Yak-7B vs historical competition...

[Nefarious]

Any opinions on the Yak 7 vs some of its historical competition in Aces High?

Vs... Bf 109F-4, Bf 109G-2?

[Krusty]

It wasn't a fighter. It was an attack aircraft.

Like most attack aircraft it was rather dogmeat against any contemporary fighters of the same era.

[Tank-Ace]

It was developed from a fighter, and was a fighter-bomber.

The Yak 7B was at a slight disadvantage to the 109F, and markedly inferior to the G models. The primary disadvantage was it's lack of vertical performance, and it's slower acceleration. IIRC, it could turn roughly a well as a 109, thought the 109 feels like it could sustain the turn for longer (due to better engine performance).

Basically the 109's advantage was that it could force a fight, and then force the 7B into a position of disadvantage.

The 190 obviously moped the floor with the Yak in energy fighting, but looks to have been beaten in turn (but again could likely sustain the turn für much longer). Same advantage as the 109.

[Aspen]

The F and the G can hold their own against the whole plane set.  With equal pilots the Yak 7 is in trouble against either...but it has rockets!

[Tilt]

IMO it shouldn't really have rockets. At best a pair of 100kg bombs. It is actually a fighter / escort and was often used to escort IL2's.

However with the exception of the Yak 9B it was as close to an attack air craft as the Yaks came. (Yak 9T primary role was anti bomber/ anti heavy ac.)

Having said that all current LW ac with the possible exception of the 109E out performed it. It's main advantages were that it was quick to learn to fly and was an established design able to be put into mass production without any real challenge or difficulty.

[Nefarious]

Ok, well that's disappointing. Just number crunching for an event, I thought that the -7 was going to be a welcome addition for events. Sounds like its just more fodder for the Axis.

[-aper-]

It wasn't a fighter. It was an attack aircraft.

Like most attack aircraft it was rather dogmeat against any contemporary fighters of the same era.

It was not an attack plane. It was a fighter. With rockets or bombs it could be used as attack plane if required.

A. Vorozheikin loved this plane. He admitted though that above 4,500m altitude german fighters had advantage in performance. But at 3,500m and below Vorozheikin in Yak-7b won all his 1 vs 1 fights against Fw190s and Bf-109s during the Battle of Kursk and Battle of Kiev in 1943. Usually these fights started as pair vs pair at high alt, where the german planes had advantage, but ended up as 1 vs 1 duels at low alt.

[HighTone]

Ok, well that's disappointing. Just number crunching for an event, I thought that the -7 was going to be a welcome addition for events. Sounds like its just more fodder for the Axis.

Don't just listen to a few tankers and a curmudgeon. I'll take it 5 fold over the P40 or P39D we would normally be in.

[Tilt]

Ok, well that's disappointing. Just number crunching for an event, I thought that the -7 was going to be a welcome addition for events. Sounds like its just more fodder for the Axis.

It should be a numbers game...... The VVS should always out number the LW nearly  2:1 in any scenario IMO.

The design should orientate around the LW picking their fights to meet their objectives and the VVS having to predict them whilst carrying out their objectives.

[Brooke]

I'm no expert in it, but in my initial flying of it, I think it might be competitive with the 109F up to about 12k.  It's a little faster than the F non-WEP, slower than the F with WEP, and it seems to roll extremely well in some speed ranges.  If it turns as well or a little better than the F (which it might -- it feels like a very nimble plane), I think it would do just fine in Eastern Front matchups.

In the scenario "Red Storm / Krupp Steel", I flew La-5's vs. 109K's, 190D's, and some 109G's.  There were fears going into the scenario that La-5's (indeed, even the La-7's and Yaks) would be highly outclassed by the late-war German planes.  They were much faster and better at higher alts, but once the fight devolved into twisty dogfights down low (which is where they always ended up, because we weren't escorting high-alt bombers), we did just fine.

P-39's aren't as good as 109F's, but they aren't horrible below about 12k vs. 109F's.  P-40's vs. 109's?  Not as good.

[Tank-Ace]

The yak has an initial advantage in turn, but the F does appear to be able to sustain a better turning speed for a longer period of time.

Acceleration also seems to be a bit better, but not quite as good as I had initially thought.


Minus the relatively poor vertical performance, the Yak 7 seems like a decent match for the F. Close enough that a small difference in skill would be a deciding factor.

[Widewing]

The yak has an initial advantage in turn, but the F does appear to be able to sustain a better turning speed for a longer period of time.

Acceleration also seems to be a bit better, but not quite as good as I had initially thought.


Minus the relatively poor vertical performance, the Yak 7 seems like a decent match for the F. Close enough that a small difference in skill would be a deciding factor.

Tank Ace, the Yak-7B has two chances against a 109F-4.... Zero and "just auger and save me some ammo".

Point in fact, in a duel, damn few fighters can handle a 109F. The Yak-7B is hopelessly outclassed. There's not a single category where the Yak-7B is competitive with the 109F-4, not one.

[Tilt]

A full (theatre of combat {tactical}) Kursk set up is getting much closer.

Russians
Yak1B (missing)
Yak7B
Yak9D (20mm Yak 9T)
Yak9T
La5FN (Just!)
Il2 m3 (Missing the PTAB)
Boston
Pe2 (missing! most significant absentee)

LW
Bf109F
Bf109G2
Bf109G6 (could this be used instead of a G4?)
FW190A5
Me110G
JU87D
Ju87G
He111
Ju88

Its a pity there is no GV AI mission stuff possible to simulate the massive tank battles under way for the attack AC to interact with.

[GScholz]

Bf109G6 (could this be used instead of a G4?)

G-4 is a G-2 with pressurized cockpit for high altitude missions, so just use G-2s. G-6 was also in service though.

[Wmaker]

G-4 is a G-2 with pressurized cockpit for high altitude missions, so just use G-2s. G-6 was also in service though.

G-4 didn't have a pressurized cockpit, G-1, G-3 and G-5 did.

AH-wise, G-2 = G-4. G-4 had a better radio and most had slighty larger wheels than most G-2s among other small differences in details. No practical differences as far as AH is concerned.