Lining Up Bombers To Target

[xtyger]

Ok... almost embarrassing as I've been in the game about 3 years now, but I have to admit bombing with heavy bombers has me a bit bewildered. So much so that I generally don't even attempt bombing missions unless I dive bomb. I've even used b26s for dive bombing because calibration was such a hassle.

But I've been trying, off and on. Finally managed to kind of get the bombsight calibration down when I noticed I had no idea how to line up the plane with the target before and during bomb runs.

I found out a while back about f3- outside view- and thought maybe that's what you guys are using. Having just tried it, I found it was still difficult to line up with center mass of the target from a ways off.

Anybody have any special techniques they use to line up with the target so when they go to bombsight view they're already pretty much in there?

I thought I read somewhere that you could use the plane's rudders while in the bombardier seat. It doesn't seem to work with me.

[Lusche]

Originally posted by xtyger
I thought I read somewhere that you could use the plane's rudders while in the bombardier seat. It doesn't seem to work with me.

Because it doesn't work that way

When in bombardier view, you steer using your stick. Plane will make very gentle turns.

When in any gunner position, you can use your rudder for a similar effect.

[xtyger]

Oh. So you're saying the twisty handle won't work with the rudders and you just move the stick to left or right to turn?

[Lusche]

Originally posted by xtyger
Oh. So you're saying the twisty handle won't work with the rudders and you just move the stick to left or right to turn?

When in F6 view: Yes.

[xtyger]

Why, thank you. That should make it much easier.

[Rolex]

Turning from the bombsight view should just be a small, final correction. During climbout and lineup for target, you can go to the front gun position, them F3 view. Zoom out and in as necessary and you can turn using rudder to align to your target from about 10 miles out.

Here is a tutorial from the trainers page: Link >>

[Rich46yo]

Heres how I do it. I approach the target using the map to initially line myself up. I normally calibrate long before I penetrate the enemy dar ring. Once inside the ring I check for enemy fighters, go into bombsight mode, and use the forward command to look ahead in bombsight mode.

                    When in bombight mode line up your mouse arrow with the middle sight line so you know what center is when looking ahead. You can normally see targets ahead of you at least 10 miles out, farther of they are burning. So now you are in bombsight mode,look forward using zoom, and you see your target ahead of you. Now use the stick to turn the bomber so that bombsight "center" is lined up on target.

                From there I normally go into front gunner/F-3 view as I finish my approach. That way I can see incoming threats, and another thing. When in a gunners position, after hitting f-3 view, you can make little adjustments with your rudders without throwing your calibration off.

               Ive even circled targets in front gun/F-3 mode, turning with rudders, without a need to recalibrate. Should you actually drop bombs you always need to recalibrate because the weight of the airplane changes.

                           F-3 views while in gun positions are extremely helpful and useful. Almost all my F-3 view time is from gunner positions.

[HomeBoy]

You might find this checklist helpful.

Note:  you can use either rudder trim or the joystick to steer while in the bombadiers station.  If you set your salvo to 1, you can actually "drive" your way around to various targets as long as they are reasonably in line with your flight path and you can hit multiple targets with great precision.  Also, I find that a quick (2-3 second) calibration just before dropping my bombs really helps the accuracy as well.

[choker41]

After you level out which should be before dar ring, cut your manifold pressure down a bit.  Pull up your E6B from menu.  Go to your F6 view and hit U key.  Now your ready to calibrate.  Hold down the Y key for 7-10 seconds.  Make sure your calibration matches your E6B.  If so, you'll drop every hanger.  Extend out to the dar ring and come back.  You'll have to recalibrate because of the lighter weight.  When you become good you can turn before dar maintaining level flight in slight decrease in throttle will get u back over the hangers u weren't lined up for the first time.  Know your fields to make it easier to drop 2, 3 or even 4 hangers in one pass. Trust me with the E6B.  It's the only way to precisely drop hangers when countrymen are counting on you.

[Chapel]

In regards to calibration, i've heard it both ways....
So you pick a point to calibrate on, we'll say a Hanger.

Get your crosshairs on it, hit the "Y" key to start calibration....
During calibration, do you continuously pull back on the stick to keep the crosshairs on the target during your calibration? Or do you just  pick the point, hit "Y" to calibrate and let the crosshairs drift off the target as the targeting is taking place?

[Lusche]

Originally posted by Chapel
In regards to calibration, i've heard it both ways....
So you pick a point to calibrate on, we'll say a Hanger.

Get your crosshairs on it, hit the "Y" key to start calibration....
During calibration, do you continuously pull back on the stick to keep the crosshairs on the target during your calibration? Or do you just  pick the point, hit "Y" to calibrate and let the crosshairs drift off the target as the targeting is taking place?

You don't need to pick any point at all. No need to put crosshair anywhere. That's the old calibration method that was dropped for MA use years ago.
Only hit Y, just like ti is explained on screen when in bombsight.

[Gulp]

Yes, use your stick to keep the crosshairs in 1 place while you are holding Y key down.

This simple step was missed by me in all the searching I did to learn how to bomb.  I couldn't figure what the heck I was doing wrong.

[Chapel]

So again with conflicting answers.
Which way is correct?

[Lusche]

Originally posted by Gulp
Yes, use your stick to keep the crosshairs in 1 place while you are holding Y key down.

This simple step was missed by me in all the searching I did to learn how to bomb.  I couldn't figure what the heck I was doing wrong.

You are still doing it wrong.

No placement of crosshairs needed. The info "Now, hold the crsosshair (!) of the bomb site on the target and press the 'Y' and hold it for at least 2 seconds. This will aling and calibrate the site to the target." on the AH2 help page is outdated. Main Arenas do not use that way of calibration anymore for several years now.
It is sometimes enabled in SEA & AvA.

Let me assure you I have never placed my crosshairs anywhere. And I DO hit

Edit:

This is what you see on screen when trying to calibrate:



And this one is the OLD calibration method:


Note the difference! Only the old method's screen mentions the crosshair!

[Gulp]

Hmmmm, so after hitting "U", do you need to move your bombsight to be looking forward or can you just hit "Y".  

After you have calibrated, can you move the bomb site and still be calibrated?

If you are bombing a 2K elevation base, does your bombsight need to be looking at something 2K above sea level or can you calibrate over water and still be on.

Looks like I've been doing it the old way, which works great (too accurate really).