I have got the event F-5A(G) back then, it is the swedish (norway) plane that gives you 2x Aim-9L at 11.0 (tornado IDS get it at 11.3 for reference) which seems pretty awesome, but the F-5A is primarily a gunfighter anyway.
Anyway, I’ve heard some people say not so nice things about its engine and that it struggles in fighting other planes, is that true?
For me personally, I may tailsman it later. Seems pretty interesting so may spade it later.
Its kinda a weird tradeoff
Weaker engines for slightly better maneuverability
But, it fares pretty well in 11.0, at least imo, just play it like you would the F-5C, except you have 9Ls
Edit, saw your user so I just wanna mention:
Do NOT use the F-5 for bombing, especially the A/C. It struggles to take off with a bomb load, and you wont get any bases cause of how long it then takes to accelerate
I actually slapped a talisman on it and zombed in it, it can get 2 bases at once while able to be used for fighter duties after wards. It’s a great bomber
To each their own ig, I’ve always hated bombing with the tiger platform, but that was also before napalm was as ungodly as it is now
Yeah napalm really helps it, it can go Mach .97 with napalm. If it was stuck with normal bombs it would go much slower
you can bomb 2.5 bases with it (make sure to remove 9Ls to reach bases faster)
It’s an ok plane but gets infuriating sometimes. Your engines have very little IR signature and so you a hard to lock. I normally climb at the start of the match and throw my 9Ls down at people who I don’t think are paying attention. R24Rs have been giving me grief though… My gripe with the F-5AG is that the engines are just absurdly weak, and so you can find yourself slow or being energy trapped. Another problem is around 11.0 there are lots of F-5Es that you WILL run into, and the F5E FCU is .3 BR higher, while doing everything you do better.