So, I thought I’d try the F3H-2 for the novelty of the semi-active radar AIM-7 missile. However, it seems it just doesn’t work. At all. Doesn’t even try to work. Get a radar lock on potential target, activate the seeker and…. Nothing aside from a brief ‘power on’ message at the bottom of the screen. At first I put it down to possible ground clutter, but when I was at 20k’ with an oncoming target above me and just clear sky as a background, and still nothing happened after radar lock, I started to think “maybe it just doesn’t work?”
Went into Test Flight with the FGR.2 and same story: AIM-7 just makes no effort to acquire the locked target. Not sure if it ever worked, as I recall always switching to the Sidewinders as the range closed whenever I flew the FGR.2 in the past.
In case you think I’ve not bound the right keys, I’ll point out that I have got a radar kill with the R511 ‘worst radar missile in the game’ and when I go to Test Flight with that one and fire up the seeker after getting a radar lock the missile immediately goes to ACQ - you know, actually tries to do something - and will lock on to the target. It’s just the Sparrows I have access to just don’t even try.
Known issue? Gaijin special rule just for me? Some other keybind all the tutorials and videos forgot to mention? Anyone else able to make them work?
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The aim-7c/e are nerf to the ground they don’t work 90% of time and when they do they when u fire the lock drops and ur missile docent hit the F3H-2 ur better off using the aim-9B sadly I wish the devs did not make the missiles be so bad and un barrel Bal to use
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Thanks for reply; at least it’s not just me then. Thing is, it’s not that they’re nerfed by being unrealistically ineffective or hard to lock, but that they simply don’t even try to work in the first place.
I’ve taken the Sparrows out of my FGR.2 Presets: 800 kg weight saving for no capability loss. My first inclination regarding the F3H was to leave it and not bother, as the time to spade would be better spent on the Starfighters, Corsair IIs, Crusaders, Phantoms and A-10 I have unlocked and purchased in the 9.7 - 10.7 bracket. I already have all the other 9.0/3 US aircraft spaded and didn’t need another 9B-slinger. Turns out I was right to not bother with the F3H, as it doesn’t add anything.
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Aim7c is honestly probably the worst SARH. It works but you need a rather strong return for it to lock.
The aim7e worked for my in test flight. It did have issues locking but only when the plane was outside of the missiles effective range.
Yeah, i find its engine underpowered and its missile selection doesnt help much.
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AIM-7C is basically only there to go for straight (literally, any maneuvers will throw it off) flying folks at high alt.
The 7E is a massive improvement though but only starts pulling after a certain distance. I recommend using it at mid and high altitudes still. It’s not a 7E-2 however so before getting that or skyflash dont expect anything absolutely stellar.
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Worst than Super 530F?
Worst than R530?
Worst than R511?
I don’t think so.
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AIM-7C is garbage but AIM-7E is fine at around 11.0 on the likes of the F-4EJ. It tracks fine you just have a small window where it works regarding range
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For me the 7C/E don’t even try to acquire. Doesn’t matter what the lock is - it can be ‘heart of the envelope’ according to the tick marks on the radar - they just do not go into ‘ACQ’ when the seeker is powered up. The R511 does at least try to acquire when I power up the seeker.
Interesting that for some at least the 7C/E do try to lock on.
Mind, Gaijin have big grubby fingers on the scales when it comes to how good/bad all missiles perform. I closed on a group of AI B-57 bombers in an F-104 from dead astern for a mile or two, and the 9B wouldn’t lock until I was breaking off to avoid flying up the jet pipe of the B-57.
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Personally i like the Aim 7 C despite its drawbacks.
After all you get a Early Radar with a Early SAHR missile so its bound to have some issues.
For the lock problems, for me its works best if the enemy comes at me and i launch them ideally at 5-6km.
under it the sparrow will probably miss since it starts tracking just 1-2 sec after launch like the Aim 7Es.
If the enemy is flying away from you its much harder to get a lock but from what i remember/tested you can get a lock from around 3km > .
if he flys from left to right etc it can differ, sometimes you get at 4-5km a lock, maby only at 3km but i wouldnt recomend it tu use it under 5km since the missile need the 1-2 sec to start turning and will hit its 15g very fast or it drains its speed compleatly in the turn before reaching its target.
But its best used when he comes straight at you and for the unsuspecting in rear aspect.
9Bs get a easier lock but have a much shorter range and are a lot slower, i think 7C hits mach 3.5 while 9Bs only go mach 1.7.
and of course you will have a much bedder time with them in a full downtier since a lot of the 8.0 jets still climb a lot so its easier to get a solid lock and yeet the 7C from further away at them and your afterburner helps a lot to get up to speed.
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AIM-7C is good if used correctly. i once got more kills than what some YouTubers claim they ever got with it in 1 game (3 7C kills out of 7 total in 1 game). and also multiple games where both of the AIM-7Cs i carry get kills.
Aim 7E is usable against people in low-energy states, but those would be easy to gun kill anyway. The main issue is that it doesn’t pull in the initial phase of launch and they need to build up some speed to maneuver, but then the motor burns out and they bleed speed very fast with any turn.
Aim 7C is dead weight most of the time and it barely works to kill AI planes, they have incredibly limited parameters where they can “work”. They are essentially an even slower Aim-7E that can’t get fast enough to pull anything useful against a maneuvering target.
Forgot to mention that most of the planes that use these have incredibly bad radars that usually get a lock away too late for those missiles to have time to build speed and maneuver
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Yes
Yes
Also yes.
Play an aircraft that has an Aim-7C and quit your french comfort zone before moaning.
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The R511 is on another trash level. It works wonders against tu-4’s but that’s about it. Id rather have the manually guided ones.
The R511 is guided by 2 drunk french soldiers babbling radio commands, one for the X plane yaw and another for the Y plane.
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I reliably managed to use it on the Mirage IIIC without needing it at all, as you get a highly competitive SARH even from the get go (530).
Tell me which alternative e.g the F3H-2 has to the AIM-7C, i’ll wait.
On the mirage 3c I only used the IR 530 on the center pilon, the R511 is just a meme missile. Anything it can hit you can also easily gun down.
I only used a loadout with 1 or 2 R511 in the voiture because it often meets tu-4’s and those are helpless against it. But the AA-20 nords would work about the same and are better for everything else
The F3H-2 alternative for the Aim-7C is to forget about it and run 4x aim-9b
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If that’s your solution, then remove the missile and lower the plane’s br, as the current placement has its radar missiles considered, its top speed is decent but overall it’s FM ain’t the best.
I’d rather prefer a slight buff to the 7C, but if not, that’s the other feasible scenario.
Do I look like a gaijin employee?
No, but your answer of just pretending that the missile doesn’t exist while keeping things as they’re, isn’t really a decent solution proposal.
The AIM-7C works very well if the plane you are targeting are at 10.000 meters, going subsonic, going straight towards you while the pilot is blind and deaf.
Not the best missile