Snap shots....

[GunnerCAF]

Humble,

In this angles reference, the best angle is 180 degrees behind your target. It's not in reference to a firing solution.  In a deflection shot you are leading for a shot not position.  If you are in a position for a tracking shot, you can maintain your position and fire on your target.

I am being a bit over simplistic in my explanation, but lead persuit will result in losing angles, and lag persuit will result in gaining angles. In short, if you want to get behind somone, you need to point your nose behind them.  

If you go for a snap shot, you are not going for position, but just a shot.  You need to lead your target and you will most likely overshoot.

In a fight you may switch from lead to lag many times.  As an example, as you first spot an enemy, you may lead him to close your distance, as you near guns range, you lag him to get into position.  As you set up a tracking shot, you will then lead him again for the deflection shot.

Gunner <CAF>

[ 08-26-2001: Message edited by: GunnerCAF ]

[Syzygyone]

 I love reading these posts.  Last Month in AW, I had 15 kills.  This month, after reading Leph and Andy and SKurj and the others, I got almost 30 kills.  Just from a better understanding of gunnery.  In the past, I had invariably underestimated the  lead on my target.   Regardless of whether it was a tracking shot or snap shot.  But, mostly, I have learned that I haven't allowed for projectile drop.  I was always missing low.  In High Angle Off Snap Shots, even if only at 1 G, I was still missing low, (although I am sure I skeered a number of pilots coming real close).
FWIW, read the SimHQ stuff, then go bounce around with the drones in AH.  You can use them to set up a lot of stuff.  Personally, I don't consider a pass successful unless the target splodes (not just starts smokin). That way, I narrow my focus point,  when I acquired the target, estimated it's track across the sky, adjusted for drop and lead, and head positgion, and as a result I get high projectile density at the convergance point on the target.
There, how's that for saying I hit the bad guy's plane with the most bullets I could from when and where I was ?LOL.

All this tech speak is for clarity sake but it didn't help me shoot better until I found that things started making sense from a technical point only after I had watched the mistake on films.  Then the terminology helps alot.
But, mostly, just go shoot alot of bullets.  You get better each time if you take the time to think back over what was successful and not successful.

 

Cya UP!

Again, thanks for all the very very helpful discussions!!!

[Elysian]

As I fly mainly BnZ aircraft, a lot of the time my only chance to get a kill is a snapshot.  The better turning con will inevitably see me zooming in from behind, and make a hard break turn (usually to the left) to foil my shot.  I prepare for this with a little bit of "anticipatory lag pursuit" to the right of the con's six.  I've only been playing online seems for about 5 months, but here are a few practical things I've come up with that really have been helping me (I get most of my kills with snapshots, 90 degree and even more deflection shots):

--  Way more often than not, the cons will point their nose downwards when doing the break turn.  I used to miss a lot of snapshots by pulling a level turn, only to shoot over the top of them.  Eventhough I can't see them during the last second or 2 of the setup, I anticipate them trying a break-turn under my nose.

--  Start shooting before you think you even have to.  It is really tough to judge when to start shooting, and I find I usually start too late.  Therefore, I start the bullet stream a little bit before what my brain would dictate.

--  This one is tricky, but try and save that little bit of decent initial turn some of these BnZ planes have for just the right moment.  Use it right when you think the cons is about to enter your bullet stream.  Do it right and you increase the time he in in your stream some.  This helps with what Andy is describing above regarding a very short time in the stream.


I've gotten many snapshot kills in p51s, Doras, 109G10s, and La7s using these three ideas.  

Hope this helps!

Ely

[Gunthr]

I've been connecting with a good percentage of the snapshots I take. For me the big thing was to be willing to let go and just start taking snapshots, even if you think its an impossible one. The more snappers you take, the more you learn the minute, unconscious corrections that are needed, and build up that motor-skill memory.

 I agree, snapshots are pure serendipity. All reflex and no thinking. When you look in the rear view after a successful snapshot you are almost always surprized when you see your foe smoking or flopping around with serious damage due to a close range hit. You sometimes can't believe that you actually hit the guy and might worry that you will be accused of cheating somehow.

As was said above, I would just start taking those shots, and be mentally ready when the opportunity comes knocking. Also, you will find you get better results in some planes than others as far as hitting is concerned.

Elysian, just read your post. I am normally a BnZ'er too, and my experience is pretty much the same as yours... my best snapshots were in the 109 G-10. I'm sure rudder authority is a big factor.

G'luck

[ 08-27-2001: Message edited by: Gunthr ]