Best use for La5?

[sturmkraehe]

I've tried my hands on the La5 as a fighter and though I do get some success with it it is nothing compared to when I fly a FW190 or a Yak though both provide their share of challenge. I wonder if this plane is actually not meant to be a fighter. It has good roll rate and can run fast for short times but it doesn't outdo its opponents. It may outroll a 109 but this is of no use if you can't outturn it or at least compete in this department. The turn rate is particularly terrible - in horizontal flight and worse in vertical. Its turnrate even doesn't seem to benefit from high speeds. Its acceleration even with boost on is horrific. And don't dare to go into an immelmann with speeds not being above 350 kmh. And its ammo is also extremely limited and precision is underworldly.

 

So could anybody tell me what the best use is for this plane (it bugs me to call it a "fighter").

Edited May 11, 2015 by sturmkraehe

[Finkeren]

I like the La-5.

 

It's not a great fighter, but it's certainly better than the LaGG-3 in every department and it's mighty fun to fly.

 

I find that it's a great match for the Fw 190A3 at lower altitudes, and I've had tons of fun in La vs. Fw fights online. The Fw 190 has speed on its side at altitude, while the La-5 wins on the deck, both have amazing roll rate and effective armament. The La-5 outclimbs the Fw 190 by a small margin, but the Fw 190 outdives it. All in all a near perfect match.

 

Against the Bf 109 it's a different story. The La-5 is faster on the deck and rolls a good deal better, but those are about the only advantages it has. Both 109s turn better, accelerate faster and climb a lot better. It doesn't help matters, that they're extraordinarilly easy to fly. In an equal energy situation, the La-5 is gonna be at a disadvantage and will have great difficulty turning the fight around.

 

 

If you wanna succeed against human opponents in the La-5, there is no substitute for tactics. Team up with a couple of friends or strangers, get a lot of air beneath you to trade for speed, jump on the Bf 109s below and annoy the living crap out of them with your insane rolls and high speed slashing attacks. Two La-5 pilots who work together will beat 3 109 pilots who don't. I've seen that many times online.

 

Otherwise, the La-5 is a great interceptor (the Fw 190 wears the crown - but the La-5 is the best the VVS has by far) It's quite sturdy (except for the wing tanks which get hit just about every time) and you'll find, that unlike its Klimov-engined cousins, engine damage is often non-fatal, and you can fly a whole mission with a trail of smoke behind you and only slightly reduced performance.

 

One last tip: When going up against other aircraft, choose all-AP ammo load. I know it might seem more 'powerful' to go with all-HE, but trust me: AP absolutely kills aircraft engines, and being able to choose all-AP for the ShVAK is a great assett for the La-5.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Finkeren

[6./ZG26_Emil]

I've found the La-5 to be better than the Yak-1 above 7km

[Finkeren]

I've found the La-5 to be better than the Yak-1 above 7km

 

Really? I was under the impression, that the Yak was modelled a good deal too fast at high altitude.

 

I rarely fly as high as 7km, but my impression is, that the La-5 is alright at altitude, but slower than the Fw 190 and no match at all for the 109s.

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Really? I was under the impression, that the Yak was modelled a good deal too fast at high altitude.

 

I rarely fly as high as 7km, but my impression is, that the La-5 is alright at altitude, but slower than the Fw 190 and no match at all for the 109s.

 

Well I saw that in the tests as well but when flying the 190 against Yaks I had no problem with them but I've had trouble with the La-5 a few times and it seemed faster. I would imagine flying the La-5 like a poor mans 190 would work fairly well.

[Finkeren]

Well tbh. at 7km the Fw 190s performance should begin to drop off rapidly, so it'd not surprise me, if the La-5 had the edge up there (I seldom fight above 5km)

[SCG_Space_Ghost]

As a target.

[Original_Uwe]

As a target.

End thread. Give this man a cookie.

[LukeFF]

It shoots up Heinkels quite nicely. 

[Wulf]

I like the La-5.

 

It's not a great fighter, but it's certainly better than the LaGG-3 in every department and it's mighty fun to fly.

 

I find that it's a great match for the Fw 190A3 at lower altitudes, and I've had tons of fun in La vs. Fw fights online. The Fw 190 has speed on its side at altitude, while the La-5 wins on the deck, both have amazing roll rate and effective armament. The La-5 outclimbs the Fw 190 by a small margin, but the Fw 190 outdives it. All in all a near perfect match.

 

Against the Bf 109 it's a different story. The La-5 is faster on the deck and rolls a good deal better, but those are about the only advantages it has. Both 109s turn better, accelerate faster and climb a lot better. It doesn't help matters, that they're extraordinarilly easy to fly. In an equal energy situation, the La-5 is gonna be at a disadvantage and will have great difficulty turning the fight around.

 

 

If you wanna succeed against human opponents in the La-5, there is no substitute for tactics. Team up with a couple of friends or strangers, get a lot of air beneath you to trade for speed, jump on the Bf 109s below and annoy the living crap out of them with your insane rolls and high speed slashing attacks. Two La-5 pilots who work together will beat 3 109 pilots who don't. I've seen that many times online.

 

Otherwise, the La-5 is a great interceptor (the Fw 190 wears the crown - but the La-5 is the best the VVS has by far) It's quite sturdy (except for the wing tanks which get hit just about every time) and you'll find, that unlike its Klimov-engined cousins, engine damage is often non-fatal, and you can fly a whole mission with a trail of smoke behind you and only slightly reduced performance.

 

One last tip: When going up against other aircraft, choose all-AP ammo load. I know it might seem more 'powerful' to go with all-HE, but trust me: AP absolutely kills aircraft engines, and being able to choose all-AP for the ShVAK is a great assett for the La-5.

 

"Amazing" is certainly one way to describe the roll rate of the BOS La-5.  Essentially, at the time of the Battle, the aircraft wasn't much more than a LaGG-3 airframe with a M82 radial grafted on the front.  Why this arrangement would result in an enhanced rate of roll I can't even begin to imagine.  I certainly haven't found any written evidence to suggest that the pre- La-5 (F) demonstrated improved handling qualities at all let alone an "amazing" roll-rate.

[Finkeren]

"Amazing" is certainly one way to describe the roll rate of the BOS La-5. Essentially, at the time of the Battle, the aircraft wasn't much more than a LaGG-3 airframe with a M82 radial grafted on the front. Why this arrangement would result in an enhanced rate of roll I can't even begin to imagine. I certainly haven't found any written evidence to suggest that the pre- La-5 (F) demonstrated improved handling qualities at all let alone an "amazing" roll-rate.

Please Wulf, not that discussion again. I'm not saying you don't have a point (not saying you do either, I have no data on the matter) but the OP was specifically asking about how to use the La-5 in BoS, and that means using the current FM to your advantage, whether it is correct or not.

 

There have been several threads debating exactly this in the past few months, please don't cloud this thread with FM banter also.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Finkeren

[II./JG53Lutzow_z06z33]

Its good in a role like the Hurricane was in the Battle of Britain, killing bombers,the Yaks should deal with the fighters.

[-TBC-AeroAce]

I think its best used between ground and 3000m to mop up lower g state fighters. Use the roll if u can but don't over use as u will lose g like a b***h. Also u really been to be smart with the engine power as if u overheat it which is easy it can take some time to recover

[Wulf]

Please Wulf, not that discussion again. I'm not saying you don't have a point (not saying you do either, I have no data on the matter) but the OP was specifically asking about how to use the La-5 in BoS, and that means using the current FM to your advantage, whether it is correct or not.

 

There have been several threads debating exactly this in the past few months, please don't cloud this thread with FM banter also.

 

 

Hey, just keeping it real ....   

[sturmkraehe]

Yes, indeed, the La5 would be an excellent Heinkel-buster. Alas, too few Heinkels online. If an axis player ever decides to do a bomb run he takes his 109 or 190 with bombs on it. 

[361fundahl]

I like to take the sc2500 to soviet airbase but only if they are spawning on it

[Finkeren]

Had great fun in the La-5 last night.

 

I'm still getting used to TrackIR, so I wouldn't say I was very successful, but I did manage to score multiple kills on several occasions and managed to outrun a couple of 109s despite a damaged engine.

[Cybermat47]

I like the La-5. It's the only Russian plane with two cannons, for one thing.

[Finkeren]

I like the La-5. It's the only Russian plane with two cannons, for one thing.

Ahem....

[ST_ami7b5]

[-TBC-AeroAce]

cannons are fun!!!!