A few I would like to see

[321BAR]

  M-18...

[Ack-Ack]

Only need one round to kill a pilot

A couple of nights ago I was returning to base with 10 kills and only 5 rounds of .50 cals left when I was bounced by a Spitfire Mk XVI.  My only real option was to try and fly him into the ground, which I was almost succeeding in when a P-47 (one that I had already shot down about 3-4 times during my sortie) came in for the pick and forcing me to break off the Spitfire in order to meet the Jugs attack.  I easily reversed on the merge when the P-47 presented a sweet shot which I took with my final 5 rounds.  I was pretty much resigned to the fact that these rounds weren't really going to do squat unless I scored the Golden BB hit but I figured I was gonna die anyway so might as well go out swingin'.  So I fire and watch as my 5 rounds go smack into the cockpit and must of given the Jug driver an instant pilot wound because he just rolled over inverted and flew straight into the ground.  Now I was really screwed because now I had 0 rounds and the Spitfire Mk XVI had taken advantage of my having to engage the Jug to get into position for the kill.  Managed to live for a couple of minutes more dancing with the Spitfire but with 0 rounds, I didn't last much longer than that.

ack-ack

[Muzzy]

Only need one round to kill a pilot so If I fire 50 rounds at a cockpit, I know for a fact that I will kill the pilot, I dont asume stuff like that when im in a fight, I shoot stuff untill I know the plane is down for good

Something that Bishop used to say all the time as well.

-Muzzy

[Nemisis]

No, there is no set number of bullets required to shoot down a fighter, but that doesn't mean you should assume that you'll take off his wing, or deal some other catastrophic damage to your opponent on the first pass.

Another example of what I'm talking about: GV's have no set number of shells needed to destroy them. From past experience, I plan on M4's needing two rounds to kill at 800yds and under, 3 rounds at 800-1400, and 5+ rounds at 1400yds+. Frontal shots with only slight angling of my targets chassis, of course. Oh sure, you may get a lucky hit and kill him in 4 rounds at 1600yds, but just because it can happen doesn't mean you should plan on it being a regular occurrence.


I guess what I'm saying is plan for the worst and all supprises will be pleasant ones.

[Ack-Ack]

No, there is no set number of bullets required to shoot down a fighter, but that doesn't mean you should assume that you'll take off his wing, or deal some other catastrophic damage to your opponent on the first pass.

Why not?  That's what usually happens to the planes I engage, not many survive my first burst.  Those that do survive the first burst usually suffer major damage like a loss of a flight control or engine damage.


ack-ack

[Nemisis]

For you, if one pass kills are normal, then YOU should plan for that, it doesn't mean others should. Depending on the plane I'm in, I assume it will take a good 1 second burst or more to knock down a fighter such as the P-51. As such, I'm always plesantly supprised when I make a good shot or get the golden BB and kill him with a 1/2 second burst.

[Imowface]

the hands down ultimate unbeatable way to kill a fighter, or any airplane actually is acuracy, you it seems to me like you think there is a set way to kill an airplane, while in reality there is no instructions on how to shoot things down, but if there was, page 1 paragraph 1, line 1, would probably sound like this : aim your planes guns at the part of the other guys plane that you want to remove, best way to describe this is by attacking bombers (they dont blow up so fast)  so, say Imowface is crusing along in his J2M3, and see's a lone B-24, as I start to close in, the tail gunner opens up at 600 yards out, okay, I put my X on the tail turret, 1 second burst, tails gone, now, not only do I want to shoot this guy down, but I also want to make him very dizzy  on the way, so pull up dead astern swing out to the left, put my little X over his wing root, 2 second burst and bam, see you later B-24 hope you brought your barf bags. now on the other hand, maybe I have had a couple of drinks before bomber hunting and my aim is a bit shakey, might spray a 6 second burst on the whole length of the wing, and nothing happens, so I have now just used 4x as many rounds, and got 4x less damage then the first time before drinking a whole wack load of sake

[Ack-Ack]

the hands down ultimate unbeatable way to kill a fighter, or any airplane actually is acuracy, you it seems to me like you think there is a set way to kill an airplane, while in reality there is no instructions on how to shoot things down

For the most part you've hit the nail in the head, the key is good gunnery and knowing where to hit the plane you're firing at.  I suspect Nemisis doesn't aim where he's shooting other than pointing his nose at the target and firing, hoping to score a lucky hit.  There are critical areas to aim for on a plane:

• Engine
• Wing root
• Cockpit
• Tail (where the tail assembly meets the fuselage)

Those are the four traditional weakspots on an airplane and hits to these areas will usually result in critical damage.  Someone also mentioned something earlier in this thread that there is one common thing that all the aces shared and that was they always waited until they were close to the bandit before firing.  Hartmann (as someone used as an example earlier) waited until he was really close, 200 yards or closer and he would aim for the critical areas and at the range he fired at and area he was aiming at, he would kill most times with the first burst. 

ack-ack

[Imowface]

well ack, Its nice to see that you and I agree on something for once 

[Lusche]

For the most part you've hit the nail in the head, the key is good gunnery and knowing where to hit the plane you're firing at.  I suspect Nemisis doesn't aim where he's shooting other than pointing his nose at the target and firing, hoping to score a lucky hit. 

This is how the overwhelming majority of players shoot - including myself most of the time. Only in planes like 109F or I can get close enough & saddle up to aim for specific parts, and (to hell with modesty) I'm a considerably above-average shooter in AH. Most of my kills are done with crossing snapshots or at relatively long ranges.

I'd guess less than 5% of players are really able to consistently go for specific parts when shooting at another fighter.

[Ack-Ack]

This is how the overwhelming majority of players shoot - including myself most of the time. Only in planes like 109F or I can get close enough & saddle up to aim for specific parts, and (to hell with modesty) I'm a considerably above-average shooter in AH. Most of my kills are done with crossing snapshots or at relatively long ranges.

I'd guess less than 5% of players are really able to consistently go for specific parts when shooting at another fighter.

I'd also say less then 5% of the players will also spend time reading anything they can find on gunnery and playing offline a few hours a week practicing their gunnery and aiming skills. 

ack-ack

[fbWldcat]

I-16, 120 bullets? Shoot em in the engine or the tail, you score a kill. I haven't played in almost 4 months, I wonder how bad my aim is at this point....

 

[Muzzy]

I can pretty much nail bombers engines when I'm not dodging tracer fire.  Specific targets are always on my mind when I'm firing, but you really only have a second or two of thought when you're in close (most times) so a lot of times it's instinctive.  I suppose just having it in your head to shoot at a specific spot helps, but I'd rather get some hits in rather than lose the shot because I hesitated looking for a wing root.

[Nemisis]

naw Ack-Ack, I can aim for the wing, tail assembly, and the fuesalage. I will admit I can't aim for the engine or the cocpit unless i get inside of D350

[sandwich]

If you can aim for very specific parts of a plane at D350 like that, then I salute you.

For us normal people, We'll just take any shot we can get, and keep firing untill we see something really big fall of of their plane.

I cant aim like that ever and have more trouble shooting down an AFK plane then a maneuvering one.

And Dick Bong had terrible gunnery. He had to basically pull ace pilot mode to get his kills.

I remember reading somewhere that he got to close and got one of his calls by ramming an enemy plane.