MIGs Vs Thuds

[Lt. James Cater 62]

Something i'm curious about.

 

In all the missions i've flown Migs were just about the last thing on my mind. If they were in the air i just wanted to know how far away they were and at what angle towards my flight.

 

I never one had a Mig threaten a mission with direct fire. I had to change direction and altitude a bit but that was all. The number one defense i found was speed. Either i go low and fast or i just increased speed by about 25-50 knots, that was all i needed.

 

I really do need to know a few things.....

 

1-Can a Mig 21 at say, 15000 ft convert on a Thud going all out down in the weeds? Since my usual route to Hanoi area targets involve going up past Yen Bai and zipping down along Thud ridge, i am always wondering weather a 21 can do a split S and catch me. I have always doubted it, but you never know.

 

and

 

2-MIG 19. Rare bird be in Pack 6, but can be a nasty surprise. I don't know a damn thing about it's performance except that it is something like an F-100 but with more manuverable. Can anyone give me some positive intel?

 

I'll probaly think of a few more things in a while but thats all for now

[MigBuster 2,884]

The one thing I will say about Migs in this game is - Just as you start to ignore them one will fly up behind you and get you without you even knowing about it - you will just flinch in surprise as you realise uve bin had!

 

Also its pretty likely that a Mig-17 (usually the culprit) has been following you on a lot of your missions - u just havn't seen him yet.

 

I tried to outrun 2 x Mig-21's (not sure of version) in a F-104C (2 Sidewinders) in WOV once and they stuck to me and caught me on full burner - and blew me out of the sky - If they persist they can be nasty. (I am using the uber AI mod btw).

 

On many occasions (WOV/WOE) I have flown under a flight of Migs and they havn't noticed me - this makes sense if you are below radar.

Many occasions in WOE where the Migs are always high they do tend to come down to me.

 

The Mig-19 is a rare thing and seems to be a much more powerful Mig-17 so can out turn you easily. Luckily the AI in this game means you stand a good chance even in a turning fight. Stick the Mig-29 AI pilot from Falcon 4 in the Mig-19 in this game though and I cant imagine ever winning a turning fight!

Edited May 11, 2007 by CoolHand29

[Nicholas Bell 117]

I never one had a Mig threaten a mission with direct fire. I had to change direction and altitude a bit but that was all. The number one defense i found was speed. Either i go low and fast or i just increased speed by about 25-50 knots, that was all i needed.

 

I don't have experience with the Thud in WOV, and maybe speed is all you need. However, flying either the Thud (or worse a Hun) in a WOE 1962 campaign is close to a death sentence. Admittedly I am using the UberAI mod, but more than that is the type of missions (CAP, Sweeps and interceptions), the escorts (or lack thereof) when you are on a strike mission, distance to the target, etc seem to me to make it near impossible to avoid interceptions. I've had all my flight blown from the skies and had 2-3 MiGs of varying types on my tail. Much harder to run away from a 21 too! I would hazard to say that the AI does not know how to properly fight with F100s or F105s, which come in a poor second to the MiGs.

 

Guess what I am saying, James, is that if you are looking for more challenge, try a WOE campaign

[MigBuster 2,884]

I don't have experience with the Thud in WOV, and maybe speed is all you need. However, flying either the Thud (or worse a Hun) in a WOE 1962 campaign is close to a death sentence. Admittedly I am using the UberAI mod, but more than that is the type of missions (CAP, Sweeps and interceptions), the escorts (or lack thereof) when you are on a strike mission, distance to the target, etc seem to me to make it near impossible to avoid interceptions. I've had all my flight blown from the skies and had 2-3 MiGs of varying types on my tail. Much harder to run away from a 21 too! I would hazard to say that the AI does not know how to properly fight with F100s or F105s, which come in a poor second to the MiGs.

 

Guess what I am saying, James, is that if you are looking for more challenge, try a WOE campaign

 

 

A WOE campaign does tend to saturate the skies with Migs - just like the real thing would have been - totally unlike Vietnam was though. Speed is really a life saver in WOV cos the default Soviet missiles are on par with the AIM-9B it seems so they have to get in close for a gun shot.

I rarely try to turn the thud unless its clean - even then its a dog to turn - best to avoid the Migs if poss. I have also noticed that the WOE Migs are more likely to chase you all the way home if need be

[Lt. James Cater 62]

The one thing the Thud had that was a lifesaver in real life was speed.

 

As i mentioned before in another thread the fastest, i have ever gone was 705 knots at about 500 feet while outbound from a strike in Hanoi. No other aircraft in the world at that time( or some these days) was going to catch a Thud doing high speed at low levels.

 

In WOV, i've had MIG-17s trying to intercept my flight on more than a few occasions. Perhaps my choice of ingress routes and speed have made a difference. Once the bombs are gone it's usually a hell bent dash until the Red river is crossed and perhaps they couldn't make an intercept.

 

In my opinion, the best place to have a MIG is several miles away.

 

PS- please excuse the typos from my earlier post. I couldn't go back and edit it.