Author Topic: Aiming Advice (Read 1010 times)

AirFlyer · « **on:** August 30, 2007, 03:47:19 PM »

Alright, so I fly a Zero, and as everyone knows, the guns trajectory sucks and I just can't seem to get a good aim on some planes and with limited ammo I really need to bring my aiming skill up some and not just spray the sky with bullets.

So my question is... does anyone know any tricks for helping my aim with the Zero (preferable the A6M5b but I fly the 2 Model as well, so advice for either helps), such as certain convergence settings, ect? Thx in advance.

Ghosth · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2007, 04:10:33 PM »

Get close, then get closer yet. 200 is much better than 400, and closer yet is better if you can.

Come to the Training arena and turn on the lead computing gunsight.
(control tab to enable friendly lock, then tab selects target)

Fly around behind them, watch how much lead you need, train that eyeball and brain. Then turn it off and practice, practice, practice.

Last if you see Tan ask how he does it, saw him land 8 in the zeke this week.
See if he'll let you tag along to watch, or join him in the cockpit.

Personally I also turn off tracers and use a small dot sight. I want nothing between my eyeball and the target to distract or confuse me.

Krusty · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2007, 04:12:04 PM »

2 steps.

1) Set convergence close.

2) Get close.

You spray over 300 yards you'll miss. Get in CLOSE and fire.

Also your convergence should not be further than 250 on the A6M2, and not much further on the A6M5. The M2's guns are very poor and "drop" from the barrels very quickly.

200 yards or less would be best, but you'll get the feel of when to (and when not to) fire.

EDIT: D'oh!!! Ghosth beat me to it!

Latrobe · « **Reply #3 on:** August 31, 2007, 04:44:31 AM »

I don't know why but I never seem to have problems aiming with ANY plane. I always set my convergences too 425-450, and wait until im 300 to 200 away from them. Then I let em have it and all my shots hit their wings and tears them off.

To aim just look at their plane. Which direction is he going?, how much speed does he have?, how hard is he turning? how far away is he? Take these factors into affect and you'll know where to shoot to hit them. If he's fast and turning hard 600 away from you, you'll have aim a bit ahead of him. If he's flying level then he's an easy shot.

CAP1 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2007, 02:59:33 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Latrobe
I don't know why but I never seem to have problems aiming with ANY plane. I always set my convergences too 425-450, and wait until im 300 to 200 away from them. Then I let em have it and all my shots hit their wings and tears them off.

1)i keep my convergences all at 450 for wing mounted guns, and at 650 for nose mounted guns....i generally am firing when i see him at 400 or so....if i get much closer than that, i back off a bit, as it actually becomes harder for me to hit him, and stay on him......kinda weird i know, but.......from what i've rread in this thread i may hafta try closing up my convergence on the zeke, and learn to stay closer, as i've had no good luck in the zeke so far.

To aim just look at their plane. Which direction is he going?, how much speed does he have?, how hard is he turning? how far away is he? Take these factors into affect and you'll know where to shoot to hit them. If he's fast and turning hard 600 away from you, you'll have aim a bit ahead of him. If he's flying level then he's an easy shot.

2) funny thing about this.......if he's flying straight n level trying to extend away from me, i find him to be a harder target. i also have trouble hitting anything when i have time to aim......but seem to do fairly well when i kinda "pop" off a quick burst as i see a target comming through my sights. in the zeke, i also find it very hard to target aanything over the cowling....and i've made my default view as high in the cockpit as i can,........

AirFlyer · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2007, 04:05:01 PM »

I've always relied on the cowl 13mm and 7mm to hit far targets in the Zeke considering they aim easyer and will always converge at any distance, I try to use the 20mm in at about 200 to tear them apart, but for now, I think my aiming just needs some practice with leading, and know how much to lead. Once I get that down I want to try and start learning with no tracers.

Bubbajj · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2007, 05:11:13 PM »

just set convergence to 250 and get close. Nothing can out turn ya, (pretty much) just saddle up and blaze away. Practice practice practice.

AirFlyer · « **Reply #7 on:** August 31, 2007, 05:20:18 PM »

Hehe so far nothing can out turn me, except usually the 2 model, but thats why I have flaps, that and experiance helps cause most Zero piolets seem to fly with the stall limiter on (go figure).

Motherland · « **Reply #8 on:** August 31, 2007, 09:01:41 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by CAP1
2) funny thing about this.......if he's flying straight n level trying to extend away from me, i find him to be a harder target. i also have trouble hitting anything when i have time to aim......but seem to do fairly well when i kinda "pop" off a quick burst as i see a target comming through my sights. in the zeke, i also find it very hard to target aanything over the cowling....and i've made my default view as high in the cockpit as i can,........

Sounds like me.
Basically, just get used to the gun package. There was a time when I could hit planes very efficiantly at rather long distances (D400) with the Mk108 as long as it wasnt really high deflection. I also got pretty good at shooting people doing a flat scissors as an evasive maneuver with the Mk108. I havent flown with it for a while though, and its amazing how quickly your aim deteriorates.
Really, with the Zeke, get it close (I dont find this hard in the Zeke, for some reason, even though its so slow), and aim way out it front, more than it seems you should have to. The Zeke has plenty of ammunition (keep in mind I usually fly the 109G14 with 150 rds of 20mm cannon, and the Yak9U with 120 rds of 20mm cannon).

BEARING3 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 31, 2007, 09:25:37 PM »

just big words, it's a game, i can kill this on that lol. simply just realize this is a game

BEARING3 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 31, 2007, 09:27:43 PM »

some people realy live this, very didturbing, but, I am not jerry springer or doctor handsomehunk on tv lol. or judge judy get a life

mensa180 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 31, 2007, 09:44:34 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by CAP1
2) funny thing about this.......if he's flying straight n level trying to extend away from me, i find him to be a harder target. i also have trouble hitting anything when i have time to aim......but seem to do fairly well when i kinda "pop" off a quick burst as i see a target comming through my sights. in the zeke, i also find it very hard to target aanything over the cowling....and i've made my default view as high in the cockpit as i can,........

I believe this is because when flying away they give you a smaller profile to shoot at, but when they turn you get to see a much larger portion of the plane.

And to BEARING, Why bother commenting in a thread that has nothing to do with what your talking about? Much less saying and acting like a complete idiot while doing so.

CAP1 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 31, 2007, 09:54:16 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by mensa180
I believe this is because when flying away they give you a smaller profile to shoot at, but when they turn you get to see a much larger portion of the plane.

And to BEARING, Why bother commenting in a thread that has nothing to do with what your talking about? Much less saying and acting like a complete idiot while doing so.

agreed......i think as he's jus recently registered, he probably doesn't get it.........

Saxman · « **Reply #13 on:** August 31, 2007, 09:59:07 PM »

I'm the same. I find slight deflection easier to aim at (especially looking slightly down on the target.

You're on the right track using the machine guns to sight the target in. Once your cannon are gone the Zeke has little, if any, killing power left (especially the A6M2. Those .30s just bounce off the American iron). Of course, the problem with the Zeke IS getting in close enough, because about 90% of the plane set can extend on you.

Otherwise, my suggestion is to get the feel of gunnery with something with better ballistics, and apply what you learn from that to the poorer guns on the Zeke.

AirFlyer · « **Reply #14 on:** August 31, 2007, 10:30:43 PM »

Thanks for the pointers everyone, trying all this out Offline, so far so good but it's going to take a bit of practice yet. Also on a side note, we really need to let thread creators the option to delete pointless posts.