Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Aero-space => Topic started by: Old Wombat on March 20, 2017, 11:39:11 AM
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Lavochkin La-21G (NATO reporting name: Firedog)
The La-21’s success prevented OKB-301 (Lavochkin) being fully absorbed into Vladimir Chelomey’s OKB-52, allowing the design team to go on to build 3 more successful jet fighters & inserting their own work into the Soviet space program, free of Chelomey’s OKB-52 influence.
Originally wired for the Kaliningrad K-5 (AA-1 ‘Alkali’) & K-8 (R-8) (AA-3 ‘Anab’) missiles by the mid-70’s they were carrying the Molniya (now Vympel) R-60 (AA-8 ‘Aphid’) & Vympel R-23 (AA-7 ‘Apex’).
The La-21 was phased out of Soviet operational service during the mid-1980’s. They were never sold to client states.
(http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq311/GPlachy/La-21G/DSCN4265_zpsk6gdmmcg.jpg)
(http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq311/GPlachy/La-21G/DSCN4257_zpsnazhmxic.jpg)
(http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq311/GPlachy/La-21G/DSCN4258_zpsgp1irm43.jpg)
(http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq311/GPlachy/La-21G/DSCN4253_zps9qotrwni.jpg)
(http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq311/GPlachy/La-21G/DSCN4264_zpso3v78aza.jpg)
(http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq311/GPlachy/La-21G/DSCN4260_zpsuzhz4isf.jpg)
(http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq311/GPlachy/La-21G/DSCN4259_zpsssbkwcqi.jpg)
The pictured aircraft, Yellow 08, is a La-21G of an unknown unit operating from Afrikanda-2 Air Base, Murmansk Oblast, in the mid-1970’s, carrying 4 x AA-8 ‘Aphid’ missiles on the wing hard-points & 2 x drop-tanks on the belly hard-points. The AA-7 ‘Apex’ (& earlier AA-3) missiles could only be carried on the belly hard-points, thus limiting the La-21’s range.
Crew:
1
Armament:
2 x Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30 30mm autocannon (all models)
4 x Kaliningrad K-5 (AA-1 ‘Alkali’) – La-21 to La-21E(early)
4 x Molniya (now Vympel) R-60 (AA-8 ‘Aphid’) – La-21E(late) onwards
2 x Kaliningrad K-8 (R-8) (AA-3 ‘Anab’) – La-21 to La-21E(early)
2 x Vympel R-23 (AA-7 ‘Apex’) - La-21E(late) onwards
Fuel Load:
Internal – 2,500L (approx.)
External – 1,000L in 2 x 500L drop-tanks
(Note: This was a [for me] quick & dirty build for the WIM site Soviet GB, & it shows.)
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Good! Is it a mix of SAAB Draken with some Soviet fighter?
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Looks good!
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Nice one! I especially like the green bits.
Brian da Basher
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Thanks, gents! :icon_alabanza:
Good! Is it a mix of SAAB Draken with some Soviet fighter?
Nope! It's all Draken, with some styrene sheet & PSR to form the intakes, & some judicious sanding. Even the missiles come from the kit - I just modified them a bit. :)
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Nice bird! :)
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Good! Is it a mix of SAAB Draken with some Soviet fighter?
Nope! It's all Draken, with some styrene sheet & PSR to form the intakes, & some judicious sanding. Even the missiles come from the kit - I just modified them a bit. :)
So you deserve DOUBLE congratulations! :-* :-*
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Nicely done! Well Sovietized!
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Obviously, a cranked wing Mig-21 variant, with side intakes and a larger air to air radar on the nose...
Nope! It's all Draken, with some styrene sheet & PSR to form the intakes, & some judicious sanding. Even the missiles come from the kit - I just modified them a bit. :)
Never mind! Great job at making it a soviet plane! Except... no wing fences?
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... Great job at making it a soviet plane! Except... no wing fences?
I was thinking that too! Perfect job, just needs some ill-proportioned wing fences to be properly Soviet ;D
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Thank you all! Much appreciated! :icon_alabanza: :icon_alabanza:
Bah! At OKB-301 say we "for girly-MiG's are wing fences!" ;)
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Oh yes! Very nicely done, comrade! Is PROUD day for Motherland when Semyon's latest killer-of-imperialists is rolled out in such finery!
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Nicely done! Well Sovietized!
Can't agree more, very possible looking and great missiles. 8)
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Thanks muchly, gents! :icon_alabanza:
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Beautiful and plausible piece of work; looks far better than Lavochkin's last few aircraft before it.
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Hmm, forgot to add my 1st WIM post to the 1st post here.
Well, here it is:
Beginning life with the demise of the unsuccessful La-250/A 2-seat interceptor the OKB-301 design team went back to basics & created a new aircraft from the ground up.
Smaller & faster than the La-250 this design was built as the single-seat La-275 for experimental purposes. It utilised information purportedly stolen from the Swedes, including an afterburning, re-engineered variant of the RR Avon engine.
The design was sufficiently superior to the near-contemporary MiG-21 as an interceptor for it to be accepted for this role in 1963, with the MiG-21 being assigned the "fighter" role at home.
On acceptance the experimental designation La-275 was dropped & the official designation La-21 was applied.