Aermacchi MB-326K and why it shouldn't lose its weapons to place it at lower BR

Dev Server "Spearhead" General Discussion - Dev Server
,
1

Hello! Yesterday when I was watching devstream I was disappointed a lot by 2 facts regarding MB-326K, but one of them seems to hopefully be neglected (it was shown as a premium, but it seems it’s eventually coming as a TT plane), although there is another issue with this plane: it loses stuff which actually makes it a K variant - a single seat dedicated attacker variant, it loses an access to AAMs and AGMs.

You can say that the plane would be in the better spot without such equipment, but you will say so if you don’t know about the existence of other earlier variants of this plane, as well as the MB-339 model, of which variants without guided weapons exist.

These are variants of 326 and 339, which are supposed to be placed around BRs which underarmed MB-326K takes now:

There is a manufacturer’s brochure showing R550 Magic I missiles and mentioning other features of the plane:

Spoiler

Screenshot_20251025_083408
Screenshot_20251025_083408863×1216 752 KB

Screenshot_20251025_083332
Screenshot_20251025_083332844×1223 736 KB

Screenshot_20251025_083243
Screenshot_20251025_083243853×1525 1.04 MB

Screenshot_20251020_123237
Screenshot_20251020_123237864×1173 841 KB

There are also suggestions about 2 variants of MB-326K (early and late):

I understand when sometimes planes jet worse loadouts to keep them at lower BR, but in this case with other existing “missileless” variants of 326 I just don’t see the reason to implement it without significant amount of this weapons.
We already have other subsonic jets, some with even lower speeds which have full weapons choice and are placed at higher BR, like AMX, A-10, Su-25, upcoming HAWK, A-6 and etc.
The addition of cut MB-326K also put less armed Aermacchi variants under question, because it basically takes their place and I think, I am not the only player, who would like to see Aermacchi planes represented in the game with as wide variety as possible. Aermacchi jets are very important for the Italian TT, they are supposed to fill many empty areas and make research more interesting giving the player multiple domestic designs and not just other nations leased stuff.

So, after you’ve just read my post and maybe learn more about MB-326K, I suggest to leave your opinion here and vote if you agree that other less armed could be added around current BRs, while MB-326K should get its advanced weapons (R550 and AS.12) at higher BR or not:

Should MB-326K get its guided weapons in exchange for higher BR?

  • Yes
  • No
0 voters

PS maybe until we get earlier variants of 326 or other planes to fill 6.x-8.x area, 326K can remain underarmed as a placeholder, but once they appear K variant should definitely receive its R550 and AS.12.
Edit: R550 seem to be mockups on photos.

7 Likes
2

I want it to be 7.0 for my ground and naval lineups.
It’s fine not having IR missiles.

I have other CAS platforms for higher BRs.

1 Like
3

yes this

i want a version of this thing at 7.0ish, but a version with as12s would be great, though i dont think one with magic 1s would be very fun (unless it got CMs then maybe) as it would have to go very high in BR

2 Likes
4

Italy is in a sore spot for CAS at most BRs. I’d rather the MB went to help a more common lineup (at least for GRB) than 7.0. Ideally though, we wouldn’t have to choose one BR and we would get an early + late MB326

2 Likes
5

7.0 and 7.7 are common lineups for Italy.
Italy already has great CAS for 8.3 to top BR far better than MB326.

It has none as good as MB326 at 7.0.

1 Like
6

As I said there are other two seat variants of 326 with bombs, rockets and gunpods, which could come to these brs, there is just no need to cut the best one. 326K can also receive ballistic computer as mentioned in Aermacchi publication.
As I said until earlier variants of 326 (B, E, G) or other planes like MB-339 (A, X), S.211 and G.82 come, MB-326K can work as a placeholder, but when these planes will come, there is no reason for keeping limits to K variant performance.
Although I find it important to tell this to developers right now, so we won’t need to wait for too long between the addition of less armed jets and the introduction of guided weapons for MB-326K.

4 Likes
7

Alvis there are two tanks at 7.0 sure theres a lot of 6.7s that you can drag up but surely then it would be better to get new 6.7 cas instead

Mind you i still think they should add this (or a different) one at 7.0 and another at a higher br with more stuff

1 Like
8

No, it should not receive any missile, that would mean ruining it…
It doesn’t have the performance to do well in higher tiers and it’s flareless…

2 Likes
9

The assigned BR is perfect. There’s no point in giving it magic AAM; the platform is unsuitable for higher BR.

4 Likes
10

You entirely omitted 7.7.

11

Yeah because 7.0 has limited taks 7.7 does not

12

All they have to do is rename it to “MB-326K (Early)”, problem solved

3 Likes
13

Unless it also gets flare dispensers, this plane should not get AAM and guided ordinance, the R550 is just too good of a missile for a plane without flares to have

14

It could mount flare dispensers, according to some sources.

15

The model in the game is the 326 K – RS-25 mm. MM54391 C/n (msn): 6478/219. Now, apart from the engine that needs to be fixed — since this one had the Viper 632 installed — there’s nothing else to say except that the Zuni rockets and the 12.7 mm gun pods are missing.

Then there’s the fact that the brochure and some marketing photos show it equipped with Magic missiles (which were actually just internal mock-ups), but that’s another story, since, as Aermacchi itself stated, there was the possibility of integrating air-to-air missiles, though they were never actually fitted on this aircraft.

What you’re looking for is the Impala Mk II, which was upgraded with flares, RWM and missiles — but that’s a different aircraft, that has the orginal viper 540.

Also, it’s rather curious what you’d want to do with a CAS plane that has an underpowered engine (Atals used the original viper 540 due to embargo) and Magic missiles…

2 Likes
16

So far I haven’t seen any proof of that claim and missiles don’t look like mock-ups.

17

Dummy, inert missile, a piece of plastic and metal — does that look like the nose cone of an operational Magic? Besides the blue stripes, you can clearly see it’s a dummy; it’s not even an inert one with an active seeker for training.

IMG_0499
IMG_04991170×1455 1.65 MB

1 Like
18

What you want is this, ok but it’s another plane, atlas impala MKII
IMG_0498

1 Like
19

Blue stripes means dummy? Honestly I haven’t noticed the front part, but couldn’t it just be a seeker coverage (I’ve seen something similar in other photos of Magics but with a bit different form)? Though the form is kinda solid, it seems you are right, thanks 👍
I’ve also seen a video in which they show R550 installation, but it’s probably a different plane.
(From 08:00)

20

it’s a mirage III

IMG_0505
IMG_05052532×1170 1.83 MB

IMG_0504
IMG_05042532×1170 2.46 MB

IMG_0506
IMG_05062532×1170 1.58 MB

2 Likes