Yak 7B opinions?

[SmokinLoon]

I like the 7B for busting light skinned gv's.  However, the I-16 is still better suited for that role since it has a pair of 20mm, the same 6 rockets, and it is far more agile than the -7B.

The Yak-7B is lacking in fire power just like the rest of the Yak fighters, however it is the slowest and least agile, imo.

[Tank-Ace]

Meh.... They're all crap  .

[FLOOB]

1942 isn't EW.

[Karnak]

1942 isn't EW.

From an American, and Russian I suspect, perspective it is, but not from a European perspective.

Yak-7B vs A6M2?
Yak-7B vs Bf109E-4?
Yak-7B vs Bf109F-4?
Yak-7B vs Bf110C-4b?
Yak-7B vs F4F-4?
Yak-7B vs Hurricane Mk I?
Yak-7B vs Hurricane Mk II?
Yak-7B vs Ki-43-II?
Yak-7B vs P-40E?
Yak-7B vs Spitfire Mk I?
Yak-7B vs Spitfire Mk V?

I think the Yak-7B would be at a disadvantage in a significant number of those fights.

[FLOOB]

Wtf?

[Karnak]

Wtf?

Pointing out that while it may not be early war from a European perspective, it is from a Russian or American perspective and its performance is very much inline with bonafide early war fighters. 

[FLOOB]

I said that 1942 isn't EW, I don't know what year the yak7 is from. Dunno about the rest in that list but the Ki43 II is a midwar fighter, I know this because it's kills count as kills in a mid war fighter. I stated a fact and you're going on about well, erm, it's a matter of perspective isn't it? No it isn't, not if you're counting with earth numbers. And then you post some weird bellybutton list.

1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945

[FLOOB]

Basically you composed a list of planes and pointed out that the yak7 fares rather poorly compared to them, therefore it isn't a mid war plane. I'm sorry, I'm just at a loss for words. Hence wtf.

[Karnak]

Basically you composed a list of planes and pointed out that the yak7 fares rather poorly compared to them, therefore it isn't a mid war plane. I'm sorry, I'm just at a loss for words. Hence wtf.

Try thinking instead of reacting.  That isn't what I said.

1) From the perspective of the United States and Soviet Union 1942 is early war given that the war started in 1941 for both of them.
2) As a secondary deal I compared it to some early war fighters, including a couple 1942 fighters, to show that while it is a 1942 fighter its performance is really sub-par for 1942.

Here is a list of 1942 fighters, some of which we lack, as a comparison:

A6M3
Bf109G-2
Fw190A-4
Ki-43-II
Ki-44-I
Mosquito F.Mk II
P-38F
Spitfire F.Mk IX
Typhoon Mk Ib

Which of those would you take the Yak-7B over?

[Slade]

Which of those would you take the Yak-7B over?

From a certain context, it does not matter.  On occasion, some like to fly very underrated planes against late war monsters.

Crazy great fun shooting down an LA7 in a P-40e for instance.


Slade 

[Tank-Ace]

Well yes, but I think the point Karnak is trying to make is that the Yak-7B is very much an EW plane, both in respect to the period of the war (for its country of origin) in which it served, and its capability in combat.


A C.202 would be very capable of dealing with one, as would a 109E, or a P-40. A 109G-2 will take it apart with ease, and a Spit IX will tear it to shreds.

[Widewing]

Well yes, but I think the point Karnak is trying to make is that the Yak-7B is very much an EW plane, both in respect to the period of the war (for its country of origin) in which it served, and its capability in combat.


A C.202 would be very capable of dealing with one, as would a 109E, or a P-40. A 109G-2 will take it apart with ease, and a Spit IX will tear it to shreds.

The C.202 would be a challenge, but the difference is less than one might think. The 109E is slower at the heights the game is played. I think the Yak is superior to the P-40, any model. Faster, better climb and it turns well enough. The Ki-43-II can be ignored, as can the A6M3. The Yak can break off at will. We have no idea how the Ki-44 might stack up, but I would expect the Yak to be much tougher than expected. The 190-A4, certainly faster and better climbing. However, get it slow near the Yak-7B and it may suffer for it. Like 190A-4, the Spit IX and 109G-2 are in a different league, both being able to hold their own with 1944/45 fighters. That said, the Yak cannot be written off simply because a good pilot can beat an average pilot in anything under many circumstances.

[Karnak]

I don't think the Yak-7B has the performance to just arbitrarily break off from the Ki-43 and A6M3.  It is faster, and if it starts with the E advantage can be flown smartly and retain the ability to break off if the fight starts to go against it, but if the Japanese fighter starts with the E advantage the Yak-7B is not in a good place as its speed advantage isn't so high as to allow nearly effortless disengagement as, say, an La-7 could.

[Tank-Ace]

The C.202 would be a challenge, but the difference is less than one might think. The 109E is slower at the heights the game is played. I think the Yak is superior to the P-40, any model. Faster, better climb and it turns well enough. The Ki-43-II can be ignored, as can the A6M3. The Yak can break off at will. We have no idea how the Ki-44 might stack up, but I would expect the Yak to be much tougher than expected. The 190-A4, certainly faster and better climbing. However, get it slow near the Yak-7B and it may suffer for it. Like 190A-4, the Spit IX and 109G-2 are in a different league, both being able to hold their own with 1944/45 fighters. That said, the Yak cannot be written off simply because a good pilot can beat an average pilot in anything under many circumstances.

The C.202 is about the same level as the Yak, but with weaker armament.

The 109E I feel is far far better turning, and as Karnak stated, the Yak cannot simply disengage at will; it needs an opportunity. The P-40E isn't that bad, even if it doesn't have any real advantage it would still be capable of fighting a Yak-7.

And the Yak-7 is a contemporary of the 190A-4, Spit IX, and G-2.

And you can most certainly write off the Yak-7B if you yourself are a decent pilot in a late war aircraft, or even most midwar aircraft.

[Widewing]

I don't think the Yak-7B has the performance to just arbitrarily break off from the Ki-43 and A6M3.  It is faster, and if it starts with the E advantage can be flown smartly and retain the ability to break off if the fight starts to go against it, but if the Japanese fighter starts with the E advantage the Yak-7B is not in a good place as its speed advantage isn't so high as to allow nearly effortless disengagement as, say, an La-7 could.

We need to have a fair comparison... Co-Altitude. I've killed a Me 262 with an SBD, catching him low and slow. Clearly, one cannot analyse performance unless there is a baseline as a reliable reference.

Co-Altitude, an A6M3 or Ki-43-II can't do much. The Yak is far faster at all altitudes, especially the deck to 12k. I've flown hundreds of duels, Zero vs just about everything. The Yak's speed advantage is insurmountable if the Yak pilot is half-way smart. The Yak pilot can literally toy with the Zeke or Oscar. He cannot turn with them, he cannot outclimb them in a max rate climb. He can, however, pick and choose how and when he engages. Both of the Japanese fighters cannot keep up in a high-speed climb. Set your climb rate to 2k/min and simply leave... Split-s and wave goodbye. Disengage at will. However, beating them is not difficult either. Merge at 5k. Yak is 40 mph faster. As they pass, 95% of the time the Zero/Ki-43 will do a hard reverse, burning of what little speed it had. The Yak extends out 1k to 2k and goes pure vertical. The Yak rolls out 2k to 3k above the enemy. The Yak builds his E a bit in a slight climb and then rolls in. Rinse and repeat as required. The Japanese fighters are totally defensive, and sooner or later, will get popped.