Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-1

The Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-1 (Лавочкин-Горбунов-Гудков ЛаГГ-1) was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. Although not very successful, it formed the basis for a series of aircraft that would eventually become some of the most formidable Soviet fighters of the war.

Design and development
The LaGG-1 was designed in 1938 by Semyon Lavochkin, Vladimir P. Gorbunov and Mikhail Gudkov of design bureau OKB-301 in Khimki to the north-west of Moscow. It was designed as a light-weight aircraft around the Klimov M-105 engine and built out of laminated wood to save on strategic materials. The first prototype flew on March 30, 1940, and once some initial difficulties had been worked out of the design, proved to be promising, if somewhat short of what its designers had hoped for. By this stage, however, the need to modernise the Soviet Air Force had been made plain by recent losses in the Winter War with Finland, and the aircraft, initially designated I-22 was ordered into production. Some 100 aircraft were sent to evaluation squadrons, where their shortcomings quickly became obvious. The new fighter proved clearly underpowered. It lacked agility and range. Furthermore, while the prototypes were carefully handmade and finished, the mass-produced examples were comparatively crude.

The subsequent modifications undertaken by Lavochkin's OKB would result at last in the LaGG-3.

Operators

 * Soviet Air Force
 * Soviet Air Force