Lavochkin La-150

The Lavochkin La‑150 was the Soviet Union’s first jet fighter to enter series production, designed under the direction of the famed aircraft designer Semyon Lavochkin in the late 1940s. Development began in 1946 as a response to the emerging need for high‑speed, swept‑wing combat aircraft, and the prototype first flew on 22 February 1948, powered by a single Klimov RD‑45 turbo‑jet derived from the British Rolls‑Royce Nene. The La‑150 featured an all‑metal construction, a low‑set straight‑wing layout with a slight leading‑edge sweep, and a conventional tail‑plane. Its armament consisted of two 23 mm Nudelman‑Suranov NS‑23 cannons mounted in the nose, providing a potent punch against both aircraft and ground targets. Although only a small batch of twenty‑four production examples was completed before the program was cancelled in favour of more advanced swept‑wing types such as the La‑152 and La‑160, the La‑150 proved essential as a testbed for Soviet jet‑engine integration, high‑speed aerodynamics, and cockpit ergonomics. The lessons learned accelerated the transition from piston‑engine fighters to a new generation of jet aircraft, making the La‑150 a pivotal stepping stone in Soviet aviation history.

Semyon Lavochkin

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Design & Classification