LA7 Usage: WWII vs. AH

[Skyyr]

I wouldn't say the P47M. The plane is completely different after you lose wep and escaping from enemies is very hard while on the deck. I don't think it's as easy of a plane as people think. It is a very average late war ride.

The La7 on the other hand, yes. It is just too suffisticated as a base defender. One La7 can up and track down that P47 trying to rtb on the deck from 5k away. It is just a menis! It can climb to like 8K in 2 minutes and dive to 500 nearly catching any plane coming for the attack. The plane is just too easy and performs too well. At least with the K4 you have to aim the thing, and it still doesn't dive as well either.  When I shoot someone down and go to rtb, they roll a La7 and are able to sprint catch me on the deck before I can make it home. That is just stupid.

The LA-7 was one of the most-used planes of the war. Just because it's good doesn't mean it should be perked.

[bozon]

The LA-7 was one of the most-used planes of the war. Just because it's good doesn't mean it should be perked.

The La7 has been mentioned as perk candidate only in its 3 cannon version which was very rare in the war. The P47M and the 152 were mentioned as very rare (about squadron strength and not even a squadron respectively) variants of major fighters. The F4U-C is a rate variant though the original reason it was perked was its global over usage.

Variants suggested for perking due to rarity should be perked very low - in the single digit scale. This would be more than enough to allow the more representative Variants to be more common with out preventing even perk-poor players from flying them.

[save]

"Just because it's good doesn't mean it should be perked."

Yes, that's exactly the why it should be perked, in a 3-gun configuration, and it was far cry from one of the most produced planes in the war in a 3-gun variant.

If we had the best variants for all planes I can see a dark future with 4-hispano planes all over the place, including p51s, spits, A20 etc. and MK103 equipped FW190s less 2 mg, and with GM-1.

Maybe they all should be there(?), but in that case, as perked variants.

[Zimme83]

I think there should be different ENY/perk values for different gun options. For ex Hurri IIc, were u can choose between 8x303 to 4x20mm, a huge different. Other planes with similar spread in firepower is C205 and I-16.

[Slade]

The LA-7 was one of the most-used planes of the war. Just because it's good doesn't mean it should be perked.

How much use did the 3 cannon version get?

[artik]

How much use did the 3 cannon version get?

I don't think anybody besides HTC really knows. However it is reasonably assume that most players select 3x20mm Berezin 150 rpg as gives heaviest firepower. On the other hand 2x20mm ShVAK with 200rpg gives additional fire time.

In any case 3 vs 2 isn't that big difference.

[DmonSlyr]

There is no reason to perk the La7, it does not unbalance the game like the C-Hog did when it was unperked.

I wouldnt say "unbalanced" in the terms that everyone uses it, but it is just too easy of a plane to up and take control of the skys in. If everyone did fly it, it would be unbalanced in terms of easiness/success ratio.

Have you flown it lately? You should try upping one next time you play and you will realize just how easy it is to up and gain 8K ready for any plane that enters the airspace. Once that LA is on your 6, your only chance is to out maneuver it from your 6, which is quite difficult. 

It can literally catch any plane on the deck, pop up from the deck to 5K, and still have the ability to outfight the plane it is attacking. It is, IMO, the best deck fighter and defender in the game by far, and is one of the few planes that can get in a turn fight with any plane, and if it loses, can press the X button and easily run away. It's not fun getting ran down by these planes while rtb, 10 miles from the base after it just rolled.

If more experienced pilots in AH flew the LA-7 it would be perked with 3 guns.

This is a good point. You get a Hornets nest of good LA7 pilots. It's GG.

[save]

It's a world of difference trying to hit outside convergence with wing-mounted guns or center mounted gun(s).
Shooting outside convergence you need to be synced in roll to get solid hits with wing-mounted guns.

Why more people do not fly the mosquito with it's 4 Hispano's and throw in 4 peashooters + 2*Merlin's with ENY 30 is a big question mark for me.

[Skyyr]

"Just because it's good doesn't mean it should be perked."

Yes, that's exactly the why it should be perked, in a 3-gun configuration, and it was far cry from one of the most produced planes in the war in a 3-gun variant.

If we had the best variants for all planes I can see a dark future with 4-hispano planes all over the place, including p51s, spits, A20 etc. and MK103 equipped FW190s less 2 mg, and with GM-1.

Maybe they all should be there(?), but in that case, as perked variants.

Reducing the aircraft's regular damage by 33% (i.e. perking the 3-gun variant) wouldn't make it any less effective at obtaining shots or positioning on an opponent, or running them down.

To date, I've honestly never heard one single complaint of the damage the LA-7 does (except for forum discussions of perking the 3-gun variant, which even then isn't about damage, but historical accuracy).

If I want to fly an LA and ENY is over 5, I just up an LA-5 (which has two guns) and I see very little damage difference; the damage difference is negligible for those with decent marksmanship. I'm not sure why anyone thinks this would change the effectiveness or use of the aircraft.

The complaints of the LA-7 performance are almost always:

1) Speed
2) Maneuverability
3) Climb
4) Acceleration

By most accounts, the average player hates the LA's guns and their ballistics. I hear more people complaining about how bad the ballistics of the guns are than I hear of those who like them.

Point being, no one I'm aware of flies an LA-7 for its guns, and an LA-7's two-gun package wouldn't be a deterrent for any good player to fly it. It would be one thing if it was an N1K or F4U-1c - planes that are decent, but limited in overall performance. Yes, damage is one of the key reasons to fly them. However, with the LA-7, damage isn't on the average player's radar, it's just a bonus.

The entire line of reasoning seems to be hyperbole.

That said, I'd say to perk it, just for the effect of seeing who stops flying it. I know I wouldn't.

[PR3D4TOR]

I wouldnt say "unbalanced" in the terms that everyone uses it, but it is just too easy of a plane to up and take control of the skys in. If everyone did fly it, it would be unbalanced in terms of easiness/success ratio.

The point is that everyone do not fly the La. Unlike other perked planes like the C-Hog, the La does not have an unbalancing effect on the arena population. If you perk the La then the people now flying Las would just transition to the next fastest unperked aircraft and do the exact same thing. Then you'd have to perk that plane.

[Zimme83]

Around 200 planes with 3x20mm were delivered before end of WW2. First delivery in jan -45

[save]

Hi Zimme, are those 200 including Manchuria date or May-45 ?
Where did you find references ?

[Pongo]

Welcome to 2002.
The three gun La 7 has 50% more fire power then the 2 gun one.
Saying it doesn't matter is like saying a 9 50 cal P51D would be the same as a 6 gun one.
Or a 6 hispano C Hog... 12 50 Cal P47...
kind of an amazing statement.

And of course the designers achieved it at the same weight.
The La7 was designed and intended to only have a 3 gun version, but the guns were not ready in time.

It should be a different plane then the normal LA7, it was not like it was a modification, they were made different from the factory.

[Scca]

Welcome to 2002.
The three gun La 7 has 50% more fire power then the 2 gun one.
Saying it doesn't matter is like saying a 9 50 cal P51D would be the same as a 6 gun one.
Or a 6 hispano C Hog... 12 50 Cal P47...
kind of an amazing statement.

And of course the designers achieved it at the same weight.
The La7 was designed and intended to only have a 3 gun version, but the guns were not ready in time.

It should be a different plane then the normal LA7, it was not like it was a modification, they were made different from the factory.

Bolded part:  Well sort of... You may get an additional gun, but you only get 50 more total rounds to fire (2x200 or 3x150). 

[Zimme83]

Thats irrelevant to the one that are on the recieving end of the fire, 150rpg is still a lot for 20mm cannons