LA-7 this thing rocks!!!

[NOD2000]

well all i can say i've ran em down in my 26 and out manuvered him in a loop plus it don't take much .50 to break wood

[Urchin]

I'd disagree that most pilots flying the LA-7 are 'newbies'.  A lot of them just suck, that is why they are fairly easy to kill if they stick around.  

The plane IS very good.  I'd say it is *probably* one of the top three planes in Aces High (including the perk planes).  If you take out the perk planes I consider it the best overall plane in the game.  I think most of the people flying the LA7 are, at best, average pilots.  They fly the LA-7 because it is fast enough to get away from the Spits and N1k2s, and it can slaughter anything that is almost fast enough to catch it.  

Also, our views on the La-7 may be coloured by the planes that we fly.  I fly mostly LW stuff, so to be the La-7 is like a 109-G10 and a 190D-9 all wrapped up into one, with the advantages of both and the disadvantages of niether.  

The comparison doesn't stack up to well with the other common 'BnZZZzz" ride, the P-51.  The planes strengths lie in totally different areas.  The La-7 is made for people that want to blow through crowds of enemies and avoid being gangbanged, the P-51 is made for people that like to stay in the air for a long time, kill runners (as long as the runner is below them, good luck catching one above you lol).  The firepower is roughly even, I think.  You need to get closer with the LA-7, but you don't have to hit as often.  Visibility goes to the runstang, of course, but I think overall the La-7 is a superior plane.

[Dowding]

I used to fly the La-7 exclusively. I believe I had the second higest k/d in it for one of those tours.

I'd say it has most obscured view in AH (short of the La-5 obviously).

Whatever you say about its ammo, it is limited. You have to get very, very close to make a kill. Although the ShVak/B-20 rate of fire is extremely high, which equates to lethal snapshots.

The LW 20mm cannon is just as good overall, mainly because it comes with much more ammo. I flew the 190 A-5 the other day, in a similar manner as the La-7. Its cannons are excellent when used at short range.

The La-7's fuel endurance is very short. Invariably, 25% of the fuel tank will get you to altitude (15k)

[stahler]

I am only a slightly above average pilot.  By this, I mean that I have only four (4) 10+ kill sorties.  I fly a lot of different planes.  However, 3 of my 10+ kill sorties were in La7s.  One of them I was outnumbered and defending a field with two other guys against 5-6 enemies.  The La7 is EXTREMELY uber.  Yes it has some minor problems, but so does every other plane.

This ToD the ONLY plane that I am doing better in is the Ki-61 in which I am 16:2 (8:1).  In the La7 I am 29:6. (4.88:1)

The ONLY rules that you have to follow is do NOT cross 8k of alt, stay fast (250tas+) and don't do prolonged turn fights.  It's basically a low altitude engery fighter.  I believe that the only non perk planes that can out run it on the deck are the Typhoon and bf109-G10.... but I may be wrong about that last one.

One of my squadies complimented me on a 6 kill sortie last night until I explaned that I was in an La7.

[MANDOBLE]

Yep stahler, you are wrong, neither typh nor G10 are able to outrun La7 at sea level. But, IMO, the most uber characteristic of this plane is its acceleration, not its top speed. BTW, a diving P51D will be faster than any La7 on the deck for a long period until it moves its controls. In the case of La7, it may turn and turn and then outaccelerate and outrun anything. Even the 109G10 (an excelent accelerator) is not a match for La7 below 7k.

[DarkglamJG52]

I fly 90% of time 109, 190 and zeke, but this tour after several moths of ignore(and hate) La 7. I take the monster 5/6 sorties with 31/1 k/d, only need fly La 7 like a pure E figther or Pony, G10 and 190 style. The problems with La 7 IMO  = 1) maps too littles 2) E maintenance after turns of 10 G's(never see La's with structural failure), hardness (La 7 suport 30mm hits and burts of 3 secons-d300 of 6x13mm guns!!!)...  

On real live La 5, La 7, La 9 and La 11 had very little success against 109, 190 at WW 2 and P 51, Twin Mustang and F4U at Korea.

...and Hitech I can shotdown 10 Me 262 with zeke if they turns with me.

[nuchpatrick]

I have to say that the La-7 to me is one of the planes I fear the most..out of this sortie this so far I'm 1 and 5.  Then again a Jug doesn't match well. and I think I got lucky on downing the one I did get.

I can say that the La-7 can be out dove..I know this because I've done it in my Jug.  Now some say that the La-7 should be perked ect... ect... I think not..as much as I don't like it and those magical spit's. The La-7 is a fine plane and if flown by the right pilot and not some greenhorn it is a very leathal plane.

You do have a choice on what you fight against.  If you don't like it don't engage! And you will not have any problems!:cool:

[Widewing]

Originally posted by DarkglamJG52
I fly 90% of time 109, 190 and zeke, but this tour after several moths of ignore(and hate) La 7. I take the monster 5/6 sorties with 31/1 k/d, only need fly La 7 like a pure E figther or Pony, G10 and 190 style. The problems with La 7 IMO  = 1) maps too littles 2) E maintenance after turns of 10 G's(never see La's with structural failure), hardness (La 7 suport 30mm hits and burts of 3 secons-d300 of 6x13mm guns!!!)...  

On real live La 5, La 7, La 9 and La 11 had very little success against 109, 190 at WW 2 and P 51, Twin Mustang and F4U at Korea.

...and Hitech I can shotdown 10 Me 262 with zeke if they turns with me.

Personally, I find E fighting gets boring after a time. So, when I fly the La-7, I often load bombs and go after GVs or go buff hunting at 25k. Sure, these are not the ideal roles for the aircraft, and they do increase one's K/D ratio. But, what the hell, at least it's exciting. As it is, my stats are 53/14, with 3 lost to Buffs (but I've killed 11 of them in exchange), 5 to Ostwinds and acks, 1 to a PT, 2 ground collisions and 3 lost to fighters. Included in the kill column are 3 GVs and a PT.

In terms of dealing with the La-7, I find it to be easy to kill if I can gain position. Which, I'm sure everyone realizes, is not something that can be done on the deck without the La-7 wasting his E first, or making a mistake that exposes himself. Most of the time, one needs a significant altitude advantage to begin with.

The trick to coping with the La-7 is understanding that its limitations are a pronounced as its advantages. Should an enemy La-7 pilot decide to fight in such a manner that he exposes his aircraft's limitations, he usually dies as a result.

My regards,

Widewing

[MANDOBLE]

Originally posted by Widewing
Should an enemy La-7 pilot decide to fight in such a manner that he exposes his aircraft's limitations, he usually dies as a result.

Same with 262 (200 perks).

[Naudet]

Originally posted by Widewing
Should an enemy La-7 pilot decide to fight in such a manner that he exposes his aircraft's limitations, he usually dies as a result.


Same with 262 (200 perks).

Guys, this counts for every plane. If comparing plane performances, you can't used the "better-worse-pilot" argument.
If we discuss LA7 performance, we have to assume what one pilot could do it in, not what a bad pilot will do with it.

1st i would like to say, there is no need to perk it. It doesn't really change the MA balance. It is exellent down low, but hell if we get over 10K i run it down with my D9.
All planes have their altitudes. An LA7 should try to fight under 10K, a D9 i.e. between 6k-20k and the P51 & P47 from 15k and higher.

But nevertheless the LA7 is an exellent ride. And even when fighting from a disadvantage it is dangerous as hell. Yu can turn the tide pretty fast with it.
Last time i flew it (about 10+ weeks ago), i defended 35 in the blatic together with some guy in a P47 (he was really good, cause he didnt get shotdown in that heavy baby) against 4+ enemies with altitude. 3 were P51s and 1 a 109. They tried to B&Z us, but we evaded. They lost a bit E on every pass, so i could suddenly jump in behind em, using the accel of the LA7 to get to their speed.
End of the story were 3 dead P51, 1 dead 109. A safe A35 and both defenders alife.
In my D9 i would not even have survived the 1st 3 minutes.

But thats no reason to perk the LA7, i just used it were it advantages are greatest.

P.S.: abou turning LA7, with lag pursuit, i yet have to find a plane (beside ZEKE, remember its long ago that i flew it, so no comparison to Hurr I, Spit I etc.) i couldnt catch with the LA7. It also exels at scissors or barrel roll defense, cause once the other guy overshoots, your accel ensures you can catch him.

[spitfiremkv]

temp has 4 cannons and it's a bit faster

[MANDOBLE]

Just a note at the La7 speed above 10k:
La7 excels where speed is the most critical factor due the lack of room to dive: lo alts. At med and hi alts, no matter if your plane is slow or fast, you always have thousands of feet to dive and get faster.

[NHattila]

this is my first post in 16 months of play, so here i go. i eat la7's alive in my tiffy. enough said. and there is no such thing as a dweeb plane, i eat niki's too.