Author Topic: Buff Guns again (Read 763 times)

Yarbles · « **on:** May 20, 2007, 06:27:07 AM »

Can anyone gove me any (sensible) tips on how to shoot down chasing fighters?

Ghosth · « **Reply #1 on:** May 20, 2007, 08:05:51 AM »

First, fly the b17 or b24 as they have the best defensive guns.

Second, don't be anywhere where there are fighters if you don't have at least 12k of altitude. A bit of time looking at objectives, and possible takeoff fields before you fly can make a huge difference. IE right click on map, turn on field altitudes for a min. Is there a friendly field close that is 3 - 5k high? If so thats the one you want, even if its farther away. That altitude advantage will save you sectors of slow climbing when your vulnerable.

That will thin out 75% of the fighters who might attack you. You simply are not worth the effort.

So what your going to have left are the high & fast birds. P38, 190s, p51's, p47's, 109k4, etc.

This is where they normally hunt, they like it up here. But they also have weakness's that you can exploit.

P38 is a big target, easy to hit, esp if you let him in to 600, then hammer him hard. Lead him just a bit, even if he's dead 6 behind you.

109k4 is a good bomber interceptor, but he's short on ammo. little wiggles of rudder as he's lining up and shooting will give him fits. Can be done from the tail gunners spot if you have rudder.

P51 has a glass nose, aka radiator. One good burst on the engine and he's in trouble, esp if he's not above you.

190's are probably the biggest single threat, a good 190 pilot can wipe out an entire bomber formation in a few quick passes. But they are slow to climb to altititude. And if they try to climb up to you, you can give them a mauling.

If you see any fighter above you setting you up go into a shallow dive for speed. Once he's no longer above you, but behind you, then go back level or even up a bit.

Any good pilot is probably going to get one of your birds if he presses the attack. If you start falling away bail instantly, jumps you to any remaining drones. Jump to the guns and hit him again.

Don't be afraid to fight, but save your ammo for when they can be hurt, ie inside 600.

Be unpredictable, try anything once, after all, what do you have to lose?
Remember what worked last time, and what didn't, learn from your mistakes.

Yarbles · « **Reply #2 on:** May 21, 2007, 04:45:42 AM »

Thanks for that it all sounds very usefull and will put into practice.

At a more basic level how far do you zoom in when firing and how do you calculate lead? My challenge has been flying a b24 and planes coming up right on my 6 and not being able to bring them down.

Do you for example try to see if Tracer is hitting by zooming right in etc.

Ghosth · « **Reply #3 on:** May 21, 2007, 07:21:02 AM »

I don't zoom at all in most situations. And turn tracers off. Watch for the yellow hit flashes.

As to lead, the easy way to learn that is in the TA.

Control Tab turns on the lead computing gunsight. Shift Tab or Tab selects a target (has to be friendly, ie same side) Then the green cross will show how much lead is needed.

In buff guns, if they coming at you, don't need much lead at all, just a smidge in front of them. Shoot where they are going to be, not where they are.

May not seem like much, but it still takes some time for bullets to travel 600 yards. While they do that he's closing the range, ie he's not where he was.

If he's fast it may be half a plane lenght. If he's coming straight at you, you don't need much because he's going to find those bullets no matter what you do.

Wait to fire till he's 600 out or he's starting to fire at you. Then pour it in, and keep pouring it in till he's dead, wounded, or breaks off the attack.

Yarbles · « **Reply #4 on:** May 21, 2007, 07:26:55 AM »

Sounds great, cant wait to get in amongst them and tear them apart wing from wing.

What is the most dangerous bomber killer?

Blooz · « **Reply #5 on:** May 21, 2007, 07:51:25 AM »

The most dangerous bomber killer is it's pilot.

Lusche · « **Reply #6 on:** May 21, 2007, 07:55:21 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Yarbles

What is the most dangerous bomber killer?

Always the next attacking plane.

While 4x20mm are definately more lethal that 4x13mm, almost any fighter can easily wreck your buffs if the pilot shows some skill. Watch how he is setting up his attack...

Yarbles · « **Reply #7 on:** May 21, 2007, 08:15:26 AM »

I thought in the 24's it was supposed to be a close run thing:eek:

Lusche · « **Reply #8 on:** May 21, 2007, 08:29:38 AM »

In 90% of all engagements, it is. When you follow Gosth's advice and get altitude. The altitude gives you not only the advantage that many won't even bother to climb up to you, but also it will make the proper set up of an attack more difficult for your enemies.

So you will see many impatient pilots forgetting all caution and creeping up to you on your low six.

fuzeman · « **Reply #9 on:** May 21, 2007, 05:12:18 PM »

Of course remember bomber gun convergence is set so have to keep that in mind.

If the bandit is far away, shooting all guns is sort of a waste of ammo. Only fire all when it's in a lethal range.

Makoyouidiot · « **Reply #10 on:** May 21, 2007, 08:59:14 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Lusche
Always the next attacking plane.

While 4x20mm are definately more lethal that 4x13mm, almost any fighter can easily wreck your buffs if the pilot shows some skill. Watch how he is setting up his attack...

Yes, even an 8x .303 plane such as HurrimkI and SpitmkI can nail an entire formation of bombers if he knows what he's doing...I know from experience

BaldEagl · « **Reply #11 on:** May 22, 2007, 12:00:23 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Makoyouidiot
Yes, even an 8x .303 plane such as HurrimkI and SpitmkI can nail an entire formation of bombers if he knows what he's doing...I know from experience

...or 2x .50 cal. I've done it. I've also done it with 8x .303.

Ghosth · « **Reply #12 on:** May 22, 2007, 07:23:51 AM »

8 x .303's are actually quite lethal if you set convergience short and only shoot inside 200 yards.

mtnman · « **Reply #13 on:** May 22, 2007, 10:04:19 PM »

I don't fly bombers, or at least I haven't for a few years, but I do kill lots of them. I can tell you what I like to see, and what I don't, from a bomber exterminator's point of view.

I like to see low bombers, either level or climbing, going straight. I don't care if they see me or not, and I don't care if they are shooting at me or not. I like to see their guns firing in different directions, cause it seems I get four kills out of the formation instead of three.

Getting good at shooting fighters will help in many instances, but in my opinion your best defense is your tactics-- not the guns.

I look at bombers like a mountain lion looks at a porcupine- tasty, but salamanderly. Worth the hassle, but it's best not to rush in carelessly.

What I DON'T like to see from bomber pilots-

1. Fighter cover. The smart kind. The ones that sit about 1500-2000 ft above the formation, and wait patiently until I close in for my shot. First, by being in that area, they are sitting in MY spot. That's rude. Second, they (being smart) realize that their goal is not to kill me, it is to force me to manuever in a way to avoid them and cause me to not have a shot on the buffs. Making me break turn or dive a bit is all it takes, upon which they resume their original position. The ones that chase me are ok though, I convince them to lose their E so they are lower than the buffs and out of my way.

2. TIGHT formations of 6 or more bombers. I really dont expect 3 bombers to hit me, or at least not very hard, but 6 right next to each other?!?!? Awful risky from my POV. I DO like to see loose formations though. That way after I kill the first 3, I can have 3 more for dessert. I especially like it when the second formation is about 3K behind the first.

3. Lone formations with a pilot that uses strategy. I hate bombers above 18K. Too hard for me to get and stay above them. I'm usually poking around under the clouds, so that forces me to chase them a long way to catch them and get above them.

I also hate bombers that are DIRECTLY below the cloud layer. That makes it too hard for me to keep close track of them as I dive and zoom on them.

I attack from above, slightly to one side, and slightly in front. I hate bombers that use speed to defeat my ability to zoom up and repeat. The ones that set their .speed to 300 are the worst. When I manuever above for my shot, and they set their auto-speed causing them to settle into a shallow dive, that bites. It really makes it hard to stay away from their 6. The only thing worse is when they use rudder to turn (staying in their guns) while I am zooming back up. Remember, I'm zooming to get above them and slightly in front again!! How can I do that efficiently when they keep altering their heading?!?!?! If this doesn't do the trick for them, and they hold rudder causing them to do a descending spiral, I'm likely have a stroke.

As a bomber pilot, your primary aim is to get the eggs on the target. If you don't get to the target, you fail. If you don't find a way to kill the fighter that's after you, you need to at least hamper his efforts to allow time for your friendlies to jump in. Or cause him to lose patience and go for the "easy" 6 shot. Or cause him to find an easier target.

It's funny, sometimes deviating from the straight line approach to the target will get you there quicker. Or at least get you THERE...

MtnMan