f4e RADAR so bad Sparrows are legit useless

[=7Cav=SPC.Crimzon.E]

I said why I said, so much ground clutter and looking at horizon 2km from the ground
you can't lock ♥♥♥♥.
The F4E Radar was always bad, but never this BAD
they nerfed it again my question is when

AIM-9Js are worse than even the worse Russian IR missile
You can have a full burner jet 1.1km front of you just flying straight and the AIM-9J will just chase a tree

[Thumper509]

Every Phantom in the game is at a severe disadvantage. Its 50/50 if you get a kill in a Phantom or not. Its best just to get past that part of the grind the fastest way possible.

[Sirael]

Because F-4 pre J variant was never meant to fight in a dogfight like you're forced in War Thunder. Your radar is meant for high altitude targets, bombers realistically, while in a dogfight IRL pilots relied on missiles. But even then there was a huge difference between NVA and Soviet pilots. J and S however generally do better, although at a higher BR, where E requires a lot of skill to master. Also, ofc, if game was realistic, E would have a lot of issues with engines "coughing" during high G turns, low stability and so on. In short - only target high altitude/climbing targets with sparrows (10km or less), note that you must be gaining on the target for the radar and the missile not to lose it. Learn to use the gun, get Ace crew.

[Jaes]

This is from a post I made about a month ago. Hope it helps!

Originally posted by Jaes:

Ah, the good ol' AN/APQ-120 radar. If you can master this radar, you will master how radar works in War Thunder due to how many nuanced rules you need to follow to successfully lock with it. You had to learn these lessons when everyone else had access to a Pulse Doppler radar before the US got access to one.

Rules of Operation:

- It is reliably unreliable

- The closer you are to the target, the more reliable the lock, even through ground clutter

- If any part of the radar beam gets ground returns in the lock attempt, expect the lock to fail

- Always attempt to fly below your intended target - if the radar points toward the ground, regardless of altitude, it can fail

- Smaller targets are harder to detect and lock than larger targets

- The AN/APQ-120 starts its scan pointing above the F-4 then shifts downward in a +3.5/-3.5 degree pattern (7 degree coverage)

- Targets flying level with you can avoid your radar due to the aforementioned scan pattern, try to be at minimum 200m lower than anything you're trying to find

- ACM is 13x13, enabling it pick up ground clutter very easily, try to position your target in the bottom left or bottom right corner of your ACM box, it helps mitigate ground clutter

- Best targets are within 7km distance while using AIM-7E2s (they have a higher velocity than AIM-7F/Ms at this distance and will strike your target first in a joust!)

- If possible, avoid engaging targets greater than 9km in a headon

- You will really only reliably "see" targets no further than 30km and varies on aircraft RCS, altitude, etc.

- Don't bother locking until you can see the target on your 9km radar scope setting, anything outside of that is unreliable and your AIM-7E2 just doesn't have the range to have a high kill probability

- You can lock in ACM through ground clutter if you're close enough.

[֎]

Originally posted by Jaes:

This is from a post I made about a month ago. Hope it helps!

Originally posted by Jaes:

Ah, the good ol' AN/APQ-120 radar. If you can master this radar, you will master how radar works in War Thunder due to how many nuanced rules you need to follow to successfully lock with it. You had to learn these lessons when everyone else had access to a Pulse Doppler radar before the US got access to one.

Rules of Operation:

- It is reliably unreliable

- The closer you are to the target, the more reliable the lock, even through ground clutter

- If any part of the radar beam gets ground returns in the lock attempt, expect the lock to fail

- Always attempt to fly below your intended target - if the radar points toward the ground, regardless of altitude, it can fail

- Smaller targets are harder to detect and lock than larger targets

- The AN/APQ-120 starts its scan pointing above the F-4 then shifts downward in a +3.5/-3.5 degree pattern (7 degree coverage)

- Targets flying level with you can avoid your radar due to the aforementioned scan pattern, try to be at minimum 200m lower than anything you're trying to find

- ACM is 13x13, enabling it pick up ground clutter very easily, try to position your target in the bottom left or bottom right corner of your ACM box, it helps mitigate ground clutter

- Best targets are within 7km distance while using AIM-7E2s (they have a higher velocity than AIM-7F/Ms at this distance and will strike your target first in a joust!)

- If possible, avoid engaging targets greater than 9km in a headon

- You will really only reliably "see" targets no further than 30km and varies on aircraft RCS, altitude, etc.

- Don't bother locking until you can see the target on your 9km radar scope setting, anything outside of that is unreliable and your AIM-7E2 just doesn't have the range to have a high kill probability

- You can lock in ACM through ground clutter if you're close enough.

Just to piggy back off this, a majority if not ALL radars will how you when your locked target has entered the "Kill zone" and "No Escape Zone". These zones are represented by thick opaque bands on the radar that stretch from one end to the other and move as your locked target get closer/further away.

The first Larger band represents when your target is within the max theoretical launch distance, any further outside of this line and your missile likely will fail to lock and if it does, is destined to miss. Any launches between the first and second band are possible strikes, with those chances getting greater as the target approaches the second band.

Once your target as surpassed the "Kill-Zone", they have entered the "No Escape Zone", any launches within that zone give or take 1km~ WILL HIT, unless extreme evasive measures are taken and even then its a gamble for the target.

[Dragno]

If you are down tier or same, fly high (if put up tiered pray or j out back to hanger to save SL)

Fly up to 9Km high, if you found other planes high launch the sparrow around 20km out. Fly left or right as far as the radar lock can handle.
Ez kills.

Next drop down with aim-9J and kill everyone. DO NOT TURN FIGHT, RUNAWAY if being chased.

[✿Sqüirrel✿]

Originally posted by Dragno:

If you are down tier or same, fly high (if put up tiered pray or j out back to hanger to save SL)

Fly up to 9Km high, if you found other planes high launch the sparrow around 20km out. Fly left or right as far as the radar lock can handle.
Ez kills.

Next drop down with aim-9J and kill everyone. DO NOT TURN FIGHT, RUNAWAY if being chased.

This is not good advice.

[Dragno]

Originally posted by ✿Sqüirrel✿:

Originally posted by Dragno:

If you are down tier or same, fly high (if put up tiered pray or j out back to hanger to save SL)

Fly up to 9Km high, if you found other planes high launch the sparrow around 20km out. Fly left or right as far as the radar lock can handle.
Ez kills.

Next drop down with aim-9J and kill everyone. DO NOT TURN FIGHT, RUNAWAY if being chased.

This is not good advice.

Works for me. With the powerful engines use them. Kill the high flyers, usually f-104's, mig 21, the sweden plane, and these have radar missiles. Ez kills.

Don't turn fight is the best advice. You will die to most planes.

[✿Sqüirrel✿]

Originally posted by Dragno:

Originally posted by ✿Sqüirrel✿:

This is not good advice.

Works for me. With the powerful engines use them. Kill the high flyers, usually f-104's, mig 21, the sweden plane, and these have radar missiles. Ez kills.

Don't turn fight is the best advice. You will die to most planes.

MANY of the planes you face will outrun you at high Alt. The e2s are dogfight missiles and only reliable against anyone remotely aware at ranges of 3km. Not to mention at higher alt mig-23, the other f4s, and even the mirages all have more effective radar missiles and will just outrange you. All of the phantoms shine as close by missile support. You will never do well trying to go solo.

[Dragno]

Originally posted by ✿Sqüirrel✿:

Originally posted by Dragno:

Works for me. With the powerful engines use them. Kill the high flyers, usually f-104's, mig 21, the sweden plane, and these have radar missiles. Ez kills.

Don't turn fight is the best advice. You will die to most planes.

MANY of the planes you face will outrun you at high Alt. The e2s are dogfight missiles and only reliable against anyone remotely aware at ranges of 3km. Not to mention at higher alt mig-23, the other f4s, and even the mirages all have more effective radar missiles and will just outrange you. All of the phantoms shine as close by missile support. You will never do well trying to go solo.

Well my last 10 games, 9 wins 23 kills. Will say otherwise. Lol Most people fly LOW. Also yeah if someone chase you go low or even just out climb them if you are tree level

[✿Sqüirrel✿]

Originally posted by Dragno:

Originally posted by ✿Sqüirrel✿:

MANY of the planes you face will outrun you at high Alt. The e2s are dogfight missiles and only reliable against anyone remotely aware at ranges of 3km. Not to mention at higher alt mig-23, the other f4s, and even the mirages all have more effective radar missiles and will just outrange you. All of the phantoms shine as close by missile support. You will never do well trying to go solo.

Well my last 10 games, 9 wins 23 kills. Will say otherwise. Lol Most people fly LOW. Also yeah if someone chase you go low or even just out climb them if you are tree level

Why would we care about your last 10 games specifically? People have streaks

[Dragno]

Originally posted by ✿Sqüirrel✿:

Originally posted by Dragno:

Well my last 10 games, 9 wins 23 kills. Will say otherwise. Lol Most people fly LOW. Also yeah if someone chase you go low or even just out climb them if you are tree level

Why would we care about your last 10 games specifically? People have streaks

because I don't wanna go through more history looking where i played the f-4. Basically some result btw.
Some people are good some aircraft, then bad with others.
If you can't learn or care too. That's on you. play how you like, final message cause we are getting no where with this. I play it and good with it. :) Peace

If you wanna watch replays;
https://warthunder.com/en/tournament/replay
User; Blue_Dragon55

[✿Sqüirrel✿]

Originally posted by Dragno:

Originally posted by ✿Sqüirrel✿:

Why would we care about your last 10 games specifically? People have streaks

because I don't wanna go through more history looking where i played the f-4. Basically some result btw.
Some people are good some aircraft, then bad with others.
If you can't learn or care too. That's on you. play how you like, final message cause we are getting no where with this. I play it and good with it. :) Peace

If you wanna watch replays;
https://warthunder.com/en/tournament/replay
User; Blue_Dragon55

? I am far ahead of you in record.

[flat_Lander1]

Originally posted by ✿Sqüirrel✿:

Originally posted by Dragno:

Works for me. With the powerful engines use them. Kill the high flyers, usually f-104's, mig 21, the sweden plane, and these have radar missiles. Ez kills.

Don't turn fight is the best advice. You will die to most planes.

MANY of the planes you face will outrun you at high Alt. The e2s are dogfight missiles and only reliable against anyone remotely aware at ranges of 3km. Not to mention at higher alt mig-23, the other f4s, and even the mirages all have more effective radar missiles and will just outrange you. All of the phantoms shine as close by missile support. You will never do well trying to go solo.

Many? Mig 23/21 will but others not so sure also 7e2df are effective not only at 3km lmao they are very good

[Dragno]

Originally posted by flat_Lander1:

Originally posted by ✿Sqüirrel✿:

MANY of the planes you face will outrun you at high Alt. The e2s are dogfight missiles and only reliable against anyone remotely aware at ranges of 3km. Not to mention at higher alt mig-23, the other f4s, and even the mirages all have more effective radar missiles and will just outrange you. All of the phantoms shine as close by missile support. You will never do well trying to go solo.

Many? Mig 23/21 will but others not so sure also 7e2df are effective not only at 3km lmao they are very good

no point arguing with the guy, Showed him replays how you can shoot 20 km out and still hit. Let him live in barbie land.

[flat_Lander1]

Originally posted by Dragno:

Originally posted by flat_Lander1:

Many? Mig 23/21 will but others not so sure also 7e2df are effective not only at 3km lmao they are very good

no point arguing with the guy, Showed him replays how you can shoot 20 km out and still hit. Let him live in barbie land.

Yeah the only thing that actually sucks about f4e is radar being kinda bad (f4j\s radar is a lot better) and it can't turn like mig21 (what a shocker)