Planes & Pilots

[John Curnutte]

 Its amazing to me really when I hear that this plane is the best or that guy flys the best . it seems to me I have seen many great combos of both these kinds intertwinded together as one . There are pilots in P-40's that are outright fabulous and very dangerous in the MA , and guys who can just make P-51's work like a dream  and so on and so forth . My thought is does a certian plane just ( fit ) a style of how a pilot flys and is a huge contributor to that persons successes . And while I do believe in the art of ACM in all of its forms , the constraints of the plane will not allow certain manuvers to be performed . So how long did it take some of you to find the ride that makes you perform well . And I'm keeping in mind that our favorite planes are not always the ones we fly best . Post your thoughts of this I'm interested in hearing what all of you think on this .
                                                            Thanks Nutte

[A8TOOL]

I'm a team player and a base taker so the planes I use either help me de-ack fields, destroy buildings or escort missions. I fly them all well enough to get a kill in and consider myself an average pilot.

My stick settings seem to be set for turn planes.  It seems that if I wanted to fly each type of plane equally I would have to tailor the settings for each of those groups.

Some choose their planes because they either turn, HO, or run away well. A persons choice of plane may also have something to do with their personality traits.

There are only a few planes  that anyone can fly well right from the start, the rest take time and practice to master IMO.

It's also my opinion that in the right hands there are only 2 planes that can conquer all. The F4U's and P38's.... neither of which I'm good at one vs. one.

I started with the spits and worked my way through the list. Every month I try to learn at least one new one. Others I've given up on completely. (Boom and Zoomer's...just not my style)

[angelsandair]

Mine changes up. Sometimes picking planes, sometimes turning planes. So I like to keep it in a little bit of both (F4Us, P-51B/D, P-47, Spit-5) My favs right there. But usually, my kills determine my wingmen. If they are really good and help me when I got enemies on my six, I return the favor.

[BaldEagl]

Here's the planes I fly the most (in order):

Spitfire Mk XVI
F6F-5
Bf 109K-4
Fw 190A-8
Hurricane Mk IID

And here's the planes I have my all time best (one camp) K/D rates in (in order):

Ju 87D-3
F6F-5
Bf 109G-2
Fw 190A-8
Fw 190D-9

And here's my best K/D rates over the past six months (in order):

Fw 190F-8
F6F-5
Spitfire Mk VIII
Bf 109G-2
La-7

I can't figue out why I do what I do.

[RumbleB]

I swap planes pretty much every sortie. Keeps the game alive for me hehe..

From expanded:
F4U-1D   13   
F4U-4   11   
F6F-5   24   
FM2   11
A6M5b   16
A6M2   5   
N1K2   13
P-47-D25   7
P-51D   13
SeaFire   9
Bf 109G-14   5
Spitfire Mk VIII   11
Spitfire Mk XVI   20
Tempest   27
Typhoon IB   11
Bf 109G-14   5

[FiLtH]

    Good post Ive often thought about this as well.

    I think some planes do fit people better than others. Where I have no desire to BnZ constantly, but do from time to time during a flight, I need a plane thats a little faster than the best turners, and can turn better than the fastest planes.

    Most of the planes I use are US planes. Flaps seem best in them for the way I fly, plus they carry alot or ord. Ive always had better luck squeezing the most I can from an average plane, than I do using one at the ends of the spectrum like A6m2 or P51D.

[thndregg]

I seem to bounce from Yak9u, to Yak9T, to Zeke, all of which have more performance limits than thier "uber" counterparts. I very rarely fly a top end plane, and I feel silly when I do.

[rip033]

My favorite is the 51D and B. Although you will see me in La s and 109s. Niki is my base defender.

[humble]

Going back to my days as a trainer I found that its easier initially for people to view a "dog fight" in a linear manner. The progression is normally from one of two extremes. A player initially starts with a more passive "B&Z" approach and flies a plane that performs well in that role. The flip side is the player whose initial instincts are to "dogfight" and gravitates to a T&B plane.

The "dogfighter" normally developes a more two dimensional approach with his primary point of reference being his front up view (which closely correlates with his lift vector). Regardless of his actual orientation in 3 dimensions his reference is the two dimensional relationship with his "target".

The "B&Zer" actually developes a better overall 3D awareness and comfort level in "unusual attitudes" as well as a greater SA. This is based on primarily tracking the "target" thru a wider range of views. He learns to orient on his target thru the rear quarter views and (if he has peddals or a twisty) the use of the rudder to reorient his lift vector.

This relates to the topic here as follows. If you "grew up" in the game as a dogfighter your more likely to be comfortable in a plane that excels in the turning circle and has excellent performance "in plane" with most cons. If you started as a B&Z fighter then planes with good rudder/elevator authority will be more comfortable. 

[Adonai]

I generally switch planes per tour and fly a pair of aircraft, generally one for alt and boom and zoom and the other a dogfighter.
My style is simply when a horde's on the loose I go in picking mode, or even numbers I go towards dogfighting.

Right now im currently flying the 109 series as my main ride and love it.

[Dragon]

Normally my favorite plane is the D-40, although I haven't figured out how to survive in it yet.

Love the Avatar Rip

[Solar10]

I seem to bounce from Yak9u, to Yak9T, to Zeke, all of which have more performance limits than thier "uber" counterparts. I very rarely fly a top end plane, and I feel silly when I do.

Egg... I'm gona have to come over so we can wing up on a few Spit 14 sorites.  I miss those.

[FX1]

I guess that i am a uber no skilled dweeb pilot..

Spitfire Mk XVI 31 2
Tempest 26 0

[AAolds]

The planes I fly the most are Typhs, SpitXIVs, Temps, 262s, P51s, Zeros, A20s, B26s, IL2s, F4Us, and the ol Ju87s. 

[Bucky73]

I guess that i am a uber no skilled dweeb pilot..

Spitfire Mk XVI 31 2
Tempest 26 0

No, your just a good gamer