Author Topic: spitfire = lazy? (Read 3939 times)

toonces3 · « **on:** May 17, 2007, 06:28:05 PM »

Hey all,
I haven't been playing AH for that long, maybe 3 weeks now. I met up with my current squad pretty shortly after joining, and started flying the P-51 and P-47 with them almost exclusively.

I figure that I'm ok in the P-51, by no means great, but I am starting to appreciate what it does well, and what it doesn't do well. Still, I find that if I get sloppy in the MA, I get killed pretty routinely.

In the Jug, all I do is up other folks' scores.

At any rate, the other night I got jumped shortly after takeoff in a jug, and of course got killed like a baby seal. In frustration, I booted up a spit 14 or 16 (the non-perk one) and promptly shot my tormenter down. I then proceeded to the enemy base nearby where I shot down 2 P-38's, an FW-190, and then another spit on the return flight.

The last few nights I've been taking up the spit when I start getting frustrated in the Pony or Jug, and I get and land alot more kills than in either of the others.

So, it got me thinking. I know that both the P-51 and Jug are great planes, and my squad mates routinely land multiple kills in them. But me, it just seems like it is a lot...easier...to land kills in the spit. The best I can come up with is that in the typical MA furball that all my fights eventually degenerate to, the spit performs much better than the other rides. What I mean is that I can fly a B'n Z style in the spit, then eventually blow all my alt, and energy, and then start turning on a dime at tree top level and stay alive alot longer than in the other rides.

It's leading me to think that either:
a) the Pony and Jug are poor MA performers in that, by nature of the MA, you're putting them into situations for which they are poorly suited, or

b) I can be lazy with my dogfighting in the spit because it simply outperforms most other planes in that it can fly zoomie, and can also turn like crazy.

I guess my ultimate point is that I think I turn to the spit when I start feeling like I want to be lazy with my ACM skills, and want to have a larger margin of error.

I don't know...what do you guys think?

Stang · « **Reply #1 on:** May 17, 2007, 06:38:14 PM »

It's not lazy. Krusty might agree with you though.

VansCrew1 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 17, 2007, 06:39:22 PM »

spit's are the most dweebest aircraft in the game be sides the La7,every one fly's them for ez kills.It gets up to speed fast and turns great,they should perk it.it keeps up with a with almost anything.And it out dives a P51 or a P47.Now i know all the spit dweebs are going to call me a crybaby but i could care less.

American fighters are great fighters,and their great to get kills in people just dont know how to fly them.if you need help,let me know,im good in the 51 and geting better in the 47.

VansCrew
352nd FG"blue nosed bastards"
Recruiting.

whiteman · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2007, 06:46:21 PM »

i don't know about keeping up with anything, i routinely get out ran when i take one up. Same the other way, i get in trouble you can out run if you have to to put some distance between you. the best way i have found to not get killed by one is stay above and don't turn with them if my ride at the moment would be at a disadvantage.

FX1 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2007, 06:47:45 PM »

Lay off the spit....

Your gunnery is probably not that great and 50's take some time to master. The better plane for you is a nikki, la7, chog our any other cannon ride..

VansCrew1 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2007, 06:54:59 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by FX1
Lay off the spit....

Your gunnery is probably not that great and 50's take some time to master. The better plane for you is a nikki, la7, chog our any other cannon ride..

my gunnery is good in american fighters but all the spit has to do is just turn and it's out of your gun sight.

humble · « **Reply #6 on:** May 17, 2007, 06:57:35 PM »

1st

All planes are deadly when well handled. The spit XVI simply provides a much wider range of options. So what happens is two fold, 1st the spit driver has both a greater "tolerance" for mistakes and a wider window of "opportunity"....so you can fly a sloppier fight and still win. 2nd the spitty has a rare combination of climb, turn and acceleration (although not top speed). This creates situations where the other guy simply cant capitalize since the spit is either going to outclimb, turn or accelerate him.

The end result is simple....you can make more mistakes and take advantage of more of the other guys mistakes in a spitty (especially the VIII).

As for the Jug and pony...pony is much easier to fly well....but both are deadly when well flown.

Noir · « **Reply #7 on:** May 17, 2007, 07:03:41 PM »

the yak is uber !

zoom enough and the spit will never touch you...and get wingmen if possible 8)

LYNX · « **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2007, 07:30:23 PM »

As mentioned above your gunnery needs work. OK you may well be shooting buildings in "fighter" mode but your hit % is a little over 1%. The average is around 8% and good shots over 11%. Typical learner 1% and as mentioned above cannons are more what you need right now.

50's calls are great I like me f6f, f4u's and p47's but you need to learn leading the shot and maintaining hits. Look at it this way for example.... a 1/2 second burst of cannon is like 1 second worth of 50's. .

As for abilities of planes you would have to master 1 before experiencing the pluses and minuses. Each planes has it's own abilities which used correctly can take advantage of the enemies weaknesses. Think about it. There's a lot to master here before judging planes abilities with only a tour or 2 under your belt.

Oh, BTW I fly the Spits and the P47's a lot and nothing can dive with a P47. The spit will shake and pitch up when the 47 is still diving. The spit will snap in half if it tries to stand on. You just gotta learn them.

Lusche · « **Reply #9 on:** May 17, 2007, 07:35:18 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by LYNX
As mentioned above your gunnery needs work. OK you may well be shooting buildings in "fighter" mode but your hit % is a little over 1%. The average is around 8% and good shots over 11%. Typical learner 1% and as mentioned above cannons are more what you need right now.

If you do a larger-scale evaluation, the average hit% is between 3 and 4 %. In fighter mode, 8% is quite well actually, unless one only shoots at buffs.

LYNX · « **Reply #10 on:** May 17, 2007, 07:40:34 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Lusche
If you do a larger-scale evaluation, the average hit% is between 3 and 4 %. In fighter mode, 8% is quite well actually, unless one only shoots at buffs.

Well pointed out. I should have said the average PLAYERS hit %.

toonces3 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 17, 2007, 07:43:50 PM »

something else I've been whining about is my gunnery.

It sucks, as you've noticed.

I've given myself the nickname 'Mr. Assist' because I am the master of pinging planes, but rarely can I keep the pipper on there long enough to get the kill.

I can't tell you how many times a night I get a guy totally slotted, but can't close the deal because I simply can't land enough hits. The cannon in the spit is definately nice because I don't have to land alot of hits to get a kill.

At any rate, I'm not in any way putting down the Jug or Pony. And I'm definately not the expert in any of the planes with a whopping 3-4 weeks behind me. I do think, however, that the spit is just easier to fly. Every time I get in it, I always think, "wow, I can actually move around in this thing!"

I haven't even tried the La-7 yet. I'm afraid I'll love it so much that I give up on all of the more challenging planes altogether!

VansCrew1 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 17, 2007, 07:55:54 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by toonces3
something else I've been whining about is my gunnery.

It sucks, as you've noticed.

I've given myself the nickname 'Mr. Assist' because I am the master of pinging planes, but rarely can I keep the pipper on there long enough to get the kill.

I can't tell you how many times a night I get a guy totally slotted, but can't close the deal because I simply can't land enough hits. The cannon in the spit is definately nice because I don't have to land alot of hits to get a kill.

At any rate, I'm not in any way putting down the Jug or Pony. And I'm definately not the expert in any of the planes with a whopping 3-4 weeks behind me. I do think, however, that the spit is just easier to fly. Every time I get in it, I always think, "wow, I can actually move around in this thing!"

I haven't even tried the La-7 yet. I'm afraid I'll love it so much that I give up on all of the more challenging planes altogether!

i could help you on your leads,ill be on all weekend,it's easy if you know who to do it.

Lusche · « **Reply #13 on:** May 17, 2007, 07:57:03 PM »

Just a thought...
Your hit% may also suffer from shooting at too large distances, outside your convergence range. Sometimes it's better not to take a shot, unless you try to force him into evasive movements. I have my convergence at 350 and rarely shoot outside that range when in .50cal planes. I know quite a lot of the "better" sticks have their convergence range even closer, some down to 200.

Im much more nervous when I have a con on my 6 at D600 that doesn't shoot but just tries to get closer... usually a sign of a good stick...

hubsonfire · « **Reply #14 on:** May 17, 2007, 08:09:02 PM »

Sounds like convergence and perhaps some stick scaling would be your best bets.

Yeah, the Spits are good airplanes, and well suited to the average MA low alt fight, but you wouldn't call people lazy for flying Jugs or the other high alt monsters up high, instead of spits and La-7s. Some planes excel at something or other across the spectrum of alts, ranges, and uses. The chaotic MA furballs tend to lend themselves to turny planes with cannons, so flying those types of planes in those types of fight simply makes sense.