Russian Special Ammo loadout

[StaB/Tomio_VR***]

La-5 (ShVak), Il-2 and LaGG-3 (Vya-23) allows to choose between AP and HE rounds...

 

I would like to know if the russian pilots of those planes really had the choice between AP (orange) and HE (blue) rounds like in the game?

 

Thanks