Messerschmitt Bf.163 recon plane

 

The Messerschmitt Bf.163 (NOT to be confused with the Messerschmitt Me.163  Komet the rocket-powered interceptor) was a German STOL (acronym standing for Short Take Off and Landing) designed by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and built by Weserflug during the late 1930s.

During Autumn 1935 the Fieseler Fi.156 Storch project was showing a lot of potential in the field of short-range reconnaissance and aerial observation that the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM - German air ministry) issued a requirement for an army cooperation and observation aircraft with an stipulated performance parameters. The required engine to work with was the Argus As.10 or the Hirth Hm.508 stressing on the STOL capabilities. Maximum possible field of view for a crew of two and a range wide of speed were requested too. A total of three designs were presented for this requirement, the Siebel Si.201, the Fieseler Fi.156 and the Messerschmitt Bf.163. 

The Messerschmitt Bf.163 resembled in some regards the Fi.156 as it was a high-wing braced monoplane with a structure made entirely out of metal. It had also automatic edge wing slots, double slotted flaps and a specially tall fixed undercarriage. Its most innovative feature was its capacity for varying the incidence of the entire wing which swiveled on its main axis, with the bracing struts attached to the main fuselage by ball joints which could change their angle with the movement of the wing. The only prototype was built by Weserflug, although, as it was designed by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) before 11th July 1938 when that company changed its name to Messerchmitt AG, it retained the Bf. prefix given by the RLM.

The only prototype flew for the first time on 19th February 1938. It was powered by a single Argus As.10C rated at 240 hp of power. The Bf.163 V1, when tested, had similar flight characteristics as the Fieseler Fi.156, but it was more complex and expensive, hence why, although a second prototype was underway, the whole project was cancelled in favour of the Fi.156.

In a strange decision, the RLM reissued the fuselage designation number 8-163 for the Me.163 Komet rocket-powered interceptor, after having allocated that number for the Bf.163. Therefore, both aircraft can be distinguished by their prefix, the earlier Bf.163 and the later Me.163. This was done because BFW changed its name to Messerschmitt, after Willy Messerschmitt bought the entire BFW on 11th July 1938.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_163

2. http://all-aero.com/index.php/contactus/53-planes-l-m-n-o/6681-messerschmitt-bf-163

3. http://airwar.ru/enc/other2/bf163.html (translated as best as we could)

Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3, part five. Prototypes and experimental variants

 

There were also some prototypes and experimental variants based on the LaGG-3. Those were the following:

• LaGG-3 M-107: In order to improve LaGG-3's performance and keep it under production Lavochkin fitted a Klimov M-107 engine rated at 1.300 hp at 5.000 m (16.400 ft) to a LaGG-3. Test flights were cut short due to an overheating problem and, as it gave no serious advantage over the LaGG-3 powered with the Klimov M-105P engine, it was discarded.
• Gudkov Gu-82: This was a single-engine low-wing fighter developed by Mihail I. Gudkov. It was initially a radial-powered variant of the LaGG-3 fighter.
  Lavochkin Gorbunov and Gudkov, who were the designers of the original LaGG-3, believed that almost all flaws of their fighter could be solved by fitting a new engine, the Shvetsov ASh-82 (AKA M-82) radial engine rated at 1.330 hp of power. This new engine developed more power than the Klimov M-105 in the LaGG-3, with the expense of a slightly higher frontal area. It had also the advantage that it could still work if one of the cylinders was shot out. 
  On 25th August 1941 Gudkov was allocated an engine and he began to set it up into a LaGG-3 together with additional firepower; namely two 12,7 mm (0.50 in) Berezin UB machine guns plus two 20 mm (0.787 in) ShVAK cannons. 
  The aircraft, with the official designation of Gu-82, flew successfully for the first time on 11th September 1942 and it was found that its maximum speed of 573 km/h (356 mph) was slightly higher than its predecessor and it was also more agile. Gudkov presented the results to the Commissariat of the People for Aviation Industry (NKAP) and pushed for mass producing the type. His pleads were received with enthusiasm by the pilots who were looking forward to have better fighter aircraft to fight off their German foes. However, Lavochkin had developed another variant of the LaGG-3 with a radial engine, the Lavochkin La-5, which proved to be much better and therefore the Gu-82 was cancelled.
• Gorbunov Gu-105: During May 1943 a new variant of the LaGG-3 designed by Gorbunov was designated as Gorbunov Gu-105. This variant introduced many new improvements and features such as better streamlining, lighter weight, cut down rear fuselage and a new canopy to improve rear vision. Emphasis was made in the type being streamlined while still powered by the Klimov M-105PF engine with data supplied from the Yakovlev Yak-1M. 
  This variant was lighter than the Series 66 of the LaGG-3 and was also significantly faster. It had also better rate of climb and maneuverability. In spite of not having wing slats, like the LaGG-3 had, the test pilot reported that the Gu-105 was superior to all Messerschmitt variants in terms of trouble free handling and maneuverability. 
  In February 1944 a second prototype powered by a Klimov M-105PF-2 rated at 1.300 hp, was completed. This, named as Gorbunov Gu-105-2 was armed with one 23 mm (0.905 in) VYa-23 cannon. 
  When tested in May and June 1944 the test pilot said that both in maximum speed and climb rate the Gu-105-2 was inferior to the Yakovlev Yak-1M tested by the NII (Scientific Research Institute) in October 1943. Furthermore, oil and water overheating problems meant that speed could only be sustained for during three or four minutes. 
  Despite having a more powerful engine, performance wasn't good enough and it was decided to concentrate production efforts on the Yakovlev Yak-3 and the Lavochkin La-5 instead. 

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov_LaGG-3
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gudkov_Gu-82
3. Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 163 - LaGG Fighters in Action

4. https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/lagg3/lagg3.html

5. https://www.valka.cz/Lavockin-LaGG-3-t41330

Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3, part four

 

The LaGG-3's production was rushed when Germany invaded the USSR on 21st June 1941, therefore, factory production focused on manufacturing as much Series 4 as possible by lowering the quality. As a result the flying characteristics and performance of these LaGG-3s was inferior to those produced before the war. 

On 4th July 1941 the State Defence Committee decided to move many industries past the Ural mountains, well beyond Luftwaffe's bombers range. OKB-301 (the factory where the majority of LaGG-3s were manufactured) was evacuated from Khimky (a suburb in Moscow) to GAZ-21 in Niznhy-Novgorod on the Volga river during Autumn 1941. The manufacturing plants of GAZ-301, which were repurposed to manufacture the Yakovlev Yak-7, were transferred to Novosibirsk and mixed with the State Aircraft Factory 153. GAZ-31 which before the Russian Civil War was a subsidiary of Lebedev and Maritime Aircraft Production Facility were dismantled at Taganrog on the Sea of Azov and shipped to the Caucasus to Tiblisi, the capital city of Georgia. Much to the north, in Leningrad, at GAZ-23 production came to an end in September 1941 with only 65 aircraft completed due to the Axis encirclement of the city.

During early 1942 the Series 11 was increasingly used in the low-level close-support and ground-attack roles, where its hardiness was appreciated. During the Battle of Moscow on the Kalinin Front the LaGG-3 saw a lot of action in this role during late 1941 and early 1942. The 129th Fighter Aviation Regiment, equipped with LaGG-3 fighters, was awarded the Guards status for their actions, becoming, on 6th December 1941, the 5th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment. 

Regarding the next major series, 23rd ones, in early 1942 it was obvious that the LaGG-3 was inferior to the Yakovlev Yak-1 and Yak-7 due to its superior performance and easiness to manufacture thanks to its Delta-Wood structure. Therefore the Commissariat of the People for Aviation Industry (NKAP) ordered GAZ-153 to reconvert from LaGG-3 to Yak-7. At that time GAZ-153 had produced just 330 LaGG-3s. GAZ-21 converted to produce the Lavochkin La-5 during autumn 1942 and for a while both types, LaGG-3 and La-5 were being produced at the factory, making GAZ-31 the only factory building LaGG-3 fighters. During 1942 alone a total of 2.771 LaGG-3 were manufactured, more than any other year the LaGG-3 was in production. 

The Series 35 were produced from August 1942 until spring 1943 at GAZ-31 which was the sole factory producing LaGG-3s in 1943. Regarded as obsolete by the NKAP in early 1942, production continued until the factory was repurposed to built another more modern fighter.

The most successful series of the LaGG-3, series 66, was tested by the Scientific Research Institute of the Soviet Air Force at Sverdlovsk, East of the Urals and it was clear that it was superior in performance to any previous LaGG-3 type. It was, however, slower and worse armed than the German Messerschmitt Bf.109F and G types, which at the time, were its main antagonist. 

Its production began in Spring 1943 and ended in September with more than 6.528 LaGG-3 of every series being made. The State Aircraft Factory in Tiblisi, the main manufacturer of the LaGG-3 Series 66, made 1.294 machines.

The Series 66 was involved during April and May 1943 in the Battle of Kuban at the North Caucasus, taking part in one of the major aerial battles of the Eastern Front. The 88th Fighter Aviation Regiment, fully equipped with LaGG-3 Series 66 and raised with funds of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, took part in that battle.

The Series 66 was kept in active service well until 1944 with various VVS (Soviet Air Force) units. One such unit was 9th Fighter Aviation Regiment, which operated the type in the Novorossijsk region during spring 1944. In May that unit was transferred to the Baltic Fleet as part of the 11th Ground Attack Division and took part in the Battles for Karelian Isthmus during June 1944 making it the last operational theatre the LaGG-3 was employed on.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov_LaGG-3

2. Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 163 - LaGG Fighters in Action

3. https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/lagg3/lagg3.html

4. https://www.valka.cz/Lavockin-LaGG-3-t41330

Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3, part three

 

The LaGG-3's production varied from series to series. In the last post we wrote about the Series 1, the first mass produced batch. 

This series was followed by the Series 4, which had many improvements. The engine-mounted Berezin machine gun was replaced with a 20 mm ShVAK cannon. The starboard machine gun was deleted, it had a taller antenna mast, enlarged wing root intakes and an enlarged oil cooler intake. 

This series was powered by a 1.200 hp Klimov M-105PA engine and during 1941 alone 2.463 LaGG-3s were manufactured, with 2.141 built after the factories were relocated east of the Urals because of the German invasion. The counterweight at the bottom of the rudder present in the Series 1, was deleted. In order to try and improve the performance, both fuel capacity and range were reduced.

This series was followed by series 8 which reduced the armament by deleting the two cowl-mounted ShKAS machine guns and standardizing the ShVAK cannon and one Berezin machine gun. The ShKAS machine guns were removed because they were considered extra dead weight as the 7.62 mm caliber weapons only caused minor damage to control surfaces, oil coolers and radiators of enemy aircraft. As the ShVAK cannons were not available everywhere, some aircraft had the VYa-23 23 mm cannon instead.

The series 11 was identical to the series 8 with the exception that it was modified as a ground attack aircraft. It was equipped with two wing-mounted D3-40 bomb racks and six RO-82 launch rails for RS-82 or RS-123 rockets. The bomb racks allowed a 50 kg (110 lb) such as the FAB-50 or additional fuel tanks. Like many other Soviet aircraft of the time, its landing gear could also be replaced with skies to be used during winter, but this decreased performance.

The series 23 introduced a minor modification to the rudder. It had an aerodynamic horn balance in front of the hinge line at the top. 

The series 29 were powered by a Klimov M-105PF engine rated at 1.260 hp. The difference between PA and PF engines was that PA engine was rated at 4.000 m (13.123 ft) while the PF was rated at 2.700 m (8.858 ft) as the majority of aerial combat of the eastern front took place at altitudes below 2.700 m. Exhaust collector tube present in previous series was also deleted and replaced by three exhaust ports. This variant was also equipped with better RSI-4 radio gear. All those small improvements increased the LaGG-3's top speed by 31 km/h (19 mph) with a better rate of climb.

The Series 33 had just a minor upgrade as they only replaced the propeller with a new more modern one.

Series 34 was built in limited numbers and replaced the 20 mm ShVAK cannon with a 37 mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-37 with only 20 rounds of ammo. It was intended to be an anti-tank variant and as such was introduced during the Battle of Stalingrad. However it failed as the extra weight of the cannon shifted the centre of balance forward and the recoil damaged the engine.

The series 35 was basically a series 33 with automatic leading-edge slats on the outer wings to improve handling. It was also equipped with a retractable tail wheel and an enlarged radiator. The retractable tail wheel was, however, retrofitted to some older models.

The series 66 was the last mass-produced variant before production lines were switched to the Lavochkin La-5. The series 66 had four exhaust stacks, short antenna, new windscreen, reshaped radiator and a reshaped oil cooler. This variant was the fastest of the LaGG-3 at 591 km/h (367 mph) and thanks to its lighter weight, it had the best maneuverability and climb rate of all LaGG-3s, however, it arrived late in the eastern front (1943) and was outperformed by the Yakovlev fighters and German aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Bf.109F & G and the Focke-Wulf Fw.190. 

 

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov_LaGG-3

2. Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 163 - LaGG Fighters in Action

3. https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/lagg3/lagg3.html

4. https://www.valka.cz/Lavockin-LaGG-3-t41330