Which jet trainer is the best?

[Weißbrot]

Which of these jet trainers is the best in your honest opinion in terms of flight model, training and A2G and A2A combat capabilities?

~ L-39

~ C-101

~ MB-339

[SSerponi76]

MB-339.

[startrekmike]

Originally posted by Weißbrot:

Which of these jet trainers is the best in your honest opinion in terms of flight model, training and A2G and A2A combat capabilities?

~ L-39

~ C-101

~ MB-339

Out of curiosity. Is there a specific reason you are looking only at trainers?

[Weißbrot]

Originally posted by startrekmike:

Originally posted by Weißbrot:

Which of these jet trainers is the best in your honest opinion in terms of flight model, training and A2G and A2A combat capabilities?

~ L-39

~ C-101

~ MB-339

Out of curiosity. Is there a specific reason you are looking only at trainers?

I dont want to buy something at some point that everyone is flying, these trainers are all cool and (i think) have all multi crew, what i like, i would also be interested if i am able to fly blind only with my instruments, think the MB-339 has this feature.
But at the same time i am the most interested in the L-39 but its age concerns me a bit (probably no updates for a long time).
In general i like all three so i thought asking here for experience and opinions would be a good first step in decision making.

I plan to buy for the full price directly from EGs webpage and i dont have much space, so what i buy needs to be fun and enjoying.

[SSerponi76]

Originally posted by Weißbrot:

Originally posted by startrekmike:

Out of curiosity. Is there a specific reason you are looking only at trainers?

I dont want to buy something at some point that everyone is flying, these trainers are all cool and i would be interested if i am able to fly blind only with my instruments, i think the MB-339 has this feature at the same time i am the most interested in the L-39 but its age concerns me a bit (probably no updates for a long time).
In general i like all three so i thought asking here for experience and opinions would be a good first step in decision making.

I plan to buy for the full price directly from EGs webpage and i dont have much space so what i buy needs to be fun and enjoying.

Then either MB-339 or L-39 (leave the "flying hair-dryer", aka C-101, where it is).
Personally speaking I do prefer the MB-339 for many reason (incluing the fact that I'm Italian and the "Macchino" is the basic trainer jet plane of our A.F.), but L-39 is a nice plane too.

[Daemoc]

They all have their plus and minuses.

I like the C-101. It is easily the most stable of the three, it makes strafe runs super easy. The engine sound makes my ears bleed though. I have to mod the engine sound. If I couldn't mod it, I am not sure I would use it much. It can carry an absolute ton of fuel and you need a looooong runway to take off fully loaded.

The L-39 is a little more nimble than the C-101 and is much faster. It is a good flyer. The training missions are in Russian though, so if be prepared to pause and read a lot of subtitles while you learn.

The MB-339 is the newest and arguably the prettiest of the three. It is probably the best performer as well. It does not have any A2A though. The other two above can carry fox-2's, but none of them are really A2A platforms.

If you are going to pay full price, I would go with the MB-339. The other two go on sale regularly for a fraction of the price, the MB doesn't

[Citadel]

I've flown the L-39 for a while, and I can say it's definitely one of my favorites. The age shows in some areas, but otherwise it's a super fun module to fly, it's super easy to learn, and as stated by Daemoc above me, very nimble.

The C-101 is also amazing, there is a LOT of love put into that aircraft, and i'll vouch for it being in depth, fun to fly, but the engine sounds are lackluster.

I don't own the MB-339 so I can't comment on it. I'm just very biased towards the L-39 because good lord, I have fun in that aircraft. Sure, it's not the latest and greatest, but it's sure as hell easy to learn, and fun to fly.

[kubanskiloewe]

F-5

[yulaw]

Personally id get the mirage f1.

Comes with 3 different versions at the moment with a modern version to be released in the future.

Also the 2 seat version has just released so is perfect for training with someone.

[kubanskiloewe]

F-5 is the easiest to learn and fun to fly.

[Troll Norris]

I can not say. L-39 is worldwide most popular trainer. But the C variant is very outdated for nowday standard. For that reason the Aero Vodochody is making new, modern version L-39NG.

C-101 and MB-339 are IMO very similar.

F-5E is not good trainer. Trainer aircraft must be 2-crew. One seat for instructor and one seat is for trainee. Trainer aircraft must be easy to control. A training aircraft must be forgiving of pilot error. F-5E definitely don't forgive mistakes.

[kubanskiloewe]

lol....when we learned to fly we had no 2 seater !
The F5 is very very forgiving with its auto slats !
Mig-19 is also a nice plane for Beginners !
Plus you learn that thing within a few minutes and can immediately go into a Online fight or attack ground targets.

All these "trainer" models are meeeh

[Troll Norris]

We talk about trainer. You want do things like those are done IRL. Or you want to do things your own way. Trainer aircraft is trainer aircraft. No matter which aircraft you use to train, F-5E is not trainer aircraft. F-5E is difficult to land. It is more like falling rock. It is not good for students those need to learn to land.

Advantage of L-39, e.t.c. is: in case of emergency, the instructor takes over control and fix the issue, so they will not die.

[kubanskiloewe]

F5 is and was a pretty good but Jet Trainer !
I can everyone encourage to buy this model instead of these lame pure trainer models.

"Since two-thirds of F-5 user countries also operate F-16s, F/A-18s, F-15s or Mirage aircraft, the F-5's role has shifted from a prime fighter to a lead-in trainer. Based on the new role of the F-5 as a lead-in trainer aircraft, there is a need for additional two-place training aircraft. Northrop Grumman is offering a conversion kit that will modify a single cockpit F-5E aircraft to a dual cockpit F-5F aircraft. This conversion will replace the F-5E forward fuselage with a newly manufactured F-5F forward fuselage at the basic manufacturing attachment assembly point.."

https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/f5-tiger

[SSerponi76]

Originally posted by kubanskiloewe:

F5 is and was a pretty good but Jet Trainer !
I can everyone encourage to buy this model instead of these lame pure trainer models.

- OP: Which is the best among MB-339, L-39 and C-101?
- kubanskiloewe: Buy F-5.


Okkey...

[SSerponi76]

Originally posted by Troll Norris:

C-101 and MB-339 are IMO very similar.

Well, the Macchino has a way better flight performances than the spanish flying hair-dryier. Also it has a much more intuitive (and complete) avionic system.

Originally posted by Troll Norris:

F-5E is not good trainer. Trainer aircraft must be 2-crew. One seat for instructor and one seat is for trainee. Trainer aircraft must be easy to control. A training aircraft must be forgiving of pilot error. F-5E definitely don't forgive mistakes.

I think you are both right and wrong at the same time here:

• Right cause the F-5E II model we have is not a trainer at all, but "just" a light figther/attack jet. Although they are "relative", the F-5E is not the T-38 Talon.
  
• Wrong cause in the DCS context, the F-5 is probalby the best "trainer" module to learn dogfight basics (BFM, and ACM): once you learn how to properly manage energy it has some pretty good performances. Beat one of the most performant planes of this game (F-16, F/A-18, Su-27...) with an F-5 is not easy, but is possible. And once you learn how to do it with the tiger, doing the same with (i.e). the Viper, will be a piece of cake.