Question for Hard Core LA5 Pilots

[Slade]

Guys,

I have been tinkering around in an LA5 lately.  Incredible plane.  I can do anything in it ... except aim.  I am confounded when I get kills in it sometimes cuz I hit a target when it is well off what I think is the 20mm projectile path.  Also, most hits seem to happen below the engine cowling when firing.

Not sure how to aim, when to fire and where to put convergence.

For you hard core LA5 pilots what can you recommend?


Thanks for your advice,

Slade  

[SmokinLoon]

Hard core La5 pilots??? No such thing.  Too many pass up the splendid La5 for the more easy mode La7 (faster, climbs better, triple 20mm, perfume smell, etc).  Are you sure you didn't mean La7???    

Oh, and convergence??? Set ALL of your knife fighters to 300 yards.  That way YOU will be standardized.  The only exception is the 109K-4 or 109G-14 with the single 30mm, I set it to 200 yards (low ammo load, slow velocity, and poor trajectory makes for very selective shots). When pounding dirt or hunting bombers I will push the convergence to 400 yards because I fire further out and I usually have all the time in the world for a shot. Remember, convergence not only affects the cross over of the projectiles horizontally but it also the trajectory.  If you set it to 600 yards you'r shots are higher at the more typical kill ranges of 300 yards, and you'll need to correct your aim to compensate.    

Try convergence at 300 for a few weeks, especially the La5.    

[LCADolby]

Tilt is your man

[Mister Fork]

Found telstar's...(retired player) investigation. LA-5 is in bold below.

A6M2,A6M5b,Ki-61-I-KAIc

D600 max - convergance D300 / over D600-D800 very inacurate with big drop off from the cannon, Most effective range is up to D300

Reccommend setting convergance to D250 for the guns in the wings (gondolas) and D650 for the guns in the cowl.

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F4F-4,F4U-1,F4U-1C,F4U-1D,F4U-4,F6F-5,FM2,P-38L,P-40B,P-40E,P-47D-11,P-47D-25,P-47D-30,P-51B,P-51D

D1200 max - convergance D750 / D1000 - D1200 slight bullet drop, moderate spread pattern
At close range the two bullet streams have not yet converged giving two strike points on the target, Most effective range is up to D600

Reccommend setting convergance to D400 as all the guns are in the wings.



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Bf 109E-4,Bf 109F-4,Bf 109G-2,Bf 109G-6,Bf 109G-10

D700 max - convergance D650 /D600 - D700 slight bullet drop with moderate spread pattern / over D700 very inaccurate with large spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D400


Reccommend setting convergance to D350 for the guns in the wings (gondolas) and D650 for the guns in the cowl/spinner.



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Bf 110G-2
Bf 110C-4b

D700 max - convergance D650 / D700 moderate bullet drop moderate spread pattern / over D700 large bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D400

Reccommend setting convergance to D650 as there are no convergance issues, all the guns are in the nose.


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Fw 190A-5,Fw 190A-8,Fw 190D-9,Fw 190F-8

D600 max - convergance set to D650 / D600 slight bullet drop moderate spread pattern / over D600 large bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D400


Reccommend setting convergance to D350 for the guns in the wings and D650 for the guns in the nose.


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Me 163,Me 262,Ta 152H

D800 max - convergance set to D650 / D500 moderate bullet drop and spread pattern/ D500-D800 marked increase in spread pattern and bullet drop, Most effective range is up to D400

Me 163,Me 262 Reccommend setting convergance to D650

Ta 152H Reccommend setting convergance to D350 for the guns in the wings and D650 for the 30mm in the spinner.


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Hurricane Mk I  

D800 max - convergance D400 / D800  slight bullet drop, moderate spread pattern
At close range the two bullet streams have not yet converged giving two strike points on the target, Most effective range is up to D400
    
Hurricane IIC, Hurricane IID

D700 max - convergance D350 /D700 moderate bullet drop and spread pattern/ over D700 large bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D400


Reccommend setting convergance to D275 as all the guns are in the wings.


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Seafire IIC,Spitfire Mk IA,Spitfire V,Spitfire Mk IX,Spitfire Mk XIV

D800 max - convergance D650 / D800  slight bullet drop, moderate spread pattern
At close range the two bullet streams have not yet converged giving two strike points on the target
(the .50 cal where available has a slightly larger bullet drop)
Most effective range is up to D400

Reccommend setting convergance to D275 as all the guns are in the wings.


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Mosquito Mk VI

D800 max - convergance D650 / D800 slight bullet drop and spread pattern / over D800 moderate bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D500

Reccommend setting convergance to D650 as there are no convergance issues, all the guns are in the nose.

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Tempest V,Typhoon

D1100 max - convergance set to  D650 /D700 small bullet drop and spread pattern/ over D700 large bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D500

Reccommend setting convergance to D400 as all the guns are in the wings.

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C.202,C.205

D1000 max - convergance set to D650 / D700 slight bullet drop, moderate spread pattern / over D800 larger bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D500

Reccommend setting convergance to D350 for the wing guns and D650 for the cowl guns.

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La-5FN,La-7
 
D1000 max - convergance set to D650 / D600 slight bullet drop moderate spread pattern, over D800 larger bullet drop and spread pattern, D1000 very large bullet drop and spread pattern /  Most effective range is up to D400

Reccommend setting convergance to D650 as there are no convergance issues, all the guns are in the cowl.

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N1K2-J

D1000 max - Convergance set to D650 / D800 slight bullet drop and spread pattern / over D800 moderate bullet drop and spread pattern, At close range the two bullet streams have not yet converged giving two strike points on the target, Most effective range is up to D500

Reccommend setting convergance to D400.

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Yak-9T,Yak-9U

D1200 max - Convergance set to D650 / At D800 slight bullet drop and moderate spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D400.

Reccommend setting convergance to D650 as there are no convergance issues, all the guns are in the cowl/spinner.

[Brooke]

I get too confused with different settings for different aircraft, so I go for 300 yards for everything (except planes with 6-8 MG's like F6F, then I stagger them from 325 to 275 to give a larger hit zone at the expense of max lethality).  But I'm not sure if that is best.  400 might be better, but 300 seems OK to me.  Some folks go as far out as 600.

I flew the La-5 a lot in preparation for a past scenario (Red Storm).  It is a great plane.  What helps me with developing a feel for the aim of any particular plane is just flying it enough.  For a scenario, if I want to accelerate the process, I fly it in the DA (as furball frequency is high).

[Brooke]

There were some awesome fights in the "Red Storm / Krupp Steel" scenario!

[SmokinLoon]

Found telstar's...(retired player) investigation. LA-5 is in bold below.

A6M2,A6M5b,Ki-61-I-KAIc

D600 max - convergance D300 / over D600-D800 very inacurate with big drop off from the cannon, Most effective range is up to D300

Reccommend setting convergance to D250 for the guns in the wings (gondolas) and D650 for the guns in the cowl.

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F4F-4,F4U-1,F4U-1C,F4U-1D,F4U-4,F6F-5,FM2,P-38L,P-40B,P-40E,P-47D-11,P-47D-25,P-47D-30,P-51B,P-51D

D1200 max - convergance D750 / D1000 - D1200 slight bullet drop, moderate spread pattern
At close range the two bullet streams have not yet converged giving two strike points on the target, Most effective range is up to D600

Reccommend setting convergance to D400 as all the guns are in the wings.



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Bf 109E-4,Bf 109F-4,Bf 109G-2,Bf 109G-6,Bf 109G-10

D700 max - convergance D650 /D600 - D700 slight bullet drop with moderate spread pattern / over D700 very inaccurate with large spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D400


Reccommend setting convergance to D350 for the guns in the wings (gondolas) and D650 for the guns in the cowl/spinner.



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Bf 110G-2
Bf 110C-4b

D700 max - convergance D650 / D700 moderate bullet drop moderate spread pattern / over D700 large bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D400

Reccommend setting convergance to D650 as there are no convergance issues, all the guns are in the nose.


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Fw 190A-5,Fw 190A-8,Fw 190D-9,Fw 190F-8

D600 max - convergance set to D650 / D600 slight bullet drop moderate spread pattern / over D600 large bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D400


Reccommend setting convergance to D350 for the guns in the wings and D650 for the guns in the nose.


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Me 163,Me 262,Ta 152H

D800 max - convergance set to D650 / D500 moderate bullet drop and spread pattern/ D500-D800 marked increase in spread pattern and bullet drop, Most effective range is up to D400

Me 163,Me 262 Reccommend setting convergance to D650

Ta 152H Reccommend setting convergance to D350 for the guns in the wings and D650 for the 30mm in the spinner.


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Hurricane Mk I  

D800 max - convergance D400 / D800  slight bullet drop, moderate spread pattern
At close range the two bullet streams have not yet converged giving two strike points on the target, Most effective range is up to D400
    
Hurricane IIC, Hurricane IID

D700 max - convergance D350 /D700 moderate bullet drop and spread pattern/ over D700 large bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D400


Reccommend setting convergance to D275 as all the guns are in the wings.


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Seafire IIC,Spitfire Mk IA,Spitfire V,Spitfire Mk IX,Spitfire Mk XIV

D800 max - convergance D650 / D800  slight bullet drop, moderate spread pattern
At close range the two bullet streams have not yet converged giving two strike points on the target
(the .50 cal where available has a slightly larger bullet drop)
Most effective range is up to D400

Reccommend setting convergance to D275 as all the guns are in the wings.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mosquito Mk VI

D800 max - convergance D650 / D800 slight bullet drop and spread pattern / over D800 moderate bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D500

Reccommend setting convergance to D650 as there are no convergance issues, all the guns are in the nose.

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Tempest V,Typhoon

D1100 max - convergance set to  D650 /D700 small bullet drop and spread pattern/ over D700 large bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D500

Reccommend setting convergance to D400 as all the guns are in the wings.

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C.202,C.205

D1000 max - convergance set to D650 / D700 slight bullet drop, moderate spread pattern / over D800 larger bullet drop and spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D500

Reccommend setting convergance to D350 for the wing guns and D650 for the cowl guns.

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La-5FN,La-7
 
D1000 max - convergance set to D650 / D600 slight bullet drop moderate spread pattern, over D800 larger bullet drop and spread pattern, D1000 very large bullet drop and spread pattern /  Most effective range is up to D400

Reccommend setting convergance to D650 as there are no convergance issues, all the guns are in the cowl.

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N1K2-J

D1000 max - Convergance set to D650 / D800 slight bullet drop and spread pattern / over D800 moderate bullet drop and spread pattern, At close range the two bullet streams have not yet converged giving two strike points on the target, Most effective range is up to D500

Reccommend setting convergance to D400.

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Yak-9T,Yak-9U

D1200 max - Convergance set to D650 / At D800 slight bullet drop and moderate spread pattern, Most effective range is up to D400.

Reccommend setting convergance to D650 as there are no convergance issues, all the guns are in the cowl/spinner.

With few exceptions, it is idiocy to have the different guns set to different convergences.  Cowl guns to 600 yards and the wing guns set to 300 yards?  That is idiocy, especially for the knife fighter.  With that kind of spread you are robbing your fighter of its combined firepower, the hits will not be grouped and hence the "spread" will be enough that in theory could prevent enough damage landing in 1 area to be effective enough for a critical hit.  Since knife fighters overwhelmingly battle it out at under 400 yards, do yourself a favor and set ALL guns to the same convergence so that you're not robbing yourself of what is available.

The only exceptions I can think of, and I'm certainly not condoning it, is the 109's with the 30mm and 13mm's in the spinner and cowling, and the Yak and P39 with the 37mm and MG calibers in the spinner and cowling.  The rate of fire, trajectory, velocity, and spread in damage make for a very tricky combo when used together. Some players will always fire each gun caliber separate and that is fine.

REMEMBER... convergence also sets trajectory and the further away it is set or the more spread there is in convergence settings the more of a guessing game you'll have to play in estimating where to aim.

Spitfires, Typhoons and Tempests, US fighters (4/6/8 gun .50 cals), German 109's and 190's, Yak's and Lgay's, Zekes and Franks and Oscars and Georges and Tonys, and even the fruity C202/C205, set the convergence to less than 400 and set them all the same (or maybe 2 sets 25 yards apart in the case of the quad 20mm fighters or 8/.50 cal P47's).  K.I.S.S.

[Reaper90]

The La5FN was my primary ride for several months before transitioning to the Yak-9T for a while. It is a wonderful aircraft and I prefer it over the La7 for anything other and chasing runners. The ammo load out is sufficient for 6-7 kills per sortie with no rearm if you are of decent aim. My aim is generally sub-par, but I can usually manage 4-5 kills per load-out, and I've still gotten 10 kills with 1 rearm, 13 once with one rearm but ditched short of the runway.

Get in close. I typically never fire til 200 unless its a tiny quick snap shot, or 400 or so max if it's a runner and I know I cannot catch him. Outside of 400 I'm wasting cannon and would rather look for another target. Lead the target. Those Russians cannons are good, but not as good as the La7's, and they certainly aren't hispanos. If you're used to firing .50 cals, you'll find yourself shooting up the air 1 plane-length behind your target when you're in the La5 unless you pretty much double the amount you lead your target.

There is pretty much nothing that the La5FN does poorly, but only a few things that it does very very well compared to the LW birds, but properly flown can hang with most anything in the LWA. Pick your fight.

[Tilt]

Get close, then get closer, my problem is poor gunnery.

The La5 is vastly underrated here. It has all the turn, climb, roll, stall and low speed accel of the La7. It only has 2 of the weakest 20mm in AH to the La7's option of 3, it will not dive all the way with an La7 or reach its top speed, it will scrub e a little faster.

To be clear I am favouring the Yak 3 for sport these days but one day the La5FN will call me back