How are Starfighters?

[ulzgoroth]

In particular the F=104A. It presents a rather tempting opportunity in the tech tree to jump straight from pre-supersonic to among the fastest planes in the game...

[LordBUM]

with the current match maker just skip the F-104 unless your an ace pilot that thing is fodder at top tier and its not fun trust me.

[Snivy Films]

The F-104A is NOT worth it, you dont get good missiles, no countermeasures. Where other versions (Specifically the F-104G (Italy), F-104S, and F-104J) are better since they can carry a decent bomb load, better missiles, still no countermeasures though

[kittyhawkmeow]

they should be 9.0

[shadain597]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von kittyhawkpilot:

they should be 9.0

Hell no, 8.0s don't need to be in matches with those things. Instead, we need decompressed BRs so that they don't have to regularly fight planes that are superior in every way.

[halolo39]

minor nations are slightly better, the 104A is totally passable as a US main

[Graephen]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von shadain597:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von kittyhawkpilot:

they should be 9.0

Hell no, 8.0s don't need to be in matches with those things. Instead, we need decompressed BRs so that they don't have to regularly fight planes that are superior in every way.

This.

[Maksim]

They are the fastest planes on deck, but not enough bang(RP/SL) for your buck(Time) in current meta. It reflects most of the US gameplay through out the tiers, speed play & team work over dogfighting & versatility.

Very good AF raiders tho.

[ulzgoroth]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Maksim:

They are the fastest planes on deck, but not enough bang(RP/SL) for your buck(Time) in current meta. It reflects most of the US gameplay through out the tiers, speed play & team work over dogfighting & versatility.

Very good AF raiders tho.

If any jet-tier aircraft actually have good economics at my play level, I haven't seen them. I don't expect that, I assume any plane will take forever to grind and constantly lose SL. The question is whether they're good/fun in matches.

[Futuristic Hexagon]

The F-104 family's biggest selling point is speed. I don't think the A is very good at all, I even had little issues using AIM-9Bs against them. At 10.0 and only having 2 AIM-9B, you're going to struggle a lot.

The 20mm Vulcan may be useful against ground targets like light bunkers and up to medium tanks, and I'm sure it might get some good ground kills when matches get quiet. You may need to use it the way the Luftwaffe may have intended originally.

Ursprünglich geschrieben von ulzgoroth:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Maksim:

They are the fastest planes on deck, but not enough bang(RP/SL) for your buck(Time) in current meta. It reflects most of the US gameplay through out the tiers, speed play & team work over dogfighting & versatility.

Very good AF raiders tho.

If any jet-tier aircraft actually have good economics at my play level, I haven't seen them. I don't expect that, I assume any plane will take forever to grind and constantly lose SL. The question is whether they're good/fun in matches.

Can sort of confirm, looks like the only good ones for economics are premiums.

[Kuruk]

Everyone answered good here, but just a reminder for the future that any American jets outside of the American tech tree will be way better.

[shadain597]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Kuruk:

Everyone answered good here, but just a reminder for the future that any American jets outside of the American tech tree will be way better.

To clarify: other nations generally get more advanced upgrade packages that help aging jets stay somewhat competitive. The flip side of that is that they are older models sitting at higher BRs--Italy's current "toptier" jet is a 10.3 F-104S with no flares.

You make it sound like the US is some terrible nation in the jet era, but the reality is that there's also some significant drawbacks to this arrangement for those other nations, plus the US will continue to get the newest, shiniest platforms before most other nations.

[ulzgoroth]

I got the F-104A a few days ago. My results:

At first I couldn't hit anything with it. Not sure why, but the gun just took some getting used to even compared to my iffy performance with any high-level RB gunfighting.

After mostly only getting anywhere with Air Assault, I somehow got a bit more of a handle on the gun and unlocked the sidewinders today. Despite being the same fairly unspectacular missiles I previously threw around on my F9F-8, they've been remarkably effective, even in one case against a target with flares. So I'm pretty pleased with my Starfighter now. Despite the rather awful turning performance.

[Dracon]

Imagine being the creator of a vehicle and not getting the best version of it that YOU ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ MADE.

Oh Gaijin, wai

[shadain597]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Dracon:

Imagine being the creator of a vehicle and not getting the best version of it that YOU ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ MADE.

Oh Gaijin, wai

The best version? You mean the F-104S? The one that was used exclusively by Italy? The US tree is large enough without planes that it never actually used.

Or did you mean the F-104J? Used exclusively by Japan. F-104G? More popular, but I haven't seen anything that suggests the US used it. As far as I can tell, the US only flew the A and C variants, plus trainers. And, oddly enough, the US tree already has both of those in it.

[kittyhawkmeow]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von shadain597:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Dracon:

Imagine being the creator of a vehicle and not getting the best version of it that YOU ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ MADE.

Oh Gaijin, wai

The best version? You mean the F-104S? The one that was used exclusively by Italy? The US tree is large enough without planes that it never actually used.

Or did you mean the F-104J? Used exclusively by Japan. F-104G? More popular, but I haven't seen anything that suggests the US used it. As far as I can tell, the US only flew the A and C variants, plus trainers. And, oddly enough, the US tree already has both of those in it.

139 F-104G produced by lockheed, USAF never bought any G models; however, the aircraft was operated by the USAF for training of non-USAF pilots primarily from Germany.
good enough to be in the US T.T; it flew under USAF colors in US territory.