Recommend a collector plane!

[CCIP]

So, this autumn sale is happening - and as a moderate-hour BoX player (slightly better than casual, but it's something I play on and off rather than constantly), I'm tempted to use this chance to snag one, maybe at most two collector planes to add to my stable. I was wondering if the more seasoned flyers might have suggestions for me, based on my current preferences. So, my options: 

- P-40
- MC202
- HS 129
- Spitfire Mk.V

Some considerations: 
-I mostly fly single-player (campaign or PWCG)
-I mostly prefer planes with some ground-attack capability
-Planes I like/am already pretty good with: IL-2, Bf-109F, Bf-110, P-39
-Planes I don't like/am not yet good with: I-16, MiG-3, Fw-190, Ju-87

Any thoughts and suggestions?  

[Guest deleted@134347]

I have all of them. But lately i've been enjoying HS129 as a tank buster. It's an extremely balanced and stable platform for the 37mm AP ammo. Compared to IL2 it has 2 engines and the the view in front of your canopy is unobstructed. It's a very easy plane to fly, you just need to learn 1.1ata for unlimited flight or Supercharged at 1.25ata for 30 mins. No rads to worry about.. just point and shoot.

[40plus]

I was about to type the same thing as moosya but hit refresh first so now I don't need to. I have them all, my recommendation is for the HS129 . . .so many guns

[CCIP]

2 minutes ago, moosya said:

I have all of them. But lately i've been enjoying HS129 as a tank buster. It's an extremely balanced and stable platform for the 37mm AP ammo. Compared to IL2 it has 2 engines and the the view in front of your canopy is unobstructed. It's a very easy plane to fly, you just need to learn 1.1ata for unlimited flight or Supercharged at 1.25ata for 30 mins. No rads to worry about.. just point and shoot.

 Yeah I've been eyeing it with interest for those reasons! I'm not too proficient with multi-engine (although I've found the 110 pretty easy to get used to and have mostly flown it as an attack plane), but the weapon set-up seems pretty appealing and it sounds like the visibility is a big plus on that as well. 

Thanks both of you for the input on that! Definitely considering it...

 

[Cpt_Cool]

I would recommend the P-40. Takes a little getting used to the engine limits, but very rewarding. Very tough and just disintegrates whatever gets in the way of the .50s. Shines as a ground attacker and bomber killer. (Early Moscow career was a lot of interception for me ?). 

[VBF-12_Stick-95]

Haven't flown them all....mainly VVS.  The Spit Vb gets better the more I fly it.  The cannon can be as devastating as the 23mm on the LaGG-3 but use them sparingly.

[WheelwrightPL]

HS 129 is the only logical choice if you prefer ground pounding. It is quite powerful (able to destroy T34 in one pass), easy to fly and easy to land. And as you become more proficient with it you can turn on boost, switch to manual engine management, and adjust prop pitch yourself. This will allow you to squeeze some extra performance out of the plane (which it sorely needs BTW).

[Bullets]

Hurricane!!!!!!.................. oh wait

[CCIP]

Cheers! 

I'm not too too worried about the manual engine management - I've got a throttle quadrant so it usually helps cover everything, it's usually just the engine-out flying and extra torque problems that trip me up early on, especially when I get too used to the single-engine stuff. I'm pretty sure I will have to get the HS-129 though since it's really the most direct comparison to the IL-2 otherwise (and it seems like that it could give the Shturmovik a run for its money in some respects). 

Between the three single-engine flyers on my list, which one would you recommend as a fighter-bomber? I've never really flown the P-40 except air-to-air in the old IL-2, and I was really terrible at it (at least when it came to fighting other fighters) - never bombed anything with it though! I do love the Spit overall, and many ages ago was a big fan of the Mk.V I flew in the old IL-2 (mostly hunting bombers, though), and turning fighters are usually not my strong point (though the Spit does seem to have plenty of flexibility with climbing/diving tactics too, last I checked). MC 202 would be totally foreign territory for me - I've read some very good things about the real plane, but I've got no clue how it stacks up in IL-2! 

 

Edited October 22, 2018 by CCIP

[CrazyDuck]

Hs 129 first and P-40 second place are my suggestions.

 

 

38 minutes ago, moosya said:

It's an extremely balanced and stable platform for the 37mm AP ammo.

 

No 37 mm weapon on the Duck, but I agree, 30 mm Mk 103 (and 101) are still quite potent AT weapons, with the Henschel being an excellent gun platform, enabling you to snipe those tanks like a boss. Just remember to avoid prolonged fire with these cannons, as they get fairly inaccurate after first couple of shots.

[-SF-Disarray]

Of the single engine planes on your list CCIP, the P-40 is the best fighter-bomber. The Spit 5, if I'm remembering properly, has no bombs available in game but if it has bomb options they probably won't be very big bombs. The 202 can carry some small bombs, but it is a fighter first and foremost and not bad in that role.

[Jade_Monkey]

I'd say the Hs129 but the big guns dont do a thing against tanks in game. You might get a bit of smoke after several proper bursts at a good angle. 

The Mc202 is cool, not the best armament but it's definitely an interesting plane.

P40... Meh. 

Spitfire is also cool, but if you have BoBP id just stick to the mk.IXe.

[ShamrockOneFive]

The P-40 is one of those aircraft that I have a love/heat relationship with. It looks great. It's classic. Not a great fighter although it can certainly be effective.

 

As a fighter-bomber I've had a lot of fun with it.

[US63_SpadLivesMatter]

The P-40, once you get used to the engine management is a joy to fly, very versatile, and the .50 cals are a lot of fun.

[Lusekofte]

I would say the P 40 is right in your alley  . I like it more than the P 39 myself. With extra ammo bombs and rockets it give a great punch. But it is heavy and will not compete well in a ground attack mode against a BF 109.

For that you need to take away a couple of guns and go low fuel. 

I never blown its engine, I guess I am too cautious and fly too slow worrying about blowing it up. They say tolerance is too restrict. I enjoy the HS 129 , but that is because it is a underdog , and it really do not match the 110´s in anything, I find it to be just as easy to shoot down by AA as the 110.

[WheelwrightPL]

20 minutes ago, Jade_Monkey said:

I'd say the Hs129 but the big guns dont do a thing against tanks in game. You might get a bit of smoke after several proper bursts at a good angle.

 

That's incorrect: it takes some practice and skill but you can destroy even T34s in one single burst of Mk 103 cannon (I can attach my replay if you want).

KV1s not so much, in fact I never even caused one to smoke.

[sevenless]

Take the P40. You can fly it in BoM, BoS and BoK connected career. So if you survive you have 3 years of combat ahead. Furthermore you can´t beat a cult plane which Wild Bill Kelso flew:

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2018 by sevenless

[NO_SQDeriku777]

Jumping on this as well.  What Single Russian Kuban era collector plane would you buy if you wanted the most play options on MP servers?

[CanadaOne]

I love me the Yak-1b.

 

Flies beautifully and with the limited ammo you end up turning the plane into a sniper rifle.

[CCIP]

I didn't realize the P-40 had rocket loadouts too! That is a big selling point for me too then  I might just give it a whirl and see how it does for me - good point on it being in all 3 campaigns, too.

 

I might just give it a try then (since it's currently on the 50% off discount) and see if I'm still feeling the urge to get the Hs 129 or one of the other ones right away or not - given my usual flying time, it might just give me enough to do until the inevitable Christmas sale anyway!

[Rjel]

I love the Mc.202 to just funfly. It's just a joy to ride around in.

[Manstein16]

The Hs 129 is easily my favorite awkward airplane. It is quite underpowered, the engine controls are complicated even if you're used to CEM, and the lack of a rear gunner can make it a death trap in multiplayer. That being said, ground attacks in it are a great deal of fun, especially with the wide range of weapons mods available. Mk 101, Mk 103, MG pods, bombs, you name it. I've even come to really enjoy the engine management despite its quirkiness.

 

This engine guide is a must-read if you end up with the Hs 129:

 

https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php?topic=58022.0

 

Finally, Scharfi's vids provide a great example of what the plane can do if you happen to have her combination of piloting skills and an extremely fast gunnery computer for a brain.

 

 

[Volkoff]

47 minutes ago, Manstein16 said:

Finally, Scharfi's vids provide a great example of what the plane can do if you happen to have her combination of piloting skills and an extremely fast gunnery computer for a brain.

 

Scharfi is a force of nature. I love her videos. She is amazing. And I appreciate your take on the HS 129. I have that ride under consideration as my next Collector plane. Thanks for your input! S!

 

[CCIP]

Wow! That is not something I expected the Hs 129 to do, especially after all the notes about it being "underpowered" - very impressive indeed  

I will end up with the Hs 129 eventually, only question is when! I've ended up picking up the P-40E after getting home from work after all - but we'll see how it goes from there, I have a few days to think about it. I may just wait until the next sale, which is not a knock against the plane or any of the great responses I got! I just want to give each of the planes I've got a fair run, and not break my wallet while I'm at it too... But mark my words, I will get that Hs 129 one time or another.

 

[Volkoff]

 

3 hours ago, CCIP said:

Between the three single-engine flyers on my list, which one would you recommend as a fighter-bomber? 
 

 

I would totally recommend getting the P-40E1. What a great ride.

[-SF-Disarray]

2 hours ago, NO_SQDeriku777 said:

Jumping on this as well.  What Single Russian Kuban era collector plane would you buy if you wanted the most play options on MP servers?

 

On the Soviet side for Kuban it is a bit of a toss up, especially when you throw in MP server availability. The Spitfire mk 5 is a good plane but when put up against 109 G's and 190's it is a hard fight, the engine just isn't quite powerful enough for a strait fight. In pairs they can work wonders with maneuverability though. The other option would be the LA-5-FN. The engine is a power house and at full power settings you can climb like a rocket and run down even 190 A5's if you fly well. The down side is you can only run the engine at full power for 10 minutes, which is a long time but still. Fuel is also an issue as the FN downs it like the stuff is going out of style. The MP availability for both these planes is heavily dependent on server. Some servers, like Knights of the Air, run maps with both these planes available in numbers regularly. On other servers, WoL for example, run missions with them available less often and sometimes their availability is limited.

[CCIP]

My first impressions of the P-40 are very good indeed - it's definitely coming off as a very stable airplane that's very pleasant to fly and climbs/dives very well compared to a lot of the Russian aircraft I'm used to. It may indeed turn out a favourite after I work out its kinks a bit more

And yeah, I'm not a huge expert on multiplayer, but the Spit V seems like a logical choice if you're looking to be competitive as a fighter online, especially if you're not too much into the Russian fighters. At the very least, it does open up a wider range of options to fight Bf-109Fs on good terms than you'd have with just the default plane set(s).

[Ehret]

1 hour ago, Disarray said:

The other option would be the LA-5-FN. The engine is a power house and at full power settings you can climb like a rocket and run down even 190 A5's if you fly well. The down side is you can only run the engine at full power for 10 minutes, which is a long time but still.

 

10m of full power is fantastic, actually. Compare it to just 2m of the full WEP in the P-39 and the FN perform well on continuous, too.

The FN's major weakness is relatively low red-line, thought. Axis fighters are capable outrunning her in dives.

[-SF-Disarray]

Well there is that, and the poor elevator authority, but we can't have everything. And the full power being limited is only a downside, in my opinion, when compared to the LA 5F's unlimited full power capabilities. While the FN produces more power on the top end then the F you could, in theory, run an FN into the ground if you could drag the fight out long enough and press the need for maximum power throughout; probably would have to have a few opponents to do that though.

[=EXPEND=CG_Justin]

P-40 without a doubt. The Hs129 is a great aircraft when flown well, but I'm afraid being new to the plane you may get frustrated by the woeful lack of power and it will end up collecting dust in your hangar (as is my case). Either way, all the planes you mentioned are good in one way or another, but the P-40 does better at multi-role more so than the others. I have seen only a handful of people who can really squeeze the usefulness out of the Duck, but ymmv.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2018 by =BAIT=CG_Justin

[CrazyDuck]

10 hours ago, Jade_Monkey said:

I'd say the Hs129 but the big guns dont do a thing against tanks in game. You might get a bit of smoke after several proper bursts at a good angle. 

 

Well, the Mk103 (with AP rounds) is quite potent vs all but heaviest russian tanks. Yes, KV monstrosities are merely chuckling when you tickle them with it, but if you are not consistently able to destroy (explode, not only smoke) a T-34 with the Mk 103 in a single or max two passes, then you are doing something wrong.

 

Another point worth mentioning is that contrary to the IL-2, you retain your 20mm ammo (and there's plenty to go round, 250 rounds per gun) for soft targets or air to air in parallel to your central antitank weapon. On IL-2 your AT weapon is your main weapon whichever it is, and all that's left is a pair of puny ShKAS MGs.

[Diggun]

The P.40 is a pretty potent ground attacker when it comes to convoys  / soft targets, the problem is that when their 109 / 190 shaped friends turn up to express their displeasure, you're generally low and slow, and climbing is not the p.40's p.forte (doyouseewhatididthere?!?).

 

If you do happen to have a spare $13.99, the Spit V. is, imho, an absolute dream to fly (and fight, as long as you truly believe in convergence and absolutely exercise very good trigger discipline - them six seconds of 20mm squirt don't last long at all - but they are devastating - & the .303's are mainly good for causing irritation). One of my favourite things to do in the Spit is run high alt recon missions spotting targets on Coconut Expert. Choose a nice PRU blue or pink, and zoom around providing intel.....

[szelljr]

PO 2...

[Volkoff]

How do players feel about the BF-109G6? Is he competitive with late war red team fighters? Can he reliably run from red fighters? If I get the Bf-109G6, I would primarily use him as a bomber interceptor. He seems to have very impressive fire power. 

Edited October 23, 2018 by NewGuy_

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

Nope, don’t plan on winning any foot races in a G6. Start with an altitude advantage and keep your E up. She’s in the just good enough category with excellent firepower. I like it well enough but she doesn’t do anything in a superior way. Too heavy for zoom climbs or knife fighting. Tactics are closer to the 190 than any other 109 at your disposal.

[sevenless]

33 minutes ago, NewGuy_ said:

How do players feel about the BF-109G6? Is he competitive with late war red team fighters? Can he reliably run from red fighters? If I get the Bf-109G6, I would primarily use him as a bomber interceptor. He seems to have very impressive fire power. 

 

It is the best german fighter. Some may prefer the FW 190s, but I think the G6 is more agile. And you can´t beat that 30mm and the 13mm guns.

 

Some old discussion on it here:

 

 

Edited October 23, 2018 by sevenless

[THERION]

7 minutes ago, NewGuy_ said:

How do players feel about the BF-109G6? Is he competitive with late war red team fighters? Can he reliably run from red fighters? If I get the Bf-109G6, I would primarily use him as a bomber interceptor. He seems to have very impressive fire power. 

 

Hi,

 

I've got all the collector's planes just to support the team. But why choose another BF-109 when you got already 3 or 4 of them in the game? If you cannot afford

all of them, then better choose a special one like one of the LA5s, the HS129 or even the JU52, which is really great fun to fly and operate.

 

Cheerio

[LeLv76_Erkki]

14 minutes ago, NewGuy_ said:

How do players feel about the BF-109G6? Is he competitive with late war red team fighters? Can he reliably run from red fighters? If I get the Bf-109G6, I would primarily use him as a bomber interceptor. He seems to have very impressive fire power. 

 

Unless you really really want the Mk108, other Gs and the F-4 are all better. F-2 is surprisingly close. G-6 heavy and has those MG bulges, wing bulges and non-retracting tail wheel that all slow it down.

[wtornado]

No laughing ?

 

I like flying the JU-52.

 

You can make coffee and sandwiches in back while the gunner reaches the skies for trouble.

[Bullets]

Gloucester Meteor. 100% will Give the 262 something to have fun with. 

 

& Hurricane 10000% ?