Anybody having success with LA-5? Then how?

[Fodder]

I've read posts and guides stating B+Z techniques should be employed but the plane is so slow even with boost that I fail to see how. I'm just getting back into IL2 and have played mostly offline (1-2-1 quick mission scenarios) and I ALWAYS come off worse in the LA-5. I have more luck in the LAGG, surely that can't be right.

 

In comparison the YAK is a joy, but I have read here that maybe it isn't modelled realistically?

 

Any tips?

 

Cheers

[ShamrockOneFive]

The La-5 isn't slow but it does bleed speed in tight turns fairly quickly. It's a bit of a specialists aircraft and the Series 8 model it's not as refined as they become later on down the line. I'm not great at the La-5 but in general keep your speed up and use slashing attacks like in the FW190.

 

The Yak may or may not have some weird flap behaviour but otherwise it's fairly representative of a late model Yak-1 with the VK105PF engine. People think Yak-1 and don't look at the sometimes big changes that happened across the production series.

[Livai]

The first La-5 is a way to heavy compared to the Engine Power that this plane has. Look 1330PS need to care 3320kg. The La-5FN will be the much better plane! Look 1850PS need to care 3265kg. That the point why the current La-5 is not the best plane if you plane to do a dogfight from high to low speed you lose to fast speed and you are a easy target.

 

To answer your Question how to fly the current La-5 ---->

• Fly not alone
• Use the plane to catch up and force the enemy to a dogfight. This is the time where your other teammate can catch up with their slower Yak-1,I-16,Lagg-3 to destroy the enemy
• Fly high to use the speed for the attack
• Turn not to much
• Lose not your speed
• Stay out from long Dogfights

[KoN_]

Boom and Zoom in La-5 .

I fly it on the odd occasion and find it stable , just keep that speed up , extend away when speed is dropping and like above fly with wingmen . 

[-TBC-AeroAce]

Use the La as a semi b+z, do not turn that much. use the boost with intelegence.

 

Also make sure you are setting the inlet and outlet cowls separately as the inlet causes a lot more drag than the outlet. I find that you can have the inlet almost closed and the outlet half open and u will get the best speed vs cooling.