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Bought the F-5 Tiger II yesterday! Perfect transition from the L-39!


Frag

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Hi guys,

 

I bought the F-5 Tiger II yesterday and wanted to take few seconds to share my thought about it. My first plane was a L-39 (which is a marvelous plane by the way, everything is mostly simple, well done and the flight model feels so perfect). Briefly, it was for me the perfect intro plane.

 

After mostly a month (and a LOT of playing around), I started to outgrow it but it did its job perfectly, which was to throw me in the DCS world without the overwhelming technology pushed by most modern planes. I learned a LOT from it and at some point I felt ready to raise the bar a bit.

 

The F-5 Tiger II was in my head as the next one to come (but I debated a loonnggg time between it or the Viggen). But the Viggen will probably come next.

 

The F-5 Tiger II is still really easy to fly, but would climb up a notch over the L-39 in many areas. But the simple avionics and basic radar made me feel at home after the L-39, while feeling the obvious upgrade in engine power, weapon choice and roles on the battlefield. I was like NIIIIICCCCCE!!! I did not get lost at all, only a new smile grew on my face.

 

It is a very comfortable transition, so I wanted to share here, in case that some newbies like me were debating it in their head. VERY smooth actually...

 

Growing from simpler planes to the toughest one is a good way to go in my book. I would not have liked to jump in the latest F-18 on day one. It will come at some point, but I want to feel the transition and be 100% comfortable with a plane before making the jump to a next one.

 

The Tiger II is an AWESOME and simple plane. I REALLY enjoy it.


Edited by Frag
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My experience was a bit different than yours: I found the F5 easier than the L39...differential braking is still a weak skill for me. I also tend to lose control during tight turns very easy with the 39...after a couple weeks of crashing on landings I jumped ship and went to the F5. The L39 itself is very good, but I’m thinking my reflexes are a bit on the slow side.

 

The F5 is super easy to fly—startup, taxi, takeoff, manuevers, weapons employment, and landings—all superb.

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Haven't tried the L-39. F-5E is really joy to fly. But when it comes to combat, not my choice really. Bombing a known building/bridge or engaging a bomber is fine. But when it comes to small vehicles, VERY hard to spot espacially in tree populated places.

 

 

This usually drives me crazy instead of having fun :) If you are diving for bombing or gun run, often its too late until you can figure out if its a tree, a bush or an enemy air defense :) You study and prepare for mission for ~1 hour, you ramp start, fly and go there, and can't find the enemy... Before you find, enemy air defenses hit you... Try again, and again and ragequit. Ragequit because the ONLY problem is, I can not spot them.

 

 

 

Rockets are the best AG weapon from my experience. Just fire from distance and run away. Again you need to spot visually..

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This usually drives me crazy instead of having fun :) If you are diving for bombing or gun run, often its too late until you can figure out if its a tree, a bush or an enemy air defense :) You study and prepare for mission for ~1 hour, you ramp start, fly and go there, and can't find the enemy... Before you find, enemy air defenses hit you... Try again, and again and ragequit. Ragequit because the ONLY problem is, I can not spot them.

 

 

Actually this is not an issue with the plane itself, but with all planes in a simulated world. Even in real life pilots will rely on JTAC and the soldiers on the ground to identify their target. The problem is that in a sim, the communication is not as extensive and clear as it is in real life.

 

So if I were you, I would not feel bad about turning on the labels, which indeed would represent what the troop would tell you.

 

Example, in real life, an officer on the ground could be relayed to you and say:

 

"That T80 is 100 feet south of that white chapel across the lake you are currently crossing. See it?"

 

You won't have that level of communication details in a sim. But the red label could help you pinpoint it for you, representing what the soldiers would tell you.

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My experience was a bit different than yours: I found the F5 easier than the L39...differential braking is still a weak skill for me. I also tend to lose control during tight turns very easy with the 39...after a couple weeks of crashing on landings I jumped ship and went to the F5. The L39 itself is very good, but I’m thinking my reflexes are a bit on the slow side.

 

The F5 is super easy to fly—startup, taxi, takeoff, manuevers, weapons employment, and landings—all superb.

 

Yeah the L-39 can be a bitch if you are not cautious in high G turn. But when you get use to it, it becomes quite an easy bird to fly. But I will agree with you that the Tiger is little easier to keep straight and is more predictable.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Like Frag I found the F5E Tiger the most suitable aircraft for my needs after spending considerable time flying the 3 trainers in DCS.

Although it will take some time before I can say I have mastered the F5E, I have started thinking about the next aircraft after the Tiger.

I purchased the F/A18 but I also feel it is a step to far after the F5E Tiger.

Any suggestions about which of the more advanced aircraft in DCS that I would find easier to transition to after the F5E?

Cheers

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The F/A-18C is actually quite a simple aircraft to operate in its current state. A lot of the more advanced weapons and avionics aren't modeled yet and the cockpit is very logically laid out and easy to transition to from the F-5E, being a more advanced evolution of the lightweight fighter concept. It's got an expanding range of capabilities as well as the whole carrier component and would be the logical next step for you.

 

Something like the MiG-21, while of a similar era and capability to the F-5E, would be more difficult in my opinion due to the difference between western and eastern aircraft design philosophy. The Viggen is also a very different aircraft to operate in terms of its avionics and mission capabilities.

 

Don't be put off by all the displays of the newer aircraft. They're actually simpler and easier to fly in a lot of ways.

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  • 4 months later...

My starter aircraft is the F-5. Love it and IMO the best intro plane for DCS, for probably very similar reasons it was such a successful export fighter IRL: simple enough to get started, capable enough to keep using over the long run.

 

I, too, have the Hornet, and am practicing it regularly. Very easy to fly, very complex to fight.

And if I was smart, I'd spend my time going deep on the Hornet instead of shallow with several different aircraft. But I'm learning a ton experimenting with several other modules and I feel I'd miss out if I didn't have the exposure.

 

All that said, my next "serious" step will be the Mirage 2000C. Ironically, it's one of the airframes I was LEAST interested in learning at the beginning.

But after looking at the other modules, I just think it's the next logical progression: IRL it came along not too long after the F-5E, and has "just enough" more advanced capabilities without any concern of being as overwhelming as fighting the Hornet.

 

If I really had my choice, my next step would be the A-7 Corsair II. But I don't, so I'll "settle" for the M2K. :smilewink:

 

and p.s.: I don't think the F-5 will ever gather dust in my hangar. Just too easy to fire up for a quick flight/fight.

 

 

Like Frag I found the F5E Tiger the most suitable aircraft for my needs after spending considerable time flying the 3 trainers in DCS.

Although it will take some time before I can say I have mastered the F5E, I have started thinking about the next aircraft after the Tiger.

I purchased the F/A18 but I also feel it is a step to far after the F5E Tiger.

Any suggestions about which of the more advanced aircraft in DCS that I would find easier to transition to after the F5E?

Cheers

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I bought the F-5 Tiger II ....

.... The Tiger II is an AWESOME and simple plane. I REALLY enjoy it.

 

This is true for me as well.

I like the F-5 so much, and this aircraft - for me as a long time sim enthusiast - it is the perfect plane for beeing a hard sparring partner to my friend, who is flying and slowly improving in his newly bought Su-27.

The day will come when he kisses my ass ... with the gun. :p

 

If I think of my childhood, this was my very first plastic model (somewhat of 1:32 I think), and I loved it! The design is outstanding :yes:


Edited by TOViper
typo

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I started with a-10c and ka-50 just after fc3, very complex machines to operate but also rewarding. Then I bought l-39 (wonderful plane just to fly around and explore the maps) and the f-5. The f-5 is maybe the most exciting plane to fly and I often fly with it, if I want something easier and quicker than the complexities of the a-10c. In combat scenario it is not so capable (no targeting pods or GPS to identify targets, just free fall bombs, rockets and cannon for a-g, cannon and two sidewinders for a-a) but in the correct Mission setting (1970s assets) it can be amazing. I play in VR and spotting targets without a-10c technology can be difficult. I don't like labels but my advice is to set a jtac with white phosphorus or to trigger some smoke to simulate ground forces communications, rather than labels. I find this less immersion breaking but it is a great help to spot targets.


Edited by nessuno0505
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I bought the Tiger 2 at Christmas and I can say I'm loving it to bits. Sure it is not very powerful, but it has that "old times" aura like the Su 25A that I really love.

 

Concerning the issues with the targets and objectives, you can't expect the F5 to survive in any kind of AA environment. At most you can expect to avoid MANPADS and AA fire, maybe bait strelas as well, but forget about surviving against any kind of AA worth of that name.

 

In case you still want to simulate that kind of threat, you will need the help of dedicated SEAD platforms (A4 with shrike missiles or AI Falcons with mavericks)

 

The Tiger was not meant to survive against dedicated AA threats.

 

OR, you can set a predator JTAC to lase your targets and use LGBs.

 

In any case it is a fun bird to fly!

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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  • 4 months later...

I was wondering I'm learning the F5, finally got the Cold Start, TANCAN and the other type of Navigation learned and somewhat the landing (50/50) Now I want to practice AA side of the plane, already learn how they work but never done a live fire on a target.

 

Wondering against what plane would you recommend me to train with? can you please name me 3 to try with, from easiest/"normal"/hard

 

Thanks in advance

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To train, if you want to learn handling. I would say to use the Mig-21 with gun ammo only .... no missile. By doing this, you will learn to maneuver in tight corner, which is usually the case for the F-5.

 

The F-5 has a tighter turn rate than the Mig-21, but the Mig-21 is faster. You will learn a LOT by doing this.

 

I have MANY aircraft, but the F-5 is my favorite. It's the perfect period ... between the old 1960's era .... and 1990+ computer filled techno machine.

 

You will love it.

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I was wondering I'm learning the F5, finally got the Cold Start, TANCAN and the other type of Navigation learned and somewhat the landing (50/50) Now I want to practice AA side of the plane, already learn how they work but never done a live fire on a target.

 

Wondering against what plane would you recommend me to train with? can you please name me 3 to try with, from easiest/"normal"/hard

 

Thanks in advance

Easy: Su 25A

Normal: Mig 21

Hard: Mig 29/hornet

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

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To train, if you want to learn handling. I would say to use the Mig-21 with gun ammo only .... no missile. By doing this, you will learn to maneuver in tight corner, which is usually the case for the F-5.

 

The F-5 has a tighter turn rate than the Mig-21, but the Mig-21 is faster. You will learn a LOT by doing this.

 

I have MANY aircraft, but the F-5 is my favorite. It's the perfect period ... between the old 1960's era .... and 1990+ computer filled techno machine.

 

You will love it.

 

Thank you I will try it today.

 

 

Easy: Su 25A

Normal: Mig 21

Hard: Mig 29/hornet

 

Thanks you as well sir.

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Easy: Su 25A

Normal: Mig 21

Hard: Mig 29/hornet

 

 

For advanced human pilots, this statement is true as well, but additionally considering the AI skill level is set to one level above "average" (i think its called "good").

 

 

For beginners "average" might be the first joice IMHO.

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