The latest in the superb 'Red Star' series is this one on the jet fighters of Seymon Lavochkin. Builder of what were probably some of the finest piston engine fighters of WWII, Lavochkin entered the jet age pretty much along the same lines as other Soviet aircraft makers like MiG and Yak. This was by developing captured German designs and equipment.

Initial results were the La-150 and La-152, straight wing jets using the forward 'pod' design in a similar manner to the Yak-17/23 series of aircraft. Yet the performance really wasn't what was expected, so a swept wing version, the La-160 was developed, the Soviet Union's first design of its type. Success was not to be and so the La-168 was built, moving the engine to behind the pilot. This developed into the La-15, Lavochkin's first production jet.

Despite being superior in nearly all aspects of flight to the Mig-15 design, the La-15 did not see the sort of service and production that the other aircraft enjoyed, primarily as its introduction to service were plagued with more problems than the almost equally as troublesome MiG-15. In order to concentrate on one type, the MiG design was picked and the La-15 stopped production after about 200 examples were built. However, a modified version, the La-176 was to be the Soviet Union's first supersonic aircraft, achieving that goal in a mild dive during December of 1948.

The company then went on to develop day interceptors with the La-190, which was a totally unsuccessful design, to the La-200, a tandem twin-engine design that got more and more ugly as modifications were made to it (this is the jet on the cover).  The final Lavochkin jet design was the La-250 heavy interceptor. Though all of the other designs mentioned here are given extensive coverage, especially the La-15, the La-250 is only mentioned in the last sentence of the book.

In accord with other books of the series, there is a detailed history of each type along with superb period photos and a section of drawings at the end of the types discussed (except the La-250). A lot of detail work is given to the La-15 as it actually made production and there are some rare color images of this aircraft provided in the book. Color profiles are also provided to add to the spice of things.

Overall, this is a fascinating book on aircraft that one rarely reads about. It is a must for early jet fans, those interested in Soviet military aviation and the general enthusiast.

July 2007

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