Drop Tanks - ???

[jazzman1315]

I’ve been diligently working on all the pointers you guys  post in here, (and thank you so much )  as well as the training manuals, etc., but I cannot find any reference to how to drop tanks. I don’t know how much it degrades performance to drag an extra 150 gal of fuel into a fight, but my sense is that it isn’t a good idea.
Comments?

[Schatzi]

No, taking a DT into a fight usually isnt a really good idea. It models weight as well as drag, so you have a considerably lowered performance on your plane.


Drop tanks are simply secondary weapons - like rockets or bombs. Hit backspace untill they are selected in the ammo counter, then B (or Fire Secondary) to drop them.


I generally use DT to increase my range. That means, to go on an intercept where i know i might have to fly a while, i take around 75-100% (depending on plane always!) and a DT.
If i up at a base to head to one of our own thats capped for defense, ill usually take 25-50% and a DT, dropping the tank as soon as i get there. I dont expect to have to fly far (or live long) after dropping of tank.

I usually drop my tank when getting into a fight. There are exceptions, as to when i think the guy i met might just run anyway or I have a lot of alt and will only BnZ a few passes before i keep going on.
Generally, id say it is better to drop the tank, experience will tell you after a while, when it is save to keep it.

[Blooz]

Dropping your external fuel tanks is the same as dropping bombs, firing rockets, dropping paratroops and supplies. The 'backspace' key selects the weapons ( it shows on your ammo counters) and the 'B' key fires it (or drops it in this case).

External fuel tanks, rockets and bombs add a little drag on the plane. It robs you of anywhere from 5 to 10 miles per hour of speed.

If you are going into a fight you want to be "clean" and fast. Drop the external ordinance and accelerate. Fighting with bombs , rockets or fuel tanks on is like boxing  with a 100 pound backpack on. You will be at a great disadvantage.

[jazzman1315]

Thanks Schatzi and Blooz.

[Damionte]

Heya Jazz, although it's a disadvantage to fight with ordanance on it's not always. Occasionally the situation will allow you to fight with them on. A couple of special events ago during operation condor, or whatever it was called, we had a situation where keeping our ordanance wasn't a big deal.

This operation was a huge invasion of Japan.

Our flight was 6 P38L's flying heavy, at somewhere around 15K with 2 1000 poind bombs 10 rockets on the rails. We were approaching a Jap base that had just been hit by heavy bombers so a low fighter cap of Zero's was alreayd in the air. There were 8 zeroes all climbing at us between 3-9K

P38's naturally have the advantage on the A6M, especially in the BnZ. In this case our misison was to drop ordenance on the base so we had no choice but to keep our ord. We dove on the flight of zeroes and shot them all down. We only lost 1 plane who crashe don his dive. All the extra weight just made him compress faster and he lawn darted. We then flew on the last few K to the target dropped our ord and turned back for the waiting carriers to re-arm.

Just an example of a time it's ok to hang on to drop tanks.

[trotter]

keep in mind that for some birds (such as the F4U-1A) the pylon used to attach to the drop tank remains on your plane even after you have dropped the tank. That pylon is not there when you do not use drop tanks at all. So, even after the drop, there is a slight performance hit

I don't know which of the other planes have this happen as well. Maybe someone with a little more information (widewing?) could step in here.

[Damionte]

The older P38's retain thier rocket rails after losing the rockets.

[Xasthur]

I beleive the early 190s keep the rail after jettisoning the DT also