La-174
Contents
Description
Shortly after the end of WWII in Europe, following the advancements from first generation jet-fighter projects such as the Sukhoi Aircraft K prototype and the Yak-15 family, the Soviet Union laid down a new set of requirements for a second generation jet fighter project. The main candidates were Mikoyan's I-310 prototype, Yakovlev's Yak-30 prototype, and Lavochkin's Project 52. Project 52 differed from the competitors, as the project was for not one, but two aircraft. These two aircraft were designated La-174 and La-174D, the only difference being that the normal 174 used the reverse engineered Rolls-Royce Derwent engine, while the latter 174D used the Rolls-Royce Nene engine. In the end, only the Derwent powered prototype (reverse engineered as the Klimov RD-500 engine) was chosen to enter production as the La-15. However, due to the exponential advancements in technology in the early '50s, the La-15's service would be short lived, as more advanced aircraft with supersonic capability entered service and quickly replaced it, such as the new MiG-19 and MiG-21.
The La-174, introduced in Update 1.39, is one of the rarest jets in the game, as it was only made available in limited time periods on 2 occasions: during the 2014 Lavochkin's 114th birthday and 2017 Lavochkin's 117th birthday events. The two conditions to obtain the La-174 were that the La-15 had to be researched first, and the La-174 had to be researched and purchased during the event. Outside of these two short and exclusive events, the La-174 is otherwise unavailable. The La-174 is a very early prototype of the La-15 found in the tech tree, and as such, the La-174 possesses very minor differences in performance and a different colour scheme. Due to being an almost identical early prototype to the tech tree La-15, the aircraft plays almost exactly the same: Relying on its very powerful engine and high thrust output to best its opponents in energy based engagements, while staying cautious of its own speed, as the aircraft can easily rip its wings in a straight line with the absurd engine power. Players flying this aircraft should also be wary of the early air-to-air missiles they can face when uptiered, as these weapons negate the speed advantages of the La-174.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 3,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 1,003 | 974 | 13500 | 21.8 | 23.1 | 25.3 | 23.5 | 650 |
| Upgraded | 1,040 | 1,026 | 21.2 | 21.5 | 38.7 | 31.7 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 945 | 450 | - | 470 | 320 | ~12 | ~6 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 640 | < 535 | < 610 | - |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | ||||
| Klimov RD-500 | 1 | 2,771 kg | 227 kg/m2 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Takeoff Weight | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 13m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 43m fuel | ||
| 567 kg | Centrifugal-flow turbojet | 3,041 kg | 3,185 kg | 3,393 kg | 3,671 kg | 3,870 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (112%) | ||||||
| Condition | 100% | 112% | 13m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 43m fuel | MTOW |
| Stationary | 1,350 kgf | 1,499 kgf | 0.49 | 0.47 | 0.44 | 0.41 | 0.39 |
| Optimal | 1,350 kgf (0 km/h) |
1,499 kgf (0 km/h) |
0.49 | 0.47 | 0.44 | 0.41 | 0.39 |
Survivability and armour
- 155 mm bulletproof glass - Windscreen
- 6 mm steel - In front of pilot
- 8.5 mm steel - Pilot's headrest
- 8 mm steel - Pilot's seat
- Self-sealing fuel tanks (3 behind pilot)
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
- It is recommended to unlock in this order: Fuselage Repair, Offensive 23 mm and Compressor.
- In the second tier: Airframe then New Boosters
- Third tier: Wing Repair then New 23 mm cannons
- Final tier: Engine then Cover
Armaments
Offensive armament
The La-174 is armed with:
- 3 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, nose-mounted (100 rpg = 300 total)
Usage in battles
Due to its incredible top speed for its battle rating, competing with the fastest at its battle rating, the La-174 should be employed in boom and zoom tactics. Gain altitude (and thus energy), and use this energy to execute hit-and-runs on opposing aircraft. Your powerful 23 mm NR-23 cannons will help you kill targets in minimal time. Despite the fact it is very manoeuvrable, it suffers from the issue of having incredibly weak wings, and they will likely snap if you attempt to turn fight other jets at high speed. However, if it needs to turn, it can hold its energy for an extended period and come out of a turn at a higher speed than most opponents.
Specific enemies worth noting
F-86 Sabre/CL-13A Sabre:
The F-86 Sabre is one of the main rivals of the La-174 if up-tiered and facing allied teams. The Sabre can easily outmanoeuvre, outrun and out climb the La-174. The best way to counter the Sabre is to attack it when it is at its most vulnerable position (low on energy, or damaged) or force it into a low-speed manoeuvring fight. Do not try to engage an F-86/CL-13A Sabre in any high-speed manoeuvres or any high-speed dogfighting in general as the Sabre will come out on top. In any low-speed manoeuvres, the Sabre will lose to the La-174 in any manoeuvring engagements.
Meteor:
The Meteor is another main rival of the La-174 as the La-174 can meet the Meteor at any time from being down-tiered to up-tiered. While the La-174 can outrun and out-climb early variants of the Meteors, the later variants are far harder to outrun and out climb as they can easily catch the La-174. The best way to deal with Meteors is to apply boom and zoom tactics, but do remember a skilled Meteor pilot will have no issue avoiding a La-174 that is attacking with boom and zoom tactics. Avoid any manoeuvring fights with any variant of the Meteor as they will outmanoeuvre you with no issues at all.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Cannons have a decent rate of fire and punch
- Good energy retention
- Decent acceleration
- Cockpit visibility is above average
- Decent manoeuvrability around 500-700 km/h (310-435 mph)
- Good roll rate
- Great top speed for its battle rating
Cons:
- Can rip its wings off in level flight
- Ineffective air brakes
- Guns have poor accuracy and very low muzzle velocity
- Recoil from guns causes the plane to pitch during firing
- Inherits the general Russian trait of very low ammo reserves, limiting the battle time
- Doesn't take battle damage very well, especially to the wings of the aircraft
History
As a prototype of the La-15, the La-174 saw no combat experience. Only one was ever built, and it crashed during flight testing. Compared to the production version of the La-15, it was powered by a British Rolls-Royce engine, rather than the Soviet-made Klimov RD-500k which was derived from the aforementioned British turbojet engine.
Media
- Skins
- Images
La-174 in flight
- Videos
See also
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
External links
- The Birth of a Soviet Design Legend
- [Special] The La-174 is back!
- [Wikipedia] Lavochkin La-15
- [Air Vectors] Lavochkin Jet Fighters - La-15
| Lavochkin Design Bureau (Лавочкинa Опытное конструкторское бюро) | |
|---|---|
| LaGG-3* | I-301 · LaGG-3-4 · LaGG-3-8 · LaGG-3-11 · LaGG-3-23 · LaGG-3-34 · LaGG-3-35 · LaGG-3-66 |
| La-5/7 | La-5 · La-5F · La-5FN · La-7 · Dolgushin's La-7 · La-7B-20 |
| La-9/11 | La-9 · La-11 |
| Jet Fighters | La-15 · La-174 · La-200 |
| Export | ␗La-9 · ␗La-11 |
| Captured | ▀La-5FN |
| *Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov (Лавочкин-Горбунов-Гудков), head designer V. P. Gorbunov | |
| USSR jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Bereznyak-Isayev | BI |
| Yakovlev | Yak-15 · Yak-15P · Yak-17 · Yak-23 · Yak-28B · Yak-30D · Yak-38 · Yak-38M · Yak-141 |
| Mikoyan-Gurevich | MiG-9 · MiG-9 (l) · MiG-15 · MiG-15bis · MiG-15bis ISh · MiG-17 · MiG-17AS · MiG-19PT |
| MiG-21F-13 · MiG-21PFM · MiG-21S (R-13-300) · MiG-21SMT · MiG-21bis | |
| MiG-23M · MiG-23ML · MiG-23MLD · MiG-27M · MiG-27K | |
| MiG-29 · MiG-29SMT | |
| Lavochkin | La-174 · La-15 · La-200 |
| Sukhoi | Su-9 · Su-11 |
| Su-7B · Su-7BKL · Su-7BMK · Su-17M2 · Su-17M4 · Su-22M3 | |
| Su-24M | |
| Su-25 · Su-25BM · Su-25K · Su-25T · Su-25SM3 · Su-39 | |
| Su-27 · Su-27SM | |
| Ilyushin | IL-28 · IL-28Sh |
| Tupolev | Tu-14T |
