historical - yet MiG-21 was an interceptor
F-5E was a lightweight fighter
2 different kind of use.
how about you shot those 9J where they’re really good ?
you need radar gun guidance? i mean i don’t use that because of how unaccurate it is,…
i prefer to rely on my guts (ballistics isn’t hard on those M39 20mm)
it’s not a Delta, and you compare it to a Delta,…
man get your comparison on par for each side before comparing shit.
means you don’t manage your energy
means you do use 9J while turnfighting as if it has any 50G capability (remember only 20G)
so 9J missiles are efficient between 1.1km-2km (3km max) but you use those at ranges like 0.6-1km?
nothing prevents you to turn around the furball fight to reach bases,… and running away? with the current max speed of the aircraft it never have been an option to begin with,…
EDIT: I just made some game to tests and those went as follow:
1st game - J-7E + Sea Harrier FRS.1 at the same time (got the harrier, then all my team came after 2 min)
2nd game - F-4J then MiG-21 Lazur-M then Su-25T, and ended battling with a F-5E (china) over his airfield
3rd game - At the same time : MiG-21MF and J-35XS then head-on with J-35D (both him and me dead)
Just learn to manage your energy and search your modifications (you’re new to the F-5E (17 games / 12kills for 11 deaths)
still no,… you compare aircrafts which design purposes are different from F-5E (which is still a lightweight fighter base of CAS variants US F-5A/F-5C)
Wait a sec what did you say about the F8U? This thing absolutely dominates most jet fighters. Unless you’re talking about the F-16, JAS 39, or J-10, nothing else really stands a chance!
F-5s have an insane damage model that can shrug off lethal damage like its nothing
F-5s have the coldest engines in game that are almost impossible to lock onto with some IR missile. 1 tap flare defeat of most IRCCM missiles, let alone anything else
EEGS with some of the best canons in game
Very capable dogfighter that easily beats most other aircraft at its BR
As it stands, the F-5C & E might be undertiered at their respective BRs. I hate fighting them in things like the Sea Harrier.
Some pointers when flying the F-5E (or any F-5 really):
Stay above 0.85 Mach - your engines produce their optimal thrust above these speeds and allows you to out energy any other plane (especially delta wings) in a wide upwards spiral.
Climb to just below the cons, flying in a slight notch to be prepared to defend against Fox 1 launches against you. Dive down on the furball once it has developed, singling out low energy planes who are currently focused on your teammates. These are the people who are your main targets for missiles.
I personally fly out with 30m of fuel, as you’ll be in full burner for majority of your flight. This gives you enough fuel to chase down stragglers towards the end of the match. You shouldn’t be dogfighting below 0.85 mach when above 20 minutes of fuel.
This contradicts the second dot point but try and make highly dangerous planes your priority (J-7Es, other F-5s etc) as on the second sortie, these planes become the bane of your existence. Ignore the attackers and eliminate your main threats first.
Turn off your radar, you won’t be needing it. The radar gunsight is barely functional and it’s just better if you learn the ballistics yourself. Otherwise it just gives you away when you are otherwise unspotted.
i see what you mean by f5e beat f8u which actually can if the f5e more competed it’s not as if the f5e/c are bad it just that f8u is busted only in Cheak because of it slower speeds
While the F-8U beats the F-5C/E 7 out of 10 times, it’s not just numbers. The F-8U turn a12/11G turns at 800 km/h while the F-5E only manages 10/11G at the same speed. The F-8U also has a higher angle of attack, so it’s way better at positioning and staying on target.
F-5E guns lose velocity after about 1 km, which makes them less effective the F-8U’s guns may have a shorter range, but they retain most of its speed and stay more accurate up close mid-range
the F-8U, with 20 minutes of fuel and 2 AIM-9Cs, maxes out at 1220 km/h. The F-5E, with 2 AIM-9Ps, hits 1270 km/h, but that’s where the close performance ends
At lower speeds, the F-5E turns into a light bus, while the F-8U stays like a 4x4 truck.
While I love the F-5E, it’s a close call. If two skilled pilots were going at it, I’d say it’s 60% for the F-8U, 40% for the F-5E.