La-15
Contents
Description
The La-15 is a Rank V Soviet jet fighter with a battle rating of 8.0 (AB/RB/SB). This aircraft was introduced in Update 1.39.
The La-15 is a special jet, it lies somewhere in the middle of the 8.0 jets due to its wings being incredibly weak for the engine it possesses and is one of the few planes that can break its wings clean off in level flight. However, due to the battle rating and the speeds that jet combat is usually fought at, you shouldn't need to rely on your top speed: The La-15 can be classed as an underestimated jet, relying on it's a performance at slow speeds (700 kph - 300 kph) to win battles of manoeuvrability.
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 | 999 | 971 | 13500 | 24.0 | 25.2 | 25.6 | 23.9 | 650 |
| Upgraded | 1,037 | 1,022 | 23.2 | 23.5 | 38.4 | 31.7 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 0 | 450 | 500 | 470 | 320 | ~12 | ~6 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 640 | < 535 | < 630 | N/A |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Empty mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | ||||
| Klimov RD-500 | 1 | 2,790 kg | 228 kg/m2 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Takeoff Weight | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 11m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 39m fuel | ||
| 567 kg | Centrifugal-flow turbojet | 3,054 kg | 3,262 kg | 3,492 kg | 3,700 kg | 3,870 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (112%) | ||||||
| Condition | 100% | 112% | 11m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 39m fuel | MTOW |
| Stationary | 1,350 kgf | 1,499 kfg | 0.49 | 0.46 | 0.43 | 0.41 | 0.39 |
| Optimal | 1,350 kgf (0 km/h) |
1,499 kgf (0 km/h) |
0.49 | 0.46 | 0.43 | 0.41 | 0.39 |
Survivability and armour
- 105 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front
- 8 mm Steel plate behind the pilot
- 6 mm Steel plate in the nose
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
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Armaments
Offensive armament
The La-15 is armed with:
- 3 x 23 mm NR-23 cannon, chin-mounted (100 rpg = 300 total)
Usage in battles
The La-15 can be played in a way similar to the MiG-15s- wait for the large dogfight or furball in the middle of the map to commence then prey on people entering/exiting it. If things get in a sticky spot, you can use your excellent maneuverability and energy to win in 1v1s or 1v2 situations. The 112% comes in handy for climbing at the start of the match and burning off some fuel (20m is recommended). Just be wary of engine overheating, and always maintain situational awareness.
Specific enemies worth noting
F-86 Sabre
The most common enemy of the La-15, the best tactics to use against Sabres are to hope that it commits to a dogfight. While it may outturn you at higher speeds, simply dodge its shots and force a vertical or low speed fight.
Meteor:
The Meteor is another main rival of the La-15 as the La-15 can meet the Meteor at any time from being down-tiered to up-tiered. While the La-15 can outrun and out climb early variants of the Meteors, the later variants are far harder to outrun and outclimb as they can easily catch the La-15. 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-15 that is attacking with boom and zoom tactics. Avoid any maneuvering fights with any variant of the Meteor as they will outmaneuver you with no issues at all.
Counter-tactics
The La-15 has, at best, a speed limit of 1000 km/h. Be aware of this and, if possible, try to out dive or outrun the La-15, as it can break its wings easily in a dive and in level flight. If you are slower than the La-15, your best bet is to hope you can outturn the La-15; however a competent La-15 pilot will be aware of this and there is little you can do.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 3x23mm gives a decent volume of fire
- Good energy retention.
- Decent acceleration.
- Cockpit visibility is above average.
- Decent manoeuvrability around 500-700 kph/310-435 mph.
- Good roll rate.
- good top speed for its rank
- Very small target
Cons:
- Low top speed for a swept wing jet.
- Can rip its wings off in level flight (speed warning at approximately 945 kph/587 mph, wings rip at 955 kph/593 mph).
- Ineffective airbrake.
- Guns have low velocity and killing capacity; usually takes several hits to bring down someone.
- Doesn't take battle damage very well especially to the wings of the aircraft.
History
The La-15 was a contemporary of the MiG-15 and Yak-30, that would see limited production numbers and remain in service through the 1950s in secondary roles. The NATO name for it was "Fantail."
Designer S.A. Lavochkin followed on his successful line of World War II piston-engine fighters with a series of jet prototypes in 1947. One of these, the La-174, became the basis for the production La-15. The fighter used a licence-built Rolls-Royce Derwent engine. A larger and more capable prototype, the La-176D, would be the first Soviet aircraft to break Mach (first in a dive in 1948 and then in level flight the next year) but never entered production.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
External links
| 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-25 · Su-25BM · Su-25K · Su-25T · Su-25SM3 · Su-39 | |
| Su-27 | |
| Ilyushin | IL-28 · IL-28Sh |
| Tupolev | Tu-14T |
