Bomber business

[BaldEagl]

I do it similar to Lynx but a little different.

In Lancs I set auto pilot aligned on my target 2 sectors out.  I let them build speed for 1/2 sector then open doors.

As I cross the 1 sector line I open E6B and check speed.  If climb rate is at 0 I'm probably good to calibrate.

I jump into the bombsight and keep calibrating until I'm within 1 mph of my E6B true ground speed, preferably calibrated 1 mph slower than actual speed.  This allows me to slow slightly as I use rudder trim to align my target.

I zoom the map in so that my target is all the way at the edge of the map and keep doing so watching my plane icon's alignment to the target on the map.  I adjust direction using the J and L keys (rudder trim).  I'm still in the bomb-sight.

When the target is at the edge of my map and the map is fully zoomed in I switch on zoom in the bombsight.  I cycle the zoom in and out using the bracket keys.  From a distance during one of those cycles, I'll momentarily see a grey blob.  Thats the target and I align again using rudder trim.  Now I work the zoom to bring the target back into view and keep zooming in on it as I approach.

I've already planned my approach before i ever took off.  I know if I need to be at the top, bottom or middle of the target area, what angle of approach I need, the target layout, and my intended targets within it.

I make final adjustments to course, again using rudder trim while fully zoomed in and drop as I cross the target.

Normally I only take 1 pass at any given target.  If I have more bombs I've probably planned a multiple target run.  If so I'll watch until I see the effect of my drop (gaining speed due to loss of weight), then re-calibrate for my next target.

If I am planning on hitting the same target again, I'll fly at least 1 sector out, turn around, nose down slightly to gain maximum speed then level, hit auto-pilot, re-cal and do it all again.

[Hornet33]

1, What bomber/bombers do you like and why?. Ive gotten rather smitten with the B-24. Why? It has a nice bombload, turns nice for a big aircraft, climbs fairly well, has a vicious defense, and Im able to approach targets well lining up F-6/8/look up/zoom.

I fly all of them. It really depends on what type of mission I want to fly. Every bomber in the game has it's good points and bad.

2, Do you think 500lb'ers are underused?

By most people in the game...yes they are underused. I actually preffer the 500lbrs for most missions. What many people don't understand or never even knew is that each bomb in addition to it's explosive potential also delivers blast radius damage. 2 500lbrs close together actually deliver more damage than a single 1000lbr due to 2 detonations instead of one.

3, Ive noticed some experienced pilots are able to descend very quickly and line the airplane up on runways for landing like it was nothing. How do you do that? I normally have to approach slowly to find the runway and put the bird down. While Im having pretty decent improvements with my bombing and gunning, landing, is my biggest problem. Any tips?

Plan your route to the field well before you get there. All the long runways are SW to NE unless it's a large field then you have NW to SE runways as well. During the decent pull your power and try not to exceed 300mph. Opening the bomb bay doors also increases drag and will help slow you down during decent. Use your rudder to bleed off speed as well.

4, Any special philosophies of approaching and attacking heavily defended targets?

If it's a target where a large furball is going on DO NOT follow the congo line going into that target. Launch from a different field and try to come in from a different direction than eveyone else. Altitude and speed is your friend so take a little time to climb out and get some speed on before your run.

5, How do you deal with multiple bogies that you just know are setting you up for a high/low slash?

Keep the plane manuvering. If you have rudder controls you can steer the plane using those while your in a gun turret. Many times I have started a shallow turn with multiple fighters coming in and that can mess up their aim. Also if you have a couple of fighters in close hitting auto climb can really screw them up. A sudden vertical move and bleeding off speed can often cause an overshoot situation or cause them to collide with you ending their sortie.

6, How often, and how long do you calibrate the bomb site? Am I right in noticing that the "X" has to be right over the target when you drop?

I try to be at my drop altitude and have my speed leveled off at least 1 sector away from the target. I'll do a cal about 20 miles out for about 15 seconds and then do a final cal once I have the target in sight from the F3 view.

7, What altitude, if you had to figure, do you, most of the time, drop from?

15-20K for most of my runs.

Another thing Ive noticed is that after a drop, that I know hit, I check the target for damage and dont see any in the clipboard target list. Even after the drop felt good, and the puter told me I hit. So does a 3 bomber formation have an impact?

Once you drop you can go back into cal mode and watch the impact. If you have to defend your plane just keep an eye on the text buffer as it will tell you if you destroyed anything.

[999000]

Don't really like the B24 unless your having a barbacue..... see I spell like Hitech.....Love the B17...did you know you NEVER lose a gear in a B17....Learn to gun as much as possible from a full zoom mode....learn how to hit the enemy on  the way in... and ON THE WAY OUT! (SA) If your under under 5000 feet learn to bomb without  the bomb sight..you'll live longer
I use the 500lbs about 90% of the time..nice load.. if things change and you need to clean up GV's they work well.
999000

[evenhaim]

i new triple 9 would que in he is uber b17 king and tater is t3h 733t b26 driver, its funny when u think your escorting 9s and he is escorting you rofl.

best advice is learn to gun

[Rich46yo]

Originally posted by 999000
Don't really like the B24 unless your having a barbacue..... see I spell like Hitech.....Love the B17...did you know you NEVER lose a gear in a B17....Learn to gun as much as possible from a full zoom mode....learn how to hit the enemy on  the way in... and ON THE WAY OUT! (SA) If your under under 5000 feet learn to bomb without  the bomb sight..you'll live longer
I use the 500lbs about 90% of the time..nice load.. if things change and you need to clean up GV's they work well.
999000

                        I haven't used the zoom to gun much for a couple of reasons. #1 Ive been having a lot of controller problems, when I go to a gun and swing my stick it swings the airplane around throwing it off of auto-pilot. Even still I shot down 15 fighters while flying alone in my first week of play.

                       Now that I have fixed me stick issues it should get better. A few times Ive held off 3, once I kept 5 away for about 5 mins. Today I had my first encounter with a 262 and it was humbling. This thing was on me so fast I couldnt keep up with him.

                     Just had a good mission dropping 500lbs on troops and ammo. I used some of the tips here, blew up a bunch of stuff, and brought the plane home. Thanks again to all for the tips............Rich

[tedrbr]

Originally posted by Rich46yo
I'd like to start a discussion and get some of the experienced bomber drivers talking, hopefully getting some tips.

1, What bomber/bombers do you like and why?. Ive gotten rather smitten with the B-24. Why? It has a nice bombload, turns nice for a big aircraft, climbs fairly well, has a vicious defense, and Im able to approach targets well lining up F-6/8/look up/zoom.

Fit the bomber for the mission.

• If dropping HQ or Hangars (rare mission for me), then the B-24's with 1,000 lbs bombs.  Good balance or bombload, speed, and defensive fire.
• If I'm hitting strat targets to shut down a field (troops, fuel, radar, ord) or level town, then my choice is B-17's with 12 x 500's.  The B-17's have always put up with more abuse for me than the B-24's have.
• If taking out a Carrier, or the dar at several bases, or maybe just the ord at one small to medium base, I'll take Ki-67's with 8 x 100kg load out.  Fast penetration bomber and enough to do the job.

2, Do you think 500lb'ers are underused?

Yep.  Too much emphasis on taking out hangars, which lasts for 15 minutes, rather than the strats, the effect of which can last 45 minutes to 1-1/2 hours, depending on how thorough, strat factory condition, or resup on enemy's part.  250#'s can work for some, but the blast radius of the 500#'s in the game seem to be much better than the 250#'s effects.

3, Ive noticed some experienced pilots are able to descend very quickly and line the airplane up on runways for landing like it was nothing. How do you do that? I normally have to approach slowly to find the runway and put the bird down. While Im having pretty decent improvements with my bombing and gunning, landing, is my biggest problem. Any tips?

Descend earlier, if the situation will allow for it.  Steep dive.  0 throttle and wing spars groaning a little in protest at rate of descent.  Kicking hard rudder left and right and a notch of flaps can also help scrub off speed on final approach.  

4, Any special philosophies of approaching and attacking heavily defended targets?

Be high and leveled off at speed.  Most fights degenerate to low altitudes, so the higher you are the better for countering a strong defense.  Be lined up well in advance to your target using map or external rear view with your flight and distant target in view.  Leaves you some time to man guns as needed.

5, How do you deal with multiple bogies that you just know are setting you up for a high/low slash?

Judgment call.  Which plane has the cannons to do you the most harm, or which looks like it's being flown by the better stick.  Concentrate on the greater threat.  Sometimes a good short accurate burst will cause a plane to go into evasive,... then switch targets.  There is a reason they flew in 60 plane boxes back when.

6, How often, and how long do you calibrate the bomb site? Am I right in noticing that the "X" has to be right over the target when you drop?

As long as your speed and altitude are constant, and last minute course corrections are very minor, you drop on, or just before your target (depending on salvo) in crosshair.  It is possible to salvo 1 onto strat targets with 500 lbs bombs from 30K and be accurate most of the time.
 
If you are going in full throttle, the plane, even when level, will tend to gain altitude, thus throwing off calibration accuracy.  Some pilots do last minute calibrations.  Some make use of trim controls.  I tend to go in on target at about 80% of power, what ever has me at a dead even altitude for that run, and am level and in line 25 miles before target.  I do a long calibration in advance of my target, so I can do a quick scan for enemy planes before committed to the run.   I line up in advance, I use L and J for minor course corrections when in bomb sight.  

7, What altitude, if you had to figure, do you, most of the time, drop from?

On bases, I go in usually above 10K to avoid AAA.  If I'm loitering over a base to kill strats and swat down interceptors who crawl up after me, then 25K.
On CV's I tend to go in at 5 to 7K with the Ki-67', CV evasives are limited on lower drops, but a good 5 inch gunner can still get me easily enough, as can a serious CAP over the CV (rare, but it happens).
         

Another thing Ive noticed is that after a drop, that I know hit, I check the target for damage and dont see any in the clipboard target list. Even after the drop felt good, and the puter told me I hit. So does a 3 bomber formation have an impact?

In one run, usually not.  Each field has multiple examples of each target (except radar and usually VH), so hitting just one does not change clipboard report on the target.  Kill ALL of a type of target: VH, FH, BH, ord, troop, fuel, dar, you will see the result in clipboard.  And one 3-bomber formation  can always have in impact on the CV.  When dealing with strat factories, effects only come into play when they are below 50%.

[Rich46yo]

Originally posted by 999000
Don't really like the B24 unless your having a barbacue..... see I spell like Hitech.....Love the B17...did you know you NEVER lose a gear in a B17....Learn to gun as much as possible from a full zoom mode....learn how to hit the enemy on  the way in... and ON THE WAY OUT! (SA) If your under under 5000 feet learn to bomb without  the bomb sight..you'll live longer
I use the 500lbs about 90% of the time..nice load.. if things change and you need to clean up GV's they work well.
999000

                  Yeah, funny 999 but I brought a 24 in, one engine cripped, after a good run and shooting down 2 enemies, and right at the last moment ,when I was lined up perfectly with the runway, I lowered my gear and only one wheel came out. It was the last thing I expected. I bellied the airplane, and got the crew home, but still it marred a decent run.

[CAP1]

Originally posted by Rich46yo
I'd like to start a discussion and get some of the experienced bomber drivers talking, hopefully getting some tips.

1, What bomber/bombers do you like and why?. Ive gotten rather smitten with the B-24. Why? It has a nice bombload, turns nice for a big aircraft, climbs fairly well, has a vicious defense, and Im able to approach targets well lining up F-6/8/look up/zoom.

 EW, JU88's.....decent load, and fairly fast, but kinda weak on defensive side...although, i have noticed a lot of good pilots will actually plant themselves right off my 6 low and think they aren't gonna die. :-D

in LW, i like lancs......agonizingly slow climb, but once up to alt, they;re fast...but again, kinda underdefended....but VERY nice bomb load..i like the 14 1,000 pounders

2, Do you think 500lb'ers are underused?

in my case, yes......in 88's i carry 500kg's under the wings, and 50kg's internal......ya can really mess up somone's day with that load.......even worse in the lancs with 1,000 pounders.

3, Ive noticed some experienced pilots are able to descend very quickly and line the airplane up on runways for landing like it was nothing. How do you do that? I normally have to approach slowly to find the runway and put the bird down. While Im having pretty decent improvements with my bombing and gunning, landing, is my biggest problem. Any tips?

only ones i can get down fast are the 88's...the lancs and 24's seem to try to climb when over certain speeds, even with elevator ttrimmed full down.

4, Any special philosophies of approaching and attacking heavily defended targets?

ALTITUDE IS YOUR FRIEND

5, How do you deal with multiple bogies that you just know are setting you up for a high/low slash?

i try to see who's closest, and who might be in a position to do the most damage to me....and i jump guns a LOT

6, How often, and how long do you calibrate the bomb site? Am I right in noticing that the "X" has to be right over the target when you drop?

once i level out(in lancs, i allow 2 sectors for the plane to accelerate fully, in 88's 1 sector) i generally start calibrating when i hit the dar ring. i do it often, and almost always for a 6 second count. yes, that is the whole purpose of the sight......just like the pipper in ur gunsight.

7, What altitude, if you had to figure, do you, most of the time, drop from?

in EW, generally about 5-7k when bombing land targets. if i'm going for a CV group, i go to about 10k. in MW, or LW, i NEVER bomb below 20k.....higher if i can.

                    Another thing Ive noticed is that after a drop, that I know hit, I check the target for damage and dont see any in the clipboard target list. Even after the drop felt good, and the puter told me I hit. So does a 3 bomber formation have an impact?

it depends on what you drop on......assume a V-base. untill the last update, you could drop all 3 hangars in a single pass. that'd disable vehicles there for 15 minutes. now it requires at least 2 passes...but if ur droppin on an airbase, tryin to kill hangars, you need to drop ALL of them...for instance the fighter hangers..i think there's 3 at a small airfield....if u only drop 2, they can still up fighters.

yes, by all means a single flight of bombers can have an impact.

                         Thanks...............Rich

hope this helps some..and apologies for the extended answer

<>

john

[FiLtH]

1, What bomber/bombers do you like and why?. Ive gotten rather smitten with the B-24. Why? It has a nice bombload, turns nice for a big aircraft, climbs fairly well, has a vicious defense, and Im able to approach targets well lining up F-6/8/look up/zoom.      

B24 B17

2, Do you think 500lb'ers are underused?

They are by me I use 1000 or bigger


3, Ive noticed some experienced pilots are able to descend very quickly and line the airplane up on runways for landing like it was nothing. How do you do that? I normally have to approach slowly to find the runway and put the bird down. While Im having pretty decent improvements with my bombing and gunning, landing, is my biggest problem. Any tips?

Practice,,just get used to how you can decellerate with rudder and knowing how much stress you can put on the plane.


4, Any special philosophies of approaching and attacking heavily defended targets?

They higher the better..even better with escort. Other than that its the best way to bomb so you can shoot stuff down with your guns.


5, How do you deal with multiple bogies that you just know are setting you up for a high/low slash?

Pick the biggest threat and kill him quick.


6, How often, and how long do you calibrate the bomb site? Am I right in noticing that the "X" has to be right over the target when you drop?

Ill do it once a few mins from target just to get the sight aligned right so I can see the approach. Then making sure my speed has been steady for atleast 3 mins or so, I'll calibrate seconds from drop. Usually I count to 16 before finishing calibration. Most times as soon as Im calibrated I have seconds till bomb release. Usually 5-10 at most.

7, What altitude, if you had to figure, do you, most of the time, drop from?

 10,000ft

[Serenity]

Alright, heres my answeres:

1) B-17G. I love the look of the plane. I love the feel, it flies like a fighter and holds up like the fortress its named after. It has a decent bombload, and a GREAT guns setup.

2) Yes, 500lb bombs are underused. I use them for hangar killing, strategic bombing, everything. Because it gives you a lot more options in what ordenance you drop where.

3) I land it like I land in real life. Hard and fast. I make a nice, slow approach though. My decent rate is 2,000 fpm down to the ground. Its just instinct I guess.

4) Go in ready to fight. Make your drop from up high, and go in ready to fight. Theres not much you can do against heavy defence, but just grin and bear it.

5) Select which aircraft is the greater threat, concentrate on that one, eliminate it, and then engage the other.

6) I calibrate the bombisght three times. Once when my speed evens out, once directly after turning on to the IP, and once just before drop. I calibrate for 15 seconds.

7) My two most common drop altitudes are 18,000 and 24,000

[DaddyAck]

Originally posted by Rich46yo
I'd like to start a discussion and get some of the experienced bomber drivers talking, hopefully getting some tips.

1, What bomber/bombers do you like and why?. Ive gotten rather smitten with the B-24. Why? It has a nice bombload, turns nice for a big aircraft, climbs fairly well, has a vicious defense, and Im able to approach targets well lining up F-6/8/look up/zoom.

I prefer the Ki-67 or Ar-234 with formations and 3 250Kg bombs if I am going in for a quick strike on just one hanger.  Both of those are fast and there is not much that will try and run you down.  If I am going to drop multiple targets (at least 3 hangers) I will usually take the Ju-88 (yeah I know there are more uber buffs but I likes the 88) I take it with 4 250Kg and 20 50Kg bombs with 50-75% fuel.  I salvo the 250Kg @ salvo 3 and the 50Kg @ salvo 10, thats enough for 3 hangars and the dar.

2, Do you think 500lb'ers are underused?

Not by me they are not, I use them alot. In a salvo of 3 with a formation they will take out a hanger and have a decent spread to them. So I say use them.

3, Ive noticed some experienced pilots are able to descend very quickly and line the airplane up on runways for landing like it was nothing. How do you do that? I normally have to approach slowly to find the runway and put the bird down. While Im having pretty decent improvements with my bombing and gunning, landing, is my biggest problem. Any tips?

Landing with drones is a little harder than landing in one ship, you have to be mindful not to lose them while decending too fast or turning too much.  I usually decend at a -1 or -2 angle, sometimes I throttle back to facilitate decending.  As for final aproach, I slow way down use flaps if I have to and line up nice and easy to the run way.

4, Any special philosophies of approaching and attacking heavily defended targets?

Yep, approach like I do, nice and high 20K and above

5, How do you deal with multiple bogies that you just know are setting you up for a high/low slash?

If you have enough alt chances are unless youre on an HQ run people will not be above you by much, if at all.  The fact is most people fly extremely low and never really get their planes above 15K, and if they do they do not stay up there long.

6, How often, and how long do you calibrate the bomb site? Am I right in noticing that the "X" has to be right over the target when you drop?

I calibrate when I notice in my "E6B" that my True Air Speed is steady and no longer changing.  Then I calibrate and compare my Calibrated Speed to my True Air Speed, if they match or are withing 1 MPH Im good to go.  As to the crosshairs, for a salvo 3 of 500Lbs or a salvo 2 of
1000Lbs yeah I drop center of target, if im salvoing 10 of the 100Lbs in my 88s I drop just before target so the bulk of the bombs hit on target (using delay of .05)

7, What altitude, if you had to figure, do you, most of the time, drop from?

20K and above

Another thing Ive noticed is that after a drop, that I know hit, I check the target for damage and dont see any in the clipboard target list. Even after the drop felt good, and the puter told me I hit. So does a 3 bomber formation have an impact?

If it said you killed it in the text buffer, you killed it
                         
Thanks...............Rich

[Rich46yo]

I think I'm going to spend some time in a JU, "haven't flown it yet". I have the KI and liked it a lot, as I did the A-20. The KI really handles well, has a great climb rate, and is fast. Mostly I stay in the 17s and 24s because the gunner buttons are the same and Ive learned to dance my fingers around the keyboard keeping an eye on enemy fighters.

                    A lot of whom are pretty crafty.

                   I like the Lancs, love flying them once they get some air, and love bombing out of them. But its very hard to defend out of them. Dropped the 4,000 cookie right on a refinery last night. What a kick that was.

[Rich46yo]

Ok, I just had a successful defense with Lancs, "using some of the advice I got here btw". First off it was only against one fighter, but that wasn't by accident. I snuck around radar to hit a refinery and took my time to get the big birds to 16,000. Eventually I had to go by an enemy airbase so the jig was up. However, I was high enough that by the time an enemy got up to me I made a successful 6 salvo drop.

                     Then the games began. He tried to get just close enough for me to waste my ammo and I kept switching planes, and changing direction to keep him close and off balance. Eventually he had to either attack or go home so here he came. I found out the Lanc is a tougher bird then the 24. I waited until he was "close enough" and then I used my tail ammo wisely, and my upper ammo when I could. On the 2nd pass I shot his wing off.

                  I was also able to turn, bomb the same target again, and then drop the big cookie on a port downrange. I brought all 3 home unscathed and got some nice points from the flight.

                  So thats how I'm going to fly Lancs. Wisely and sneak them in high where I might only see 1,2,or 3 bogeys. I sure wish the plane had 1,000 in the tail. Oh, and turn, turn, turn, and mess up any belly attacks.

                  All in all this mornings flight shows the wisdom of listening to others and being a humble student of the game. Thanks again to all for the tips here. There have been to many, from to many, for me to thank you individually.

[Hap]

Rich,

Glad you're having fun bombing!

Here's a link to a thread I stared not long ago in the Help Forum about high altitude bombing.  

Well crud.  I can't copy the right link for you.  The thread's title was "Hi Alt Hi Speed Bombing Tips."  Do a search and you'll find it.

Since there's more than 1 way to skin a cat, this thread represents "a" way, not "the" way.

I found it increases sense of immersion.

Takes some time getting bombers to alts where they can fly their fastest.

Also, with the small maps, it can get a little wierd too.  

Just some random notes on the bomber set in no specific order:

1) B17: nice climb rate
2) Ki: FAST
3) Lanc: lots-o-bombs
4) B24: Faster than a 17 fewer bombs than a Lanc.
5) Ju: Cool looking -- holds more ord than a 17 if you load it up

As with all planes, weight affects climb rate and speed.

[Rich46yo]

Hey Hap, thanks for the input. Listen I suck with the metric system, despite 2 years "over there" with the War Corp. Those metric bombs for the JU how do they stack up against the Yank ones?..........Thanks......Rich"soontobe 50yo".