Time to Declaw the F4U-1C

[Vermillion]

Your just not going to see many La5's anymore, in the current arena setup.

To realistically compete, the VVS type pilots need at least the La-7, and more likely the Yak-3, Yak-9U.

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Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure,
Dicta Verm: "Never give the suckers an even break!" or translated "Never engage without an advantage"

[funked]

The problem isn't that the hog has cannons.  The problem is the cannons themselves.

[leonid]

Boy, this thread is really going the rounds  

I still fly the La-5FN, but it is tough.  Nowadays when I fly I'll park my ride at 25k before even thinking of engaging anybody.  I also try to stay closer to home - not because of range (range is fine), but because I can't outrun a 51 or G-10 or F4U.

The good news is that with flying Knights I get to stay home most of the time, anyway    Also, flying at 25k does seem to be doing the trick.  Oh, and I still swear by those two ShVAKs.  They do a lot of shredding for just a dual 20mm setup with a 96g shell.  Shot down four non-vulch targets in one sortie last night, and still had 252 rounds remaining out of 400 - and two of them were F4Us  

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leonid
129 IAP VVS RKKA

[Duckwing6]

just wondering .. what is the approximate "combat" radius with that La5 .. and what's your fuel state when you reach 25k?

[Sorrow[S=A]]

The climb to 25k is approx 1/4 of the tank for La-5FN. The radius can be extended by reducing MAP at alt, I find I can fly about 50 miles and fight and can still RTB.

  Oddly enough with the knowledge that my performance envelope is lower now I fly the La-5FN very aggresivly in the mid alts now. My aim is to drag others low and work the vertically in the 5-10k range. But I am also playing with other planes more as fights get a very unamusing when B&Z '44 and '45 monsters come in to play.

BTW Verm, last night after you left ? I was allready on my way back with an La-5FN to give you and TOWD a decent fight. I had the pleasure of fighting TOWD in a G2!!!! I had massive advantage first time and took him easily. Second one was a 2 minute vertical showstopper where I worked hard to scrub his airspeed and keep him under 10k. After 3 snapshots I got him in a sustained burst under the cowling to finish it. Yelled out "Great Fight TOWD" but I think he was mad at me and logged off ):

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If your in range, so is the enemy.

[Vermillion]

Sounds like Fun Sorrow  

After I finally got you with the Niki, I decided it was prudent to "run home to Mama".

I have been flying .50's planes too much, and I couldn't hit crap with the lower velocity 20mm's of the Niki. Took almost the entire ammo load to even hit you, let alone knock you down. I think I had 12 rounds left in each gun bank.

So needless to say I played it safe.

Was a fun fight  

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Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure,
Dicta Verm: "Never give the suckers an even break!" or translated "Never engage without an advantage"