Why the hell did he do that?!
Here recently I've seen some things that make me cringe at the thought of someone doing something that doesn't sit well with most people. During WW2 several hundred pilots actually killed men in parachutes. To me this is the gravest of dishonors; the man has been removed as a threat, he has no real weapons [maybe a pistol] yet you still insist on killing him. There is no reason for it, and certainly no honor in it, yet some still insist on shooting a man in a chute.
As in any war, there are rules. None official but damn near every pilot follows them just to be fair. Fairness in battle might seem odd to most but in several hundred cases it has happened. I won't list any of them here, but I will give you some general rules to fly by in order to keep all things fair.
1. Never shoot a man in a parachute. He's already given up, is most likely scared, confused, and worried so don't kill him. If he dies in the aircraft then he dies, but never shoot a man in a chute. The only exception to this is if you see a pilot killing people in chutes you may outright kill him for lack of respect. In a flight sim, all you do is get him back in the tower faster. This means if he bails out at 15,000 feet and you kill him, he'll be back up shooting at you in a few minutes. So leaving him in his chute actually helps you by keeping him floating down and not in the cockpit of a fighter.
2. If you see a heavily damaged plane don't attack it. The pilot is trying to find a place to ditch, and also trying to keep his machine in the air so don't kill him for it. The universal sign for a damaged aircraft [or one low on gas] is landing gear being lowered. If you see a plane blowing smoke with the gear down the pilot is trying to survive, and maybe save his machine so he's not going to attack. If he does attack he deserves to be shot down.
3. Aircraft that are trying to land are NOT targets by any definition of the word. Aircraft that are taking off are considered by some [not me] to be fair targets. If a pilot is trying to land leave him alone. He won't try to kill you on a landing approach, so don't go after him when he's low and slow.
4. If you happen across a damaged aircraft flying home, don't fire. Again the pilot is trying to save his life and maybe his machine so don't kill the man. I've actually escorted enemy pilots of damaged aircraft home before, and I've been thanked for it on several occasions. This common courtesy is extended by some pilots, but others just want the kill and shoot first. If you want to be killed outright this is a good way to go, because after word gets back that the aircraft you nailed was damaged there's gonna be hell to pay.
5. Ramming another plane will get you killed by everyone very quickly. Collisions happen in dogfights, and pilots understand this. But to intentionally ram another aircraft is not only a cheap way to gain a kill, it makes you more enemies than you'd ever imagine. I've collided with other aircraft, and on every occasion we understood each other; by the time we'd figured out that we were going to collide we already hit. So don't fly too close in formation, and don't try to get the best angle on a shot when you're very close. You just might hit the guy.
Sorry about that
Yes you heard..err read right. Pilots do apologize to each other after a goof. On one occasion I accidentally fired at a Spitfire just after the pilot bailed, but due to the angle I was at I couldn't see the chute. He screamed over the radio for me to cease firing, so I did. I promptly apologized to him, but he said that until the smoke from his burning aircraft cleared he couldn't see me either. He understood that I was firing on his plane and not him, and that my shots near him were a mistake.
One pilot told me that he'd fired some rockets at an enemy field only to have a pilot yell at him over the radio for almost hitting him just before he started his engine. This again was followed by an apology, which the other pilot understood. Pilots are a very understanding bunch; if someone screws up they can understand. But more often they go along with the old drill-instructor's addage: "I'll tell you anything you want to know once. If I have to tell you twice I'll understand, some things are a little hard to get the first time. If I have to tell you three times I'll shoot you and move on to the next idiot in line".
Bombers are another story altogether. Since bomber guns are controled by "otto" they fire on any enemy plane in range, but there is a way around this. If you see a damaged enemy bomber inform the rest of the pilots on your side about the bomber and not to shoot at it. Then escort the bomber to a neutral area, salute him, and return to base. Bomber pilots don't like getting shot any more than you do, but they like it even less if you blast them when they're damaged and just trying to go home.
Fighter pilots more than understand where you're coming from; they're in your shoes too. If you get damaged find a hole in the fight and get low, extend your landing gear, and set a course home. More often than not other pilots won't shoot you; it's just like seeing a guy in a chute. If you end up ditching try to ditch away from the fight, that way you don't collide with another plane in the area.
One constant problem I see is vulching. This happens when a pilot is trying to take off or land, and some sucker wants an easy kill so he dives in and blows the plane to bits. Not too long ago, I got vulched on landing. You bet I raised merry Hell over the radio, telling that pilot how low a move like that was. He laughed it off, and promptly shot another guy hanging in a chute. He didn't live long after that move.
There are some situations where vulching is acceptable. Not many, but a few. Trying to take a field is the only one worth mentioning. Since you want to take a given field, you CAP it. Meaning you remove all hangars and fire on any enemy air or ground unit present. If an enemy fighter tries to get airborne while under this set of circumstances, kill him before he gets off the ground.
Pilots should have more common sense than to attempt a take off with 15+ fighters roaming over their heads. Some just want to get easy kills, others actually want an honest fight. Instead of trying to get up from a field under siege, try taking off from a near-by field. You'll be able to gain altitude for a dive on the attackers, plus you stand less of a chance of getting vulched. Now, just because vulching happens when taking a field doesn't mean you should do it all the time. Matter of fact, don't do it unless you're actually in a position to make a straffing run down the runway.
Promises my fuzzy, pale...
Are you honestly expecting somebody to abide by this stuff? I hope not. Cause they won't. Firing on chutes, pulling head-ons, vulching, stealing kills, ackstaring, whining when killed, it all happens. What can you do about it? Nothing. The last poor fragger to believe in this stuff was sent whining to his death with a perforated chute in his lap. So don't expect anybody to even try aerial chivalry. Yeah, it's a nice idea, and maybe the arenas would be a better place with more of it. I wouldn't trust anyone to let you head home cause you called "bingo fuel" over channel one though. I would bet money you'll wind up in the tower wondering which dweeb nailed you. And while you're pondering that, watch the debate over just who stole the kill (your death). Between the n00bs, idiots, egomaniacs, and dweeblings, you're lucky you can take off without getting blasted into kibble. It's a ruthless world we fly in; if it can be destroyed then it's a valid target at all times. One (and only) exception is the sheep. Firing on them is a capitol offense!
So before you go and pull something dumb (like posting this on a bbs) remember: if it flies, drives, or floats then it is your duty as a dweeb to kill it. So why did I bother to write all this in the first place? To maybe give you something to think about. Yes, there are some rather kind pilots out there who will go out of their way to make things at least semi-honorable. They'll abide by dueling rules (guns cold merge, 10k, fight is on) or possibly teach you a few maneuvers. But for the most part, you'll get plastered by every single self-important nitwit who thinks they're Robert Shaw's twin. They'll blow you out of your drawers and back into the tower, whether or not you happen to be in a chute. They'll steal your kill and probably get you blown up by flying into your bullet stream, which trips ol killshooter. Nobody cares about you, cause they are all out for themselves. Still, pulling a few of these stunts is a surefire way to get most folks pissed off. In which case, you are the biggest target in town.
Does that mean no one is honorable? Of course not! I've run into pilots who will fry a whiner without mercy, yet they'll let you try to land a damaged plane. Run out of gas/ammo/beer? Hell, some of these guys will actually let you attempt an RTB. Others will say "ok, but once you're up we duel!". One pilot actually said "RTB, pizza" and everyone left his Corsair alone! It was on auto-pilot, completely defenseless, and not one single person fired at it. So you will find honor among thieves. In H2H you're more likely to find someone who is likely to cut people slack. Plus you can get any offending tulips booted out for dishonorable conduct. In the Main Arena it's incredibly rare, but you'll find some honor in a few pilots.
In short:
I found this and thought it was a pretty good read. here is the website if u wanna read more.
http://www.worldaccessnet.com/~delta6/index.htm
