Several days ago in the TA I was involved in a scrum with a P-51D while flying a 109K-4. Stepp had been following behind in a Spit16. I pulled off of the Mustang and there was Stepp, still behind me. I was curious if I could shake him off in a left-handed lufberry, so I bent the 109 around. We picked up a Spit1 at that point.
This training film demonstrates that while by the book, one aircraft should out-turn or out-perform another, some pilots never read the book. Moreover, the pilot who knows how to fly his plane to its limit can overcome a pilot who cannot get all there is out of his ride.
Stepp did better than many of the MA pilots would have, but he's still learning the limits. Each fight like this will help him to push his limits and gain the skills required to exploit his aircraft.
It is also very important for new players to understand that it's far easier to stay on someone's 6 than to shake them off. Thus the first rule of SA: Keep the bad guys in front of you.... You will note that once I broke out of the lufberry to chase Stepp, that Spit1 was able to follow us without serious trouble, except when I went vertical into a yo-yo to avoid an over-shoot.
Here's the
film. My regards,
Widewing
