F3H-2 - Revision history

U70979825: F3H-2 page has overhated the plane to hell, it is a very functional dogfighter at 9.0 and ive changed the usage in battles and pros and cons and erased a solid chunk of the (unwarranted) hate before it being downtiered

2024-11-11T17:02:55Z

F3H-2 page has overhated the plane to hell, it is a very functional dogfighter at 9.0 and ive changed the usage in battles and pros and cons and erased a solid chunk of the (unwarranted) hate before it being downtiered

U135506923: /* Pros and cons */

2024-11-09T07:37:15Z

‎Pros and cons

U135506923: /* Pros and cons */

2024-11-09T07:36:36Z

‎Pros and cons

U28580205: /* Usage in battles */

2024-01-17T04:01:34Z

‎Usage in battles

U3808110: /* Usage in battles */

2024-01-17T02:28:35Z

‎Usage in battles

U9202753: Specs-Card ArtImage added.

2023-12-03T02:41:48Z

Specs-Card ArtImage added.

U48664895: Updated description to new format

2023-09-21T02:27:43Z

Updated description to new format

U138686716: /* Pros and cons */

2023-09-17T20:39:45Z

‎Pros and cons

U38088265: /* Suspended armament */ Updated

2023-06-25T12:21:50Z

‎Suspended armament: Updated

U44629479: Edits

2023-03-07T07:29:06Z

Edits

@@ Line 208: / Line 208: @@
 <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
-Unfortunately for the F3H-2, its BR means that almost every battle will be an uphill battle: nearly every aircraft at this BR has either superior armament (better/more AA missiles, better/more cannons), or vastly superior performance (nearly all being supersonic, and the majority of non-supersonic aircraft being highly manoeuvrable VTOL jets), or radar warning receivers that nullify any surprise to using the Sparrow missiles, or most significantly, countermeasures. Quite often, opponents will have four of those advantages at once, meaning that F3H-2 pilots will have to resort to catching enemies off guard (a rarity due to the prevalence of radar and RWR systems at this BR) or get lucky in the classic head-on with your cannons. You can attempt to play as a CAS aircraft and hope you aren't shot down, but this can yield varying results due to its mediocre ground armament. If you choose to not outright purchase the AIM-7s with [[Golden Eagles]], this should be the modification you focus on obtaining the moment you acquire the aircraft. In the event you find yourself on the defensive in a dogfight, the most you can do is slow down and constantly manoeuvre on the deck, hoping to get them in front of you and to help defeat AAMs. Note that this strategy is almost always suicide against VTOL aircraft like the [[Yak-38 (Family)|Yak-38]] or Harrier variants (as they will easily out manoevre you if they haven't already fired their AAMs).
+Unfortunately for the F3H-2, its BR means that almost every battle will be an uphill battle: nearly every aircraft at this BR can match or surpass its performance (many being supersonic), or radar warning receivers that nullify any surprise to using the Sparrow missiles, or most significantly, countermeasures, meaning that F3H-2 pilots will have to resort to catching enemies off guard, side-climbing and picking lone aircraft off, or get lucky in the classic head-on with your (excellent) cannons. You can attempt to play as a CAS aircraft and hope you aren't shot down, but this can yield varying results due to its mediocre ground armament. The [[AIM-7C Sparrow]] is extremely difficult to use near sea level due to the early radar employed by the aircraft, but can be useful at hunting high-flying enemies (much the same way the [[R-3R]] is used) In the event you find yourself on the defensive in a dogfight, the most you can do is slow down and constantly maneuver on the deck, making them overshoot while still trying to keep speed over 650kph, and to help defeat AAMs. Note that this strategy is almost always suicide against VTOL aircraft like the [[Yak-38 (Family)|Yak-38]] or Harrier variants (as they will easily out maneuver you at low speeds if they haven't already fired their AAMs).
-To truly use this aircraft's potential you must be lucky enough to be downtiered in an Air Realistic battle where one has the AIM-7C unlocked. Here it is recommended to start a match with a fuel load of 20 minutes, gaining speed of around 950 km/h, and putting the plane at a 15 to 20 degree climb. The amount of climb is entirely dependent on the pilots playstyle, as more aggressive players will enjoy a lower altitude. AIM-7C sparrows are best used at the beginning of the battle, on enemies that are climbing. It may be best to use the radar in ACM mode to get better chances of locking onto targets for the AIM-7C. As most planes around this BR do not have Radar Warning Receivers, if the target did not notice the Sparrow launch, it's likely to get hit by it. If it did notice the missile, it won't have a very hard time dodging it, as the AIM-7C has a considerably weaker performance compared to the AIM-7D/E (worse seeker angles, much weaker rocket engine combined with the slower speed of the F3H-2 leading to much shorter range, worse proximity fuse etc.). Since the F3H has a high manoeuvrability, it is recommended to go after lower-ranked vehicles, like the F-86A, MiG-15, and the Hunter F.1. If the F3H gets into a uncomfortable situation against these planes, it can simply dive away to avoid getting caught. Getting used to the four 20 mm cannons will also assist, as their damage is high, allowing for swift attacks in intercepting manoeuvres.
+To truly use this aircraft's potential you must be lucky enough to be downtiered in an Air Realistic battle, optionally, where one has the AIM-7C unlocked. Here it is recommended to start a match with a fuel load of 20 minutes, gaining speed of around 950 km/h, and putting the plane at a 15 to 20 degree climb. The amount of climb is entirely dependent on the pilots playstyle, as more aggressive players will enjoy a lower altitude. AIM-7C sparrows are best used at the beginning of the battle, on enemies that are climbing. It may be best to use the radar in ACM mode to get better chances of locking onto targets for the AIM-7C. As most planes around this BR do not have Radar Warning Receivers, if the target did not notice the Sparrow launch, it's likely to get hit by it. If it did notice the missile, it won't have a very hard time dodging it, as the AIM-7C has a considerably weaker performance compared to the AIM-7D/E (worse seeker angles, much weaker rocket engine combined with the slower speed of the F3H-2 leading to much shorter range, worse proximity fuse etc.). Since the F3H has a high manoeuvrability, it is recommended to go after lower-ranked vehicles, like the F-86A, MiG-15, and the Hunter F.1. If the F3H gets into a uncomfortable situation against these planes, it can simply dive away to avoid getting caught. Getting used to the four 20 mm cannons will also assist, as their damage is high, allowing for swift attacks in intercepting manoeuvres.
-In the event of a downtier without the AIM-7C, the aircraft will play quite similar to the [[F9F-8]], but with much better performance.
+The F3H-2, while not an easy aircraft is a force to be reckoned with in the hands of a skilled pilot as despite its apparent inferiority to its contemporaries you have the ability to simply outdo other aircraft, with excellent cannons (high rate of fire, ammunition pool, belts, accuracy & ballistics), up to 4 AIM-9Bs, and unmatched turn performance, playing cautiously, keeping your speed high and intercepting lone aircraft can rack up a significant amount of kills, additionally the use of belly-mounted [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|rockets]] as makeshift flares is an option at the cost of a minor performance hit, completely ignoring the radar missiles is an option as your IR missiles can be extremely potent against slow enemies between 0.8 km and 2.0km, the aircraft is not hopeless against its enemies and can very feasibly achieve multiple kills in a single sortie when you utilize its strengths, learning enemy aircraft at the BR is absolutely necessary as the F3H-2 can in some way outplay (nearly) every aircraft it faces if you know their weaknesses and how to exploit them.
 In ground battles, it can enjoy some leeway against defenseless helicopters. However, straying too close to the battlefield puts you at risk of the quite capable SAM/AAA systems at this BR, especially if one is uptiered where radar guided SAMs become a common issue. Although if you're lucky enough to have arrived at a battlefield with no deployed AA, the 3,000 lb bomb or large amount of FFARs can be useful in the AT role. Overall, the issues described in the above paragraphs make the F3H-2 a poor choice to bring in as a CAS aircraft (with much better options being available from both: previous BRs and its BR).
@@ Line 253: / Line 253: @@
 * Good cockpit visibility and radar position
 * Despite being a large aircraft, this plane can pull high AOA maneuvers with combat flaps
 '''Cons:'''
 * Lack of both ballistic computer and guided air-to-ground weaponry make it a highly questionable CAS option despite having a wide variety of payload options
-* AIM-7C missiles are unreliable
+* AIM-7C missiles are unreliable, nearly unusable close to the ground
-* Sluggish acceleration
+* Average acceleration
-* Loses loads of speed when manoeuvring
+* Bad energy retention
 * Rarely reaches its top speed
 * Is a relatively large target
 * Has no countermeasures (no Flares/chaff or RWR)
 * Is subsonic while it commonly faces supersonic aircraft

@@ Line 265: / Line 265: @@
 * Has no countermeasures (no Flares/chaff or RWR)
 * Is subsonic while it commonly faces supersonic aircraft
 == History ==

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 * Has no countermeasures (no Flares/chaff or RWR)
 * Is subsonic while it commonly faces supersonic aircraft
 == History ==

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 Unfortunately for the F3H-2, its BR means that almost every battle will be an uphill battle: nearly every aircraft at this BR has either superior armament (better/more AA missiles, better/more cannons), or vastly superior performance (nearly all being supersonic, and the majority of non-supersonic aircraft being highly manoeuvrable VTOL jets), or radar warning receivers that nullify any surprise to using the Sparrow missiles, or most significantly, countermeasures. Quite often, opponents will have four of those advantages at once, meaning that F3H-2 pilots will have to resort to catching enemies off guard (a rarity due to the prevalence of radar and RWR systems at this BR) or get lucky in the classic head-on with your cannons. You can attempt to play as a CAS aircraft and hope you aren't shot down, but this can yield varying results due to its mediocre ground armament. If you choose to not outright purchase the AIM-7s with [[Golden Eagles]], this should be the modification you focus on obtaining the moment you acquire the aircraft. In the event you find yourself on the defensive in a dogfight, the most you can do is slow down and constantly manoeuvre on the deck, hoping to get them in front of you and to help defeat AAMs. Note that this strategy is almost always suicide against VTOL aircraft like the [[Yak-38 (Family)|Yak-38]] or Harrier variants (as they will easily out manoevre you if they haven't already fired their AAMs).
-To truly use this aircraft's potential you must be lucky enough to be downtiered in an Air Realistic battle where one has the AIM-7C unlocked. Here it is recommended to start a match with a fuel load of 20 minutes, gaining speed of around 950 km/h, and putting the plane at a 15 to 20 degree climb. The amount of climb is entirely dependent on the pilots playstyle, as more aggressive players will enjoy a lower altitude. AIM-7C sparrows are best used at the beginning of the battle, on enemies that are climbing. As most planes around this BR do not have Radar Warning Receivers, if the target did not notice the Sparrow launch, it's likely to get hit by it. If it did notice the missile, it won't have a very hard time dodging it, as the AIM-7C has a considerably weaker performance compared to the AIM-7D/E (worse seeker angles, much weaker rocket engine combined with the slower speed of the F3H-2 leading to much shorter range, worse proximity fuse etc.). Since the F3H has a high manoeuvrability, it is recommended to go after lower-ranked vehicles, like the F-86A, MiG-15, and the Hunter F.1. If the F3H gets into a uncomfortable situation against these planes, it can simply dive away to avoid getting caught. Getting used to the four 20 mm cannons will also assist, as their damage is high, allowing for swift attacks in intercepting manoeuvres.
+To truly use this aircraft's potential you must be lucky enough to be downtiered in an Air Realistic battle where one has the AIM-7C unlocked. Here it is recommended to start a match with a fuel load of 20 minutes, gaining speed of around 950 km/h, and putting the plane at a 15 to 20 degree climb. The amount of climb is entirely dependent on the pilots playstyle, as more aggressive players will enjoy a lower altitude. AIM-7C sparrows are best used at the beginning of the battle, on enemies that are climbing. It may be best to use the radar in ACM mode to get better chances of locking onto targets for the AIM-7C. As most planes around this BR do not have Radar Warning Receivers, if the target did not notice the Sparrow launch, it's likely to get hit by it. If it did notice the missile, it won't have a very hard time dodging it, as the AIM-7C has a considerably weaker performance compared to the AIM-7D/E (worse seeker angles, much weaker rocket engine combined with the slower speed of the F3H-2 leading to much shorter range, worse proximity fuse etc.). Since the F3H has a high manoeuvrability, it is recommended to go after lower-ranked vehicles, like the F-86A, MiG-15, and the Hunter F.1. If the F3H gets into a uncomfortable situation against these planes, it can simply dive away to avoid getting caught. Getting used to the four 20 mm cannons will also assist, as their damage is high, allowing for swift attacks in intercepting manoeuvres.
 In the event of a downtier without the AIM-7C, the aircraft will play quite similar to the [[F9F-8]], but with much better performance.
 In ground battles, it can enjoy some leeway against defenseless helicopters. However, straying too close to the battlefield puts you at risk of the quite capable SAM/AAA systems at this BR, especially if one is uptiered where radar guided SAMs become a common issue. Although if you're lucky enough to have arrived at a battlefield with no deployed AA, the 3,000 lb bomb or large amount of FFARs can be useful in the AT role. Overall, the issues described in the above paragraphs make the F3H-2 a poor choice to bring in as a CAS aircraft (with much better options being available from both: previous BRs and its BR).
 ===Radars===

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:28, 17 January 2024
Line 215:		Line 215:

	In ground battles, it can enjoy some leeway against defenseless helicopters. However, straying too close to the battlefield puts you at risk of the quite capable SAM/AAA systems at this BR, especially if one is uptiered where radar guided SAMs become a common issue. Although if you're lucky enough to have arrived at a battlefield with no deployed AA, the 3,000 lb bomb or large amount of FFARs can be useful in the AT role. Overall, the issues described in the above paragraphs make the F3H-2 a poor choice to bring in as a CAS aircraft (with much better options being available from both: previous BRs and its BR).		In ground battles, it can enjoy some leeway against defenseless helicopters. However, straying too close to the battlefield puts you at risk of the quite capable SAM/AAA systems at this BR, especially if one is uptiered where radar guided SAMs become a common issue. Although if you're lucky enough to have arrived at a battlefield with no deployed AA, the 3,000 lb bomb or large amount of FFARs can be useful in the AT role. Overall, the issues described in the above paragraphs make the F3H-2 a poor choice to bring in as a CAS aircraft (with much better options being available from both: previous BRs and its BR).
		+
		+	=== Air Arcade battles ===
		+	To make effective use of the radar and the AIM-7C missiles, its important that the player put the radar in ACM mode, otherwise the radar rarely locks targets.

	===Radars===		===Radars===

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Specs-Card
 |code=f3h-2
-|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
+|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 |cockpit=cockpit_f3h-2.jpg
 }}

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].
+The F3H-2 Demon was a big improvement over the F3H-1N. Significant issues with the Westinghouse J40 almost killed the Demon project. As the J40 was being remedied, McDonnell inquired to the Navy about a new powerplant in case the J40 was deemed too far gone. After authorization, McDonnell chose the Allison J71 engine which was a vast improvement over the previous J40. Unlike previous versions of the Demon, the F3H-2 could launch the more advanced AIM-7C Sparrow. It could also carry AIM-9B Sidewinders and up to 6,000 lbs of ordnance. Although the F3H-2 was deemed somewhat favorable by its crews, newer and more advanced aircraft like the F-8 Crusader and F-4 Phantom numbered the Demon’s days. Finally, in 1964,  the last naval squadron using Demons, VF-161, switched them out for the new Phantoms.
 == General info ==

@@ Line 187: / Line 187: @@
 {{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
 {{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 * Without load
 * 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
@@ Line 247: / Line 248: @@
 ** Can equip both Sidewinders and Sparrows for variety in attacking enemy aircraft
 ** Can equip both a pair of missiles or ground attack ordnance for dual-purpose role
-* Very good manoeuvrability compared to contemporary aircraft
+* Very good maneuverability compared to contemporary aircraft
 * Good cockpit visibility and radar position
 '''Cons:'''

@@ Line 138: / Line 138: @@
 * 4 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 3 cannons, chin-mounted (190 rpg = 760 total).
 These guns have good muzzle velocity, good rate of fire and deal decent damage. Combined with their large ammo pool, they are effective offensive armament. The only real downside is the very poor accuracy without the "New 20 mm cannons" modification, making longer range shots problematic despite the good velocity.
 === Suspended armament ===
 {{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 <!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
 The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 * Without load
 * 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
 * 6 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (1,500 lb total)
 * 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
 * 4 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,000 lb total)
 * 2 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (2,000 lb total)
 * 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (4,000 lb total)
 * 1 x 3,000 lb M118 bomb (3,000 lb total)
-* 56 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
+{{Navigation-End}}
 == Usage in battles ==
 <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 Unfortunately for the F3H-2, its BR means that almost every battle will be an uphill battle: nearly every aircraft at this BR has either superior armament (better/more AA missiles, better/more cannons), or vastly superior performance (nearly all being supersonic, and the majority of non-supersonic aircraft being highly manoeuvrable VTOL jets), or radar warning receivers that nullify any surprise to using the Sparrow missiles, or most significantly, countermeasures. Quite often, opponents will have four of those advantages at once, meaning that F3H-2 pilots will have to resort to catching enemies off guard (a rarity due to the prevalence of radar and RWR systems at this BR) or get lucky in the classic head-on with your cannons. You can attempt to play as a CAS aircraft and hope you aren't shot down, but this can yield varying results due to its mediocre ground armament. If you choose to not outright purchase the AIM-7s with [[Golden Eagles]], this should be the modification you focus on obtaining the moment you acquire the aircraft. In the event you find yourself on the defensive in a dogfight, the most you can do is slow down and constantly manoeuvre on the deck, hoping to get them in front of you and to help defeat AAMs. Note that this strategy is almost always suicide against VTOL aircraft like the [[Yak-38 (Family)|Yak-38]] or Harrier variants (as they will easily out manoevre you if they haven't already fired their AAMs).
 To truly use this aircraft's potential you must be lucky enough to be downtiered in an Air Realistic battle where one has the AIM-7C unlocked. Here it is recommended to start a match with a fuel load of 20 minutes, gaining speed of around 950 km/h, and putting the plane at a 15 to 20 degree climb. The amount of climb is entirely dependent on the pilots playstyle, as more aggressive players will enjoy a lower altitude. AIM-7C sparrows are best used at the beginning of the battle, on enemies that are climbing. As most planes around this BR do not have Radar Warning Receivers, if the target did not notice the Sparrow launch, it's likely to get hit by it. If it did notice the missile, it won't have a very hard time dodging it, as the AIM-7C has a considerably weaker performance compared to the AIM-7D/E (worse seeker angles, much weaker rocket engine combined with the slower speed of the F3H-2 leading to much shorter range, worse proximity fuse etc.). Since the F3H has a high manoeuvrability, it is recommended to go after lower-ranked vehicles, like the F-86A, MiG-15, and the Hunter F.1. If the F3H gets into a uncomfortable situation against these planes, it can simply dive away to avoid getting caught. Getting used to the four 20 mm cannons will also assist, as their damage is high, allowing for swift attacks in intercepting manoeuvres.
 In the event of a downtier without the AIM-7C, the aircraft will play quite similar to the [[F9F-8]], but with much better performance.
@@ Line 217: / Line 247: @@
 ** Can equip both Sidewinders and Sparrows for variety in attacking enemy aircraft
 ** Can equip both a pair of missiles or ground attack ordnance for dual-purpose role
 * Very good manoeuvrability compared to contemporary aircraft
 * Good cockpit visibility and radar position
 '''Cons:'''
 * Lack of both ballistic computer and guided air-to-ground weaponry make it a highly questionable CAS option despite having a wide variety of payload options
 * AIM-7C missiles are unreliable
 * Sluggish acceleration
 * Loses loads of speed when manoeuvring
 * Rarely reaches its top speed