The Yak-3 works too... I did neglect to include it. The Yak-3 is great for being able to turn and burn and power its way through whatever turn, roll, snap, etc. that you want it to. It doesn't dive as well as the Yak-9U does so against the FW190A-9 I'd rather be in a Yak-9U... but the Yak-3 will work. In a close in fight the Yak-3 is superior than pretty much everything it might fight against.

The designers wanted better speed and climb rate. It had different wing than other Yaks, which was thinner and smaller than before. And despite lighter weight, wing loading increased, so turn rate deteriorated actually, although not too much thanks to the slightly more powerful engine. Historically, the best turning serial produced soviet planes were the Yak-1B with M-105PF engine and the first Yak-9 model. (after the I-15/153 and the I-16 of course)

Actually, any thought that a given Luftwaffe plane is poor, weaker-than-x, not so good, inferior or anything is defeatist attitude and punishable by court martial (if you fly blue side). Tactics help a lot, and maybe surprise too. As long as you have a plane that can dive, you're good. You just need room to dive. Goes for both sides. But you can't really rely on your wingmen, though, ever.

It's no good underestimating the allies' equipment! .50 cal is super deadly, especially in a plane that has 6 guns. It really doesn't often make enemies explode, but one burst can cripple a 190 or even set it into fire, and then it's goodbye.

Btw there's nothing unrealistic about La-7 fm... it actually stalls if you pull the stick too much, unlike La-5FN.

Right, that makes a lot of sense, I had a feeling the in game version wasn't the best turner possible, I thought maybe it had the later heavier engine (VK-107?).

First, its ~25 km/h faster than any serial produced La-7. (685 vs 661) Then, there is the uber turning ability. I tested it: You can outturn an I-16 type 24, and you can turn with the A6M2 Zero too!
wing loading: La-7 - 185 kg/m3, I-16 - 130 kg/m3. Still, the La turns better ingame! But I think we should continue it in soviet fighters thread.

That version is also in the game! :)

It (Yak 3) isn't, it's also not that powerful. Many contemporary allied planes will beat it in a simple sustained flat turn, and so will good 109 G2 pilots. It's small and extremely "twisty" though, its very good turn rate and excellent roll rate let it create opportunities.


"I had a great time yesterday with spits though, i was flying wingman with one of those jg77 guys, we got some nice bursts hitting fockes but not always te exploding fireball-type of kills (even with some cannon into fuel area lol)"

Yes, the more I fly it, the more I realize that the Spit is probably the best plane overall against German opposition. Yes, the USA planes are better very high, and some of the Soviet planes are better very low, but the Spits are always the safest bet.

No, Yak-3 has a VK-105 PF2 engine with about 1300 HP.

Yak-3 was actually a third generation of Yak-1 design. It was an evolution of Yak-1B (hence initial designation Yak-1M) - it had smaller wing (which traded off some of the Yak-1B excellent turn rate for roll rate and speed) that made its flight characteristics more "Fw-190-ish", oil cooler moved from the chin into wingroots, another UBS heavyhitter installed into the cowling, engine replaced for slightly more powerful VK-105 PF2 and reduced overall weight. That's about it.

VK-107 engine was installed onto Yak-3 only after the war.

Remember this is Russian built game. Russian planes were meant to be the stars.:D

It's a shame they really aren't. In general they're outclassed by their german counterparts.

Of course they shine (and did so historically) at 1v1 twisting and turning at treetop level, but not much of WW2 aerial combat looked like that.

Nice and lively discussion we got here!

Like I said, I had some great flights with spit8 and spit9 against fw190s. Just gotta keep that energy up for various reasons. Primarily attacking with bnz, but it's also possible to execute many manouvers from higher speed than slower speed I feel. It gives you more options, to start from a higher E state, if you become defensive. Spitfire is so versatile aircraft, but bad thing is not so good dive capability. Otherwise it's quite good (later mark spits 8-14). I have a feeling that you might be better at diving, if youre against bf109, but the fw190 straight up outdives spit.

But I had a really great time on Skies of Valor last nite, with F4Fs out of all planes, vs zekes.

We had a pack of wildcats, ca. 8 guys in red TS channel, radio discipline was extremely effective although still relaxed enough. Situational awareness was as good as it gets (admittedly theres outside views and enemy views on that server too though)

First the zekes attack our carriers, we go into these lufbery circles and do our best at low alt turn fighting, we outnumbered them a little bit so we managed.

After that we got to like 3-4k, organized ourselves and started BnZing those zekes. We also drag-and-bagged a good bunch of them. Also a couple successful thach weave kills IIRC. It was so much fun! :cool:

P-38, I'd like to learn how to be more effective with it, but it's not that manouverable to be dead-honest. You just get out-rolled so easily, even in L late, and doesn't turn so good either. I wonder if it can even outrun anything the germans have, contemporary 190 and 109.

Trying to put the pipper on barrel-rolling 190, with a p-38, feels like exercise in futility LOL