La5-8 lackluster performance or I am doing something wrong?

[162nd-YU-rale26]

I having hard time getting La5-8 anywhere near "faster plane on ground" claim people seems to say very often even with boost engaged. In all tests I did it's nowhere near fw190, heck I seem to be even faster in yak-1b on ground. Not sure what I am doing wrong, so any advice is much appreciated. 

 

 

[Smis]

Outlet cowls do pretty much drag so having them as low as you can while you dont overheat helps pretty much. Also i set oil radiator to about 60 - 50%. Inlets dont do big difference so dont go under 90%. But it all depends on temperature on the map.

On the ground with boost it should do around 550kph (maybe even little more sometimes)

[Barnacles]

I having hard time getting La5-8 anywhere near "faster plane on ground" claim people seems to say very often even with boost engaged. In all tests I did it's nowhere near fw190, heck I seem to be even faster in yak-1b on ground. Not sure what I am doing wrong, so any advice is much appreciated. 

The outlet cowls on the engine take a fair bit off the top speed if they are open too much. As per the instructions on the specification screen, run the inlet cowls and oil cooler at 100%. You can then keep the  outlet cowls almost shut. (around 10%)

[162nd-YU-rale26]

Ok, I'll give it a shot tomorrow and let you know what I got (going to bed ... 1:30am here). Thank you guys. 

[216th_Jordan]

Yeah, Yaw-trim is also very important in this plane.

[Finkeren]

Pretty simple:

 

1. Remember the boost button amd the supercharger gear shift

 

2. Keep cowl outlets closed as much as possible.

 

3. Trim to keep the ball centered.

 

4. Don’t expect the acceleration of a German aircraft.

[=RvE=Windmills]

Also, inlets full open and just regulate temp with outlets.

[Sgt_Joch]

I like to keep inlet/oil at 100% since they have very little drag and outlet at 50%, a bit draggy, but it will give you a long time of combat maneuvering before you have to worry about overheating.

 

The La-5f falls between two chairs. It is not as performing at "boom and zoom" as the LW fighters. Both the 190 and 109G are faster and have better climb rates at higher altitudes. It is also not as maneuverable as a pure turn fighter like the Yak-1b.

 

However, after the last round of FM changes, the La-5f will generally out turn the LW fighters at low/medium altitudes if you enter the fight with equal energy, so it seems to work best as a crossover, utilizing "boom and zoom" and/or turn fighter tactics as the situation dictates.

[ShamrockOneFive]

Pretty simple:

 

1. Remember the boost button amd the supercharger gear shift

 

2. Keep cowl outlets closed as much as possible.

 

3. Trim to keep the ball centered.

 

4. Don’t expect the acceleration of a German aircraft.

 

The last one might be most important. The La-5 is fast on the deck but it doesn't have the acceleration of the Bf109 or FW190 so you really need to give it some time to build to top speed.

 

Once you've built that speed try and keep it. The La-5 doesn't like to turn very well... perhaps better than the 190 but not much better so make sure you try and keep that straightline speed.

[purK]

RPM - 100%

Mixture 100%

Inlet - 100%

Outlet Cowls - 10-15% ( much drag, keep these closed as much as possible)

Oil Radiator - 50-100% (very little drag, use this to cool the engine, not the outlets)

Canopy closed

Boost on

 

Now you're cruising.

[162nd-YU-rale26]

That was it Outlet Cowls were pretty much screwing my speed, i had them around 50% . 

 

Thank you guys!

[Jade_Monkey]

Time to map the inlet and outlets separately I guess...

[KaC_Richard_Rogers]

Also remember to turn the stage 2 supercharger off because when it is on the boost will not work.

 

Also the stage 2 supercharger comes on at 3500m a full 1000m over other Russian planes.

If I recall correctly the inlets account for up to 5km and the outlets for up to 25km.

[Max_Damage]

Its not fastest. fw190 are faster. F4 can be faster for short periods.

[Semor76]

My settings for La5

 

Cruise:

RPM - 75-85%

Mixture 60-80% Depending on mission type to save fuel.

Inlet - 100%

Outlet Cowls - 10-15%

Oil Radiator - 50-100%

 

Combat:

RPM - 90-100%

Mixture 100%

Inlet - 100%

Outlet Cowls - 20-40% depending on combat situation,energy state & climate conditions

Oil Radiator - 80-100%

 

Like in real life,to gain the max.power for all situations in La5,the pilot have to constantly adjust all the levers and monitor RPM and temp. gauges carefully. This is one reason why i love the Lavochkin birds in IL2.

[Finkeren]

Time to map the inlet and outlets separately I guess...

 

I had those linked too at one point. Bad idea.

[162nd-YU-rale26]

I tried couple of recommended settings and definitely got big speed improvements thank you guys!

But boy ... this plane is nothing like Yak. How should I fly this thing?  It doesn't climb well, turn sucks although high yoyo's seems to be working ok, decent dive, excellent roll though, two canons (nice), acceleration (pig). It kinda does the 190 thing. Aside sneaking up on somebody I don't see how can I square-off and outdo 109 in this plane, it does nothing better aside roll than it. In my 109 interactions with guys in La5 if they start turning they loose quickly, if they go vertical they can keep ground longer but they run out of steam quicker. Guys who use aggressive rolling tend to be hardest to deal with but I rarely had them run away from me with that extra ground speed they on paper have. It requires cool and experience to stay straight and push through while bullets flying around you. Since review visibility sucks in this plane they usually wiggle, look around and kill the speed. 

 

I fly alone and get killed most of the time by people I never saw so I prefer Yak1b or 190 whenever I can get them as I have most chance to stay alive in them. Probably no.1 reason I didn't really give Lagg3 nor La5 chance so far. 

 

 

 

[Barnacles]

It doesn't climb well,

It does, at low alt. Climb rate is up there with the 1b below 3k

[Finkeren]

I fly it not too differently from how I fly the Fw 190. The 190 is all-round easier, but their capabilities are not too different. The 190 accelerates better and is better armed, where the La-5 has the advantage in turn rate (except at very high speeds) and low speed handling.

 

At emergency power, the Fw 190 is a much, much better aircraft, but at combat power it’s close to parity.

Edited December 18, 2017 by Finkeren

[162nd-YU-rale26]

I fly it not too differently from how I fly the Fw 190. The 190 is all-round easier, but their capabilities are not too different. The 190 accelerates better and is better armed, where the La-5 has the advantage in turn rate (except at very high speeds) and low speed handling.

 

At emergency power, the Fw 190 is a much, much better aircraft, but at combat power it’s close to parity.

 

 Makes sense actually, in my trials yesterday I treated it as Yak on steroids and it didn't work . I'll try to stick with bnz game. 

[Finkeren]

Makes sense actually, in my trials yesterday I treated it as Yak on steroids and it didn't work . I'll try to stick with bnz game.

It’s not as simple as that. BnZ is the 109’s game. Both the Fw 190 and La-5 are quite good in a close fight, but you need to manage your speed. Don’t follow the turns of your opponent, but instead stay fast and on top, but still close, let him burn his energy and triangulate your approach such that your attacks cut him off rather than follow him in a turn.

[162nd-YU-rale26]

It’s not as simple as that. BnZ is the 109’s game. Both the Fw 190 and La-5 are quite good in a close fight, but you need to manage your speed. Don’t follow the turns of your opponent, but instead stay fast and on top, but still close, let him burn his energy and triangulate your approach such that your attacks cut him off rather than follow him in a turn.

 

I used bnz in wrong context mostly because 190 can zoom climb pretty good when in action. So to summarize ... stay away from horizontal turns, go up (keep energy) and roll to cut opponents path instead to follow him. I think I got it . 

 

Thanks Finkeren!

[Finkeren]

I used bnz in wrong context mostly because 190 can zoom climb pretty good when in action. So to summarize ... stay away from horizontal turns, go up (keep energy) and roll to cut opponents path instead to follow him. I think I got it .

 

Thanks Finkeren!

Sounds like you got it, yeah.

 

I imagine some people asking for advice (not necessarilly you) find it frustrating, when people say of a fighter: “Don’t turn”, because how on Earth can you do air combat without turning?

 

Of course this doesn’t mean that you should never turn when flying Fw 190/La-5. It simply means “don’t try to gain the advantage over your opponent by trying to turn inside him”. Use turns solely as a means to bring yourself in position.

[battlefield_2016]

I guess all La-5 fans wait for La-5FN. 

 

If you can read in Russian, this may help http://www.airpages.ru/ru/aleks.shtml

Edited December 21, 2017 by battlefield_2016

[162nd-YU-rale26]

I guess all La-5 fans wait for La-5FN. 

 

If you can read in Russian, this may help http://www.airpages.ru/ru/aleks.shtml

 

Great article. My Russian is a bit rusty (last time read/spoke 30 years ago) but Google helped on couple of occasions. Wow they rarely had more than 40 rounds/cannon and he considered that enough! Nothing like WWI style dogfight I witnessed yesterday on WOL, with 20 planes furball and bullets spraying all over the place . No matter how much we like the game and how realistic we think the sim is ... it is still just a game . 

[battlefield_2016]

Well, it all depends on what each sim pilot wants from it. For some people it's just an arcade scrimmage, for others - maximum possible approximation to history action. But IL-2 sim serves us all, lots of flexibility. 

[LukeFF]

 

 

Wow they rarely had more than 40 rounds/cannon and he considered that enough!

 

That was an interesting comment, but I can kind of see his point - all of that ammo above 40 rounds was likely to be just excess weight that wouldn't be fired, so why bring it? It seems that logic was carried forward into the La-7, which carried just a 100 rounds per gun in its B.20 configuration.

[Max_Damage]

Great article. My Russian is a bit rusty (last time read/spoke 30 years ago) but Google helped on couple of occasions. Wow they rarely had more than 40 rounds/cannon and he considered that enough! Nothing like WWI style dogfight I witnessed yesterday on WOL, with 20 planes furball and bullets spraying all over the place . No matter how much we like the game and how realistic we think the sim is ... it is still just a game . 

makes us feel bad about our gunnery LOL :D

[162nd-YU-rale26]

makes us feel bad about our gunnery LOL :D

 

Yes, my first thought was ... "maaan I suck big time", stats page being my witness . 

[battlefield_2016]

As the aforementioned article states, "once you are close enough to an enemy plane, it is enough a few rounds". I'm guessing the good pilots at war were coming way too close, less than 100 m. 

[GP*]

Sounds like you got it, yeah.

 

I imagine some people asking for advice (not necessarilly you) find it frustrating, when people say of a fighter: “Don’t turn”, because how on Earth can you do air combat without turning?

 

Of course this doesn’t mean that you should never turn when flying Fw 190/La-5. It simply means “don’t try to gain the advantage over your opponent by trying to turn inside him”. Use turns solely as a means to bring yourself in position.

Aka cut across the bandit’s turn circle. Doesn’t mean you aren’t turning, but your turn rate and energy bleed are much lower. The trade off is increased closure and a more fleeting gunshot.

[Finkeren]

Aka cut across the bandit’s turn circle. Doesn’t mean you aren’t turning, but your turn rate and energy bleed are much lower. The trade off is increased closure and a more fleeting gunshot.

Exactly

[LukeFF]

Do you even imagine what a fighter attack is? That's how my commander Lobanov attacked (I admired!) - goes to the "Messer" from the sun and from 100-120 meters two short turns - ta-dah! ta-dah !, and then he's off! (You can not hang in the attack!) 

 

Edited December 22, 2017 by LukeFF

[Brano]

I read that article,and many more of that kind.Thats why I always grin when I read the posts of so many wannabe hartmans on this forum boasting about their online PvP DF servers experience. Telling us that this is the ultimate experience and doing anything else (SP PvE) is for losers.Nothing to do with how real life was. Just another "I-showed-them-ma-balls" so common for these e-sport fanatics.

[battlefield_2016]

Well, it was always interesting for me to apply some of that knowledge from the wartime pilot memoirs in the sim. I guess, that's why most of us appreciate great in-depth work of the developers and ongoing improvement process. Speaking about La-5-8, I don't give up on its performance, thanks to the F modification and 2 super awesome 20-mm cannons. I just think that learning how to shoot accurately will eventually make all the difference (" When controlled by an experienced pilot, this plane becomes a weapon to be feared"), as advertised, so weapon is the key here 

Edited December 22, 2017 by battlefield_2016

[GridiroN]

I feel perfectly competent in the La5F, but find the La5 much harder to fly. I can very rarely score a kill even against rather poor 109 pilots.

 

I don't know why. Obviously the non F is slower but the stronger engine seems to effect every characteristic of the plane.

 

I think the La5FN is going to be a very different story to the current La5.

[battlefield_2016]

Probably will be the same story as in Yak-1 series 69 and Yak-1b series 127 collector's edition.

[Finkeren]

I feel perfectly competent in the La5F, but find the La5 much harder to fly. I can very rarely score a kill even against rather poor 109 pilots.

 

I don't know why. Obviously the non F is slower but the stronger engine seems to effect every characteristic of the plane.

 

I think the La5FN is going to be a very different story to the current La5.

It’s strange, because the only difference the ASh-82F makes at all, is the removal of the time limit on the low altitude boost.

 

However: Adding more power to an otherwise similar airframe can indeed make a fighter feel better in virtually every respect, which is not surprising, since adding more power and changing nothing else will automatically increase: Top speed, acceleration, climb rate and sustained turn rate resulting in a plane that will feel overall superior. For a clear example of which, look at the difference between the Bf 109 F2 and F4, where practically the only difference is the engine and prop.

 

The La-5FN also has a few aerodynamical and control surface improvements of its predecessors, but its main Selling point is the engine: 150 extra horsepower with no gain in weight, extra drag etc. has the potential to make a huge difference in the overall feel of the aircraft.

Probably will be the same story as in Yak-1 series 69 and Yak-1b series 127 collector's edition.

The 69 vs. 127 is a case of pure aerodynamic refinement. The La-5FN has that and an extra 150hp. There’s going to be a much bigger difference between the two.

[battlefield_2016]

Initially I was disappointed by the La-5 ver 8, it took some time to figure out how to survive against the better planes. I also pre-ordered La-5FN hoping that this version would make some significant difference between the two. Out of all the Soviet planes though, I gotta say, I was impressed by the MiG-3.