longer version yak vs f4u

[df54]

http://www.mediafire.com/?2uhbt6var93a3b4                     


      maybe this longer version will help evaluate tactical  errors on my part.

[mtnman]

I'm not sure what your strategy was.  It appeared to me that you didn't have any real plans, and as a result you let things happen to you, rather than making things happen for you.

Initially, I think you might have done well to stay near the edge of the fight and try to work a 1v1, maybe against the brewster.  But instead, you passed under a bunch of enemy planes who were only distracted with one or two friendly planes.  In short, you set yourself up to be swarmed, and even if you'd managed to live through the F4U I think you were going to be in big trouble in moments anyway.

But ignoring all the other bad guys, and just concentrating on the F4U and P47...  Here are some points I'd recommend working on-

SA- what's going on around you?  Watching the film through your recorded views, I didn't have enough information on what was going on, which tells me you didn't either.  When the F4U and the P47 dropped on your six (from above) you were already going up.  That would generally mean they had a strong likelihood of having enough E to keep up with your gentle climb.  Regardless, you didn't have enough time watching them to really know their E-states, so going (or continuing to go) up is a bad idea.  You're likely to slow down right in front of their guns.  Turning it into a spiral "hoping" they couldn't match it isn't the same as going into a spiral knowing they can't match it.

Next, once they dropped onto your six, going up kept the fight right next to the swarm.  Again, you were going to be dead no matter what...  If you get someone on your six, maybe consider dropping your nose and dragging them to the outskirts to keep the fight somewhat manageable (I'm not saying you should run away).  Going up, keeping the fight there, and getting slow wasn't going to be in your favor no matter what...

And, if you can, get them to match their E-states and "location" to a similar level and position.  Don't let them spread out, but get them right next to each other behind you, so a defensive move has a better likelihood of working on both of them at the same time.

[boomerlu]

Typically I only begin a slow spiral climb if I hold a significant climb advantage (i.e. K4 vs anything other than Spit16, 8 , other 109s, 190s) and I have a large enough horizontal separation (approx 1.0k). The idea here is that it is a SLOW rope using climb rate rather than straight E advantage. Note that this takes around 1-2 minutes of spiraling/climbing to pan out! You want to gently sucker the guy into thinking he can get a shot. It appears you weren't quite gentle enough. If you had waited just a few more seconds...

Also, to be able to make that shot, either the CHog was extremely good (unlikely given the flaps comments in the previous thread) or just lucky, which often happens! He still had control, but just barely any, so either he planned out and anticipated where you were going to a tee, or he just got lucky and you drifted into his gun line.

It happens. I was just in a duel where the guy shot out my stabilizers, but I maintained control JUST long enough for him to fly out in front of me into my sights and for me to spray him full of lead. 10 seconds later I careened into the ground...