Question About the L-39

[Bersagliere81]

I am considering to buy this bird. It's been in my wish list from several months now.

 

Can anyone tell me how does it perform on multiplayer, such as buddyspike server?

Keep in mind I fly a lot my MiG21, and although the F-5 would be a better choice (my other choice in my wishlist), the F-5 looks too similar to my MiG at first view.

 

The L-39 looks interesting for low flying hunting helicopters and drop few random bombs.

 

What are your suggestions?

[sea2sky]

First of all, I have to say L-39 is one of the finest modules. Everything, graphics, flight model, systems - all is a top notch implementation. I wish every module would be of its quality. Secondly, I've never looked at L-39 as a combat bird, I just enjoy flying it )). And finally, I have F-5 and Mig-21 as well, and I have to say there is a whole world of difference in between them, not in favor of Mig unfortunately (because I love Mig for it is brutality, it is like flying an axe, you know).

Edited February 15, 2017 by sea2sky

[-Martin-]

Dear Bersagliere,

 

I think that I can give you a competent assessment of this plane. I fly it a lot in MP and it is my second the most favourite plane.

 

In MP L-39 is primarily an F-5 hunter in the ACG server. It has a better turn rate, no smoke exhaust visible from kilometres as other planes and excellent low speed handling so flying it low in circles will give you some kills against F-5s trying to do circles with you. In my experience way more kills than Mig-21. In my eyes Mig-21 is as a dog-fighter clearly inferior to F-5.

 

On the other hand, I would avoid fighting A-10 in L-39. A-10 has possibly the same turn rate but it is faster and one missile is not enough to take it down. I have never managed to take A-10 down, twice I got a damage but they survived. On the other hand, I was shot down by A-10 at least 3 times.

 

About helicopter hunting, I do not think L-39 is a plane for that. They are hard to visually spot and track by an IR missile seeker, so something with EOS or radar such as Su-27 would be much more effective. Furthermore, L-39ZA's gun is not the best for air combat. Normally, you cannot use it even in medium AOA turns. It is possible to override this, but as the button doing this cannot be mapped to your HOTAS, setting your gun ready in a stressful fight is difficult. There is however a trick you can use to mitigate this: You set your gun ready before entering a combat but do not charge it. Once you need your gun you simply charge it and it is ready to go. Thanks to this I have killed even one F-5 with guns.

 

L-39 is furthermore a joy to fly even in SP. Navigation flights are great: There is one training mission where your outside vision is obscured by a hood so you must fly only by instruments. Or you can set up a night flight or bad whether conditions and try to land using the RSBN system. The ARC system is better and actually practically usable in L-39 in comparison to Mig-21.

 

L-39 has also great failure and structural damage model. You can lose your wings by pulling too hard, you can get engine fire and put it down, you can do emergency landing on a road with actual need for emergency hydraulics system to operate emergency breaks if you use all the main hydraulics pressure on airbrakes. It is not like Mig-21 where you usually always explode.

 

So, looking at your planes, I would say go for it. You already have Hawk, which is supposed to be a similar plane, but has the plane actually delivered the same fidelity as L-39? (Just asking, I do not have it.) Also, L-39 has the same engine simulation as A-10C. On the other hand, to be fair, if I consider bundle (Mig-21 + L-39) vs (F-5) I would say (F-5) was better as you would get something in between Mig-21 and L-39 in a single plane. But you already have Mig-21. So a more natural choice would be L-39 in my opinion. You use Mig-21 as an interceptor as it was designed and L-39 to kill F-5s and enjoy an excellent plane modelling. As I do.

 

Martin

[Bersagliere81]

Those advices are great thank you.

Yes I do have the Hawk and I not regret it, but it is there waiting for better times to come.

I guess my choice will be for the first module to be on sale, but in the long run , I will surely buy both of them

[Bersagliere81]

Deleted - double post