Hi mates. Let me say I have several BR 13 -BR 13.7 airplanes for Air RB, and pretty much everything besides bombers in the first four countries of Warthunder, been playing since Beta. Currently working on Germany and China and Im almost to Eurofighter. Im not a great pilot, but Im not bad either. And so I am saying that to say that I have experience and know how to position myself in air battle, particularly after I find a plane’s strengths and weaknesses.
I got a little burned out on BR 13 on up for a minute and so I went back to BR 8.7 to about BR 12 for awhile, I missed straight up dogfighting…I love my Cl 13 mk6. …I am now filling in the blanks and getting planes through research that I skipped along the way to what I thought might be better. LOL,one of my fun discoveries was the Yak 3, wow, I missed on that pleasure. Anyway…
Flying the CL 13 I have run into the SEA VIXON.
I have a decent job and so I do not mind paying for it,…the issue is I cannot seem to pull the trigger on a money plane that doesnt have a gun. There are a lot of really good dogfighting planes with speed and a good rate of climb in BR 8.7 through 9.3. BUT, there arent a lot of countermeasures either LOL.
And so Im a pilot who knows how to fly my plane well in a dogfight, I can position myself…etc
What do you experienced pilots think about the Sea Vixon. I can say that on test flights, having experience with IR missiles in higher BRs, the Red Tops seem quite amazing for that BR, there are not a lot of countermeasures, and you have a lot of Noobs. It also seems to be a plane that can eliminate the F104 pilot who wants to waste everyone’s tickets flying around for 15 minutes not really engaging anything. They like to hammer their afterburners and those Red Tops seem to be the best IR at that BR.
I might add, Im not a grinder or statistic driven anymore, I have the Ace tag, pretty much every plane I want now fortunately…I just like to fly my various planes in an evening and see that wonderful “Aircraft Destroyed” light up the screen…its just a flying chess match to me now, I fly the A10 for a fighter at altitude for a challenge, for instance. It just seems I think I can knock off a few planes with that Sea Vixon.
What are your experiences with the plane seasoned pilots? Besides its performance it also has a 1140% silver lion, and I have a premium account. Thank You Community!
Thank you, I can say that once I became aware of it…it hasnt been much of an issue as an enemy. Would you say in your experience, are the Red Tops good out to around 2 km? They do not pull a lot of Gs and planes in that BR are usually turning very well in dogfights even if you drop down out of altitude on top of them. Test Flights can be deceptive, I have unfortunately found.
And yes, it does handle extremely well, and I like its rate of climb, because you indeed have to get some altitude in it to be effective it seems.
Was fantastic at 8.7 because it could just outrun everything, but the Red Tops have always been easy to dodge - like just as bad as AIM-9B easy to dodge. I thought it was balanced at 8.7 - you could outrun F-86, G91, MiG-15/17 and so on, but this was balanced out by not having any guns and easy to dodge missiles. Sea Vixen’s bread and butter was always to try find distracted enemies who won’t use the 0.2 brain cells required to dodge the Red Top. At 9.0, you’re even more likely to see 9.3 which have things such as the MiG-19 which can catch you, or others like the Ayit which don’t need to catch you because they have AIM-9D (with counter measures to boot). Saying all that, I’m doing well in Sea Vixen, and did use it to grind out a whole bunch of aircraft. But I can’t say the pay off was worth it given the lackluster offerings of GB in Rank VI.
Both missiles are rather shite :( cant remember what one is what but one has more G at expense of range and the other has less G with the gain of slightly longer range.
It is an an odd spot. In down tiers, you will do very well. In up tiers, you will struggle depending on the enemies you face.
The red tops are not bad if you get good launches but anything with flares that knows you are there is immune to you. Personally, i dont fire them from further out than 1.6km, maybe around 1.2km for f104. You can fire them further out if they are low energy.
I will say that the sea vixen works very well for teaching you proper missile usage. Without guns, you have to focus of getting into position to give your limited missiles the best possible launch.
BR is something else isnt it? It determines quite a bit. I am seeing quite a few of the planes you mentioned even in my F -86- 5, CL13…that is what makes me wonder about the Sea Vixon, it is enticing, yet if it had a gun, for me it would be a no brainer. Thank You.
I dont like the fact that you have to pick and choose targets, for instance at end of match its a 1 v 2, and the two enemy planes are Ayits. Not a good situation.
No doubt, it is certainly a Positional plane. Like I told the other mates, I must say if it DID have a gun it would be a no brainer. It may just turn out to be a plane for me that I admire, yet for $40 is probably going to be a pass.
Yes, I too was thinking about right around a 1. 6km to 1. 8km launch.
I am just kind of going back now and filling in the blanks, the only two planes left I really want are the Eurofighter and I still think the Gripen is relevant as well. The J17 from China is a bit limited, but I seem to do well in it. The Gripen now sits in that category, for me anyway.
Thank you for your observations.
I will say, after I discovered the Sea Vixon after going back to that BR, I thought, “Well I have the crap Yak 38, Let me try it in that role”. LOL that is a NO GO even with its R60s at that BR! But it doesnt handle as well as the Sea Vixon. It is a plane I occasionally fly when I want a challenge.
Yeah. When it is 50% off, it is a good deal. I never buy for full price. I got mine at discount and abused that poor plane. It is one of my most played vehicles.
Maybe see if you want to try it next time it is on sale.
No doubt. After everyone’s helpful comments I think it will be a pass. I just have too many doubts in my mind about it.
But, I will tell you what I have decided to do. I will add something every month usually for a little money.
I am going to go ahead and purchase the German F104G for silver lions and I already have it researched.
Im not a big fan of 104s, however, it has countermeasures, can get to a base with 3 1000lb bombs, and it has the capability to carry 4 aim9Js, which are not bad missiles. I find them not bad in my Kfir.
It will be cheaper, and I can just use some GE to avoid research and stock grinding.
It is on the way to the Eurofighter anyway, so I am going to have to acquire it. One plane after that comes the Eurofighter.
I can see that in the right hands it can be a decent acquisition. I always liked Zeros however, I love the Yak 23, even at BR 8.7…and there we are, the turn time of the 104…but I think I can make it work
Thank you all for your helpful comments, I think the Sea Vixon is going to be a PASS.
However, I will get that Vixon on a sale, I believe you can rack up some airkills in it, and I do love the way it handles.
It used to be better, while the Firestreaks have a higher G pull they’re actually the worst missile it gets, it needs to be played very much like an F-104, or in a 109 kinda play style, you get within 2 km of the target, and launch your red tops. They don’t pull great but you don’t have to hit the enemy to kill them. It is fast, but it goes against things with AIM-9D/G so you have to be really careful of them. It used to be so much better when it was at 8.7, I’m still waiting for them to fix Red Tops (All aspect)
BRs exist for all, yes. But some vehicles - be it air/ground/naval are more sensitive to uptiers. The Sea Vixen is very sensitive. Something like an Ayit is an example of something that is not sensitive at all and doesn’t mind uptiers. A lot of what made Sea Vixen great was having access to 4xRed Tops at 8.7. Speed as an advantage is also BR sensitive, hence why F-104A is good and the higher BR F-104 are not.
No problem. Happy to help. Hopefully the f104g works for you.
Having those two engines and large wings can allow for some nice energy fighting.
And yes, it can do pretty well. This is mostly from when it was 8.7 though.
BR can determine quite a bit, thats for sure. One thing Ive noticed over the years, you know you have an exceptional plane if an uptier doesnt bother it all too much.
My CL 13, when I first got it was at 9.3…now it is smacking at 9.0 for instance.
I went ahead and went that route. I killed two birds with two stones. The Phantom with aim120s and Eurofighter follow behind it. Also, that 104 has a ballistic computer and I can get some research bombing a base here and there if I choose, the 104 can make it there, and get out of Dodge quick enough. Also, at that BR aim9js are not bad.
Yet another Positional aircraft, I believe I can creep people in it.
Thanks for your help.
Yeah, …I appreciated everyone’s tips, it did finalize my decision.
I went ahead and got the F104G which I had researched for 710,000 silvers which I already had. Threw some GE into it for a quite lessor price (which I already had). While it is certainly not a F16C handling wise LOL, I believe I can make it work. Ballistic computer for bombing, countermeasures, I can get some research done with it, aim9Js.
You know I love Warthunder. When I was a kid I used to buy a pack of 100 sheets of paper for cheap, fold them into a few different planes, and then my bed was the aircraft carrier lol.
Thank you for your observations and help, good luck to you
