What plane for buff hunting?

[bozon]

Mosquito.

Rate of climb is good up to relevant altitudes, great gun package, lots of ammo, super easy over-the-nose view, holds E very well for zooming after the pass and absorbs lots of damage as long as it is not in the cockpit.

[Krusty]

IMO Mossie not so good for buff hunting. I get single-ping pilot wounds every time, and I've unloaded all my hispanos in 2 passes before (rate of fire is ludicrous). It can, but I don't think it's very good at it.

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by trigger2
P51 would be good, if it wasn't for its 50 cals...

Go with the FW190 (that includes the TA-152)

.50 cals are sufficient enough to take down any bomber in this game.  It's just a matter of hitting at the convergence spot and at the right spot (wing, wing root, cockpit, elevators, etc...).  Of course, as with all things in life, YMMV.


ack-ack

[Krusty]

Yak-9U has 1x 20mm with 120 rounds, and 2x 12.7mm with 170 rounds or so each. Still, I took out a spitfire and 3 B24s in a single sortie once. I had to set the last bomber on fire with just the 12.7mms, and it took 3 passes after I ran out of cannon, but I did it!

So, basically, my point just now is ... well, probably obvious, but aside from that, my point is, there are some plane much better suited to it, but ANY plane can kill bombers, regardless of the lack of weaponry onboard, as long as it can CATCH said bombers. Don't shy away from early 109s or yaks etc. I wouldn't choose 'em as my first pick, but once you get more used to it, have some fun.

[Lusche]

Originally posted by Krusty

So, basically, my point just now is ... well, probably obvious, but aside from that, my point is, there are some plane much better suited to it, but ANY plane can kill bombers, regardless of the lack of weaponry onboard, as long as it can CATCH said bombers. Don't shy away from early 109s or yaks etc. I wouldn't choose 'em as my first pick, but once you get more used to it, have some fun.

That reminds me:
Oh what a joyous day it was when I managed to shoot down 999000's B17 with my Hurricane I.

Of course I still wouldn't recommend flying the Hurri I for buff hunting missions

[Hornet33]

Originally posted by Krusty
IMO Mossie not so good for buff hunting. I get single-ping pilot wounds every time, and I've unloaded all my hispanos in 2 passes before (rate of fire is ludicrous). It can, but I don't think it's very good at it.

The mossie is a great buff killer but you have to be patient and set up your aproach carefully. I try to get at least 3.5K ahead of the buffs, off set at about a 45 dgree angle, and about 1500ft above them. Turn into them and get a front quarter angle shot into the cockpits. If I miss I usually get a couple of engines or start a fuel fire which is a good kill, just have to wait a little bit for it.

That tactic works real well for the mossie unless your going up against someone who guns really well, and in that case it really doesn't matter what your flying.

[Krusty]

LOL got a film or screencap of that hurr1 kill?

[Lusche]

Originally posted by Krusty
LOL got a film or screencap of that hurr1 kill?

Unfornaturely not

(But it's one of that few sorties I actually remember. Tour 92, Ndisles. Took me a century to climb to 12k)

[Stixx]

Originally posted by Lusche
But of course there are many more capable planes. Actually you can kill buffs in most of the planeset. Setting up your attacks properly is ten times more important than choosing the "best" plane for the job.

Case in point.

While in the EW recently spotted a radar contact closing on the base I was at. Upped my Hurri MK1 in anticipation of a bit of fun, got above the approaching dot only to discover that it was a set of 88's inbound. Thought, what the he**, and  dove in aiming for the cockpit.  1 down. Climbed back on my perch and set up for the next run. In the end all three buffs went down with me only receiving a few scratches.

Later in the LW heard about inbound buffs and took up a 110G2, guns only, to     intercept. Wound up chasing the buffs across a full sector before I could get within range, in short I got impatient and wound up right off their dead six position where I died instantly.

The moral of this story is, as Lusche so eloquently, pointed out.
It's not the plane, it's  the method of your attack.

With the gun package of the 110G2 had I gotten ahead of the buffs and set up a diving attack on the formation, as I did with the Hurri MK1, the outcome  would have been entirely different.

[bushi]

Originally posted by Hornet33
The mossie is a great buff killer but you have to be patient and set up your aproach carefully. I try to get at least 3.5K ahead of the buffs, off set at about a 45 dgree angle, and about 1500ft above them. Turn into them and get a front quarter angle shot into the cockpits.

I've tried the mossie before in late war for buff hunting and found it to be very much lacking personally. It just doesn't compete in the MA compared to the other aircraft are available for the purpose.  Positioning takes too long, compresses rather quickly, and burns E off too quickly to be viable for me at least.  

When you are buff hunting in MA alot of times you are dealing with buffs low-alt or on the deck and the mossie just doesn't have the means to regain it's position back unless you knock 2 bombers out in one pass. I've often found myself in the position of either A) chasing a shot right up their arse, or B) being picked while trying to buff hunt in a mossie.

Added on top of that is the mossies size and tendency to turn into a fireball after a couple pings vs. the laser .50's of most buff pilots and you get yourself a bad experience quickly.

The jug can take more damage and is more accurate(for me at least) at much longer ranges than the mossie.  You can also pretty much keep your E state the same and dispatch the formation at the same time in a jug. It's superior visibility just tilts the scale more towards the jugs favor.

I may just be used to the jug for this purpose and that is making me biased, but the points I tried to make above have me tending to think that the mossie is a poor buff hunter overall, at least in the LW enviroment and even moreso for someone who is new enough to be asking which plane to hunt buffs in.

EDIT: if the OP would like films of angles to take when hunting buffs with .50's I'd be more than glad to provide them, just PM me.

[Xasthur]

Originally posted by trotter
Or 190D

20mm cannons, good climb rate to 15k, decent performance at altitude, good armor for attacking buffs

The Dora is only good if you don't get shot.

That big old annular radiator hangin' out the front is a magnet for linked .50cal fire and will very quickly put an end to your powered flight time.

[stroker71]

Suprised no one said c205 yet.  I have very good luck killing bombers with this plane.  It has an awsome climb rate, very good cannons, and has good performance up high.  I can usually kill a fight of bombers in 3-4 passes.  It's only down fall is range.

[Krusty]

I don't say C205 because I've unloaded all 500 rounds evenly into all 3 planes of a B-24 formation and not got the kill til the guy died over his runway (death of a 1000 paper cuts!)

If you're in position sure, but it generally is rather slow to catch a full-speed bomber set.


Now, if only bombers cruised at historical speeds...

[Karnak]

Originally posted by bushi
Added on top of that is the mossies size and tendency to turn into a fireball after a couple pings vs. the laser .50's of most buff pilots and you get yourself a bad experience quickly.

Mossies no longer seem to be prone to turning into fireballs.

[bushi]

Originally posted by Karnak
Mossies no longer seem to be prone to turning into fireballs.

That's good to know. I like to take a mossie up from time to time and am glad that they adjusted that. Still, it's a big target with a big cockpit to shoot at for laser mgs and I really don't think it's a  new-person friendly plane to hunt buffs in at all. Going after buffs is hard enough until you get the hang of it, to start doing it in a mossie is just more of a handicap.

Then again, opinions are like, well you know. I am sure there are some people that might do a fine job starting in a mossie to buff hunt, but I think they are few and far between.

EDIT: Just to toss this in, I am talking about mossies in regards to AH2 and not their actual service.