Flying Spit 14

[Yarbles]

I like the 14 sometimes though I do fly the other spits more.

When I fly the 14 I have trouble beating turn planes partcularly the Nikki. I take the battle into the veritical. Drag them up but still find it hard to get a shot and keep them off my six. How is it done?

[Ghosth]

fly it like a 109. Keep it high and fast, energy tactics should work.

[Yarbles]

fly it like a 109. Keep it high and fast, energy tactics should work.

Energy Tactics?

[Obie303]

BnZ.  Don't turn with the Niki.  Keep your speed advantage.

[Hap]

Yarbles, I try to keep the engineers on my side.  Use a plane how it was intended to be used maximizing its strengths etc and avoiding its weaknesses.

[Yarbles]

BnZ.  Don't turn with the Niki.  Keep your speed advantage.

I try to Bnz it but I have troubld avoiding the HO or an angle where it gets a shot. Once I am in a 1 on 1 how should I extend to get the advantage best and then how do I renew the atack. If the Nikki decides to be defensive its hard to get in there.

[jerkins]

Tactic 1:  Rope

Advantages:
    -The spit has better climb with wep and the planes weights are similar. In theory this could work.
    -Even veteran pilots can get greedy and fall for it from time to time.

Disadvantages:
    -The N1k has lots of powerful cannon to lob at you, and the spit cannot take a lot of damage.

Final note, only do this if you have a bit more E than the n1k.  He may not be a able to climb all the way up, but he will be able to hang for a while, allowing time to some shots.  Also do not rope straight up, turn it into a spiral type rope.

Tactic 2: High speed fight

Advantages:
    -Without flaps the turning radius on both planes are very close.  Keep the n1k's flaps up and the fight could go either way.

Disadvantages:
    -Dont rip the wings off, this is too fast. 

Final note, Keep your turns level or slightly up hill.  Most pilots will quickly give up alt for speed, if you save some alt, you can always gain speed quickly.  You have a better climb let him fight it.

Tactic 3:  The fight gets slow

Advantages:
    -the spit can easily out accelerate the n1k.  You can bug out at any time.
    -Again the sustained climb rate will help you, fight up hill.

Disadvantages:
    -The n1k can really out turn you here.
    -Any crossing (like flat scissor) can end badly quickly.

Final note, You can make you speed back faster than the n1k.  Remember this and if the situation get bad, extend and come back after 1.5 k or so.  You are not running, but dont fight a losing fight.  You need to know when you are losing, if you wait too long, the n1k may reach you with the cannons as you leave.

General:
    -I love the rolling scissor.  IIRC the spit has a better roll rate and its very friendly near stall.  This can work of for the spit pilot in those slow, over the top, rolling scissors fight.  You can also try to have a net climb over the rolling scissor fight, this is going to hurt the n1k in the long run.

Keep in mind, these are only my suggestions and every scenario requires different action to win. If I am way off, someone please correct me.  I do not fly the spit often, but this is what I would do.

[Yarbles]

I struggle sometimes to get back on them in time from the rope but I will try that one first.

The climbing fast turn fight 2nd then.

Not sure about the rest.

Thanks

   

[Anaxogoras]

Reading this post is yet another affirmation that the Spitfire 14 doesn't deserve a perk price.

Basically, the idea is that you don't get kills in the 14 by latching onto the 6 of a bandit and following him through maneuvers until you get a killing shot, the way most people are used to flying the 16.  It is not a point and shoot aircraft.  Speed and climbrate are your biggest weapons, which means you will frequently be dragging bandits that you failed to kill during your initial attack.  Get used to that; welcome to my world.

[BaldEagl]

You have every advantage over a N1K with a Spit XIV except turn rate, and without flaps even that is only a marginal advantage to the N1K.  With flaps deployed the turn rate advantage to the N1K gets much larger.  I'm not sure the 4x20mm's on the N1K are really much of an advantage over the Spits 2x20mm Hispanos and 2x.50 cals... ballistically the Spit's much stronger.

So the tools you have to use are speed, acceleration and climb rate vs. the N1K's only advantage of turn rate.  I'm not sure about roll rate but I believe that goes to the Spit as well.

That tells me that about the only thing you don't want to do is get the fight slowed down to the point that the N1K can pop the flaps out (remember... flaps in gives the N1K only a marginal edge in turning ability... so little that pilot skill could offset it).  Anything above that speed you are in control.

Considering that above flap speed you are in control, then winding up with a N1K on your six tells me that you have messed up your SA or your ACM a some point along the way.  Before proceeding with explanations of how to shake the N1K once you have messed up, you need to analyse what put you into that position to begin with.

[Yarbles]

You have every advantage over a N1K with a Spit XIV except turn rate, and without flaps even that is only a marginal advantage to the N1K.  With flaps deployed the turn rate advantage to the N1K gets much larger.  I'm not sure the 4x20mm's on the N1K are really much of an advantage over the Spits 2x20mm Hispanos and 2x.50 cals... ballistically the Spit's much stronger.

So the tools you have to use are speed, acceleration and climb rate vs. the N1K's only advantage of turn rate.  I'm not sure about roll rate but I believe that goes to the Spit as well.

That tells me that about the only thing you don't want to do is get the fight slowed down to the point that the N1K can pop the flaps out (remember... flaps in gives the N1K only a marginal edge in turning ability... so little that pilot skill could offset it).  Anything above that speed you are in control.

Considering that above flap speed you are in control, then winding up with a N1K on your six tells me that you have messed up your SA or your ACM a some point along the way.  Before proceeding with explanations of how to shake the N1K once you have messed up, you need to analyse what put you into that position to begin with.

Where would you start assuming I see the Nikk at say 12 Oclock Low

[Anaxogoras]

Considering that above flap speed you are in control, then winding up with a N1K on your six tells me that you have messed up your SA or your ACM a some point along the way.  Before proceeding with explanations of how to shake the N1K once you have messed up, you need to analyse what put you into that position to begin with.

I have to disagree.  When you're in a faster aircraft that turns worse, having a bandit on your 6 is routine.  You've only messed up if you are not safely extending away.

If I met in a N1K in a merge and I'm in a Spit14, my approach would be to enter a sustained climb to gain an energy advantage, and then bnz the N1K until he's dead.  Every time I make a guns pass, the N1K will maneuver onto my 6 o'clock position, but likely not closer than 800-1200 yards, and I am creating more separation every second. The only mistake here is missing with the initial attack.

[Bruv119]

dive towards him build your speed up,   99% of niki drivers will go for HO,  

 between 1000-800 pull left or right/ duck under  but make sure he doesn't get any sort of shot,  climb, spiral climb if you want to keep him suckered,  nikis can come up a long way so don't be tempted to pull straight back down after him unless your sure he is going to stall.

You can tell whether or not he knows what he is doing if he A ) doesnt HO or B) pull the hardest flattest turn he can as you should easily be able to get above him in that situation.

If he doesn't follow your climb you better get after him and see if he has any skills.  Either way you've gone from a 50-50 to a 70-30 in your favour as you now have an altitude advantage.

[BaldEagl]

I have to disagree.  When you're in a faster aircraft that turns worse, having a bandit on your 6 is routine.  You've only messed up if you are not safely extending away.

If I met in a N1K in a merge and I'm in a Spit14, my approach would be to enter a sustained climb to gain an energy advantage, and then bnz the N1K until he's dead.  Every time I make a guns pass, the N1K will maneuver onto my 6 o'clock position, but likely not closer than 800-1200 yards, and I am creating more separation every second. The only mistake here is missing with the initial attack.

Someone out of guns range on your six isn't a problem.  In the extreme there might be someone on your six three sectors back.  It doesn't mean you're in trouble.   

[BaldEagl]

Where would you start assuming I see the Nikk at say 12 Oclock Low

That depends on how low but let's assume something reasonable like a few thousand feet.

First I'd circle at my alt to work my way behind him, then make a diving guns pass.  Assuming he sees you and makes a break turn I'd pull up and over for my second pass, probably in a very high yo-yo to work into a lag pursuit position awaiting my chance to pull lead for a snapshot.  If at any time it appears he's getting the angle advantage I'd zoom out and climb.  You want to do this when he's at 180 degrees opposed to your flight path.

If he won't allow you to work behind him initially you can bet he'll pull the nose up and go for the HO on your opening dive.  Fake the dive then pull up, wingover and drop on him as he stalls coming up to you.

If he just trys climbing to you spiral climb him out of E then pounce.

You hold all the cards, especially starting with an alt advantage.  Just play the angles and distances so as not to allow him a guns solution.