US Fighter Pilot Flies Russian SU-33 vs. F-14 Tomcat

About this video

Max flies the Russian SU-33 fighter jet in a DCS simulator dog fight against an F-14 Tomcat. He discusses the SU-33’s characteristics, noting that the canards give good initial nose position but bleed energy, making the jet feel lethargic compared to the F-15E or F-16 he’s accustomed to. Max attempts various maneuvers including a Cobra and uses asymmetric thrust, ultimately engaging in multiple rounds of simulated combat while sharing observations about Russian aircraft maintenance and fighter pilot tactics.

Key takeaways

• Max observes that the SU-33’s canards provide good initial nose authority but cause the aircraft to bleed energy quickly, making it feel lethargic compared to Western fighters he has flown.
• Max demonstrates that when fighting an F-14 with variable-sweep wings, tracking wing position is critical because swept-back wings allow the jet to gain speed and increase turn radius.
• Max explains that experienced fighter pilots in dog fights often end up low to the deck in what becomes ‘a game of inches’ requiring finesse on the controls.

Episode details: published March 17, 2024 · 8.4K views · 9:17 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The analysis and commentary described are Max Afterburner’s, attributed to him — his channel includes hypothetical-scenario and news-react content, which is presented as his analysis, not established fact.

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