i have a couple of questions...

[NEARY]

#1 : what is an rv-8

#2 : what is a good dive bomber and how do i dive bomb

#3 : which fighter (not 110 or n1k) has the best firepower and good turning.

[Vudak]

#1 : what is an rv-8

Short answer: The type of aircraft HiTech personally owns.

#2 : what is a good dive bomber and how do i dive bomb

Well, the best dive bombers, IMO, aren't actually dive bombers.  They're fighters with bombs attached to them.  If you wanted a pure dive bomber for scoring purposes, the Ju87 is built just for that, but good luck getting to the target (much less back) alive in it.

If you're just looking to deliver ordinance on a target, the F4U1-D Corsair is a good choice.  It has generous ordinance options, is very hard to compress (go so fast you no longer have control over your plane and you hit the ground), and its landing gear can be lowered at very high speeds without ripping them off (which again helps with compression issues).

As for how to dive bomb, check out this link to the trainer's website: http://trainers.hitechcreations.com/divebomb/divebomb.htm

#3 : which fighter (not 110 or n1k) has the best firepower and good turning.

If you're looking for a plane that combines good firepower with turning, you can't really beat the Spits.  The Spit V - IX are what I would recommend.  The XVI isn't so great at turning, comparatively.

The Spits have 20mm hispanos, which have some of the best ballistics in the game (making them relatively easy to hit your target with), and they are all more than capable turners.

Hope this helps,

[jerkins]

#1 : what is an rv-8

#2 : what is a good dive bomber and how do i dive bomb

#3 : which fighter (not 110 or n1k) has the best firepower and good turning.

rv-8 is a plane hitech owns.

If i had to pick a dedicated dive bomber, it would be the SBD.  This plane is tough and maneuverable.  I would suggest, however, that you try a  fighter attack plane to dive bomb in, maybe a p47, of f4u.  Both of these planes hold tons of ordinance and dive well. 

Dive bombing becomes easier with practice.  To get you started, dive down at a 45-60 degree angle.  Be sure to chop throttle to zero to prevent compression.  Use the very bottom of your site, and aim just above your target.  At about 1000 - 2000 feet drop your bombs.  Obviously the lower you drop, the more accurate you are, but you are also more vulnerable to ack and GV fire.

Fighter are not about pure turn or pure firepower, in fact you rarely get both.  IMO a good sturdy fighter to start with would be the spit IX.  It is a relatively balanced package and has forgiving stall characteristics. 

A good next step would be the 109-f4.  This is a great plane, but is slightly more difficult to fly.  With this plane you will need to battle torque issues, but it has better firepower (IIRC) and excellent turn rate.

To answer the best firepower in a fighter:
-190a8--This this has tons of heavy ammunition and shreds bombers like paper.

To answer the best turning fighter:
-a6m2 IIRC--Turns like crazy, not the best gun package (but still lethal).  Its a fragile plane, and burst into flames if someone whispers the word first around it.

[NEARY]

  "The Spit V - IX are what I would recommend.
  they are all more than capable turners."

but can they compete with an a6m in a turning contest?

[BaldEagl]

  "The Spit V - IX are what I would recommend.
  they are all more than capable turners."

but can they compete with an a6m in a turning contest?

The Spit V at least comes close. 

It sounds like you got beat by someone in a better turning aircraft and now want to make sure that doesn't happen to you again.  In the end, it doesn't matter if you're in the best turning aircraft or not, you will still get beat.  Every plane has advantages and disadvantages in areas like turn rate, turn radius, climb rate, zoom climb, roll rate, acceleration, etc., etc., etc.  As long as someone flys to their planes advantages and forces you to fly to your planes disadvantages they will beat you.

I'd suggest you fly a Spit VIII or Spit IX and learn to fly it.  They are both very good planes, near the top of most performance criteria but not the best in any.  What they do offer you is an exploitable advantage against any plane you come up against.  It will be up to you to learn what those advantages are and how best to use them.

[AirFlyer]

but can they compete with an a6m in a turning contest?

Nope, but you shouldn't be turn fighting an A6M unless your in a D3A, A6M, or HurrI and sometimes a HurrC can get away with it depending on the pilots.

[trotter]

but can they compete with an a6m in a turning contest?

My question to you is this: when are you planning on setting up a "turning contest"?

The engagements you find in the arenas are fights, not pre-established contests where everyone starts within the same flight envelope. Use what your plane does best, or the advantages you enter the engagement with, to win the fight. There is a lot more to ACM than seeing who can turn the tightest 2D flat turns.

[Rich46yo]

You should probably get with a trainer or an expereinced dive bomber.
And be patient. Your not going to become a great dive bomber over-night. Im only starting to get to the point where I want to be and even that after months of practice.
My personal style on hard targets, or ships, is to invert and come down almost straight down. Most however like to use an angle approach.
I know one thing however that sight with the lines on it to line up rockets helps a lot with lining up targets for a dive bomb. The name of the sight is A8N6_Rocket and its included in one of the free sight packages.

In my opinion the Yank versatile Jabos are the best dive bombers. In order I'd probably rate them Hellcat, Corsair, P-47, P-38, P-51. They are all very good dive bombers and are the only plane set I use for the job.

[NEARY]

My question to you is this: when are you planning on setting up a "turning contest"?

The engagements you find in the arenas are fights, not pre-established contests where everyone starts within the same flight envelope. Use what your plane does best, or the advantages you enter the engagement with, to win the fight. There is a lot more to ACM than seeing who can turn the tightest 2D flat turns.

after i go head on that is when turning contest start

[The Fugitive]

after i go head on that is when turning contest start

Well, there's your problem! First off you should be thinking and maneuvering for your first turn BEFORE you merge, and you should try to avoid the head ons as much as possible. If when your two planes merge nose to nose, you both have to come around 180 degrees to get guns on again. If you should maneuver around and come in more from the side of the enemy you have already turned the first 90 degrees, and added more degrees on the enemies turn to get around on you.

[Ghosth]

There is no "one answer fits all" when it comes to AH and planes.

In fact the opposite is true, there are many many variables, so many that to truly master AH takes years.

Yes, generally speaking the A6m will out turn a spitfire. That does not mean the spitfire can't wink, or that you shouldn't fly a spitfire. You just have to change your tactics.

Pick one plane that "feels" comfortable, and learn what it takes to stay alive in it.
Then what it takes to kill in it. Truly learn to understand all that it can and can not do. Master it.
Then pick a new plane, or a varient and do it again. If you have problems, or a bad day, go back to the basics and the plane you know.

[Max]

Best dive bombers are the P-47 (mid & late war models) which can deliver 2 - 1000# bombs, 1 - 500# bombs and 10 - rockets to the target. The Jug was built for hi speed diving and is a very tough bird.

Best turner with fire power is the Hawker Hurricane IIC. It carries 4 Hispano MarkIV cannons which deliver 368 rnds of 20 mm. If your intention is to truly go for the head on, guns blazing merge, this is your plane. Be forewarned that any experienced player will figure what your intentions are well before you squeeze the trigger, and quickly be angling for a shot on you.

[Hazard69]

after i go head on that is when turning contest start

I'm no Aces High Guru, but I'll say this to you and all new "recruits"...

A head-on (passing opponent nose to nose) is about the worst maneuver that you can do and especially so on the merge (except maybe if u hunting bombers and even then only if necessary).

In a head on theres a 50% chance that you will be hit. Assuming you are new and your aims not so great (Im no longer "new" but my aim still sux) and the enemy's got average aim, that means you're gonna get shot 75% of the time. Doesn't matter whether you shot the enemy down or not...if you die = you lose. Remember the aim is to kill the bad guy and live through it.

Additionally, 90% of the time, the enemy is smarter and doesn't accept the head on. He maneuvers away and is setting up for his next move, while you are blindly following, hoping to get a shot.
Aces high combat needs equal amounts of thinking and shooting. This isn't Quake where u can go in everywhere guns blazing. Don't worry about getting a kill, worry about getting killed. In time you will find you end up getting shot opportunities and kills. The trick is to live long enough to get them.

I know I haven't given any tactical advice, but the first step is to shift focus from 'killing" to "living".

My 0.02$
Cya in the virtual skies

[Bosco123]

#1 : what is an rv-8

#2 : what is a good dive bomber and how do i dive bomb

#3 : which fighter (not 110 or n1k) has the best firepower and good turning.

I'll answer #3: Best airplane that can take down towns, have a load of ordanace, and can kill just about anything IMO is the Mossie. It can turn some ( if you use 50% it works great), and it has superior gun power. It can take out 4 GV's with bombs.
Oh and for #2, Mossie again!
<S>

[Lusche]

Best airplane that can take down towns, have a load of ordanace, and can kill just about anything IMO is the Mossie. It can turn some ( if you use 50% it works great), and it has superior gun power.

Not exactly on this threads topic, but kind of comment on this quote is this little chart I once did: