What are the best Soviet Fighters Bombers?

[AFV]

Playing from the Soviet side makes me realize how little I know about Soviet airpower.
So, from a game perspective, what are the best Soviet Fighters ?
The in game traits of Durability, Manuever and Reliability I assume the higher the better?
I really have no way of comparing the firepower, etc, except to just ask people like yourselves that are very knowledgible on such things.

For that matter, what do you consider the best bombers?

[Aurelian]

Not too sure about the fighters, but I favor Il2s for bombing ground units.

And, to my surprise, U2VS's kill alot of men.

But, the Commanders Report will let you compare. (Go to the equipment tab and click aircraft on the upper right.)

[carlkay58]

U2VS generally suck, but they are great night bombers and are used quite a bit for interdictions. Oh, and their greatest strength is that you get ALOT of them!

[randallw]

IL-4s are produced through the war, so many of the level bomber units should be converted to them, as the SB-2s and DB-3s die off.

[Denniss]

DB-3 autoupgrade to IL-4, no need to do it manually. SB-2 may need manual upgrading to something like Pe-2 if they are not autochanged after their stocks are used-up.

[Dili]

Probably Aircobras

[Mehring]

In the first year once Lend-Lease kicks in, for air combat, its your only fighter, the P-40B. Well worth a few AP to re-equip your best FB units with them. Mass them with YaK 1s and MiGs in support and you will be able to inflict serious losses on the LW, even drive them out of a chosen sector. You don't get that many so I'd say better a good handful of units with plenty of replacements than loads that are going to run out and need to switch planes again, losing experience.

[AFV]

A lot of the Soviet-how to guides recommend putting upgrades on manual- but then don't tell you what to ever upgrade to.
I guess I will make sure my Yaks are used, my P-40B, and the MIG seems to be a good fighter, and then just put everything else on auto upgrade.

[randallw]

There's not a huge difference in capability between the fighters available in 1942 compared to the later years ( their research did not make jet engines a priority so they never got a jet fighter in service during the war ).

[glvaca]

The Sovs really only get equal planes with the introduction of the LA-5FN, LA-7 & Yak3. Yak9 wasn't bad either.
P39 were very good planes and were used to equip the Guards units with.

[Denniss]

In my next update the LaGG-3 29/66 and all La-5 will get a +1 to their maneuver rating - they had their problems but are underrated in game. On the nagative side they lost range as some where way overrated - the weight reduction programs forced them to sacrifice fuel for maneuverability/speed