About the book: 2001 / The wooden La-5 fighter developed at the Lavochkin Design Bureau with an air-cooled engine and a radial arrangement of cylinders played a significant role in the confrontation between Soviet aviation and the Luftwaffe on the Eastern Front. The best ace of the Allies, Ivan Kozhedub, won all of his 62 victories on aircraft designed by Lavochkin. Kozhedub made his first combat mission north of Kursk during the Germans’ Operation Citadel; one of his last victories was the downing of a Me-262 jet on February 15, 1945. Most Soviet aces flew aircraft bearing the La brand. Together with Yak fighters equipped with water-cooled engines, La aircraft were the main force of fighter aviation regiments of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War. Until November 1944, 9920 La-5 aircraft were manufactured; in November 1944, production of the more advanced La-7 began. Before production ceased in December 1945, 5,905 La-7 fighters were manufactured. Note: A complete set of illustrations arranged as in a printed publication, captions to illustrations in text.