The BUTTON (unblock guns)

This here button is listed as something like "unblock the guns" and I've been advised NOT to use it.

Rightfully so I thought, because having pressed it earlier I developed a few problems.

But now recently when I pressed it, I could fly around carefree for several minutes(!). So I'm reaching here but could it be that I've just abused the aircraft earlier and brought the system failures on by heavy handling instead of pressing this button?

To the point here - anyone who REALLY knows russian? I can just read very simple texts, nothing else. See the pic, please do tell me what's written there :helpsmilie:

Or give me a good talking to for breaking the rules and pressing this button! ;)

It reads - PK3+GS On The Ground (PK3+GŠ Na Zemli) ... as I already wrote it is a button used only by technicians to check if the electrical firing mechanisms of the cannon GS-23 and PK-3 work, on the ground. To achieve this, the button removes all blocking mechanisms of the cannon and PK-3. This is not a button for pilots.

Alright, case closed. But then...how are we to use the gun in dogfights?

Sorry, had to ask - no need to answer ;) Jokes aside, I simply cannot get into a position in a dogfight where the gun gets unlocked. All I can do with it is steady and safe strafing, as soon as I get into a dogfight I simply lose the gun. Unless I press the BUTTON!

I tried flying a guns-only fight against AI-piloted L-39ZAs and they had no issues, they use the gun very proficiently.

In real life - the GS-23 is not really meant to be used in maneuvering dogfights - I doubt it was ever used in aerial shooting against something else than a towed target. The aircraft's combat role is only a secondary, it was mainly designed as a trainer so the pilots would get accustomed to use the GS-23 as this is a cannon used on Mig-21/Mig-23 and other aircraft as well as to employ other munitions. PK-3 gunpods were for example never operationally used and at present the GS-23 in our air-force is exclusively used only against ground targets as far as I know.

Yeah, that makes more sense of it all. And the gunpods! They're fun to play around with even though I DO understand why they've never really been used. Just for spite I will try them in a dogfight again. The L-39ZA is such fun to mess around with :)

EDIT: I got beaten to a pulp by Sabres all the time, gunpods or no gunpods. I could of course use missiles, but still - I'd be hard pressed to get a lock.