Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin - this is a constructor that has become the first in many directions aviation and missile technology. First Soviet plane with Arrow-shaped wing. First SUPERSONIC flight. The first WINGED INTERCONTINENTAL rocket . First ZENIT rocket . Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin had the talent foresight, could look far into future! He knew how to find solutions, which led to the creation technology of a new level. He also did not forget and understood how requirements the technique must comply with current moment. Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin was not only talented, but really responsive human ! Among famous and famous of people responsiveness possess NOT all.
Smolensk one of the oldest cities Russia. V Smolensk the region has grown a whole cohort of the conquerors of the sky! In the very Smolensk was born Gleb Vasilievich Alekhnovich. V Smolensk region was born Mikhail Nikiforovich Efimov and many others famous pilots. V Smolensk region was born and first in the world astronaut Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin. V 1900th year 11th September v Smolensk in family teachers was born Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin. His parents couldn't even suppose that their son will become one of leading aircraft designers THE USSR. At school Lavochkin studied very OK and graduated with gold medal v 1917th year , but in institute to enter Did not work out because it happened the revolution.
Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin went to the army voluntarily and 3 served in it for years border guard. Thanks to him abilities v 1920s year, the command sent Lavochkin study in Moscow Higher Technical school (today MSTU name Bauman). Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin entered the aeromechanical faculty.
V This moment this faculty was NOT PRESTIGIOUS. At that time, as a result civil war the situation in our country was hardest! Students had to not so much to study, how earn for my life ! Besides Lavochkin there was also to help his family, so he studied at the institute almost 9 years before 1929 of the year. V youth hardships are borne easier. I had a part-time job, at night, draw, count and write for any student assignments that Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin considered for myself additional practice. Such work on slang was called - "walk on lighters", that is at night draw or do any student work by the light lighters and candles! Of course, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin tried preferably take those works that were on his specialties!
but Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin was generally in principle sociable man with broad outlook. In addition to professional topics, he was interested in poetry, painting, went to theaters and on creative evenings V.V. Mayakovsky and S.A. Yesenin. He even signed up for courses in the history of external relations. In general, if Lavochkin did not become an aircraft designer, it is quite possible that he would become, for example, a promising diplomat. He knew how build relationships with people. Pre-graduation practice he had in A.N. Tupolev Design Bureau ( see article "Andrey Nikolaevich Tupolev").
Diploma work Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin became a project bomber. It so happened that after graduation he took part in creating exactly bomber. Summer 1927 years at the aircraft plant in Filyakh started serial construction heavy bomber TB-1. It was the first Soviet serial all-metal bomber. Participation in design TB-1 became for Lavochkin first experience in aircraft design. He dealt with issues strength.
Across 2 of the year Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin ended up in a design bureau french aircraft designer Richard, who was specially invited to the USSR for creating seaplane(see article G.M.Beriev). In this project Semyon Alekseevich appointed chief department strength. However, for 3 years of work KB Richard did not create nothing standing and KB was disbanded. After that Richard's deputy, Henri Laville himself began to design double fighter "Di-4". He entrusted young specialist Lavochkin design layout aircraft. This work is forever tied Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin To FIGHTERS! Although french aircraft designers were NOT so successful in building new technology, they did provide some positive role for Soviet aviation. They were good mentors and knew how organize aviation production And what you need to do. Therefore they are generous passed on this one an experience young specialists, including Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin.
V 1930s years in our the country was stormy development of aviation !!! The aircraft designers were in active search and designed from the lungs sports aircraft and ending with front-line bombers. In factories alone KB closed, instead of them opened new and no one was surprised by the constant transition staff of one KB to another. In the middle 1930s years Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin together with S.V. Ilyushin(see article "Sergey Vladimirovich Ilyushin") was invited to participate in one of the the most interesting projects of that time, creating special fighter . Invited Lavochkin then famous inventor dynamo jet cannons L.V. Kurchevsky for design fighter, which should have been installed such guns . However dynamo jet cannons Kurchevsky found themselves not suitable for use on an aircraft due to low rate of fire and short range shooting. Accordingly, this project was stopped.
During inventive and design activities are always ERRORS, which are inevitable in NEW business. But at that time it often happened that these really objective ordinary flaws equated to willful sabotage. Accordingly, there was danger, what along with Kurchevsky suffer and other project participants, including Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin. In this difficult moment Lavochkin received offer go to A.N. Tupolev Design Bureau, with which he immediately agreed including for the reason salvation from possible repression. Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin sent to department, chief which was V.P. Gorbunov. Exactly Gorbunov proposed create later known three aircraft designers Gorbunov, Gudkov and Lavochkin. They came together thanks to idea construct own combat airplane.
Distribution of roles in this troika was something like this. V.P. Gorbunov at general leadership works progress interaction with People's Commissariat, pushes project in governing circles and draws up related paper. M.I.Gudkov is engaged in supply and organization production. Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin deals directly design, aerodynamics and durability the fighter itself. Later Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin recalled : « When I was small, I loved very much come up with. I'm always scared wanted tinkering, see conceived embodied in metal or wood. But sometimes the terrible befell me disappointment, my gorgeous idea sometimes turned out to be positive ugly. And then I understood it's not enough to think of still need to carry out ".
Civil war in Spain 1936 of the year accelerated process of creating your own fighter v THE USSR. Behind the events in Spain intently watched the whole peace during 3 years. Spain became polygon for combat technology tests many countries including Germany and THE USSR. During combat action in Spain became apparent superiority of the German technology, especially modifications, enrolled in second half wars .
Management the USSR came to the conclusion that it is urgently needed create combat aviation with much the best technical characteristics. However, all attempts Soviet aircraft designers to create new samples aircraft technicians suffered crash. This was mainly due to absence necessary aircraft engines.
Situation started several change in 1939 year, when more powerful aircraft engines "M-105" and "AM-35". We were immediately connected to work young frames - KB Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin with V.P. Gorbunov and M.I. Gudkov, Design Bureau A.S. Yakovlev ( see article "Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev"),Design Bureau A.I. Mikoyan and M.I. Gurevich ( see article "Artyom Ivanovich Mikoyan"),Design Bureau D.L. Tomashevich. Also on consideration presented their projects and other KB, but government order received only brand fighters "Yak", "MiG" and "LaGG".
Let's say a few words here why the situation began to change only from parts of... The fact is that engines of Soviet fighters World War II wars only power approached To German aircraft engines, although power does not matter German conceded. But the main flaw the majority Soviet engines was that they only worked up to a height of 3000, maximum 3 500 meters. A german aircraft engines World War II wars were equipped Turbocharged turbo and BY INJECTING METHANOL, what allowed them confidently work for heights v 2 and more, times more, how soviet engines (see article "German fighters of the Second World War")!
V 1940th year group Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin submitted to trials fighter LaGG-1. In its design first v the USSR was applied such new material like "Delta wood" - this is pressed pressurized bags birch veneer, impregnated special glue. Such material undoubtedly possessed greater strength compared with the usual wood and lesser predisposition to burning! Recall that german fighters LONG BEFORE start wars have already been ALL-METAL! It is clear that duralumin much stronger than any wood, even dressed on special technologies ! Here we note that Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin used in the design of their fighters woody materials at all not because what counted them better, but because while v the USSR smelting aluminum, in quantity necessary for needs aviation, simply Did NOT exist ???
Delta wood was substantially heavier the usual wood, respectively LaGG-1 turned out to be quite heavy. Besides military demanded to increase range fighter flight in 2 times! For this Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin it was necessary Seriously revise schema location fuel tanks. In front of the group Lavochkin got up threat of closure project. But Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin only 1 week prepared new blueprints and personally introduced Stalin improved technical specifications fighter ! Right at this moment Stalin reported on new material delta wood and his properties. There is such a moment when Stalin lit his tube and poured out burning ash to the surface delta wood, material not only did not catch fire, but even not charred. As a result Stalin accepted fighter Lavochkin and gave 3 weeks on revision cars.
Brought to the necessary range LaGG-1 saved from closing not only given type of fighter, but also itself KB In confirmation that Lavochkin believed in fact top, spoke the fact that LaGG-1 started to release serially immediately on several factories. During the start of production LaGG-1, it was carried out more several improvements, after which the plane was named "LaGG-3". V BEGINNING wars more massively produced two types Soviet fighters – this is Yak-1 and LaGG-3, if we compare them, we can say that LaGG-3 was substantially heavier and correspondingly less maneuverable, how Yak-1, but on "Lavochkin" it was found more powerful weapon. That's why both fighters had their supporters.
Practical application of these fighters in air battles showed that LaGG-3, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin ended up stronger and tenacious how Yak-1. To LaGG-3 by technical characteristics bring closer To German Messerschmitt, was necessary more powerful engine with water cooling. Such an engine Did not have. And at this time management countries decided to continue existence KB Lavochkin. Then Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin decided to go for risk. He put on LaGG-3 motor "M-82" air cooling structure Shvetsova. The result is a fighter with technical characteristics, who demanded military. The new car was named La-5. V 1942 organized serial production La-5 at the factory in Bitter. Big simplification in production La-5 turned out to be able to use the same most conveyor, where they released LaGG-3! Fighter La-5 received baptism of fire autumn 1942 years under Stalingrad. The pilots who fought on La-5, positive spoke about flight qualities of the aircraft. They said that the car stable in flight hardy and simple in management !
Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin naturally did not stop at the achieved state of affairs and continued modernize La-5. V 1943 year he decides to install a new one more powerful modification motor M-82. Also in 1943 year on La-5 even tried to install jet boosters. As a result, significantly increased speed flight. New the car received the designation "La-5FN" and was recognized as one of the best Soviet fighters The great Patriotic war. La-5FN, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin had about equal with Messerschmitt flight quality only on SMALL heights, knowing this, german pilots tried do not tie dogfight on low height.
Motor AIR cooling initially has advantage v LIVING in front of the engine water cooling, since at certain damage does not lose the cooling body, how does it work with the motor water cooling. Accordingly, at SOME damage sustained during air battle, motor AIR cooling STILL WORKING! Therefore, there were times when fighters Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin after some received engine damage safely were getting before his airfield! V June 1943 of the year Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin for creating several combat aircraft were awarded the title Hero of Socialist Labor. By this time, he was already a laureate 2 1st degree Stalin Prizes, one for LaGG-3, the other for La-5!
V February 1944 came out on TESTS new fighter Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin, La-7. Thanks to certain design solutions weight of the new cars decreased on 100 kg. Maximum La-7 speed reached 670 km / h. Perhaps it was BEST is our fighter The great Patriotic wars ! Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin recalled : "Hurry" - this is our law. To us aircraft designers no way not applicable this walking wisdom – « better late than never ». For us "late" worse than "never". The plane that late who flew into the sky later, what was he it is supposed looks like a soldier who appeared on the battlefield today in guises of the past. It outdated, it uncomfortable and most importantly - enemies found him a long time ago vulnerabilities ". Aircraft Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin made huge contribution to the cause defeat of fascism! Compared to others Soviet fighters distinguished them RELIABILITY!
At the end 1945 of the year KB Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin moved to Moscow Region Khimki to the same plant N301, where Lavochkin started working before the war. Only now he was not easy chief designer, but also director factory. First, what did he do after returning to Khimki, created laboratory stands for development and trials promising samples of aviation technology. Of such laboratories was created about 10. They allowed leap in the development of aircraft. Laboratories allowed the transition from wooden materials to metal, from piston aircraft to reactive aviation, and then design and missile technique !
V 1945th year for the USSR thanks to the discovery DURALUMINUM and experience wars it became clear what next big aviation can go only along the way ALL-METAL constructions. As a result KB Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin constructed a new all-metal fighter La-9.
V 1946 year La-9 launched in serial production. The next new car Lavochkin became a long-range escort fighter "La-11".
From the previous La-9 he was different increased fuel tanks and navigational instruments. V late 1940s years La-11 participated in arctic expeditions Soviet Air Force. V 1948 year these fighters became the first FIGHTERS, achieved North Pole! Aircraft La-9 and La-11 become extreme the most perfect piston fighters in THE USSR! In the further struggle for speed time piston aviation ended. Further speed increase could only be with the help REACTIVE aviation. After the war, this work was actively involved and KB Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin.
Names Lavochkin, Mikoyan, Yakovlev found themselves connected not only because they were aircraft designers in one thing and also time, but also because they were in one and the same niche of the aircraft industry. Between them were relationship not only as between colleagues, but also how between serious competitors. Even before the war, their planes constantly compared for all sorts of technical characteristics – speed, maneuverability, weapons. Each of them strove get around competitor. After the beginning of the era reactive aviation competition has reached yet more heat!
Summer 1945 of the year Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin designed my first jet fighter "La-150". But his trials started only after half a year after started test your planes other Soviet aircraft designers, in September 1946 of the year. The point is that the manufacturing task La-150 small series was entrusted to the plant N381, but this plant did not cope with a task to the desired deadline because before that he only built wooden fighters La-5 and La-7 and then was not yet ready for production all-metal aircraft.
Business Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin let's go starting from mid 1946 years when he got own production and experimental base. Several aircraft were installed serial soviet jet engines "RD-10".
The first Soviet jet the planes were imperfect. Tests in wind tunnel TsAGI showed that to dial speed more 900 km / h s DIRECT wing becomes extremely difficult. Accelerate to high speeds could only be done with a revolutionary wing another form.
Then with 1946 years in TsAGI started purging models with Arrow-shaped wing. As a result, in late 1946 years, recommendations were issued to all the main designers apply arrow-shaped wing. Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin the first from the chief designers picked up the idea arrow-shaped wing. V 1947 year July 26th test pilot KB Lavochkin, Ivan Evgrafovich Fedorov for the first time raised the fighter La-160. It was the first Soviet jet not only a fighter, but in general airplane with arrow-shaped wing. Per La-160, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin once again awarded Stalin Prize, and test pilot I.E. Fedorova awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
Testing La-160 provided accurate materials about features sustainability and manageability aircraft with arrow-shaped wing ! Besides this test La-160 gave a lot knowledge to create more perfect fighters from arrow-shaped wing ! As a result, qualitatively new aircraft with many technical innovations, like that, now already invariably swept wing, sealed cockpit and others improvements. Some technical specifications found themselves above, how expected military !
Design Bureau A.I. Mikoyan and Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin almost simultaneously started designing new fighters.
Presumably they should have installed on their fighters english engines "Nin" and Derwind. Derwind was a little less powerful but its deliveries to the USSR several earlier, therefore Lavochkin decided to use Derwind. But then it turned out that because of less power engine, "La-15" does not have perspectives improving . Engine Derwind exhausted their capabilities. While the engine Ning had reserve for increase power, and essential. La-15 launched in series and produced 235 machines. He became latest serial model Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin. According to the scheme La-15 more has been done several planes, but all these interesting news only experienced samples !
Despite this Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin continued to create new fighters. V December 1948 years by plane La-176 first v the USSR speed has been reached equal to the speed of sound! It was great progress, but for a reason disasters and death test pilot Oleg Viktorovich Sokolovsky project closed.
One version is possible Sokolovsky before takeoff not completely closed lock lantern and during takeoff lantern at low altitude opened.
On La-176 the lantern opened in side. Perhaps he tried in flight close flashlight , to continue the flight program, but apparently too for a long time tried to do it, the plane first rocked from wing to wing, then lifted his nose, lost speed and fell to the ground. According to another version locks lantern for some reason opened themselves. The disaster got violent blow generally on KB Lavochkin, but Semyon Alekseevich not gave up!
V late 1940s years, he began to master a new direction for himself - all-weather troop interceptors Air defense. At that time appeared FAR bomber aircraft. V the USSR such aviation still did not have, and at Americans there were already many, and there was atomic bomb distant bombers could have dropped on THE USSR. To solve the problem of protection against strategic bombers KB Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin suggested 2 option - double interceptor "La-200" and single fighter "La-190". However, these machines, for various reasons, and did not enter on weapons.
In the summer of 1956 of the year Lavochkin presented further all weather interceptor "La-250". The plane got long massive fuselage, thanks to which the pilots called him anaconda. Long the fuselage was needed for large fuel tanks required for large range flight. But the main dignity La-250 should have become powerful rockets, which I designed myself KB Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin. His KB took over heavy I wear, there was a lot to do first. La-250 designed to destroy managed missiles for air targets height about 20 km, on supersonic speeds. On La-250 many innovations and tests dragged on therefore the plane did not go v serial production. What Lavochkin foresaw v 1953 year, it turned out faithful later, and then A.N. Tupolev and A.I. Mikoyan implemented it's on their airplanes !
Next project KBN301, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin became UNMANNED "La-17". The then commander-in-chief Air force marshal Vershinin turned to Lavochkin with the idea to use La-17 as target for managed missiles class air to air. Unmanned La-17 had to have flight characteristics reactive aircraft, but at the same time have simple design and low cost price . Radio-controlled unmanned La-17 worked in complex weather conditions, far from the airfield and did everything maneuvers inherent to air target. V 1954 year La-17 launched in serial production, and he long time was used by the troops Air defense as target. From memories Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin: " Wherever I am, whatever I do, I always thought O plane. Not about who already flies, but about who not yet, which still has to be. Sometimes you sit, watch the performance and suddenly catch yourself on thoughts O plane. Play moved away somewhere far away, and before your eyes again airplane…"
Word "first" often mentioned in biography Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin. His talent the designer allowed him to solve problems from scratch. Therefore, another one appeared in his life. variety technology. V September 1950 years he was attracted to secret a project of national importance, which oversaw L.P. Beria. It was the first system Air defense, protecting Moscow from possible nuclear blows. The system was named "Golden eagle". Before that, in our country in Podlipkakh v Research institutesN88 tried copy german trophy anti-aircraft rockets under the names Wasserfall, Mitterlink and others, but nothing good of this Did not work out.
Later Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin recalled that so hard he was not even during the war! It was necessary not only design, but also build, to experience and run in series utterly new on that moment type of aircraft, managed rocket class Ground-to-air. On the whole this job was given only 8 months. In this rocket Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin applied a new shape wing "Diamond-shaped" developed in TsAGI. Liquid reactive rocket engine designed Alexey Mikhailovich Isaev.
V 1951 year 5th July at the state central the landfill carried out first rocket launch under the index "205". She amazed target aircraft Tu-4. V 1955th year system "Golden eagle" renamed to "S-25", accepted into service and put on combat duty around Moscow.Antiaircraft rockets Lavochkin stood on combat on duty until 1980s years. Everyone who took part in its development received awards, and Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin awarded the title Twice Hero of Socialist Labor! Of course that Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin was besides aviation a constructor is also a constructor Zenith missile only knew the techniques very narrow circle persons ! Wide he was known to the public as constructor fighters La-5 and La-7, what did he do after the war, only knew employees his KB. It turned out that Lavochkin after The great Patriotic war over secrecy his works as if gone v shadow.
Only many years later it was announced, what exactly Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin v 1954 year began to create INTERCONTINENTAL SUPERSONIC WING rockets "Storm". She had to convey nuclear charge per distance 8 000 km across the ocean. NOVELTY "Tempest" was almost 100%!!! The material from which it was made TITANIUM - first ! System ASTRONAVIGATION - first ! THREE SPEEDS OF SOUND - first ! WINGED rocket – first ! DISTANCE flight 8 000 km – first ! VERTICAL start – first ! TWO-STAGE rocket – first ! Uniqueness of this the project consisted in the fact that for all his novelty, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin having received such a task, he began flight trials real sample TOTAL across THREE YEARS!!! After testing, the car was brought before READY application !!!
Technical characteristics of the "Tempest": Starting weight - 97.2 T ; Weight marching steps – 32 T ; Full length - 19.88 m ; Diameter amidships - 2.2 m ; Total thrust 2 accelerators (Rocket engine) – 136,8 t / s ; Supersonic direct-flow engine - RD-012U; Marching height flight – 18-25 km ; Number "M" marching flight – 3,15; Range flight achieved on tests - 6 500 km t; Aiming Accuracy on target about 10 km ; Time flight – 2 hours.
However, the then supervisor our country N.S. Khrushchev decided that "Storm" perspectives does not have, and all needs will be provided intercontinental ballistic rocket S.P. Koroleva, R-7 ??? Works on "Bure" turned off ??? Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin naturally hard worried closing of the "Tempest" and he sharply worsened condition health! V 1960th year June 9th on trials antiaircraft rockets "Dal" v Karaganda areas on the landfill Sary-Shagan, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin was gone from acute heart failure. Can without exaggeration say that Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin in many of his works Ahead of time, and those works that received serial application, talk about it talent and huge desire do as you can more for your country!
How often do people talk about the merits of the victors in the Great Patriotic War, but did they think about those who stood at the origins of the All-Union victory? One of those who made a tangible contribution to the history of the invincible Soviet aviation is the aircraft designer - Semyon Lavochkin.
It was his labor that created the famous line of front-line fighters La-5 and their development La-7. The famous I.N. Kozhedub, three times awarded the title Hero of the USSR for victories in aerial battles.
Biography
Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin was born in the family of melamed Alter Ilyich Lavochkin and housewife Gita Savelyevna on August 29, according to the new style on September 11, 1900. He is an ethnic Jew from Smolensk.
In Roslavl he graduated from the city school, after which he was enrolled in the Kursk gymnasium in 1917, which he successfully graduated with a gold medal.
In 1918, he entered the ranks of the Red Army, and in 1920 he became a member of the border guard. He fell under demobilization at the end of 1920, and was sent to study in Moscow.
Already passing undergraduate practice, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin became part of the history of Soviet aviation, passing it at the Tupolev Design Bureau.
The whole life of the legendary Soviet aviation designer Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin was spent in work. This is reflected in his biography.
After he graduated from the Higher Technical School in Moscow, the novice aircraft designer S. Lavochkin worked under the guidance of various designers and engineers, which later determined his view of the plane, completely devoid of stereotypes, and therefore not blurry.
- 1929, OPO-4, work under the direction of Paul Richard. Legendary seaplane constructor;
- 1930, work in the Bureau of New Designs under the leadership of Henri Laville, one of the engineers of Paul Richard's team, who by this time had left the USSR, among the projects being developed at that time was the heavy fighter DI-4, in the development of which Lavochkin also took part;
- 1939 year. OKB-301. Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin, together with Gorbunov and Gudkov, are participating in a competition to create a new fighter to replace the I-16. The prototype I-301 presented by them, nicknamed "the piano" due to its cherry-colored lacquer coating and varnishing, went into mass production in 1940 under the name LaGG-3;
- 1941 year. OKB-21, work on the modernization of the LaGG-3 fighter, until 1944 66 series of this aircraft were produced, which changed from release to release. Launching into serial production of the legendary La-5 and further work on its modernization;
- 1945 year. OKB-301. From that moment until the end of his design activity, Lavochkin worked in this design bureau.
The great aircraft designer Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin loved to repeat that a real professional does not just need an office, a whole plant is needed. And to create a masterpiece, ink, ink and paper are not enough, you need working hands, tools and materials for the manufacture of an aircraft.
The beginning of the 1930s, Spain was plunged into a civil war, the USSR began supplying weapons and equipment there. Together with combat aircraft, Soviet volunteer pilots also take off into the skies of Spain, who not only performed the work of instructors, but also carried out combat activities.
The battles in the hot skies of Catalonia showed that the I-16, although it does not step, is not yet inferior to the German Bf.109B aircraft, which were in service with the Condor air wing. But, nevertheless, it becomes obsolete very quickly. The competition for the rearmament of the aviation of the Soviet country was intended to eliminate the backlog, in which young aircraft manufacturers took part:
- Lavochkin, Gudkov and Gorbunov, a LaGG-3 fighter, an aircraft with powerful weapons, an M-105P engine, the design of which was the massive use of bakelite plywood - delta wood;
- Mikoyan and Gurevich - MiG-1 fighter, AM-35 engine, high-altitude high-speed fighter;
- Yakovlev A.S. with a front-line fighter Yak-1, M-105P engine, light plywood-linen construction, armament in the form of a 20 mm motor-gun and two machine guns.
It was these aircraft that subsequently met the first strike of the Third Reich, and their heirs knocked out the personnel of the Luftwaffe, ensuring complete air superiority for the advancing army.
Merits and awards
The title of Hero of Socialist Labor S.A. Lavochkin received it on June 21, 1943. The Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle medal adorned the designer's chest for the urgent modernization of the LaGG-3 to a level that allowed them to fight on equal terms with the Luftwaffe aircraft.
Much credit is the fact that La-5, like its ancestor LaGG, was created from wood and plywood, this made it possible to organize its production in a difficult time for the country, in the conditions of a total deficit of duralumin and other light alloys.
The next title of Hero was awarded to Lavochkin in 1956, for his significant contribution to the country's defense. The country's air defense was armed with missiles of its design.
In addition to the Hammer and Sickle gold medal award, Lavochkin was a laureate of 4 Stalin Prizes in 1941, 1943, 1946 and 1948.
List of aircraft
During the Second World War, the Soviet design bureau, run by Semyon Lavochkin, developed a series of fighters, in particular the La-5 and La-7, which made a significant contribution to the victory of the Union.
In the post-war period, Lavochkin developed a series of jet aircraft, primarily the La-15, but, unfortunately, he could not stand the competition with the MiG-15 and lost the palm to him.
But the first was LaGG, already in the post-war period, in the memoirs of some designers received the sharp nickname "Lacquered Guaranteed Coffin", although in the army it was called "piano" or "beauty".
The aircraft did not differ in excellent maneuverability or acceleration characteristics, but, nevertheless, it favorably differed from the Yak-1 in its survivability, and surpassed the more high-speed MiGs in armament power.
Projects
In general, most of S.A. Lavochkin were successful and passed all flight tests, but they were improved. So the project of the La-5VI model was created according to the group scheme.
In December 1944, they proposed an option to improve the outdated La-5 model using jet accelerators. This project was approved and implemented at the end of 1944, today this model is known as La-7R.
last years of life
In 1956, Lavochkin was appointed chief designer of the OKB. This post in his career was marked by two major projects.
- He designed the world's first intercontinental supersonic cruise missile, The Tempest.
- He also developed a project to create Dal launch complexes intended for air defense.
The great aircraft designer died of a heart attack in June 1960, honorably fulfilling his civic and labor duty to the Motherland.
He conducted the last tests of the Tempest rocket at the Sary Shagan test range located in the Kazakh SSR near Balkhash.
A memorial plaque is installed in the house where the honored genius of Soviet aviation lived. And to this day, the Museum of the USSR Air Force keeps within its walls a whole era of creating fighter aircraft, which, for the first time in history, surpassed all Western counterparts.
Video
Awards
He was awarded three Orders of Lenin (31.10.1941, 21.06.1943, 30.08.1950), the Order of the Red Banner (02.07.1945), the Order of Suvorov 1st (16.09.1945) and 2nd (19.08.1944) degrees, medals, including "For Military Merit" (5/11/1944).
Rank
Major General of the Aviation Engineering Service 1944
Positions
Chief Designer of the Aviation Design Bureau
Biography
Lavochkin Semyon Alekseevich (Shlema Aizikovich Magaziner) - Chief Designer of the Aviation Design Bureau, Major General of the Aviation Engineering Service.
Born on August 20 (September 11), 1900 in Smolensk (some documents indicate a different place of birth - the town of Petrovichi of the Roslavl district of the Smolensk province). The son of a gymnasium teacher. Jew. He graduated from the city school in the city of Roslavl, a gymnasium in Kursk.
Since 1918 - in the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. He fought in the Red Army in the Civil War, in 1920 he served in the border guard. At the end of 1920 he was demobilized and sent to study in Moscow. Graduated from the Moscow Higher Technical School. N.E. Bauman in 1927. Completed pre-graduation practice in the design bureau of A.N. Tupolev, participating in the development of the first Soviet bomber ANT-4 (TB-1). From 1929 he worked in a number of aviation design bureaus (Richard's Design Bureau, the Bureau of New Designs and the Central Design Bureau). In 1935 - 1938 - the chief designer of the LL fighter project (did not go into series). In 1938 - 1939 he worked in the Main Directorate of the Aviation Industry.
Since 1939, chief designer for aircraft construction, head of the design bureau at the aircraft plant number 301 in the city of Khimki, Moscow region. Under his leadership, the LaGG-3 fighter was created there (together with M.I. Gudkov and V.P. Gorbunov). Since 1940 - chief designer of the design bureau at the aircraft plant number 21 in the city of Gorky. During the Great Patriotic War, the LaGG-3 was significantly reworked, which initially had a high accident rate and insufficient flight characteristics (it replaced the engine and significantly strengthened the wing plane, which sharply increased the combat capabilities of the aircraft). At the same time, he created 10 serial and experimental fighters, including La-5, La-5F, La-5FN, La-7, which were widely used in battles. When developing them, Lavochkin rationally combined the wooden structure of the airframe (using a particularly durable material - delta wood) with a reliable engine that had high technical characteristics in a wide range of flight altitudes. The layout of the La-5, La-7 aircraft provided reliable protection for the pilot in the front hemisphere of fire. On fighters designed by I.N. Kozhedub shot down 62 German aircraft. In total, in 1941-1945, 22,500 copies of Lavochkin's aircraft were built, which played a huge role in the conquest of air supremacy by Soviet aviation. Since 1943, Lavochkin fighters with jet accelerators installed on them have been tested.
For outstanding services in the creation of aviation technology in difficult wartime conditions, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 21, 1943, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle gold medal.
In the first post-war years, Lavochkin's design bureau (in 1945 it was transferred to Khimki) created his last piston fighters - the La-9 all-metal aircraft, the La-180 trainer and the La-11 long-range fighter. Then the Lavochkin Design Bureau was transferred to the creation of jet serial and experimental fighters, although the problems of jet engines and their use in aviation were closely tackled since 1944. In 1947, the La-160 was developed - the first domestic aircraft with a swept wing, La-15. In December 1948, for the first time in the USSR, a flight speed equal to the speed of sound was achieved on a La-176 with a 45-degree wing sweep. The designer created the La-190 supersonic fighter, an all-weather two-seater fighter with a powerful radar station on board the La-200.
A number of rocketry models were created under the leadership of Lavochkin. In 1950, the OKB S.A. Lavochkin was instructed to design, build, test and introduce into the series the latest samples of surface-to-air missiles, and the tactical and technical data were set extremely high, not achieved in any country in the world. On the initiative of I.V. Stalin, realizing the danger of a very real nuclear strike in those years on the country's industrial centers, it was decided to create the first domestic air defense system (S-25 air defense) with anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAM) in service.
In the shortest possible time, the path was passed from the formulation of the very idea of the air defense system to the creation of the system. In 1951 - 1955, under the leadership of S.A. Lavochkin developed and tested ground-based SAM-"205" and SAM-"215", as well as missiles of the "air-to-air" class. In 1955, the famous protective "rings" - the "Berkut" air defense system, appeared around Moscow. Rockets designed by S.A. Lavochkin were on combat duty until the beginning of the 80s (these were SAM-"217M" and SAM-"218"). Member of the CPSU since 1953.
For outstanding services in the creation of new aviation technology and labor heroism shown at the same time, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 20, 1956, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin was re-awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the presentation of the second gold medal "Hammer and Sickle" (No. 33 / II) ...
In parallel with the missile theme, S.A. Lavochkin in 1950 - 1954 developed the La-17 unmanned target aircraft, which was produced for almost 40 years - until 1993. In addition, its reconnaissance version was created and used as an unmanned front-line photo reconnaissance aircraft (a prototype of modern unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehicles).
Since 1956 S.A. Lavochkin - General Designer of the Design Bureau. In this position, he completed two such major works, as, firstly, the creation of an intercontinental supersonic cruise missile "Tempest" and, secondly, the design of a new anti-aircraft system "Dal", which was based on long-range surface-to-air missiles (up to 500 km) for hitting high-speed air targets.
At the end of the Tempest tests on June 9, 1960, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin died of a heart attack at the Sary-Shagan training ground near Lake Balkhash (Kazakh SSR). According to the ineradicable Soviet habit of classifying everything in a row, the newspapers reported that the designer had died in Moscow. He was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery of the hero-city of Moscow (section 1).
Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1958). Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 3-5 convocations (from 1950 to 1960).
Laureate of four Stalin Prizes of the USSR (1941, 1943, 1946, 1948).
Major General of the Aviation Engineering Service (08/19/1944). He was awarded three Orders of Lenin (31.10.1941, 21.06.1943, 30.08.1950), the Order of the Red Banner (02.07.1945), the Order of Suvorov 1st (16.09.1945) and 2nd (19.08.1944) degrees, medals, including "For Military Merit" (5/11/1944).
The name of Lavochkin is a research and production association formed on the basis of the OKB, which he headed. A bronze bust was installed in the homeland of the Hero in the hero-city of Smolensk.
Streets in Moscow and Smolensk are named after him, and bronze busts are also installed there. In Moscow, a memorial plaque was installed on the house where the Hero lived.
Biography provided by Anton Bocharov
Sources Ponomarev A.N. Soviet aircraft designers. Moscow, 1990.
Perhaps one of the most attractive exhibits of the Air Force Museum located in Monin near Moscow is the La-7 fighter plane three times Hero of the Soviet Union I.N. Kozhedub. This legendary car, created under the direct supervision of S.A. Lavochkin, there are rows of red stars, each of which means a victory over the enemy. La-7 by its flight data and armament is rightfully considered one of the best fighters of the Second World War. But few people realize that from the first ideas of the designer to the creation of the La-7 fighter lies a distance of five years.
The famous fighter pilot, the best ace of the Soviet Union and the entire anti-Hitler coalition, three times Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub near his La-7 on which he fought in the spring of 1945. The picture was taken in 1988 at the Monino Aviation Museum, where this unique machine is kept.
Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin was born on September 11 (August 29, old style) 1900 into a Jewish family in Smolensk (according to other sources, in the village of Petrovichi, Smolensk province).
In 1917 he graduated from high school with a gold medal and was drafted into the army. Since 1918 - in the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army, and then in the border troops. In 1920 he entered the Moscow Higher Technical School (now the Bauman Moscow State Technical University) and after graduation received the qualification of an aeromechanical engineer.
Lavochkin began his career in the summer of 1927 at an aircraft plant in Fili. At that time, the enterprise was mastering the serial production of the first domestic all-metal heavy bomber TB-1, which was very useful, since the theme of Lavochkin's diploma project was a bomber.
Two years passed unnoticed, and in 1929 Semyon Alekseevich stepped over the threshold of the newly created design bureau of the French engineer Richard. The reason for the appearance of the "Varangian" in the USSR is quite simple. Until the end of the 1920s, the domestic industry was unable to create a seaplane for the aviation of the Navy, and the country's leadership turned to the West. But the torpedo bomber of the open sea TOM-1, designed with the participation of the head of the strength section Lavochkin, remained in a single copy. By the time of its first flight, the domestic industry had already
mastered the serial production of the float version of the TB-1 for a similar purpose.
Richard's team disintegrated, and under the leadership of his deputy, Henri Laville, the Bureau of New Designs (BNK) began the development of the DI-4 two-seat fighter. Having mastered the aerodynamic and strength calculations from Richard, at the BNK Lavochkin, having taken up the design and layout of the aircraft, he stepped one step further, becoming a leading designer. Since then, fighter planes have become the main direction in the work of the aircraft designer Lavochkin.
But there are exceptions in life. After BNK, Lavochkin had to work for a short time in the Bureau of Special Structures (BOC) with V.A. Chizhevsky over an experimental stratospheric aircraft BOK-1 and in parallel with a professor at the N.E. Zhukovsky S.G. Kozlova - over a giant transport plane. The constant search for a more perfect structure of the aviation industry led to the emergence of new and liquidation of old enterprises. This was especially reflected in the creativity of designers, who often moved from one team to another. Lavochkin was no exception. This leapfrog lasted until 1939.
After the transfer of BOK to Smolensk, Lavochkin ended up with D.P. Grigorovich, and then, in 1935, in Podlipki near Moscow "under the wing" of the creator of dynamo-jet cannons L.V. Kurchevsky. This period of Lavochkin's activity should be told in more detail, since he first became the chief designer of plant number 38, but not aviation, but ... artillery.
The open sea torpedo bomber TOM-1, in the design of which S.A. Lavochkin
Seven years spent on the creation of dynamo-jet guns were not crowned with success. Not a single aircraft equipped with these weapons was accepted into service. This put Leonid Vasilyevich Kurchevsky in an awkward position - the money was spent, but there were no guns suitable for use. But, deeply convinced of the correctness of his idea, Kurchevsky invited S.A. Lavochkin, S.N. Lyushina, B.I. Cheranovsky and V.B. Shavrov. Each of them began to develop its own direction.
One of the main parameters of a fighter of those years was speed. The higher it is, the faster (of course, in combination with high maneuverability and powerful weapons) you can defeat the enemy. With a limited choice of engine, the speed can only be increased by reducing the drag. But how to do that? First of all, Lavochkin and Lyushin, who were already familiar from working together with Richard and Laville, used a retractable landing gear. This gave a noticeable increase in speed, and then a completely unexpected solution was proposed - to hide the pilot's lantern in the fuselage. This, of course, will also increase the speed, but also impair the view from the cockpit. An airplane with poor visibility is a good target. Then they decided to make the pilot's seat lowered along with the lantern.
And today, designers sometimes follow a similar path. Remember the supersonic passenger airliners Tu-144, the Anglo-French "Concorde" and the multipurpose T-4 (product "100") P.O. Sukhoi. True, these machines do not remove the lantern anywhere, but the nose of the fuselage rises and falls, but even here they and Lavochkin had the same goal - to reduce aerodynamic resistance. And yet, despite the progressiveness of the technical solutions incorporated into the LL fighter (Lavochkin and Lyushin), the lowered chair was very inconvenient. Air Force Commander Ya.I. Alksnis and Chief Engineer of the Main Directorate of the Aviation Industry (SUAI) of the People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry (NKTP) of the USSR A.N. Tupolev, who visited the Department of Special Works on January 12, 1936 (which included plant No. 38), did not approve of this project.
In the same year, Kurchevsky was removed from his post, and Tupolev soon offered Lavochkin a position in the Main Directorate of the NKTP, on the basis of which the People's Commissariat of the Aviation Industry (NKAP) was created in 1938. So, by the will of fate, the aircraft designer renounced his favorite work, but not for long. While working at the People's Commissariat, Lavochkin tried to maintain his design skills. What he didn’t have to do in this field, even the creation in 1936-1937 of the Arctic gliders "Sevmorput", intended to connect the icebreaker with the shore, overcoming the ice and ice floes. Still, aviation attracted more.
Stratospheric aircraft BOK-1, aerodynamic calculation of which was performed by S.A. Lavochkin
The emergence of the WWII aircraft generation was primarily promoted by the Spanish Civil War. This country, located on the Iberian Peninsula, has become a kind of testing ground where the military equipment of many states, including Germany and the Soviet Union, was tested and tested. Even the subsequent armed conflicts in Khal-khin-Gol and in Finland did not have such an impact on military equipment and equipment as the war in Spain.
Conclusions about the need to improve, in particular, aviation technology were made quickly, and the creation of new aircraft was delayed for several years, despite all the efforts on the part of the leadership of the Soviet Union. There is a long distance from ideas to the embodiment of the machine in "metal", and everything rested primarily on the power plant. And this is the Achilles heel of the Soviet aircraft industry. The only thing that domestic aircraft designers could really count on was the M-103 engines and the M-88, which was still being designed. The first of them had clearly insufficient power. This was the impetus for the emergence of such an aircraft as V.F. Bolkhovitinov with a tandem pair of M-103 engines - a descendant of the licensed "Hispano-Suiza".
The LL-1 fighter aircraft with Kurchevsky's dynamo-jet cannons, developed by S.A. Lavochkin and S.N. Lyushin at the plant number 38
The M-88 looked much more attractive in 1938, but it appeared with a delay, and on the first I-180 N.N. Polikarpova, I-28 V.P. Yatsenko and I-220 "IS" ("Joseph Stalin") A.V. Silvansky was supplied with less suitable M-87s. But even with this already proven engine, fortune turned its back on aircraft builders. On the first of these aircraft in December 1938, V.P. Chkalov. The second, which took off in April next year, although generally successful, required improvements, but the stubborn nature of Vladimir Panfilovich ruined a good idea. The "Joseph Stalin" Silvansky did not take the wing either.
The situation changed in 1939, after the appearance of the 1100-horsepower M-105 engine and the 1350-horsepower AM-35 engine. And immediately the young cadres entered the "battle":
A.S. Yakovlev, A.I. Mikoyan with M.I. Gurevich, M.M. Pashinin, D.L. Tomashevich and V.P. Gorbunov with S.A. Lavochkin. There were, of course, other, in their own way, talented creators of new technology, but, being held captive by outdated concepts, they offered either semi-fantastic projects or outdated combat biplanes. For example, A.A. Borovkov and I.F. Flo-rov designed a biplane "7221" (later I-207) with cantilever wings and an air-cooled engine, and engineer G.I. Bakshaev - a monobiplane fighter of the Republic of Kazakhstan with a sliding wing. An equally exotic project was the IS (folding fighter), born from the commonwealth of the pilot V.V. Shevchenko and designer V.V. Nikitin. This plane in the air turned from a biplane to a monoplane and vice versa.
L.V. Kurchevsky
Of the whole variety of projects, only five turned out to be real: I-200 with AM-35 engine (first flight on April 5, 1940), I-26 (first flight on January 13, 1940), I-301, I-21 (IP-21 ) with motors M-105P and I-110. The last of them, created in the prison design bureau TsKB-29, was guided by the M-107 engine and went flying tests in the midst of the war. The I-21, which took off in June 1940, was distinguished by an unsuccessful aerodynamic wing layout. Its fine-tuning dragged on, and the outbreak of the war forced to stop working on it.
Each of the first three fighters had its own advantages and disadvantages, but together they seemed to complement and to some extent insured each other. At the same time, the I-26 (prototype Yak-1) and I-301 (the future LaGG-3) became competitors in the "aviation market" of fighters.
The designer was always on the lookout, modernizing and creating new aircraft. As a result, the LaGG-3, La-5 and La-7 aircraft, along with the machines of other designers, made a great contribution to the victory over Nazi Germany. In one of his publications, Lavochkin wrote:
BOK-1 was developed at the Bureau of Special Designs under the leadership of V.A. Chizhevsky
“At one time, the crossbow replaced the bow, but it was not he who radically changed the combat capability of the army. This required gunpowder ... Rationalization, improvement of existing designs and machines, of course, is a necessary matter, and I am by no means an opponent of rationalization, but the time has come to break away more boldly from accepted schemes, from hackneyed methods - it is necessary to combine the evolutionary paths of development of technology with a genuine revolutionary breakdown ".
The time of the revolutionary path came after the war with the advent of turbojet engines. Unfortunately, at this stage in the development of aircraft, OKB-301 was engaged in the creation of only prototype aircraft. One of them, La-160, equipped with a swept wing for the first time in domestic practice, paved the way for the famous MiG-15 fighter, the appearance of which during the Korean War contributed to the quickest end of the armed conflict.
The chances of adopting the La-200 patrol interceptor were very high. But the successful completion of its tests coincided with the creation of the Yak-25 aircraft with the small-sized AM-5 engines, which led to a change in the views of the military.
“No matter what I was, no matter what I did, I always thought about the plane,” wrote Lavochkin. - Not about the one that is already flying, but about the one that does not yet exist, which should still be. Sometimes you sit, watch a play, and suddenly you catch yourself thinking about an airplane. The performance moved away somewhere far away, and the plane was again in front of my eyes ...
I don't know yet what it will be. Individual details are vaguely looming. I think. Another person might say: a rather strange occupation - from morning till night to pace your office. Is it an occupation? But everyone works in their own way. So, walking, I change my mind and refine my idea. This is work. This is tedious, strenuous work.
And when it finally becomes clear to me what this new car should be like, I call my workmates over to me. “This is what I came up with,” I tell them, “how do you like it?” They listen attentively, write something down, draw something. Discussion begins. Sometimes it seems to me that they like my idea too much, and I can not help it.
Criticize, damn it! I shout to them. They get excited, and such a noise rises in the office that visitors sitting in the reception room may think that sworn enemies are gathered here. But our common cause is dear to all of us, that's why we all get so excited and lose our temper. The discussion ends. We are glad. Now, at least, it is clear to each of us where he is right and where he is wrong. Now you can start.
And now the first line appears on the drawings. Dozens of people are working on the future aircraft. My slender machine seems to be breaking up into separate parts: the engine, the propeller group, the weapons - specialists are working on each part. And everyone is in a hurry - hurry, hurry! "
The last manned OKB-301 aircraft was the La-250 interceptor. The machine is very complex and represented a bunch of advanced technical solutions. But the experience of its creation was not in vain, and the results of many years of research and flight tests contributed to the development of new models of combat aircraft in other design teams.
Fragment of S.A. Lavochkin at the Museum of the Scientific and Production Association named after S.A. Lavochkin
Against this background, attention is drawn to the creation of an unmanned radio-controlled target La-17 and, on its basis, a front-line reconnaissance aircraft, which became the first remotely controlled aircraft of the Soviet Army.
For services to the state on June 21, 1943, Lavochkin was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the presentation of the Hammer and Sickle Gold Medal and the Order of Lenin. On April 20, 1956, Semyon Alekseevich was awarded the second Gold Medal "Hammer and Sickle".
Since 1956 S.A. Lavochkin - General Designer of OKB-301. Two years later, Lavochkin was elected a Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Semyon Alekseevich was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR three times (3-5th convocations). Laureate of four Stalin Prizes of the USSR. He was awarded three Orders of Lenin, Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of Suvorov 1st and 2nd Degrees, medals, including "For Military Merit".
The name of Lavochkin bears a research and production association in the city of Khimki near Moscow, formed on the basis of the OKB, which he headed. Streets in Moscow and Smolensk are named after him, and bronze busts are also installed there.
Soviet aviation designer. 1900-1960
Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin (Shlema Aizikovich Magaziner) was born on September 11, 1900 in Smolensk into a Jewish family. His father was a melamed (teacher).
In 1917 he became a gold medalist, then joined the army. Until 1920, he served as a private in the border division.
In 1920, from the ranks of the Red Army, he was sent to the Moscow Higher Technical School, from which he graduated in 1929. (now the Bauman Moscow State Technical University). Upon completion, he received the qualification of an aeromechanical engineer. Since 1927 he has been working in the aviation industry. Starting as an ordinary designer, he becomes the head of the design of a number of aircraft.
In the 1930s, under the leadership of Lavochkin, work began on the creation of one of the first Soviet modern fighter aircraft. In 1939-1940 under the leadership of V.P. Gorbunov. in the design bureau in the Moscow region was one of the initiators and participants in the creation of the Soviet modern fighter plane LaGG-3 from delta wood. Together with V.P. Gorbunov and Gudkov M.I. in 1939 he was promoted to chief designer for aircraft construction. This work on the creation of aircraft was carried out by Lavochkin as the head of the OKB-21 in the city of Gorky. Lavochkin was awarded the Stalin Prize of the first degree in 1941 together with V.P. Gorbunov. and Gudkov M.I. for the creation of the LaGG-3 fighter in 1940.
From the first days of the Great Patriotic War, aircraft designed by Lavochkin took part in battles and showed high combat and tactical flight qualities. On fighters designed by Lavochkin, three times Hero of the Soviet Union I.N. Kozhedub shot down 62 fascist aircraft.
La-5 is a single-engine fighter created by OKB-21 under the leadership of S.A. Lavochkin in 1942 in the city of Gorky. The aircraft was a single-seat monoplane, with a closed cockpit, a wooden frame with cloth sheathing and wooden wing spars. At the end of the 30s, all production fighters in the Soviet Union were based on a mixed design. Despite all the shortcomings in the use of wood (mainly - the greater weight of structures of the required rigidity), the creation of "delta-wood" led to the emergence of a modern all-wood fighter for that time. Wood products required very high qualifications of workers. The entire fuselage of the aircraft was assembled on glue, which required the strictest compliance with the requirements for temperature, humidity and dust in the workshop. Any wooden part is unique, since there are no two identical trees, most of the work is done by hand, and the quality directly depends on the qualifications and experience of the worker. Therefore, in mass production, the aircraft was slightly different than in testing, and required constant modernization. It had a number of design flaws and was difficult to fly, but the pilots respected this aircraft, recognizing that piloting it was not an easy matter and required some training. In the battles LaGG proved to be a tenacious vehicle capable of returning to a home base with a fuselage resembling a "sieve".
But at the beginning of 1942, LaGG could no longer fight on equal terms with new modifications of German fighters. The main problem was in the 1050 hp engine. with. This power was not enough for a heavy, all-wood machine. The new Klimov engine (a distant descendant of the French Hispano-Suiza engine, purchased under license) developed a take-off power of 1400 hp. with., and at an altitude of 5 km - 1300 liters. with. In this regard, two design bureaus - Lavochkin and Yakovlev - were instructed to develop fighters based on this engine.
Taking advantage of his position, Yakovlev (and he was also Stalin's personal aviation assistant) took the experimental engines for himself. Lavochkin had to urgently look for a new engine, and his design bureau decided to replace the water-cooled engine with an air-cooled engine. Such an engine could not be installed on the existing airplane frame without significant alterations and, accordingly, time consuming. In connection with the decision of the State Defense Committee to withdraw LaGG from production and transfer the factories where it was produced to the Yakovlev Design Bureau and the organization of production of Yak fighters on them, the situation for Lavochkin Design Bureau was critical. Deputy Lavochkina S.M. Alekseev managed at an incredible pace, without calculations and drawings, to make a prototype of the aircraft. On March 21, 1942, a few days before the Lavochkin Design Bureau was sent to Tbilisi, test pilot Vasily Yakovlevich Mishchenko took the future La-5 into the air. The new engine provided such a heavy structure with the required power of 1700 hp. with. Compared to the base LaGG, the new aircraft was significantly better, in particular, the speed and climb rate increased sharply, but there were plenty of problems.
At this time, the order of the State Defense Committee came: load the design bureau and the plane into the echelons and immediately leave for Tbilisi. On April 22–23, test pilots A.P. Yakimov and A.G. Kubyshkin continued testing. For flights, they used a strip filled with melt water a dozen kilometers from the plant. During the tests, many parts of the prototype aircraft broke down, flaws were eliminated right on the airfield by the light of car headlights, but fate was very favorable to the pilots and no one died during such "tests". A total of 26 test flights were carried out. The test report was sent to Moscow. The report indicated that the aircraft withstood the bulk of the tests, but the problem with engine overheating was not resolved. Moscow thought and gave 10 days to troubleshoot. Corkscrew tests were carried out on May 6, 1942. Without wind tunnel blowing and careful calculations, this is almost guaranteed an accident and death. But this time the tests were successful. On May 20, it was decided to start serial production of the LaGG-3 with the M-82 engine under the designation LaGG-5 at the plant number 21 in Gorky.
The first production vehicles did not reach the speed stated in the certificate, on the basis of which I.V. Stalin made the decision to launch the aircraft into series production. The cause of the loss of speed was determined - poor sealing of the hood. Work was carried out to seal the hood, as a result of which the aircraft reached the declared speed. The first production aircraft began to roll off the assembly line in July 1942. If we compare the LaGG-5 with similar aircraft in Germany, Great Britain or the United States, it might seem that technically it was significantly inferior to them. However, in terms of its flight qualities, it fully corresponded to the requirements of the time. In addition, its simple design, lack of the need for complex maintenance and undemanding take-off fields made it ideal for the conditions in which the units of the Soviet Air Force had to operate. During 1942, 1129 LaGG-5 fighters were manufactured. On September 8, 1942, LaGG-5 fighters were renamed La-5.
Designer S.A. Lavochkin was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor in 1943 and won the Stalin Prize of the first degree for the creation of the La-5 fighter. Since 1942, Lavochkin is a major general of the engineering and technical service.
In October 1945, after returning from the city of Gorky, Lavochkin was appointed head of OKB-301 in the city of Khimki, Moscow Region (now FSUE "Scientific and Production Association named after SA Lavochkin"). In 1946 he was awarded the Stalin Prize of the second degree for La-7. In 1948 he was awarded the Stalin Prize of the first degree for the creation of new types of aircraft.
After the war, Semyon Alekseevich worked on the creation of jet aircraft. Serial jet fighters were developed in his design bureau. The plane he created for the first time in the USSR reached the speed of sound in flight.
S.A. In 1950-1954, Lavochkin developed the La-17 unmanned target aircraft, which was produced for almost 40 years - until 1993. In addition, its reconnaissance version was created and used as an unmanned front-line photo reconnaissance aircraft (a prototype of modern unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehicles).
Since 1958 - Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Lavochkin was twice (1943, 1956) awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor, four times (1941, 1943, 1946, 1948) was awarded the Stalin Prize, he was awarded many orders and medals. Lavochkin was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the third - fifth convocations (in 1950-1958).
In 1954, Lavochkin began work on the Tempest intercontinental supersonic cruise missile. In 1956 he was awarded the service rank - General Designer for Aircraft Building. The intercontinental missile R-7 of General Designer Korolev Lavochkin was opposed by the Tempest (cruise missile) projectile with high performance at that time - a speed of over 3,000 km per hour at an altitude of 20 km. The Tempest deviation from the target was no more than 1 km at a distance of 8000 km, which is insignificant for a nuclear charge. However, the bulky, unreliable and insanely expensive R-7 went into service, instead of the economical Tempest system. Powers' reconnaissance plane was shot down on May 1, 1960 by a missile created precisely at the Lavochkin Design Bureau. Lavochkin's missiles were then used in the S-25 and S-75 systems of two rings of the circular air defense of Moscow. Rockets designed by S.A. Lavochkin were on alert until the early 80s.
Since 1956 S.A. Lavochkin - General Designer of the Design Bureau. In this position, he was also engaged in the design of the new Dal anti-aircraft complex, which was based on long-range surface-to-air missiles (up to 500 km) to destroy high-speed air targets.
When testing the Dal air defense system on June 9, 1960, Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin died of a heart attack at the Sary-Shagan training ground near Lake Balkhash. Buried at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.
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