Lavochkin "La-200" - the USSR patrol interceptor fighter - prototype

Heavy bombers were the only means of delivering the atomic bomb in the second half of the 1940s. Therefore, as early as 1947, experimental aviation production planned to include jet fighters, flying in any weather conditions - interceptors - in the list of designed equipment. The design offices of P. O. Suchoj, S. A. Lavochkin and A. I. Mikoyan received such a task. At the same time, work on the development of on-board interception and targeting radio stations (RLS) was started. The USSR already had a metric-range RLS "Gneiss", but in order to improve the range and accuracy of targeting, the transition to the production of a centimeter-range RLS was abandoned. The first Soviet RLS “Torij” of its type had a parabolic movable antenna and could detect an American B-29 aircraft at a distance of 12 km. Lavochkin's project received the factory code "La-200". In accordance with the request of the customer, the plane crew consisted of two pilots - the pilot and the RLS operator, the seats were placed next to each other. The fighter was composed according to the scheme, in which two “RD-45F” engines were arranged one after the other in the fuselage. Compared to the “Su-15”, this scheme had one advantage: the fuselage of the “La-200” was smooth, almost uniformly round in cross-section, without the characteristic redan at the front engine, which was distinguished by the “Su-15” and “I-320”. The engine exhaust was placed at an angle to the plane's axis and covered with a small blanking sheet. The wingspan was 400, later the “RD-45F” engines were replaced by more powerful “VK-1”s. The “La-200” was equipped with a new on-board RLS "Torij-A", a radar recognition transmitter "Magnij-M" and a receiver "Barij-M". All this equipment was used for air target detection, identification ("own - enemy") and enemy attack. Automatic radio compass "ARK-5", low-altitude radio altimeter "RV-2", blind landing system "Materik" were designed to ensure single flights in any conditions, and together with RLS ensured the quality of group flights. The aircraft is equipped with a technical innovation: a thermal anti-icing system on the leading edges of the wing, tail planes and air intakes. The main landing gear had twin wheels, mounted on twin legs and retracted into fuselage recesses. During the tests, it became clear, that it is necessary to increase the capacities of the pneumatic and hydraulic systems, to facilitate control by installing amplifiers, to increase and expand the power and capabilities of the electrical installation, and to install an on-board high-voltage alternating current network. Factory tests of the improved fighter began on September 9, 1949. Test flights were conducted by pilots - testers S.F. Mashkovskij and A.F. Kosarev. Initially, only the RLS mock-up was installed on the plane. In the first stage of testing, the “La-200” proved to be very fast and ascended quickly: the maximum speed reached 1090 km/h at an altitude of 3500 m, it climbed to an altitude of 5000 m in 2.35 min, 10000 m in 5.85 min, the ceiling reached 15200 m . The “La-200” fighter was an excellent jet patrol interceptor and had a good reputation. But the “Yak-25” was chosen for serial production, constructed according to a more conventional scheme and using all the achievements of the Soviet engine manufacturing industry.

A well-designed and detailed model with "full mince", intended for advanced and intermediate modelers only.