Author Topic: Anyone else fly a zero? (Read 542 times)

Curval · « **on:** December 05, 2001, 07:40:00 AM »

I took up a zero last night just to dog-fight and try it out.....

I got one kill and should have gotten an assist on another - dunno why I didn't. The pilot I killed will remain anonymous as he would be mortified to learn that a newbie got him.

I found the zero to be an excellent dog fighter in AH...curious to know what the vets think...it is very fragile, but turns on a dime!

lazs1 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 05, 2001, 07:48:00 AM »

Guy named KY flys one a lot. he's good. The Zeke is not too fragile I have found (from killing em). I've killed a lot of different planes and would put the AH zeke above the AH Spit in durability. they are by far the hardest plane to get a shot at and they climb and accelerate well.
lazs

Am0n · « **Reply #2 on:** December 05, 2001, 07:50:00 AM »

I just took up flying it this tour, great plane. Just dont plan on chasing anyone down unless you got a serious alt advantage and they are already slow, other wise forget about catching them. Saying that you can also forgtet about running from anyone, which is good becuase it will teach to to fight.

The A6M turns like a dream and rolls like a 500lb woman in bed, one of the very bad charecteristics about it indeed. If your going over 350 rolling is out of the question, which is why nearly all maneuvers i do in it are in the vertical.

One thing is for sure, when it comes to TNB it eats the SpitIX up, which is great since 80% of the AC in AH are spits.

If you want to get the maximum proformance out of the A6M, even at high speeds (ecspecaily even), your going to have to manualy trim when turning. Not always but its a good idea in slow looping fights and extremly fast, otherwise impossible, turns.

Ive only been flying it for about 4 days now, those are just some of the things that i have picked up about it.

I'm loving this plane though, im going to stick with it for the rest of the tour.

Kronos · « **Reply #3 on:** December 05, 2001, 07:50:00 AM »

Zeke is a very good furballer... but 1 enemy cannon ping and your usually toast.
Too slow, though, a good BNZ pilot will ground it into dust, or just fly away if he gets into bad position against one.

Kweassa · « **Reply #4 on:** December 05, 2001, 07:51:00 AM »

A 1943 model.. but...

too slow, climbs bad, no WEP, bad high speed handling and etc etc..

It would definately be one of the great fighters if the sides were matched, say, maybe it goes against a P-40B or a F4F, or F6F even...

Am0n · « **Reply #5 on:** December 05, 2001, 08:09:00 AM »

Gotta disagree with some of your points Kweassa, 3.5k a minute is great climb rate.

Ive yet to have a problem with BNZ fighters, its very easy to trick them into to blowing there E, all it takes is for them to try to turn back into after over shooting 1 time and you can toast them.

Use it slow speed and slow speed handling to your advantage, forcing over shoots and chopping throttle and such.

Curval · « **Reply #6 on:** December 05, 2001, 08:30:00 AM »

Yea...but the roll rate does suck, compared to D9 etc....I tried to split s away from a guy who dropped on my tail and it took forever to get the plane to go over....I died in the attempt.

straffo · « **Reply #7 on:** December 05, 2001, 08:57:00 AM »

zeke is the guy you are looking for

Am0n · « **Reply #8 on:** December 05, 2001, 09:14:00 AM »

Yea curval, a split ess in a zero is bad news, above 250 any how (to avaiod a fast closing 6 attack). always check speed before you do that manuever to evade a 6 diving attack.

What i recommend is a banking spiral manuever to avoid attacks of that nature, any plane going fast enough to BNZ you, or E fight you for that matter, cannot either afford to follow or just plainly cannot follow that manuever.

Further more a decending tight turn like this is good bait for the bandit, normaly they try to follow you and blow a lot of E. so start your turn kinda loose and tighten up tremendously as they close and you have baited them well.

If they do follow they, and a lot will, they are a flying corpse.

Curval · « **Reply #9 on:** December 05, 2001, 09:22:00 AM »

Great advice..thanks Amon....

By the way....is there any damage model for flying debris? It would seem to me that a guy who opens up at 100 yards for a sure one trigger-pull kill would be reluctant if he potentially would "eat chunks" from my plane. This would force guys to start shooting a bit furthur back and would make dog fights a bit more interesting.

(obviously I haven't been in a position to eat much in the way of "chunks" yet, which is why I don't know)

Am0n · « **Reply #10 on:** December 05, 2001, 09:32:00 AM »

No debri damage, but another peril is hitting the dead bird its self. Ive done it a few times. Ecspecialy in this type of AC where a lot of your fights end up very close to the enemy and slow.

--

I gotta nice Zer0 desktop that i made here at work.. kinda cool for using "ms paint brush" hehe

Ghosth · « **Reply #11 on:** December 05, 2001, 11:17:00 AM »

Debris maybe not but I've hit seperated wings and taken damage. Whats really bad is TBM's, blow their tail off & they pitch up into me just as I go blowing by every time.

Zeke rocks esp for field defense. To improve survivabilty hook up with a wingman. And don't think that you have to be flying the same plane, sometimes a fast/turner combo can be deadly.

[ 12-05-2001: Message edited by: Ghosth ]