Guess what? I use A-10 vs Su27 (Excellent AI component) in gun only dog-fighting. A-10 won easily! It turns out that A-10 has good turning rate and smaller turning radius. It gets behind Su27 in 1-3 circles. All Su27 can do is accelarate and run away for next head-on. In a head-on Su27 does not has any advantages neither, because A-10 has almost 10 times as much shells as Su27 and can shower Su27 from distance. I also tried Su25 vs F-15C. No match. Su25's only chance is first head-on. By the way, in LO-MAC, the hit rate in head-on is so high. If you want, you can hit your bandit almost 100%. Is this realistic?
Yes, its realistic. Although, I must say that the LOMAC A-10 is a little sluggish compared to RL. If the Su-27 pilot doesn't know how to switch to an energy fight against the A-10, the A-10 will eat his lunch in gunzo. You don't get into a turning fight with an A-10, it will kill you.
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"To be afraid of living is to be afraid of dying. How can you get past this, and cherish the fear of flying?"-Juliana Hatfield
I've played another flight sim with an A-10 (Jane's Fighters Anthology), and the A-10 will eat anything it can catch. The GAU-8/A Avenger is pretty awesome against an aircraft (can you say "massive overkill"?); those 30mm rounds will tear an aircraft up in a hurry, and it usually only takes three or four rounds to do a lot of damage. The only problem I've ever had is catching an adversary, it's just not very fast, so you have to hope the adversary comes to you (eventually).
A lucky Su-27 pilot could shoot down an A-10 in gunzo. If he doesn't nail him while the element of surprise is still his, he can either run away, and slash again...or he'll be eaten by the hog.
"To be afraid of living is to be afraid of dying. How can you get past this, and cherish the fear of flying?"-Juliana Hatfield
Hello Everyone! This is my first post I think that the A-10 would be able to out-turn the Su-27, but why would the Flanker even be that close? It probably could have shot down the A-10 with missiles. Also I've heard that Su-27s can pull their nose up into amazing AoA... By the way, the Su-37 (Thrust vectoring - now Su-35) could, at 120 knots, pull its nose up so its nose is facing he other side while it's moving backwards for about 2 seconds (enough to get off a few rounds or an IR missile shot), and then safely flip back and fly forward with about 90 knots of airspeed.
That wasn't the question, Viper. It was a "Gun only A-10 vs Su-27" kind of question. If the Flanker pilot knows better, which he might not with only 20 hours per year in his jet, he'll go for a slash and dash. If he gets into a slow, turning fight with the Hog, he'll die.
BTW...the nose of the Su-37 "flips back" because his aircraft has departed. It may be easy for him to recover, but at that point in time, he is NOT in control of his aircraft, gravity is. He does that in combat, he dies...plain and simple. This maneuver is not a valid combat maneuver.
"To be afraid of living is to be afraid of dying. How can you get past this, and cherish the fear of flying?"-Juliana Hatfield
Thank you for clarifying that for me, IguanaKing. When I read about the Su-37's maneuver I thought it may have been useful in combat (the book implied that by saying that he kept that position for 2 seconds, enough to loose off a missile, or fire a few rounds.) I guess it may have been just for the press (since it was at an airshow).
Heh...even the Russian pilots who demonstrate that maneuver get a chuckle when someone asks them if they 'd use it in combat. These guys get FAR less time in their jet than Western pilots, but they're still wise enough to know that speed and energy are their best asset.
"To be afraid of living is to be afraid of dying. How can you get past this, and cherish the fear of flying?"-Juliana Hatfield
Well, it is neccessary to know your advantages against the enemy and enemy's weaknesses. It is obvious that because of slow speed A-10 is better in tight turning fight.
Knowing those I woudn't attack A-10 even head-on. I would try to get an advantage of higher ceiling and attack A-10 from above... and then of course run away to get a distance for second pass. However, if it wouldn't work for second and/or third pass, I think the best option is to turn fight in vertical. And then A-10's pilot will be stupid if he go into it. Because of higher climb rate Su-27 will be above A-10 when the second will come to stall and then A-10 is just a sitting duck.
About "flipping back" manouver. It doen't mean thath the plane is in stall. As described above, plane stops heading its nose up, then move backwards for couple of seconds, then flip back and goes into short dive of 2-3 seconds on full-throttle to gain speed and then levels its nose. In no way it is not under control. However I agree that possibly it is not very wise move if there are many planes engaged into current dogfight, or if you have not a wingman. Those 2-6 seconds of almost zero-speed are fatal for the pilot.
i feel better now 
