Jug pilots, advice?

[mtnman]

Just remember, when escorting, all you really need to do is chase the bogies away and return to position. 

Also, engage wisely - meaning if you ave, say, 4 jugs escorting, maybe you only need only to send 1 or 2 to deal with an impending threat, not all 4...  as escorts your priority is getting buffs on target, not kills for yourselves.

I was going to say the same thing. 

To be a good escort you don't need kills, you take pride in getting the buffs to target and home safely.  Take a perch above the bombers, maybe slightly in front, and don't bother to chase anyone.  Wait 'til an enemy is closing on the buffs, but still out of range of them, and drop onto his six.  If he's fixated on the buffs, kill him, but if he breaks away from you, DON'T follow.  Just zoom back up and be ready to repeat.  If the enemy drrops behind and below the bombers he's really not much of a threat unless/until he continues to follow/gain.  In that case he's easy to drop on and swat, or for the bombers tail guns for that matter (but as an escort I never want bad guys in gun range of the bombers...)

Above all, maintain your position with/above the bombers.  If you drop behind, or get tied up with a fighter, you're not going to be able to protect your charges.  All it takes is one wrong turn and you'll be way behind and unable to do what you're there for.  Likewise, if you can get an attacker to make a hard break to dodge your shot, he'll be out of position for another attack for at least several minutes...

For long range/high alt bombing, you may find it fun and efficient to lift from a field seperate from the bombers, and meet with them part way, but before they get in dangerous waters.  You'll notice your climb rates and fuel ranges will differ from the bombers, and having the bombers lift a 2 sectors or so behind friendly lines will help them be at a protectable alt when they meet up with you to head into danger.

Take plenty of fuel, and learn to use the E6B to get the most range from your plane.  If you have enough escorts, having a few off to each side, and/or in front of/behind the bomber formation can make it really rough for enemies to attack the bombers.

MtnMan

[MjTalon]

Thanks shane and mntnman  . I've been practicing and informed my squadron that kills are not important when escorting and our sole priority is the protection of the big guys. I'm currently training them in the high alt escort role and installing the self-discipline needed to operate in that environment as well as the self control to not chase enemy contacts.

[Shane]

Get it down and when scenarios/events roll around, you'll be a very desired group of pilots.

[eagl]

Good inter-squad communication and using wingman tactics is also important.  Tie each pilot with one other guy, and decide who is lead and who is wing.  Then whenever a target is chosen, the lead goes for it and the wingman does nothing but clear lead's tail.  If the wingman is threatened, the lead switches his primary target to the bandit threatening his wingman.  But they NEVER go after separate targets or both fixate on the same target, and the highest priority target is the one threatening your lead or wingman.

And when the lead's guy is dead (or if you're escorting bombers, no longer a threat to the bombers), you regain your energy together while covering each other's 6.  That means the wingman needs to learn to fly BESIDE his lead at around 300-400 yards, not just blindly following him around from behind the lead.  If you're right behind your lead, the lead can't help you if you get in trouble.  Likewise, the lead needs to use only about 95% power so the wingman can keep up and stay in position.  In all situations, the wingman needs to clear lead's 6 when the lead is engaged in an attack, and when lead is not attacking someone the wingman needs to be in a position where the lead can clear his 6 without having to do a complete 360 deg turn.

For more info, do a search for the "thatch weave", or just buy Bob Shaw's book and read the chapters on 2-ship employment.  It works GREAT for the P-47 since if you have a smart wingman, it's much better to keep up your energy and let your wingman clear your 6 than it is to turn and deal with attackers yourself.  Good comm is important though... get voice comm working with your wingman and figure out how to ask for help when it's really important.  Sometimes just learning how to drag an attacker in front of your wingman's guns is far more effective than learning how to stallfight with the best of them.

That's how Drex and I won convention 2v2 tournaments...  I did NOTHING but clear Drex's 6 while he did the actual killing.  He was a better shot than I was but I had pretty good defensive techniques and reasonably good situational awareness from playing the game for several years.  All I had to do was stay alive and keep the bad guy Drex wasn't actively killing from saddling up on his 6.  It worked like a champ and we NEVER lost.  I could easily see if drex needed help, and if I needed him to switch targets to help me out all I had to do was call "help" on voice (or across the room) and try to drag my attacker in front of his guns.

[Anaxogoras]

Sometimes just learning how to drag an attacker in front of your wingman's guns is far more effective than learning how to stallfight with the best of them.

I hate to single this sentence out from such a great wealth of information, but it deserves emphasis, even if it's anathema to how the 'cool people' would have you fly.

[Latrobe]

Why are you so worried about High-alt escorting at 30K? Nothing goes up there but Tempest! 

[crockett]

Why are you so worried about High-alt escorting at 30K? Nothing goes up there but Tempest! 

Don't forget about Grim's huri 2..