Originally posted by Beltfedd:
Hi guys,
Through reading your posts, it seems the way to go in AH is to commit to one plane for a good length of time and really learn it (especially for someone like me who's been playing for a week and it still learning much about realistic air combat). I tooled around in various planes in the training area for a couple of days, now I am starting to settle into the La-5.
Gotta disagree a bit with you. To be commited to one plane most of the time will win you a lot of knowledge on how to pilot that plane, to know its tricks and tags, and to know how to ride it to the limit of its qualities.
But I'd tell you not to leave at all flying other planes sometimes, because the other part of the story is that you must know how do the planes you are fighting perform and maneouver
. And I'm not talking about the TA only, in the MA. for instance in the TA you wont ever learn to fly a P51 properly.(unless you are flying against an instructor)
I wanted to ask you all a quick question: Is this a good choice for a total noob to be flying? My concern is I might have picked a plane that is particularly tough, and being a newbie I might be better off going for something a little more lenient.the La5?...hardly a better choice IMO.This plane under 15K has very good handling, nice acceleration, nice climbrate, very good top speed and good initial turning. It is like a 109G6 and Fw190A5 mixed in one airframe, and with almost no vices at all.
You will have a little tough time to get good deflection shoots with the La, because its long cowling, but the cannons are pretty hard hitting (IMO) and fire very concentrated
I can tell from these boards that going with the George would be the easy way, but the easy way never really has seemed to interest me (just ask my parents 
).With the N1K2 you wont learn to fly AH, IMO. Same with the Chog (no flames please, this is my humble opinion). The N1K2 turns in a dime and accelerates and zoooms like a monster. Has very few torque and very good firepower. Is a bit slow, but other than that it has almost no vices and allows very inept handling without big problem.
In a Chog you tend to go for the fast snapshot instead of working into ACM and proper maneouvers. You get the "firepower" vice with this plane, it will get problematic to get back into a plane with less firepower, less range artillery and lower accuracy. And you burn too much E on the quest for the snapshot.
the La5 is a pretty good plane to start with. The SpitIX too, but its much slower under 10K (but much better turner aswell)
Here is my limited, noob assessment of the La-5 so far:
1. Climbs exceptionally well when it is low-level. Get that sucker up to 5k, hopefully above 300 mph and you are good to go on that nearby low level furball.The plane holds its own very well up to 10K and its a very decent ride up to 15K. Over there, forget it
2. Dives surprising well, and with its decently high low-level speed, I've managed to catch a few 109s on the deck while they are extending.La5FN is very fast low on the deck, if you start with E advantage and you manage it with care you will be able to catch with a G10 for some time.
3. Good roll and turn rate, stall horn doesn't seem to "irritable". It appears that this plane can out-turn most E fighters, while being a decent low-level E fighter itself.Its a great roller, and has very good initial turnrate. But when very slow it doenst turn too well. For instance a Co-E Yak9U will catch you in E-fighting and you cant beat it in pure turnfighting.
4. Guns: 2 20mm x 200 rpg isn't horribly great, but it isn't too bad either. Only two bullet streams plus one gun type makes it less complicated for my newbie mind to hit. Ammo seems to last long enough for me to get 2-3 kills per sortie if I don't spray too much. Usually can start flashing a jinking target at 400 or less.Yep, I agree that the weapons are pretty good in the LA, if you forget about high deflection shooting.
5. Fuel goes pretty quick. But with the way I'm flying it (quick entry into low-level engagements), it doesn't seem to matter much.yes, the fuel is the achilles heel of the La5, along with the lack of hi altitude performance.
Summary: La-5 appears to be a great low-level hybrid E/TnB fighter that is forgiving to fly, has medium guns and fast fuel consumption.Great assessment
The aircraft that give me the most trouble are the Tiffie and George. Tiffie because it's the only thing I've seen outrun me (and therefore catch me) on the deck, I can think my way past that one.Yak9U,P51D, 109G10 and Typhoon will outrun you on the deck. The tiffie is not that good against a La5, use your superior rollrate,acceleration and turning to get the advantage over it. Try to make him get slow, the torque will be problematic for him at low speeds and the plane itself doesnt accelerate well and is a mediocre low-speed turner.
George, well, they just seem to get me everytime. Eventhough theoretically I should be able to out-climb and out-speed them on the deck, it never seems that it turns out that way, I'm assuming they just amass large amounts of E even while TnBing.Run away from them, is almost the only thing the La5 does better, apart of rolling. Just be sure that, before you start running, he is slow
Thanks for any thoughts/corrections!
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Most of your post is very very accurate.For more information on this plane I'd suggest you to ask Gie or Leonid (they are top aces in this kite).
good luck in the la5FN!!
