La-174
Contents
Description
The La-174 is a gift rank V Soviet jet fighter with a battle rating of 8.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.39. The La-174 is a prototype variant of the La-15, possessing slight differences in performance and a variant colour scheme, and was made available in limited time periods on 2 occasions: during the 2014 Lavochkin's 114th birthday and 2017 Lavochkin's 117th birthday events. The plane must have been researched and purchased during this time, and is otherwise unavailable. Another condition to research the La-174 was that the La-15 had to be researched first.
The La-174 shares many of the same attributes as the La-15, and thus shares the same general strengths and weaknesses as its brother. The La-174 is an incredibly fast aircraft for its tier but suffers from various issues. The La-174 is unable to carry any secondary armaments, such as bombs or rockets. It is equipped with three very powerful 23 mm cannons. These carry 100 rounds of ammunition per gun, which works out a total of 300 rounds of ammunition.
Due to its incredible top speed for its battle rating, competing with the fastest at its battle rating, the La-174 should apply 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. Though it is not the worst jet at turning, 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 of time and come out of a turn at a higher speed than most opponents.
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) | |
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