Using Flaps in AH2

[Gollum1999]

Hallo from Germany

Last days i was reading some postings about skills and practice.
I read often about using flaps during dogfight. I know what flaps are for and how to use them.
But how do you flaps in AH2?
When I'm about 200mph the flaps rise up automatically. I flying most times a 190-A8 and going bellow 200mph is not a good idea.

Are you all talking about using flaps bellow 200mph?

So long and cu in the air
NghtFire

[Gollum1999]

I just read many informations about german WWII planes. Most of them had the "Combat-Flaps" position. The first notch could be lowered even on high speed. About 500kmh they got damaged. At AH2 you generally cant use this option.

It was 1 of the major advantage of the 109-g types and the 109-k4 to use combat-flaps at high alt.

[MANDO]

Currently, german planes have a very low maximum allowable speed to use flaps. If you want to try "combat" flaps effect at much higher speeds, try them with P51s or P47s. With 190A8 do not use them unless you are near stall in a vertical climb, even in these cases, the effect in 190 is minimal.

[frank3]

In the P-47's and P-51's you can lower the flaps at almost all speeds while the German planes lower the flaps at the same speed as the B-24

[Krusty]

ALSO: what annoys me is when people think that *every* plane benefits from flap use.

*ONLY* certain planes benefit from flap use! Don't use them in yaks, spitfires, or anything with a split flap. It will NOT help, but it WILL drag your speed down so low you will be dog meat.

Don't use them on Luftwaffe planes (if they'll change this, we may never know -- but don't use it for now -- all LW planes are best flown as-is without flap use). Some planes may get a little boost here and there (for very brief moments) like the ki61 or the bf110 - but only use them there if you're desperate!

The planes you can use them effectively on are these:

(no particular order)

Ki84
p51's
p47s
p38
f4u's (a bit overmodeled, in my opinion)
f6f
Maybe FM-2/F4F (doesn't seem to help as much as other US planes)

I think that's all of them.

As a note: I've heard that some people use the flaps a lot on the bf110 and the MOSQ but only in vertical loops to help complete the loops better. THat's not the same as using these flaps to turn better. Just FYI.

[Octavius]

Originally posted by Krusty
Don't use them on Luftwaffe planes (if they'll change this, we may never know -- but don't use it for now -- all LW planes are best flown as-is without flap use).

speak for yourself.

[Vudak]

Originally posted by Krusty
what annoys me is when people think that *every* plane benefits from flap use.

Kinda depends on how the fight is going though, wouldn't you say?  If you're riding the edge, the notch of flap on the Spit will certainly help keep you from stalling...

I'll agree that the LW flaps are a disadvantage, but a notch of them really helps stabilize the 109 in some manuevers...  

So, basically, Gollum1999, use some trial and error and eventually you'll figure it out...  A trick I was just taught a few days ago is that if you're doing a bunch of loops, drop one notch at the top of the loop and then retract it quickly.  If you leave the flaps in for awhile, you'll ever so slowly get closer and closer to the ground, before finally augering.  (This was in a Spit V).

In an A8 *I* usually use a notch or two of flaps at the top of a rope, and sometimes use them in scissors.  Different people say different things about using flaps in a scissors, but I tend to find I either can use them, or stall.  Could just be me though.

I'm by no means an expert, but hopefully this has helped a bit.  You may want to make a similar post in the "help and training" forum.  Also, if someone with more experience would like to rip this to shreds, by all means, enlighten both of us

[frank3]

Don't use them in yaks, spitfires, or anything with a split flap.

These are about the only planes which dont NEED to use flaps to turn tighter!

[Krusty]

Exactly!!!!

And yet many people still buy into using flaps all the time. Tsk.

I blame the USAF plane flaps system lol

Makes these planes too good, so people get the wrong idea for all flaps

[Gollum1999]

Thx for all the answers.

I was used to take advantage of the flaps in AW. It helped on every plane. But AW is an old flightsim and wasnt good as AH2.

In IL2 the flaps helped u much in horizontal turns. There is a fixed move for flaps on all 109's wich is called "Gefecht".

Ofcourse using flaps slow down ur speed - but u have for 1 till 2 turns a better turnability and that is most enough to get a good shooting position.

However - i found that flaps help in a vertical loop at the top to get the nose faster downwards and retract it as the nose points to the ground. In AH2 this works with a 190-A8 at the same way with a litle effect, not as much as in IL2. But it helps.

I only fly american planes when i start on a cv. So i wont have much use for the flaps.

At airfields i allways start in a german plane. Thats my decision and i wont cry. At least there r other ways to get behind an american plane -   .

CU in the air.