Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: Greebo on April 22, 2008, 05:09:33 PM
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This skin is of an La-5F of 159 IAP from 1943. The La-5F was a slightly earlier version of the La-5FN with a less powerful carburettored rather than fuel injected engine. It had basically the same outline as the La-5FN, except for a slightly different air duct above the nose and bulged exhausts. Also it had fewer metal panels on the fuselage and wingroots. I've gone for this because it has the earlier unbordered stars, smaller tactical numbers and green and black camouflage, whereas all the La-5FNs had the later grey schemes.
The slogan on the fuselage is dedicated to Valerij Chkalov, a famous Soviet test pilot who died in 1938 while testing the I-180 fighter.
If you would like a closer look, the skin is up at the AH Skin Department. http://www.ah-skins.com/ (http://www.ah-skins.com/)
(http://www.ah-skins.com/skins/screenshot483.jpg)
(http://www.gfg06.dial.pipex.com/photos/159IAPLa-5F.jpg)
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Whoa!!!! :O :O :O
Greebo, that is maybe your best work yet. That looks real!!
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Very nice! Great work Greeb.
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did the la 5 have like no rivits at all exept for a few of them :huh :huh :huh :huh
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They were predominately wood IIRC? If they were made out of wood, they wouldn't have many rivets.
Glue would be used instead.
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They were predominately wood IIRC? If they were made out of wood, they wouldn't have many rivets.
Glue would be used instead.
I did not know that you learn suff every day in this game. Nice job as well Greebo.
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The Soviet Union had a shortage of aluminium prior to the war, so aircraft designers often resorted to wooden construction. This made their fighters heavier than their all metal Western equivalents, which in turn is why Soviet designs were sometimes short of fuel capacity and firepower. The La-5 and La-7 series was derived from the awful inline engined Lagg 3 which had a wooden structure skinned with plywood and then fabric. Later as aluminium became more readily available Lavochkin replaced some wooden parts like the wing spars with metal ones to save weight. The La-5FN also introduced some metal plates on the sides of the fuselage and the wingroots to protect the plywood structure underneath from exhaust heat and groundcrew damage.
The post war La-9, basically an all metal airframe La-7, was so much lighter it could carry up to four 23mm cannons and enough fuel to almost double the range.
There's less work in the Las than most skins, not only is there a lot less rivets, but far fewer panel lines. If anyone wants a good starter project to get into skinning, the La-5 and 7 would be a good bet.
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The post war La-9, basically an all metal airframe La-7, was so much lighter it could carry up to four 23mm cannons and enough fuel to almost double the range.
Great skin and info Greebo. :aok
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The La-5 and La-7 series was derived from the awful inline engined Lagg 3 which had a wooden structure skinned with plywood and then fabric.
Basicly they took a LaGG-3 airframe and stuffed the huge M82 engine in it. Note they went from an inline to a cylindrical engine, making the thing hold together Mac Gyver style. It took them a few monthes only, as Stalin doesn't give order twice.
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gorgeous :aok
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If I remember right the post war La9 was the first all metal russian fighter.
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I thought the I16 was all metal?
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Nice. :aok
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I thought the I16 was all metal?
The I16 had wood in its fuselage.