-=<202nd>=- Exorcists Fighter / Bomber Squadron (GMT Time Zone)

[Soviet Ace]

Originally Posted by David603

Sorry, I should have said it was the Bf109G I was talking about when I said it only had 150 rounds for the 20mm cannon and should have 200. The Yak-3 has 120 rpg for the 20mm and 170rpg for the two 12.7mm MGs. So that is firepower on the weak side of average for a late war fighter with below average amounts of ammo. Doesn't help that the Russian ShVAK cannon used by the Yak-3 is rather inferior to the Hispano or the MG151 20mm cannons.

Definitely agree with needing to keep the Yak-3 light, it only has a 1,290hp engine when the Spitfire IX has 1,720hp and the Bf109G10 has 1,800hp.

I think the Yak-3's climb rate is modelled quite well, the real life initial climb rate is 4,265ft/min, which puts it at the top end of climb rates, but both the Spitfire IX and Bf109G10 have initial climb rates in the order of a bit over 4,500ft/min so their having an edge over the Yak-3 here seems fair.

Still, having only one point of real weakness (firepower) as a dogfighter isn't bad, most of the Yak-3's rivals have several at least.

Your info seems right about the Yak-3, but I hope you didn't just use Wikipedia as your source. Their specs and information, isn't about the Tiblisi built Yak-3s that were the superior. Their information is on the Saratov Yak-3s which had several serious problems. But anyway, the Yak-3 does have several advantages against its Luftwaffe foe, which is roll rate and turning. The Yak-3 could outturn and roll quicker than any 109 or 190.