Hi.
I’m looking for a premium aircraft, at high tier, mainly to farm SL. I already have the MirageF1 C200, it’s good, if used carefuly, but it’s too frustrating to not be able to engage anything in turn fight.
So for the next one, the main condition is that it must be good in A2A, especially in dogfight. With Mirage 2000 I am able to handle almost anything, even F5s, and I would like to have the same ability.
But at the moment I can’t choose between the US F5C, F4S (knowing it’s not suitable for dogfight) and the russian Mig23ML.
F5C seems to have an intense and fun gameplay. Fast, great dogfighter, mainly gunfights (because of the maximum of 2 AIM9E). And a BR where missiles are less capable and easier to dodge.
Mig23 seems more versatile in A2A with its payload (4 R60 and 2 R23) and it seems to be quite good in 1vs1 close fight. Also higher BR, so a bit more SL.
I have no preference between US and russian top tier jets.
There is also the F4S but it’s definitely not suitable for dogfights (from what I see in the games). Does it compensate with effective fox1s? (which is not the case for the Mirage F1)
I would be happy to read opinions about those aircrafts from those who know them well. It may help me to choose.
The F-5C is an excellent dogfighter, but from my experience 10.3 US seems to be getting a lot of uptiers to 11.0/11.3, where the F-5C isn’t as potent. (still a great plane though)
The F-4S is essentially an F-4J with slats to improve turn performance, the AIM-7Fs are pretty good though, and it gets and HMD which makes using the AIM-Gs a lot easier.
As for the MiG-23ML, it is a solid air frame with good missiles. Probably the best bang per buck out of the bunch. Can’t go wrong with it.
If you haven’t already I suggest watching a couple videos on each if you’re really curious. There’s loads on all three and just watching gameplay is good enough to tell which one is the best for you. Taking each out in test flights it also a very good option too.
F4s.
Basebombing/rocket runs. 5x radar + 2 aim9 or 4 x radar + 4 aim9’s
Rather slow, bulky, and aim 7’s are quite unreliable, groundhuggers are 99% miss.
Other thing what I’ve noted that when you launch, and enemy just makes a small notching towards ground even that it’s 3km hier altitude vs you, the 7F will go to ground.
Good radar tough.
Mig-23ML , 2 awesome radar missiles and 4 all aspect R60M’s
Fast, seriously fast. Not a dogfighter , but I like it more compared on F4s.
Just speed trough, try to take 2 radar kills, turn around, use your all aspects on your way to reload and repeat.
So only question is, if it’s only sl and fun Mig-23 is it and bonus for soviet grinder
But if you really want grinder on usa, I would personally get even F20 instead of F4
F5C fun dog fighting jet, but you’ve got to be good with guns. Missiles are only for head on or straight behind. Which is rare and easy to flair. Poor BR rating tho. Should have been a flat 10.0 not 10.3 because it always gets up tiered.
F4S is absolute garbage, it’s slow, missile package is large but they are trash missiles. Easy to notch AIM7F.
Mig23ML is a fun jet, fast, bleeds speed heavily in turning sharp tho so bank shallow. Missile package is solid and has a really good radar.
The F-5C is already kinda under-tiered lol, 10.3 is totally fair for it at the moment.
Matchmakers tend to change from time to time, don’t be shocked if 10.3 starts getting a bunch of downtiers in a few weeks or months.
I ve had the mig23ml for quite a while and it was a great plane, especially before its radar got nerfed and its g limits too. However i just put my hands on the f4s and its MILES above the mig23ml . Here is why:
Radar. The f4s has pdv hdn radar which only works when the enemy plane is flying towards you but it might get a good lock even from the sides . The velocity search can be confusing but once u get the hang of it its fine. Also it has no range limitation and u can get some crazy locks from insane distances (albeit, u might lose it ) On the topic of range compared to the mig23ml the range is much better and i found that the locks seem to be better and more reliable. Its more user friendly in my opinion
Missles. To be honest r24rs have less range but they are much more reliable than the aim7fs. The biggest limitation to the r24rs is the launch platform and they could be very good if the mig23ml had a better radar. However , the f4s is an absolute missle bus and can carry up to 6 sparrows compared to just 2 r24rs on the mig.
Better electronics. The f4s has a much better rwr (though not the best at the br miles above the spo-10) , eegs (basically lead calculator requires a radar lock but its quite reliable and makes headons a piece of cake) , ccip for rockets, guns and bombs (mig23ml only has ccip for guns and rockets but not for bombs)
Much better ordonance. The phantom can carry a decent amount of bombs and rockets that make it a decent cas plane.
That’s it really a fantastic and versatile plane that doesn’t require a huge amount of skill unlike say the mig23ml . However the mig23 has 2 advantages over the phantom:
Better handling. The flogger is much more manouvrable compared to the phantom thanks to its variable sweep wings and easily outperforms the f4 in dogfights
Better ir missles. While the f4s has got better sarhs due to amount and better launch platform, the aim9h sidewinders aren’t all aspect and can’t pull 30gs like the r60ms . it can also carry up to 6 of these compared to 4 sidewinders. However while they are very good in dogfights they lack range and are very very flare hungry (the aim9h is no exeption but less flare hungry in my opinion)
So yeah thats my opinion on the 2 most popular rank 7 premium jets in war thunder. :)
(I don’t have any experience on the f5c so i can’t say anything about it…)