Plane Shopping again

[maddafinga]

As it should! Bravo to that! Some folks get stuck and only run-run-run, or turn-turn-turn, etc.

As you get a feel for any given plane's abilities you'll manuver best to fit those. So if you're in a 190 and you run across a spit, you're NOT going to slow down and turn with it, right?

Same goes if you're in a spit against a P-47... You're not going to try and dive away from it, right?

That's part of the learning experience right there.

I frequently find myself turning my K4 against Spits and Brewsters and Niks.  It's just so fun to do!  I sometimes just can't help myself, and it works out now and then even. 

I'm a sucker for a knife fight, even when I know it's going to get me killed.

[Krusty]

Don't get me wrong Madda, I'm not saying "this plane can only do this" I'm more suggesting that one learns the specific traits of a plane and once they know what they can do, they pick and choose their manuvers based on that. For example, you know you can turn (at least with some success or fun) with more nimble planes, and you choose to use that. Your other options of course are using the high speed of the 109K, BNZ the enemy, or to run, dive, disengage, reengage, use the vertical to outclimb, out zoom, the enemy, etc.

I'm just saying you don't try to pull a move in a plane that just can't do it. You learn the ride then you utilize it.


For example, you don't plan on chasing much down when flying a Hurr1, eh? Rather than try you turn away, lure them back, look for another target, whatever.

[Plazus]

Mosquito.

too fragile.

If you can learn to keep the Mossie skinny in the turn fights, you will be surprised at how long you can live. The same can be said for any aircraft you fly in this game.

[Krusty]

Mossie isn't quite the kindlewood it used to be. Sneeze at it and it used to light on fire. Now, aside from constant pilot wounds, it's rather rugged... At least as much as your other typical fighters. It's no P-47 or F6F, but then again these are the exceptions to the rule.

[maddafinga]

Don't get me wrong Madda, I'm not saying "this plane can only do this" I'm more suggesting that one learns the specific traits of a plane and once they know what they can do, they pick and choose their manuvers based on that. For example, you know you can turn (at least with some success or fun) with more nimble planes, and you choose to use that. Your other options of course are using the high speed of the 109K, BNZ the enemy, or to run, dive, disengage, reengage, use the vertical to outclimb, out zoom, the enemy, etc.

I'm just saying you don't try to pull a move in a plane that just can't do it. You learn the ride then you utilize it.


For example, you don't plan on chasing much down when flying a Hurr1, eh? Rather than try you turn away, lure them back, look for another target, whatever.

Oh yeah I totally agree with you, I was just saying in a round about way that if you stick with a ride for a while and get to know it you will find yourself being able to do things with it that most don't expect it to be able to do.  You just have to adjust to the quirks and find ways to work around the weaknesses.  That's the real fun for me.

[Muzzy]

Flying the A8 has definitely been a learning experience.  For one thing, I have to appraise the combat situation before I enter it.  If I'm outnumbered or if there are a lot of FW's and La's at high altitude I know I'm going to have trouble.  Sometimes I wait until the combat has developed a little bit before I ingress. I know I can't outrun the top end planes, but I can execute quick slashing attacks through a furball. I can build up speed, use my roll to take whatever shots I can get as I blow through, then separate a little and loop or high yo-yo back into the fight.

Last night for example, there was a P-47 raid through Bish Land.  They had altitude on me as they came in, so I reversed back to the base, staying under them until they dove down on our base.  I caught 2 jugs as they were pulling up out of their dives and would have had a third had he not extended away. The A8's firepower absolutely shredded the jugs, and I had enough speed to stay with them as they tried to climb.

In a long, extended fight however, I know I'm not going to last long.  The A8 doesn't have the speed to keep up with the high end fighters, and admittedly my skills in the merge and reverse situation are lacking.

[Ruah]

I am no expert like some of the JG folks - but I would switch to an A5.  Drop the outboard guns and stick with the 2mgx2cannon combo.  The reason I like the 5 rather then the 8 is because it accelerates like a beast so you have a lot more control of the plane in a scissors move or any move where you want to force overshoots and get back up to speed quickly.  The A8 gets too mushy at low speeds, tends to drop like a rock in stalls and is awful about regaining lost E.

Of course there are far better late war planes that do everything the a5 does better, but I just love that roll rate. . .

[Muzzy]

Actually, I'm flying the A5, A8 and the Dora regularly now.  I'm using the A5 in low level mix ups where you don't have time to gain alt. The A8 is my ride of choice for fighting gv infestations and base captures.  The Dora is my ride of choice for pure BZ, when I can fly in with high alt, drop a few planes and exit before they know what I'm doing.

[Ruah]

The only reason I don't fly the Dora is because its not as pretty as the BMW driven short nosed versions.  If I were to min/max - the dora is better then the A5 in every way except at the lowest of speeds and even then the advantage is almost negligable (at least at my skill level - not flying the yak makes me feel guilty).

[Muzzy]

Hey I like the Yak too...good speed, good maneuverability and pretty rugged...it's just the gun package that gives me grief sometimes.

[maddafinga]

I think the Yah would be a lot better starter plane than any of the fws actually.  Just get very close to shoot, 300 or less, and don't waste time and ammo on longer range or deflection shots and you'll do just fine in it.  It does just about everything pretty well and has good visibility to boot.  Spend a couple of camps in it and you'll come to love it.  You'll spend less time banging your head against the wall  in it than you will in the fws you've been messing with.  Just a suggestion.

Also, anytime you see me up, just give me a shout and I'll be happy to hit the DA with you for a while.  You can learn more there in an hour than you can in months in the main arenas.  Also you can get a much much better feel for a plane's edge.

[Muzzy]

I had my best flight in a Yak, actually.  4 kills, all fighters, no proxies. 

The thing is, flying a different plane often gives a different perspective and feel to the game. Learning the FW's has taught me how to use speed more effectively, how to observe a furball and attack where appropriate, and how to use WEP and roll rate to my advantage. True, I may have learned the same things flying a Yak, but the FW models kind of force you to learn these things.  The easier a plane is to fly, the less I tend to fly out of my comfort zone, so to speak.