About
The La‑9 is a post–WWII all-metal Soviet piston fighter, first flown in 1946. It succeeded the La‑7 and featured a laminar flow wing and Shvetsov ASh‑82FN engine, marking the last of the Soviet prop fighters before jets fully took over
Playstyle
Best used as a boom-and-zoom energy fighter. It climbs and dives well, leverages decent speed and powerful cannons, but lacks agility for sustained turn-fighting. Optimal performance is at low to mid altitudes (~4000 m or below)
Pros and Cons
Pros
➕ Strong thrust-to-weight—good climb and dive performance
➕ Heavy firepower: 4× 23 mm NS‑23 cannons
➕ Good top speed (~690 km/h) for a prop
Cons
➖ Below-average roll rate
➖ Mediocre TWR compared to earlier La-series—limits tighter vertical play
➖ Ammo pool modest—requires trigger discipline
Loadout Option
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Trivia
- One prototype was fitted with an RD‑1Kh3 rocket engine alongside the piston engine
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