Lavochkin La-200

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The Lavochkin La-200 was a Soviet all-weather jet fighter aircraft which first flew in 1949. It remained a prototype.

The design used two turbojet engines arranged one behind the other in the fuselage due to their big diameter, with the exhaust pipe of the forward engine located below the wings.

The Soviet government ordered Lavochkin bureau in 1947, as well as Sukhoi and MiG, to build an interceptor fighter, fitted with a radar. A result were three similar aircraft: Lavochkin's "200", Mikoyan and Gurevich I-320 and Su-15. The first prototype of "200" (it had no official La designation) flew on 16 September 1949. It was fitted initially with Toriy radar, with central cover in an air intake. Tests came out well, but the radar was not reliable, so it was decided to fit "200" with a new radar Korshun. In January 1951 the prototype was modified, with Korshun radar in a cover in an upper part of the air intake, and smaller improvements. It underwent state trials with a satisfactory result (the maximum speed was 1070 km/h), and it was recommended for a production. However, Korshun radar has not been perfected, and it was considered to fit the plane with similar Izumrud radar. It was not proceeded, because in 1951 Stalin decided not to produce point-defense interceptors and produce surface to air missiles and area-defence interceptors instead.

As a result, La-200 did not enter production, and Yakovlev was given an order for a new long-range area defence interceptor, with new Sokol radar. Lavochkin bureau tried, however, to modify La-200 to meet new requirements. The prototype was converted to aircraft "200B". It received a new nose, with a big Sokol radar cover, and three small pocket-like air intakes. Mass increased and performance worsened. The modified prototype "200B" flew on 6 July 1952. Only in 1953 it was fitted with radar. It was next used as a test aircraft in Sokol radar development. Finally, further develoment of La-200 was canceled, and Sokol radar was fitted to new Yakovlev Yak-25.

[edit] Specifications (La-200B)

[edit] General characteristics

• Crew: two
• Length: 17.33 m (56 ft 10 in)
• Wingspan: 12.96 m (42 ft 6 in)
• Height: m ( ft in)
• Wing area: 40 m² (431 ft²)
• Empty: 8,810 kg (19,382 lb)
• Loaded: 11,560 kg (25,432 lb)
• Maximum takeoff: 16,244 kg (35,737 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 x Klimov VK-1A turbojets, 30.7 kN (6,820 lbf) thrust each

[edit] Performance

• Maximum speed: 1,030 km/h (642 mph)
• Range: 960 km (599 miles)
• Service ceiling: 14,125 m (46,330 ft)
• Rate of climb: 1,429 m/min (4,687 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 289 kg/m² (59 lb/ft²)
• Thrust-to-weight: 2.6 N/kg

[edit] Armament

• 3 x 37 mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-37 cannon

[edit] Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft: I-320 - Su-15 - Yak-25 - F3D Skyknight - F-89 Scorpion

Designation sequence: La-176 - La-180 - La-190 - La-200 - La-250

[edit] References

• Ugolok Neba (text in Russian, also photos and drawings)