La-5FN coming late?

[M60A3TTS]

The La-5FN can't start to enter the game until October 1943, yet I've seen at least one article claiming the aircraft was being flown in July at Kursk. That is sort of the issue I have with this one month delay. Sure, when a brand new fighter like La-5 came out there might be some time needed for new pilots to get acquainted with the model or time allowed to work out kinks, but follow-on versions like the La-5F and La-5FN were upgrades and the pilots should not have needed much extra time to be familiarized with the relevant modifications.

[56ajax]

TBH I thought that the 4 weeks delay was to allow the Production/Replacement system produce enough of the new equipement to be allocated efficiently. Anyway as i already pointed out this 4 week delay doesnt apply to the AI.

(My answer is very much WiTE1)

[Denniss]

They may have had some prototypes at Kursk but the mass production was later as the were issues with the new engine and its production run-up.
The new type delay is active for everyone so also bites Axis units.

[M60A3TTS]

I'm not sure what engine issue you refer to. The Shvetsov M82 engine had been put in the original La-5. The change to the La-5FN involved adding fuel injection. Issues like overheating in the cabin was one issue the FN was meant to resolve. I also don't think it was just a few prototypes, several regiments were equipped from what I've seen by one source. One example:

In the summer of 1943, our 40th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment was based at the Trubezh airfield near the town of Oboyan. Together with other regiments of the 8th Guards Fighter Aviation Division, we covered the southern flank of the Kursk salient. Even before the start of active operations on the ground, German aviation was trying to secure air superiority. But it was no longer the 41st year. Our pilots on the new high-speed La-5FN fighters armed with cannons successfully suppressed all such attempts.

If you have some material of your own that would dispute this, I would really like to see it.

[Denniss]

Dont fall for soviet propaganda - the FN was not in general service by Kursk.
Without looking at my sources I do seem to remember the fuel injection system production was slow in raming-up production while keeping production quality at an acceptable level.

[M60A3TTS]

Dont fall for soviet propaganda - the FN was not in general service by Kursk.
Without looking at my sources I do seem to remember the fuel injection system production was slow in raming-up production while keeping production quality at an acceptable level.

What's your source? An inquiring mind want to know.