Question about sound and gunsights

[TweetyBird]

I've been watching some of the films posted here and noticed a few things.

First, it seems the pilots use sound as an SA tool. I notice in a few films the pilot doesn't even look and knows there's a plane on his 6. But the sound volumes are set different than mine.
Any suggestions how to set these up? I figure having your engine sound way down and the external engines sounds way up is a good thing. Any more suggestions?

Also a question about head positions. I notice in the films the large number of shots that happen under the nose of the plane. I have to guess they have the head position all the way up,  are psychic (just kidding), or have a clear dashboard ( also just kidding). Raising the head position all the way up moves the gunsight off the windscreen or whatever that is. It does, however, give one a much better view for 3-4 g shots. You can still see the tip of the enemy just over your nose. The price is no gunsite. Soooo - are people marking little dots on their monitors?

Any suggestion would be appreciated.

[Soda]

I don't think people mark dots on their monitors but it is not uncommon for people to set their head position a bit higher than normal to get a little extra view over the cowl.  I don't but I know a number of people who do.  A lot of people may have a view set to "sit high" in the seat though so they can watch right up to the point where they take their shot.  I've seen it mapped to the numpad 8 key before (or on the stick equivalent).

I've never heard, or could imagine, of someone using sounds as a honest method of SA.  What you may be seeing is the setting in the film viewer that suppresses the head-movement.  On the external film viewer (ie, the one outside of AH) you can check/uncheck a box to toggle whether to show, or mask, head position movement.  That might be what you are seeing as most films I've reviewed from decent players have their heads whipping around the cockpit so quickly it'll make you sick (that's good SA, they only look forward when they need to).  I know some people have used the engine sound as a warning before but typically it doesn't alert you soon enough to be of much use.... if the first time you know an enemy is behind you is because you hear them then you are already in deep trouble.

[gofaster]

First, download Mitsu's soundpack for his custom sounds package.  Check the "Sounds" forum for the URL for the newest package.  Fly the Spit IX and the Spit V so you can recognize their sound signatures.  At the merge, you'll need to know whether you're fighting against a IX or a V, since each model has different strengths and weaknesses (ie, you won't outturn a Spit V and may not be able to outrun a Spit IX).

Second, surf the web for some additional sounds for the Mustangs.  Mitsu uses the same sound for the Spit IX as he does for the P-51B and the P-51D, which is historically accurate but I prefer to know if the plane diving down on me is a Spitfire, B-stang, or D-stang, because each one is different from the other.  One resource is http://www.simviation.com for some of the MS FS and CFS engine sounds, which can be used in AH, too.  You can use just about any .wav file, including some of the samples of car and boat engines if you want.

Third, turn down your engine sound so that you can still hear it but it doesn't drown out the outside sounds.  I need to be able to hear my engine so I know if I'm on WEP or not and what my throttle setting is during combat without looking at my dash (since I'll be busy looking at the enemy).  Some folks prefer to fly in silence, but I don't.

Next, download some of the custom gunsights from the AH "Downloads" section.  I also made a custom gunsight but haven't gotten around to loading it up there - shoot an email to nascargofaster@yahoo.com and I'll send it to you.

Raise your seat in the cockpit until the gunsight crosshair is almost off the screen.  No matter now high you raise the seat, the guns will converge at that point in the crosshair, but I prefer to keep some of the horizontal reference line in sight.

That should be enough to get you started.  Good luck!

[TweetyBird]

Thanks for the great tips on sound! I hadn't even thought of making sure each plane had a distinctive sound.

I think I'll make La-7's sound like an icecream truck
Seriously - great suggestion, - ty.

[guttboy]

Ok it all comes down to SA....

I like to turn my engine WAY DOWN....I know by my throttle what it is at....i also turn the SIREN to min....I do GV's occasionaly and you may to and this just drives me INSANE.....

So for the guys that say that SOUND does not help you BS....

I use it ALWAYS with GVS.....in the air things happen a bit faster (MUCH) but on a rare occasion it has saved my arse....case in point....

I like to "saddle up" on a bogey on his low 6 position....most guys dont check that position because the tail/aft end of the plane is there.  I can give you about 5 times that I have heard a guy and not seen him causing me to do an instinctive hard break.  Saved my arse in 2 occassions but the other 3 i got waxed.

Personally I do get right in close on a guy...lets say a similar plane with similar speeds that thinks he is safe.   I come up behind...perhaps with only 5 kts closure rate....it takes patience to get the bad guy but worth it...he doesnt se you....well........I take my "money" shot at 300y or less....pick off that wing....

is that the right way...debatable....is it an effective way...in my opinion yes.....will that work for everyone no

BUT SOUND does play a part in that.  NO IF's ANDS or BUTs...

My 5 cents.....

Oh.....I do have dots on my monitor with a Staedler Perm marker.....ask my wife ack drives her NUTS:D

[Gunslinger]

My aim aint all that great in a fighter so I sit up "halfway"  Basically I only see half of the gunslight but still no exactly were the bullseye is.  It helps out alot in a turn shot.  I found that if I didnt have at least some of the sight up I missed alot of 6 shots were people weren't paying attention.  What should have been an easy kill waisted ammo.