Zeke

[Movie]

what would be some appropriate moves to do in a zeke besides TnB?

[Treize69]

CnB, DnB, anything that puts the emphasis on the B part.

[Movie]

thx for your input

[Treize69]

Really theres not much to do in Zekes besides try to sucker someone into a turnfight. It can't climb away from most planes after the EW set (though it does zoom well), its controls lock up at relatively low speeds in a dive (and pulling out too hard can break a wing), and its definitely not fast enough to run down anyone from low 6 or to run away when you lose the advantage.

Can't even really HO in it, its so fragile that a few hits will tear off a wing or knock out the engine (or start a fire, or kill the pilot...) I got 3 or 4 A6M2s in a P-38G yesterday because I kept suckering them into trying to dive with me and then I could just pull up and leave them miles behind. They were just as dead trying to loop fight or HO, as soon as they showed their belly they were either wingless or on fire (or exploded).

You need to really have a good combination of e-management, SA, marksmanship, and luck to consistently do well in a Zero. No two fights are the same, you can mop the floor with it one flight and get your oscar handed to you on the next 5.

My best advice is to just stick with it exclusively until you feel comfortable with it, the only way to really master any plane in here. Everyone flies every plane different. Plus you have to make sure you can enter a fight in control and pick your battles. Very small margin for error in that rice-paper kite.

[Movie]

well theres a difference noob pilots will take the bait but exp. pilots wont

[Saxman]

There's really not much else you can do. Just about every fighter that entered service after 1943 will out-everything the Zeke except in low-speed turn and combustibility.

I love watching Zekes try to hang with my F4U in the zoom.

[Treize69]

Guy I was fighting was by no means a newb, but when you get into the fight and start going for it without paying attention, you can get suckered into a losing battle very quickly. Thats what we mean by "controlling the fight". Ask any of the guys who sucker spixteens and Las into dogfighting an A-20 or Ju-88 and hand them their butts all night long. Or ask the 109 and P-38 drivers who sucker the better turning planes into vertical fight and blow them out of the sky with impunity. Happens all the time, and often to vets who should know better.

Its all knowing your aircraft and knowing what works for you, and forcing the other guy to dance to your tune. Most of the sticks in here will not disengage no matter how out of control the situation gets, it comes from the fact that we're not fighting for our lives. You have to take control and cause the other guy to do something stupid.

[Movie]

which zero would be better for combat in the matter of TnB?

[Lusche]

A6M2 has a tighter turn radius than the A6M5. But as the A6M5 will already outperform almost every other fighter in a pure turning contest, the increased speed, climb rate, acceleration, guns lethality and firing time make it usually the better choice for fighting the enemy.

[Movie]

thx lusche

[Fruda]

Originally posted by Lusche
A6M2 has a tighter turn radius than the A6M5. But as the A6M5 will already outperform almost every other fighter in a pure turning contest, the increased speed, climb rate, acceleration, guns lethality and firing time make it usually the better choice for fighting the enemy.

That's pretty misleading, since the A6M5 isn't much faster than the A6M2, nor does the smidge of extra armor really help. The guns aren't much better, either. It has a lot of added weight that kills its low-speed combat lethality, and I've suckered A6M5s into low-speed turn fights countless times while flying an A6M2, and I rarely lose in that situation.

If you really apply yourself to the A6M2 Zero, you'll be hell on wings. It just takes a lot of patience, marksmanship, and a quick brain so you won't get suckered into an opponent's tricks.

Remember: never dive with a P-38 when flying the Zero. Fake a dive for about 500 feet, and then even out. You'll gain some extra speed, and if the P-38 happens to pull up (which they have most of the time in my experience), you've got a huge advantage.

[Karnak]

Um, the A6M5 is significantly faster and the guns are much, much better.  Same cannon as on the N1K2-J instead of the crappy Okerlion based guns like on the Bf109E.

[Lusche]

Originally posted by Fruda
and I've suckered A6M5s into low-speed turn fights countless times while flying an A6M2, and I rarely lose in that situation.

This is more or less what I was stating. The A6M5 is only 2nd best turner, so the M2 will outturn a M5. But M2s are rare in MW/LW for a (reason), so you still will be able to outturn any other fighter you encounter.

And the weapon set is MUCH better in M5, you have double the amount of cannon ammo and a better trajectory. Add to that a gain in climb rate of about 500ft/min (almost 25% better). The A5M also accelerates 150-200 about 2.5 seconds faster. All these factors are very important in combat. The factor that you are being able beat the M5 in a M2 doesn't make the M2 a better plane...

[1K3]

I wish we have the clipped wing A6M3.  This version can roll and turn well at the same time.  Think of this as the early war SPIT16.

[Serenity]

Originally posted by 1K3
Think of this as the early war SPIT16.

This is good WHY?!?

Talk about torpedoing yourself...