewarded once a proper engine was installed.

 

Learning about the LaGG has also required getting a basic understanding of the way different scholars name the different versions of Soviet aircraft, since the VVS itself was quite inconsistent in their designations of types of aircraft, and changes in design and production were implemented gradually and often not even at the same time at different production sites.

 

For the LaGG-3 the most prevalent method of naming different versions seems to be by series number. A "series", as I understand it, is simply a production batch of 100 aircraft and carries no specific meaning beyond that. Significant changes in design are then associated with a specific production series, which is the batch where that change was first introduced. Planes in the following series are then refered to as belonging to that series, such that an LaGG-3 of production series 41 will usually be refered to as a "Series 35", even though there may be small differences between that plane and an actual series 35, because significant changes in design took place in series 35.

 

I hope this description is at least mostly correct.

 

This leads me to my question:

 

Relatively late in the LaGG-3s production run, some time in the winter of 1942/43, a new, lighter construction was developed and tested for the LaGG-3. This, combined with the installation of the M-105PF engine, led to a much improved "version" now commonly known as "Series 66". In the old IL2 this version was pretty damn good and almost the equal of the Bf 109 G-6 (I don't know how close that is to reality) and was also presented in the grey/blue-green camouflage scheme indroduced in august 1943.

 

What I would like to know (and can't seem to find in any scources) is: When was this significantly changed LaGG-3 actually put into production?

 

Since there were a grand total of 6,528 LaGG-3s produced, the term "Series 66" would have to denote the very last batch of LaGG-3s ever produced, meaning "Series 66" actually means something like "final version". The improved version with the better engine and the lighter construction obviously can't have been introduced in the actual series 66, because what would be the point of designing this completely new structure and fit a new engine, if you're just going to produce a single batch of 100 aircraft before terminating production? Either the commonly applied system of naming Soviet aircraft according to series is a bit screwed up here, or I'm missing something.

 

Can anyone explain to me, exactly when (date as well as series) this new version was put into production and how many were made?

 

Thanks to anyone who read through this long explanation. I look forward to your input.

Edited September 27, 2013 by Finkeren

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

From what I've read the series 66 indeed was last of it's kind except some experimental series 102 which did not enter production. Usage of series 66, according to sources I have seen, seems to be limited pretty much to the southern front and not in great numbers. It seems La-5F/FN phased LagG-3 out with their better performance and Klimovs used on Yak/Pe family instead.

[Finkeren]

S!

 

From what I've read the series 66 indeed was last of it's kind except some experimental series 102 which did not enter production. Usage of series 66, according to sources I have seen, seems to be limited pretty much to the southern front and not in great numbers. It seems La-5F/FN phased LagG-3 out with their better performance and Klimovs used on Yak/Pe family instead.

The major design changes in "Series 66" do indeed seem to have been the last major revision of the design, but I have a very hard time believing, that they were introduced in the very last batch of just 100 aircraft. Not only would that make little sense given the relatively good results of the changes, it would also make the "Series 66" a very obscure and rare aircraft, and that doesn't seem to agree with the large body of photograps depucting what is refered to as "Series 66" LaGGs.

 

According to what I've read, LaGG-3 production continued through most of 1943, due to an initial low supply of Ash-82 engines for the La-5. Only late in the year did they completely phase out the LaGG-3.

[Finkeren]

Bump!

 

Nobody knows anything about this?

[Volkoff]

 Is the LaGG-3 Series 66 the plane type that Gerd Barkhorn allegedly had a forty minute inconclusive duel against?   MJ

Edited October 2, 2013 by =69.GIAP=MIKHA

[dkoor]

Wow 40 mins of duelling... they sure filled those crates fully with fuel

[Volkoff]

Wow 40 mins of duelling... they sure filled those crates fully with fuel

 

Seriously!  The dogfight would make for an epic Air Aces episode.

 

 MJ

Edited October 3, 2013 by =69.GIAP=MIKHA