struggling with soviet Pe-3 plane, need help

[Pak0tac]

So i just researched it and bought it,
stock it comes with no bombs or rockets, just 2 small MGs
so what am i suppsoe to do with it?
its too big and slow for air skirmishes
and the 2 small MGs are not enough to take on ground targets, mostly...
any tips?

[Futuristic Hexagon]

The idea originally IRL when it was made was that it was supposed to be a heavy night fighter, like the Do-217 or the Beaufighter. So they basically took the Pe-2, took off some armor and gunner positions and called it a heavy fighter. Of course, as you see, it's pretty ineffective at that role (as it was IRL).

Once you unlock the bombs and rockets, it gets more useful in the game. Should say, this follows a common pattern in the Soviet Tree. First variant of a plane is pretty difficult to use, especailly stock, 2nd is greatly improved in some, if not most ways. You'll see the Bis variant will get the 20mm ShVAK.

[ulzgoroth]

2 small MGs? Doesn't it have 2 12.7mm heavy machine guns? Those aren't really small. They're plenty powerful enough to mess somebody up.

That said, yeah, it's a twin-engine fighter, which is broadly a weak class in the game, and it's one that doesn't even offer the sometime saving grace of overwhelming nose gunnery. It's just not very good.

[AttackerCat]

With how low the BR of it is, the main strengths are:
-speed in a straight line - make diving or single line passes at enemies. Don’t turn until safely beyond engagement range
-the 12.7mm heavy MGs - loaf air target belts and they should set fires and break critical parts easily enough
- lperforms well at medium to low altitude