Zephyr Net

I just reinstalled FA to play some Vietnam missions and I can't seem to fathom one thing.

How do you use the AIM-9B and AIM-7E?

It is just impossible for me to get a lock. Flying the F-4B against Mirage IIIs in the quick mission simulator, i bust my hump to get on his more maneuverable six. Then, I cut throttle and arm my AIM-9Bs. I should have a lock but I don't, so I close in some. Still no lock (I'm in gun range now, but the F-4B doesn't have a gun). I draw back some, Now I should be in Sparrow range. No lock on either weapon.

How do I use the damn missiles? If Randy Cunningham managed at least 3 missile kills in one sortie in real life, the missiles must be accurate at least 1/3 of the time.

However, in FA whenever I lock up, I can fire all 8 missiles and miss, or I can get in perfect position without a lock.

What do I do?

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AIM120S - The Electrician

I guess you had your RADAR in AA mode right?

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Fighting for justice with brains of steel

Let your anger be like the monkey which hides inside the piniata.

Here's a few tips

AIM-9B: Fly on his six with the lock (further than 0.6NM). Do not fire in a climb or a dive. The AIM-9B will track the sun or will lose the target with look-down since that is crap on the missile. The missile is 125% vulnerable to chaff/flares too so that doesn't help.

AIM-7E: Be below the target as the look-down stinks. Fire at a head-shot, straight and level. Target one aircraft in the flight, fire, switch targets, and watch the Sparrow hit the new target without him knowing it, this way he doesn't drop chaff as the AIM-7E is also 125% vulnerable.

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Centurian

Thanks a lot... I never really played those missions much before because the missiles sucked so much (and I've had FA since release day).

The idea about locking the wrong target with AIM-7E and switching sounds like it would work well.

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AIM120S - The Electrician

I've flown that campaign in and out. It's what got me to want to change the game and do LIBs because of the way it sucked sometimes.

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Centurian

Yes its an unrealeastic radar missile bug that allows you to switch targets. In the real world the Sparrow goes ballistic as soon as you chagne targets and self destructs...