The Soviet fighter that carried a urinal to hunt bombers across the Pacific
In short: Designed as a long-range escort, the Lavochkin La-11 was a piston-engined relic in the dawn of the jet age. To sustain its long-range missions, engineers added extra fuel tanks and, remarkably, a urinal for the pilot. Despite these comforts, it struggled against high-altitude bombers and faster jet-powered adversaries.
The Lavochkin La-11, known to NATO as the Fang, represented the final evolution of Soviet piston-engined fighter design. Emerging from the La-9 prototype, the La-11 was engineered to address a critical gap in Soviet air power: the need for a long-range escort fighter. To achieve this, the design team significantly increased fuel capacity, which necessitated larger tires to support the added weight. Recognizing the physical toll of extended sorties, the aircraft featured pilot amenities including armrests, extra seat padding, and an onboard urinal.
Production began in 1947, and by 1951, 1,182 units had been manufactured. However, the aircraft faced immediate technical limitations. Its performance suffered significantly when carrying a full fuel load, and it remained poorly suited for combat above 7,000 meters. This high-altitude deficiency was particularly problematic when attempting to intercept the Boeing B-29 Superfortress; the La-11 required 26 minutes to reach the bomber's cruising altitude, where it held a marginal speed advantage of only 20 km/h.
The La-11 saw combat in diverse theaters, from the Baltic Sea to the Korean War. While it claimed victories against various aircraft, including the North American P-51 Mustang, it was quickly outclassed by the arrival of jet fighters like the MiG-15. A notable, albeit tragic, moment occurred in 1954 when two La-11s shot down a civilian Cathay Pacific C-54 Skymaster off Hainan Island. Despite its rapid obsolescence in frontline Soviet service, the aircraft remained in operation with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force until 1966, marking the end of an era for Soviet propeller-driven fighters.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Lavochkin La-11
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