Aircraft recommendation

[HomeBoy]

Please give me some recommendations here.

I don't have a lot of time to spend online each night (half hour to an hour typically, 2-3 hrs occassionally) so I tend to look for a base that has a lot of red dots around it and fly a CAP.  My plane of choice is most always an LA7 as I can get off quickly and get up to speed before getting nailed.  I will then circle around waiting for P51s and the like and try to get them while they are attacking.  Because of the speed of the LA7 this usually works out fairly well.

As you know, the gun accuracy of the LA7 is not the best and it is a real challenge to get close enough to get kills in it.  Of course, the biggest problem here is the mediocrity of the pilot but any recommendations of other aircraft to experiment with would be appreciated.  I have read most all of the descriptions of Soda's most excellent web site (http://www.telusplanet.net/~dsoder/models) and that has been a great help.

I thought it would be educational for junior pilots like me to hear what some of you seasoned veterans recommend.  Let me tell you, this game can get REALLY frustrating at times and any tips and suggestions are truly appreciated.

Speaking of frustration.  I want to say to those pilots like me who have four digit ranking and get frustrated, want to quit, etc., etc.  AH represents literally the best online pilots in the world.   I recognize names from 10 years ago coming out of Warbirds, Air Warrior, Red Baron 2,  Fighter Duel (the two I played), et. al.  These guys are the best and when you encounter one of them in the game you usually visit the tower soon afterward.  That's just the way it is.  I have long since given up on being in the top 100 and take satisifaction in small improvements in my game.  Being competitive, I HATE getting shot down but I try my best to analyze how it happened and how I can do better next time.  You just have to take victory in the small things sometimes and learn not to need to be the best as that can certainly steal the fun.  After all, this should and can be fun.  I find that I have to redefine my goals in this game sometimes to make sure I don't lose perspective on why I'm doing it.

Thanks

[Shane]

in your situation as desribed.. the la7 is a fine choice, but if you want similar capabilities but an ability to reach out and touch someone at slight longer ranges, i'd suggest a spit9 or f6f - both of which have good acceleration and control in dives and can recah out longer than the la7.  the fw190a5 is decent as well in terms of climb under 10 and dive handling, the guns however are a tad harder to hit with, but you have plenty of ammo.

comparable to the la7 would be the yak9u, altho i'll take an la7 over a yak any day.

there's always the niki, too if you have a bit of time to get off the runway for a short climbout. personally i think the niki is a kinda crappy ride, but... ymmv.

hurri2c...

fm2...

spit5 does alright

[Innominate]

LOL, you used "La-7" and "real challenge" in the same sentance, good joke.
Seriously though, there are too many good planes to list here, why not try them all?  Every plane is someone's favorite.

A few of my favorites are,
190A-5
FM-2
F6F
Any F4U
P-38

Also, don't worry about rank.  Rank is more about how much time you spend working on rank than it is actual skill.  If you DO care about rank, the trick to getting in the top 200 is just to fly every kind of mission, fighter, bomber, attack, and vehicle.

[bloodstain]

I rarely ever fly the same fighter type twice in a row. Mix it up frequently and the game is much more enjoyable. If ya ask me sticking to the same plane for a whole tour is like having to sleep with the same woman everyday! It gets boring. Its always good to have a few mistresses, keeps things interesting! Oh and dont forget about them GV's and Bombers.

[Dowding (Work)]

My tip: ignore rank completely. You really do have to play the game a certain way to score highly. When I've really tried I've been in the top 30s overall, and the tope ten for the attack category, but I found I wasn't enjoying the game as much. Which kind of defeats the object of loading it up.

When I first started playing I flew the La-5 lots (this was before the La-7 was introduced) and I eventually graduated onto the Yak-9U. It requires better marksmenship, but it is a far better plane than the La-7 IMO. It's more manoeverable at all speeds, and it handles far better at lower speeds. Eventually you learn exactly how to get the most from the little ammo it carries, but it's a really good feeling to down La-7s and dweeby P-51s.

I find that tracers are distracting, and so always switch them off. You learn to 'feel' where the rounds are going to strike and can concentrate more on the position of the enemy as opposed to where your rounds are going. It's tough at first, but you'll be surprised how many people you can stealthily jump and kill before they even know you're there.

Also, hang in there with AH. I've been here 2 and a half years and I stil discover new things and learn new moves. It's half the fun.

[bozon]

I HATE getting shot down but I try my best to analyze how it happened and how I can do better next time. You just have to take victory in the small things sometimes and learn not to need to be the best as that can certainly steal the fun. After all, this should and can be fun. I find that I have to redefine my goals in this game sometimes to make sure I don't lose perspective on why I'm doing it.

as long as you keep this approach to the game, you WILL have fun !
in my 2 weeks trial, I didn't shoot down even one whoopee plane... my first fighter kill came in the last day of the 2 weeks, but every fight I got into and managed to land safly after, I concidered a victory.
my standards have gone up a little since then...

keeping this approach, you can choose any plane in the set and have fun.
If you want instant action - find a fast climber or a TnB machine.
If you want challange, fly early-war.
If you want class, fly p-47

Bozon
(grounded for a while)

[AtmkRstr]

If you're frustrated about getting killed from upping at a base with many enemy dots around, try instead upping from a second line base and approaching the base that's under attack from 15k or more.  This will avoid putting yourself in such a vulnerable position to start the fight, and completly remove the posibility of getting vultched.  Your score will improve.  Sortie length is about 20 minutes.

Flights take longer, but each flight will be more effective because you have so much more energy to play with.  Once your plane has climbed to 15k and accelerated, the flight time is actually pretty short.  In comparison, if you had been doing the climbing closer to combat, chances are you'd be dead and would have wasted your time climbing in the first place.

Hope that helps make the most of your time flying.

I find ground vehicle defence sorties are the best way to spend 5-15 minutes playing.

[Red Tail 444]

I recommend the F6...shes a stable ride, and gives plenty of warning before a stall (which WILL be nasty, indeed), She's got good dive characteristics, excellent turning, and plenty of ammo ("the whole nine yards," to be exact).

Learn the F6, and move on from there...also, learning the more difficult planes (F4U-1, P47D-11, P38) will make you much better in the long run, but for now, just stick to the basics, and join missions if possible...if you ever see me on, send me a private message, and I'll wing up with you!

Good Luck,

Gainsie

[Sakai]

Originally posted by HomeBoy
Please give me some recommendations here.

The Niki is a great plane for getting up fast, it accelerates well, turns well and has good guns.  It's almost too easy a ride so many guys complain about it being a dweeb ride.  

The F6 is OK but does not accelerate that well and turns only so so in my opinion, if you get it too slow be careful as the spin is nasty.  I'd think if you can fly an La7 the F4U and as many others noted, 190A5 might not be bad rides for you.  The A5 is not a turn fighter like the F6F but it's roll rate is really great and that can help you stay on a target's fanny.

I'd highly recommend that even though you don't have much time you take the time you have on occasion and climb some and look for one on  ones and other fights to augment your experience.  You might try a Spit IX for that type of hunting or one of the 109s as well as the otehr excellent planes mentioned.  

Also, when uppiong at bases that are being attacked you might try the insane turning ability of teh Zero A6M5 once or twice.  It explodes when contacting cotton balls but is great fun for close in fights and will stay on any turning tail in the crowd.

Sakai

[HomeBoy]

As expected, great suggestions!  I especially appreciate the advice about not getting caught up in the rank thing.  I haven't consciously been concerned about that (and don't want to start) but I guess I have let it bother me more than I wanted to think.  Sometimes I get too competitive for my own good.

I think my biggest problem is I've hit a "mid-life crisis" with online combat.  I've been doing this in one form or another for almost ten years now.  I know most of the theory and can get into one of these h2h games and rule a room full of newbies.  However, almost anyone with any experience at all will take me to the tower in short order!  I had to chuckle over the fact that Innominate found humor in my "real challenge" comment.  Trust me, it is indeed a challenge for me to shoot down anyone in the MA, even in an LA7!  This has become like tennis, playing guitar, and some other things where I have hit a "wall" where I just cannot seem to improve anymore.  Sorry, I think I'm beginning to whine so I'll stop with that.

Thank you all for your advice.  I'll just keep plugging away.  I just joined a squad; seems like a group of guys who truly want to get better and to help others as well.  I'm certain that will help (me and them).

May we all keep our "fun meters" on the plus side.