Author Topic: M1 LA7BRAMS (Read 337 times)

MANDOBLE · « **on:** June 18, 2001, 06:32:00 AM »

Was the La7 historically a so well armoured plane?

It needs a lot of lead and usually only catch fire, but dont break. Damaging its engine is also very difficult and oil leaks seem to still forever.

AKSWulfe · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2001, 07:33:00 AM »

Shot two up yesterday.. one went down without a tail after 4 MG151 strikes, the other one I managed to damage it's oil with a single MG151 strike to it's engine.

They aren't invincible, you just need to hit 'em in the same spot.
-SW

Wilbus · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2001, 08:06:00 AM »

Not sure, it looks pretty durable.

My 190 engine allways dies after 1 single ping though

Naudet · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2001, 11:45:00 AM »

LA7 seems pretty tough, wulfe must be lucky if he managed to cripple tail with only 4 MG151 hits and oil leaking with only a single MG151.

In general a LA7 needs up to 10 MG151 before any major dmg accurse and to me its not uncommon that one gets away after i pinged it 15-20 times with combined guns.

But anyway with GE guns its always a hard thing to kill with

AKSWulfe · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2001, 11:56:00 AM »

Luck.. ability to aim... I guess they can be the same thing...

If you are firing both the MGs and Cannons at the same time, well I have a pretty good idea why you aren't doing any damage...

EDIT: I have an even better idea why I am having no problem with the MG151s and you are... you have a hit % of .05, while mine is .12
-SW

[ 06-18-2001: Message edited by: SWulfe ]

MANDOBLE · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2001, 12:43:00 PM »

As far as I see, Naudet is telling us that HITTING more than 10 times is needed to cause damage, not that his aiming is good or bad. And I agree with him.

In the other hand, IMO, only 2 20mm hits on the tail is more than enough to destroy almost any plane elevator (at least half), 4 solid 20mm hits on a 190 tail will destroy it for sure and the rudder too.

AKSWulfe · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2001, 01:06:00 PM »

Right, but judging by the percentage he is hitting with and which he was hitting with..

I'm not sure if he's firing both the MGs and cannons, if he is then that's his mistake right there... because you can never tell the difference between MG and Cannon strikes.

I always fire just the cannons, using 7.7mms for when I get in close and have pretty much disabled the enemy aircraft.
-SW

Pongo · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2001, 01:18:00 PM »

Seems plenty frail to me...

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2001, 02:01:00 PM »

I can't say the La-7 seems all that hard to damage. I'd rate it middle of the road as far as durability goes.

The F4u-1D on the other hand... had one take 20 .50 rounds at 100 yards right across the wings... it lost its flaps. Was totally amazing. I've seen P-47's, F6F's and P-51's take comparable damage.

AKDejaVu

Dowding · « **Reply #9 on:** June 18, 2001, 02:13:00 PM »

<sigh>

It's tail is very weak - it is always the first thing to go when I fly it.

[ 06-18-2001: Message edited by: Dowding ]

DB603 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2001, 02:23:00 PM »

S!

Tail or nose.My preferred hit points.Tail section is weak on every plane in AH IMO.Sometimes I shoot off wings,but usually the fuselage is my main target.Easier to hit.

DmdNexus · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2001, 02:38:00 PM »

I have no problems killing dweebfire La7s and Nikis in my F4U-1D.

A good solid tracking stream at 400 yards usually takes off a wing or a tail.

Nexus

Naudet · « **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2001, 06:01:00 PM »

Wulfe, to clear things up.

When i said 10 pings MG151 needed, its taken from my experiences within the 2 weeks were i strictly used cannons only.

The 15-20 pings getaway was when i used both guns simultaniasly, which i have switched back to, cause i was a bit amused about so many fighters getting away after being pinged by 6-10x 20mms nearly untouched.

My 5% hit percentage is related to my tries of nearly incredible deflections shoots and the tries of hitting anything with the GE guns beyond 500 yrds.

The most funniest thing is that i can really get incredilbe snapshots and high deflection longrange shoots with the 0.5 cals of the P38 and the F4U lately, when flying em in the fighterbomber role and runnin into trouble. It also is very funny that it needs less o.5 to do harm than 20mm. But thats relates to another topic.

[ 06-19-2001: Message edited by: Naudet ]

Tilt · « **Reply #13 on:** June 20, 2001, 04:13:00 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by MANDOBLE:
Was the La7 historically a so well armoured plane?

It needs a lot of lead and usually only catch fire, but dont break. Damaging its engine is also very difficult and oil leaks seem to still forever.

In AH its my main ride...... it sure does not seem well armoured. The tail section is regularly lost.

In RL the most vunerable component was the pilot. Particularly from side on shots. The fuselage was a monocoque affair and so had no critical spar points. AP rounds could go thru it just leaving a couple of small holes. The la7 main spar was a metal affair and so stronger than the earlier (pre 44)La5FN's but not signifiantly any more durable than say a 109 for example.

The la5 FN and La7 had the shortest wing span and shortest fuselage of any AC currently in AH. (La5FN was slighlty shorter than the La7)

The engine had a well earned reputation for being extremely robust.

I am surprised it is possible to "machine" the tail section off an La without the pilot recieving significant damage him self.

Tilt