How do you fly an LA effectively?

[Sloehand]

Originally posted by DamnedRen
90% of the time when I think I'm in a runstang I land only to find out I was in a laffie. Go figure. I fly a laffie like a runstang like a yak like a spitfire. I guess that means you should fly it like a spit on steroids.

If you run into a laffie that gets into a turn fight with you it's prolly me cause I think I'm really in a runstang cept I don't do all that much running.

What did I just say?

Ren

Nothing.  

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by Mus51
Then tell me, how do i outturn an LA with a pony at mid speeds? 200-250 knots?

90% of the people flying the La are dead.    It's the other 10% you need to worry about.

[redman555]

Originally posted by Masherbrum
WE don't fly REAL PLANES in this game redman.   But yes, the La7 DOES take skill, other than HO's, BnZ timid "tactics".    I fly the D11 from time to time.

Legal Disclaimer - Some AH2 participants are pilots in the aviation field, this reply is not directed to those in said field.

thing u dont understand is... all ppl use that piece of garbage LA for bzing and HO's

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by redman555
thing u dont understand is... all ppl use that piece of garbage LA for bzing and HO's

Actually, you need to take a reading comprehension course.   I DO understand they use it like that.   If you actually took the time to READ my FIRST post in this thread, that was covered.  

BUT, you're too busy trying to hijack the thread, you forgot.

[toonces3]

I almost never take up an La-7.  I hate that plane.  I can't kill anything in it.

Tonight I was so frustrated with my inability to catch all the La-7's and such that I took one up.  Here's my $.02, from an La-7 N00b:

The guns suck.  Don't even bother shooting unless you are right on the guy.  Point blank most folks can hit the bad guy (except me).

I think alot of folks disrespect the La-7 for all of the reputation reasons above.  If you can fly it well, you can surprise folks who don't think you'll stick around to fight.

Widewing, with all due respect, the La-7 and G-2 might be a great matchup at stall speeds, but as an MA ride, that duel is virtually meaningless as a comparison.  If you hang out for 10 minutes at stall speeds in the MA, one of you is gonna get picked.

Finally, the La-7 ought to be perked.  No way the C-hog should be perked instead of the La-7.

[1Duke1]

Set ur convergence to 250-275, get the snapshot, and start looking for your next target

[straffo]

Originally posted by toonces3


Finally, the La-7 ought to be perked.  No way the C-hog should be perked instead of the La-7.

You were not in AH when 50% of the flying planes were Chog hoing each other using laser guided hispanos ?

[SteveBailey]

Originally posted by 1Duke1
Set ur convergence to 250-275, get the snapshot, and start looking for your next target

with the guns in the nose... why 250-275?

[Wolfala]

The answer is simple.

NEVER HO a P-47, A-20, B-26 or B-25 you WILL lose every time. Always fight it in the vertical. Get in close and stay there. Fly cruise power settings while en route to a fight - not full blast. Have a plan for getting in. Use WEP on the way UP, not on the way DOWN. Don't let a P-47 or A-20 sucker you into a turn fight - you WILL lose. And most important...

Plan your exit strategy. Everyone will want to bullseye you on the way out.


Wolf

[trigger2]

Originally posted by Ghastly
No, I'm not being facetious.  

I don't do at all well in the LAs, and I don't really understand what I do differently than others do - I see guys landing 7-9 kill sorties in them on a regular basis (and often, you see guys land a half dozen sorties in them of 5 or more kills).

When I do fly them, I find that between the slow ROF on the cannons and the amount of bullet drop I go through most of an ammo load for 1 to 2 kills, and that coupled with the fact that by the time I get anywhere in one I've burned 1/2 a tank of gas they are frustrating and ineffective to fly.

What are you guys that are able to use them effectively doing differently?

LA's are farily simple planes.
Stay low and fast and youve got it made.
The ballistics on the LA are crap though so rarely will you see me flyin it.

[Fruda]

Originally posted by Wolfala
The answer is simple.

NEVER HO a P-47, A-20, B-26 or B-25 you WILL lose every time. Always fight it in the vertical. Get in close and stay there. Fly cruise power settings while en route to a fight - not full blast. Have a plan for getting in. Use WEP on the way UP, not on the way DOWN. Don't let a P-47 or A-20 sucker you into a turn fight - you WILL lose. And most important...

Plan your exit strategy. Everyone will want to bullseye you on the way out.


Wolf

I beg to differ. I beat P-47s head-on and in turn fights with the Yak-9U on a damn-near constant basis. Then again, most of those Jug pilots probably aren't too good... But the Yak is superior as far as turning goes. And the 20mm cannon in the nose works wonders on those concentrated wing shots. Hell, even engine hits!

And as for the La-7, I don't have too much experience in it... But the experience I do have in the plane has shown me that it's an exceptional point defense/late response aircraft. And with proper use of the throttle, you can stay on somebody's six until either your fuel or their fuel runs out. It's very nimble, very quick, and has good rudder response so you can keep any augertards in check.

I'd fly the Lavochkins more often, but I can do so much more in the Yak-9U, and I get more points for every kill I get. I feel that the Yak is generally a better aircraft than the La-7, and I likely won't change my mind about that anytime soon.

[Geary420]

Here's a couple old film clips of fighting from disadvantaged positions in an LA7.  First film is vs. a P38 with alt., second is outnumbered vs. N1K, Yak9U, and Temp.  Please excuse the poor gunnery and spastic views..

http://www.filefactory.com/file/554457/

As stated previous where the LA7 really shines is base defense.  As long as you have time to get airborne and build up at least a little steam you are in business.  Use the great visibility, acceleration and gun package to your advantage.  My personal best while defending is 11 kills on one loadout, and 7 kills with 215 rounds left when I pranged the prop on the radar tower.

[Ghosth]

First off watching guys land kills is kinda like fishing.

For ever guy you see pull up to the dock with a big string of fish, there are 9 more that either got skunked or only got 1 or 2.

Same thing with Aces High. For every guy you see landing 5 kills you can bet that there are 8 -9 others who either died, ditched, bailed, or snuck home with 1.

I've flown the la's for a long long time. And I like them, mostly fly the 5 nowdays.
Too many complaints & dweeb calls in the 7. I have yet to land a 9 kill sortie in an la.  My personal best, 5 landed, or 6 not landed. However I have learned to not be greedy. When I have 2 kills I'm looking for a way out. If I get 3 I'm pushing hard to get back home. If I get 4 someone ambushed me on the way back and gave me no choice, but fight or die.

My advice, first come to the TA someday, start with the la5.
Really Wring that thing out, learn what it Will and what it Won't do.
Spend a half hour with the lead computing gunsight on, following people around so you really "Know" what the right lead looks like.

Head for Mid war purple arena, la5 is king in there, and lower #'s = easier on the SA. Once you've mastered it in there for a couple of weeks. Then its late war.

8k and no more is the rule for la's. If he's higher you either sucker him down,  or turn and run but do NOT go up. The lower they are the better they like it.

Use wep to climb to 8k, then pull rpm down to cruise settings for fuel conservation. Fly smart, don't get greedy, don't try to turn with the turners and eventually you'll start landing 3 -4 kills on a good day. Be happy with that!

[B@tfinkV]

hi ghastly, if you want i will post some of my old La7 films that i saved.

i dont want to force it on people, but if you think it would be usefull then shout and ill post them.

S!

[humble]

I think you have to different topics here. Flying the La-7 and landing high kill # sorties.

Obviously hitting the rearm pad allows you to string sorties together to get a higher kill #. Staying with "single" sorties a number of factors come into play. Ammo load/leathality, flight endurance & plane characteristics for sure.

The La-7 doesnt have the range, leathality or views of some other planes so I think getting higher kill totals/sortie can be tougher then people think. Its an "easy" plane to get 2-4 kills in but a tough one to get 5 or more IMO.