High altittude fighting.

[funkedup]

Back on topic:

Naudet at 20k+ almost all of the aircraft are losing power.  So you have less excess power which means less climb rate and less ability to sustain a high-g turn.

Also because of the thin air, your minimum turning radius becomes significantly larger.  In a plane like the D-9, which has a very high wingloading and a large turn radius at sea level, the turning radius becomes HUGE.

So the pace of the fight becomes slower, and you have to be very gentle on the controls in order to avoid wasting your excess power.  

And when planning a turn, you have to remember that you will need a lot more room to make the turn than at low altitudes.  If at sea level you need to be 2.5k in front of a bandit to make a reversal, you might need to be 4.0k in front of him at high altitude.

Try to use very simple tactics.  If the enemy is above you or faster, don't attack.  Build your speed and hit and run.  If the enemy is lower, attack him agressively, but if you pull up to zoom, remember to do it very gently because you can't waste too much power on induced drag.

Also remember there are some very deadly planes at high alitudes.  

P-47 and P-38 have turbos which means they have the same power at ~30k than they do at sea level!  They can outclimb almost any plane near 30k.

Also the Spit IX modeled in AH uses a high-altitude version of the Merlin with a two-stage supercharger., which means it is still powerful at 25k+ when most planes are gasping for air.  And the low wingloading means they still have a pretty good turn radius at that height.  

P-51's use the same basic engine as the Spit IX and are also deadly at altitude.

F4U and Hellcat also have two-stage superchargers which means they don't lose much power at altitude also.

N1K2-J and all the Soviet fighters have single-stage supercharged engines with quite low rated altitudes, so they become turds at high altitude.  If you keep the airspeed above your best climb speed and don't turn too much you can build an energy advantage against them very quickly.

[ 11-19-2001: Message edited by: funkedup ]

[Kweassa]

Ah...

 so THAT's how those Spits simply sneer at high alt fighters like Ta-152H...

[GRUNHERZ]

But funked the dora wont outclimb the SpitV at 25K, look at the charts YOU POSTED their climb is identical if FW190D9 uses WEP. And in fact if the FW190D9 doesnt use WEP or is out the SpitV has a nice climb rate advantage of about 300-400 fpm which it can maintain with or without WEP as its 2 curves are identical.

[funkedup]

funked the dora wont outclimb the SpitV at 25K

Print it out and get a ruler or something.  They are pretty dang close even if there is no WEP for the Dora.  Considering Dora WEP time approaches infinity it seems unlikely.  

[ 11-19-2001: Message edited by: funkedup ]

[Naudet]

Grunherz, about the speed on the Dora:

453mph is the speed the D12/13 reached but not the D9.

In an original Factory chart, the highest speed was 440mph with C3 fuel Sondernotleistung (Special Emergency Power), @4270KG with ETC504. without ETC5004 speed would be 445mph-448mph.

The MW50 D9 in that chart, was about 437 mph, using B4 fuel, MW50 injection and Ladedrucksteigerungsüstsatz, @4270KG with ETC504.  Without ETC504 speed would be 442mph-444mph.

I am still trying to figure out if there was also a setting using C3fuel, MW50 and Ladedrucksteigerung. This Bird would come close to 450mph, if it existed.


Addin: BTW the AH D9 does about 432mph TopSpeed, but till now neither HT or Pyro answered what D9 we actually have in AH  

[ 11-20-2001: Message edited by: Naudet ]

[StSanta]

High alt fights. Mostly hate them. The performance of the A5 just drops off so sharply.

In a Ta-152, there's little better. But, lacking high enemies, I've found that dogfighting in close, with T&B elements works remarkably well at all altitudes. Spits, N1K's, F4u's - I've surprised more than a few of them by flying the Ta-52 very aggressively and very low.

The 109 at hi speed is awful. But, if an enemy dives and runs for it, just get into a shallow dive, then level out when speed gets high. For a while, he'll outrun you. Eventually, the speed gained from the dive will start to fade away. Then you pounce - you'll most likely missed your first pass, since you have little control. Go aggressively into the vertical, pulling high g's (if the enemy is significantly slower than you), and then play the 109 game.

Haven't flown the G10 in a long while. It isn't the best plane for furballs - but there's nothing I'd rather be in in a 2v2, 2v3, 2v4 or 2v5. With a competent wingman fighting unorganized enemies, it is possible to win a fight like a 2v5 in the G10.