War Thunder is a free-to-play multiplayer game where you take control of combat vehicles designed for war. You can take control of tanks such as the Tiger H1, Challenger 2, Leopard 2A6 etc. If tanks aren’t your thing, then you can take control of planes like the F-86F-2, Spitfire F MK 24, Sea Hawk FGA and the F-14A. Also, it is the same plane that’s famously known for being Maverick’s plane in Top Gun. So, people are bound to grind for this.
F-14A Complete Guide – War Thunder
The F-14A is a Rank VII naval plane that can be unlocked if you grind for it. It’s only usable for the American forces. This makes sense as it is only available in the American Air Tech tree.
The stats for F-14A includes the max speed, which is at 2221 km/h, max altitude, turn time, rate of climb, and takeoff run.
The plane plays surprisingly different from other planes. However, it should come as no surprise as this plane, along with others, are newly introduced to the game. The F-14A is technically an old and retired plane that the US no longer uses. But, War Thunder does not really care about that and brings the plane up against the more advanced planes.
In combat, the F-14A has an incredibly great range thanks to its active radar guiding AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. These missiles can track enemy planes once they’re within range of 10 to 15 kilometers. This makes the F-14 an incredibly great plane to use with missiles that can track on their own.
Don’t jump into the grind yet though. While independent lock-on is great, it’s not 100% accurate. There’s still the issue of its weight that makes maneuvering difficult. Some might say that it’s better to be up close before locking on and firing. But even then, you’re still not sure if the missile will hit because of its slow maneuverability.
Another thing to take note about the F-14A is the lack of smart ordinance. While it makes sense that this plane doesn’t have any smart ordinance before it became the norm in modern military, it still brings it a big disadvantage to planes who have smart ordinance. The F-14A solely has to rely on dumb bombs and rockets.
Is The F-14A Worth Grinding For?
The F-14A, while still a good plane, is not really meant for air support. Instead, players will find that the plane is a great ground support and air supremacy plane. Meaning that you can take to the skies and gun down other planes while still doing bombing runs to help support the forces on the ground.
While the combat maybe 50-50, piloting the F-14A is actually one of the greatest strengths. The maneuverability, despite its size, is a surprising shock as you can easily move this plane around effectively without much trouble.
While the MIG-21 in the game is still better in terms of speed and turning, in the hands of a great pilot (like Maverick), the F-14A can easily outmaneuver some planes. It also features a great radar that players will easily love.
So, is the plane good? Is it worth the grind? Yes, it is. While it’s not the perfect plane in the game, it still highly powerful and has great speed. It is one of the best planes in the game despite the flaws. It’s great for combat and can handle enemies at all ranges, and it’s fast in all altitudes, especially at sea level.
A great pilot can make a plane like the F-14A become a powerhouse in the air, just as Maverick did in Top Gun. So, if you’re willing to ride into the danger zone, then buckle up and grab a partner because this plane is taking you for a ride.
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