Tactics and plane to catch vulch and run

[WWM]

190's and P51's really getting on my nerves with high alt swoop the runway then run because no one can catch them, then come back and do the same.  
    As far as tactics, I've been trying to climb to almost their alt only closer to the field, diving to mid-field on their dive entry and trying to catch them on their climb.  If they see me and don't climb I usually end up short on catching them (I mostly fly the 109's).

    I tried the 109K4 the other night and was able to run down an 8 model but I don't think I would have caught the D9.    La7 look good on ground speed but climb doesn't look as good as a 9 and I don't know how it wold fair in holding E since I never fly it.  


Any tips on killing these types....


  WWM

[TUXC]

Tempest or 262 might work. 163 if they're stupid enough to try it at the 163 base.

[Widewing]

Originally posted by WWM
190's and P51's really getting on my nerves with high alt swoop the runway then run because no one can catch them, then come back and do the same.  
    As far as tactics, I've been trying to climb to almost their alt only closer to the field, diving to mid-field on their dive entry and trying to catch them on their climb.  If they see me and don't climb I usually end up short on catching them (I mostly fly the 109's).

    I tried the 109K4 the other night and was able to run down an 8 model but I don't think I would have caught the D9.    La7 look good on ground speed but climb doesn't look as good as a 9 and I don't know how it wold fair in holding E since I never fly it.

WWM

Trying to run down these guys is difficult. If you find a base being subjected to this kind of dweeb attack, take a reasonably fast, and good handling fighter from the nearest base and loiter at the base being porked. An F4U-1A or -1D will do. Next, don't chase the bugger on his initial dive. Instead, determine where he will be when he pulls up and be waiting. Keep your altitude until you are sure you have position. With the F4U-1A, you have enough low level speed (366 mph at sea level) to chase down lesser fighters pretty quick. A Typhoon will work too, but it's considerably less agile than a Corsair, should you get into a turn fight, or end up fighting more than one.

The above method is excellent for punishing a horde attack as well.

My regards,

Widewing

[WWM]

Thanks for the replys.  I used to go to where they would be coming up and then they would stay lower and speed off..hence diving initially to a med alt.  I pulled out a 190D9 tonight and shocked a few.  I stink in B&Z fighting but it's fun running these buggers down:D    

    You're pretty good in a 190.  Would you care to do some training with me Widewing?

[BaldEagl]

I can usually catch them in a Spit XVI, WEP on starting from a slight alt advantage and diving straight down as they cross under me.

Yak-9U works good too and the timing doesn't have to be as perfect.

[Mister ED]

WWM,

Ive used the 109F, and Spit 5 and even the Yak 9 against high alt airfield divers. Heck two of us with 109s held off 5 of them from taking a field for 2 hours.

You get your wheels up and bank hard. Stay low and slow. Sooner or later they will get greedy and come down. When they are under 5k angels, they are toast

BTW Im a Pony Driver, not a T&Ber

A horse in a horse, of course, of course

[B@tfinkV]

it's all in the bait.


make yourself an easy target, avoid the shot at the last minute and reverse on them for a shot.  all you need is one ping then you can ignore them, they will die in the ack eventualy.

[MWL]

Greetings,

  Lift from a distant field in a Jug (N).

  Loiter in the high areas.

  Nothing out dives a Jug.

  Nothing can live through 8 Cal .50s for long.

Regards,

[Rich46yo]

To "catch" a cherry picking vulch on must "think" like the cherry picking vulch. Indeed one must become a cherry picking vulch. I think the P-47 advice is the best.

                               I normally come into targets at 12,000' to 15,000' and have my head on a swivel looking for this type of critter either over an airfield or coming into it and I relay that info to my team-mates turn fighting down low. Ive circled airbases in my bombers and watched this type of critter pick off 4 or 5 in a row.

                          I always try and get him to break off and come after me because with this type of fighter hovering over an airbase at 15,000' it makes level bombing very difficult.

[goober69]

Originally posted by MWL
Greetings,

  Lift from a distant field in a Jug (N).

  Loiter in the high areas.

  Nothing out dives a Jug.

  Nothing can live through 8 Cal .50s for long.

Regards,

same thing i do. i NEVER up from a base being attacked unelss its just a few people and i feel like flying an lazy (oops) la7

[WMLute]

If you know they are gonna vulch and extend, then position is your friend.

Get a touch of alt, and a bit of energy, and position yourself so when they make their pass, you are diving in on 'em and end up right behind them.

Takes some practice, but I can catch most anyplane like this.  The "trick" is to be ready for you shot, and hit 'em.

In other words, you know where they are gonna be, so position yourself to be there too at the same time.  Sure they are doing 500kias and you are doin 250 BUT if you time it right, you end up D100-400 on their 6 and for a second or so you have a shot.

I can't count how many planes i've gotten to do a stupid Energy bleeding move when they were twice as fast as I was when I suddenly showed up 200 back on their 6 guns blazing.  The smart ones keep going, but if they are flying the way you describe, odds are they none to smart.

I catch many a vulcher this way.  (works with cherry pickers too)

Position, position, position.  (my squaddies get sick of me preaching position)

[dkff49]

since I am reasonably new to this game my advise may not beas good as others but I have had lots of luck and i will probably  go as far as to say that is most of it and probably also the fact that the highh divers may not be the brightest pilots around. I generally fly the N1K2 and shot down several P51 and P38 in the last several days by playing the bait and the hunter. If you can draw when they dive turn into them and under then up to reverse problem I found is finding the right distance andangle to beat but they do help you by being so far up that you get to see them coming and have lots of time to move. After a few of these they will have bled alot of E off and now you have them low and slow.

Now I will say again I am new only about 3 months in Aces High playing only 1-2 nights a week for only a few hours at a time so alot of this is probably luck and bad piloting on enemies part but it has worked

[SlapShot]

An La-7 at alt with 75% fuel is your friend when dealing with these types.

Like others have mentioned ... position and timing your dive is important ... and if they try to stay low and level ... the La-7 will eventually catch them.

It is typically the run-90 and P-50run crowd that scream the loudest about perking the La-7 just for this reason ... it runs them down and when caught, they have nothing in their bag of tricks except to die, flying straight and level.

[WWM]

Thanks for all the replies.   I don't have much trouble reversing when I up but it's the "catching the shot" before they run that gives me problems.  I usually up in a direction and low alt as to not draw attention and gain alt before coming back.      I'll experiment with some of the planes and tactics described above and see what fits me most.