Lagg-3 Checklist

Jabo · November 20, 2013

First draft - incomplete at present

Engine Start and Warm-Up

Set the mixture selector to shut position (fully backward).
Close water and oil radiator shutters.
Set prop pitch control fully backwards (low pitch).
Set throttle control to low.
Start the engine and wait for stable engine operation with low RPM
Engine warm-up RPM during winter time is between 900-1200RPM, normal coolant temperature is 60 degC without relation on oil temperature
Check wheel brakes operation during taxi by pressing brake clutch and slowly advancing the throttle, keep airplane tail in down position. Airplane should start moving with 1850-1900RPM, after check, pull back throttle and depress brake clutch.

Taking Off

Fully open water and oil shutter
Set propeller control fully advanced (high position)
You may use flaps down 15-20 deg position for shorten take-off roll.
Make sure the runway is clear before rolling
Softly advance throttle to its maximum position
When rolling, keep your run straight and perform take-off with slightly lowered tail
Push left rudder correspondingly to airplane tendency to yaw to the right. With rapid throttle increasing and tail up – airplane tendency to right yaw is higher
When taking off with side winds the airplane will try to keep its nose into the wind
To make your take-off roll straight check forward view by leaning to the left from gunsight
Airplane gets airborne at around 180-190 km/h. Do not force airplane to go airborne at lower speeds as airplane controls are ineffective and it may lead to ground bumping by main wheels.
After take-off at 250km/h you may lower your flaps at 100m height. Perform climb at 270km/h.
Retract your gear and control it with cockpit light indicators and double check by mechanical indicators on wings.

Climbing

Climb speed is 270km/h with 2550-2700RPM depending on water and oil temps.
At altitudes higher than 4000m, lower climb speed by -10km/h for every 1000m of height
Maximum water temperature is 110 degC. In case of engine ov erheat lower engine RPM to 2300 and perform climbing with higher speeds
Recommended water and oil temperatures are between 90-100 degC
Switch supercharger to 2^nd gear after 2000m height
When climbing you may use mixture selector to lean engine after 3000m

Level Flight

Perform switch from climb to level flight by following steps:
Set your speed with throttle position but no lower than 250km/h indicated at all altitudes
After that adjust engine RPM correspondingly to airspeed with propeller pitch control; if airspeed drops due to lower pitch RPM setting, increase your throttle setting.
In case when re-set from low speed flight to high speed flight;
Close mixture selector;
Set prop pitch control correspondingly to speed needed
Only after that advance throttle control
In case of combat and maximum speed flight steps to follow is;
Close mixture selector
Set RPM to 2650-2700RPM for all altitudes
Set radiator shutters control by airflow position
In case when flight is above 2000m set supercharger to 2^nd gear.
Routine flights, ferry flights, for best fuel consumption before entering combat areas and such, follow next recommendations: Set RPM to 1700, indicated airspeeds: for 5000m alt – 280km/h, above 5000m alt – 270km/h

Gliding and Landing

Before gliding approach set RPM to 2600 with your pitch control, that makes touch and go easier in case of go-around after faulty landing attempt
Gliding speed with gear down is 250-260km/h indicated, with flaps down to 60 deg – 210-220km/h, minimal gliding speed with flaps down to 60 deg – 200km/h
You should always beware that during maneuvering the LaGG-3 bleeds its speed badly and gains it very slowly.
On approach set gear down before 4th turn with speed 300-320km/h. Glidepath is much steeper with flaps down than with flaps up.
Go-around decision alt is no lower than 50 meters.